01 Rule-based labels
Manual tagging does not scale past a hundred SKUs. You want automatic rules — label anything discounted over 20%, anything created in the last 30 days, anything below 5 units of stock.
02 Image quality and retina
Badges render next to your product photography. Blurry, mismatched payment icons make a store look less trustworthy, which is the exact opposite of the point.
03 Collection grid support
Some apps only render labels on the product page. Check that labels appear on collection tiles, search results and featured-product sections, since that is where they earn their keep.
04 Honest claims
'256-bit SSL secured' is true of any store on HTTPS. Invented certification seals are a liability. Prefer badges that state real facts: accepted payment methods, your actual return window, your actual guarantee.
05 Bundle or specialist
Badges and labels are simple enough that a suite app covering badges, banners and timers often makes more sense than a dedicated app plus three others.