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Shopify App Development

Custom Shopify app development for functionality that does not exist in the App Store, built to your exact workflow, integrated cleanly, and supported long-term.

What is it?

What is Shopify App Development?

When no off-the-shelf Shopify app solves your specific problem, or when the closest option is overpriced, overcomplicated, or requires data to live in someone else's system, a custom private app is the right solution. We build Shopify apps using the Shopify API, Admin API, and Storefront API as appropriate for your use case. Private apps we build live exclusively in your store ecosystem, giving you full control over functionality, data, and future development. We scope, architect, build, test, and support everything we ship.

Build

What's included.

Everything in this service

Requirements Scoping

A structured requirements session to map your workflow, identify API capabilities and limitations, define the user interface, and produce a detailed technical specification before any development.

App Architecture

Technical architecture design covering data models, API endpoint design, authentication, hosting infrastructure, and integration points with your existing Shopify setup.

Private App Development

Full-stack development of your private Shopify app, backend logic, Admin API integration, embedded app UI (React/Polaris where applicable), and any webhook or background job requirements.

Shopify API Integration

Deep integration with the Shopify APIs you need: Admin, Storefront, Fulfillment, Inventory, Customer, and more, with correct rate limit handling and error management.

Testing & QA

Functional testing, edge case validation, API error scenario testing, and load testing where applicable. All testing done in a development store before production deployment.

Ongoing Support

Post-launch support package covering bug fixes, Shopify API version updates (Shopify deprecates API versions annually), and incremental feature additions as your needs evolve.

Why it matters

Why this matters for your store.

The Shopify App Store has over 8,000 apps, and none of them were built for your specific workflow. Every installed app is a compromise, a subscription fee for functionality you use 40% of, data living in a third-party system you do not control, and a dependency on a vendor's roadmap decisions. A custom private app gives you exactly the functionality you need, running inside your own infrastructure, with no monthly fee beyond your hosting costs. For workflows that are genuinely unique to your business, custom development pays for itself faster than the compounding cost of subscription apps that almost fit.

Our Approach

How we do it.

01

Discovery & Specification

Requirements workshop, API capability research, technical specification document, and a fixed-price proposal based on defined scope.

02

Architecture & Setup

Technical architecture finalised, hosting infrastructure provisioned, development environment configured, and project repository established.

03

Development Sprints

Two-week development sprints with visible progress and a review at the end of each sprint. Scope changes are documented and priced transparently.

04

QA, Launch & Support

Full QA cycle, production deployment, and a support package covering the first 60 days post-launch. Documentation and a handover call included.

Questions

Common questions.

When does a custom Shopify app make sense versus an off-the-shelf one?
Three signals: your workflow is unique enough that no existing app covers more than 60 percent of it, you are paying $200+ per month for an app you partially use, or your data needs to live in your own systems for compliance or competitive reasons. If any of those is true, custom is usually the right call.
Do you build public Shopify App Store apps or only private apps?
Both. Most clients want private apps that live in one store. We also build public apps for SaaS founders who want to monetize a workflow they have built. Public apps require Shopify Partner approval and a different commercial model.
How long does a custom Shopify app build take?
Simple workflows: 4 to 6 weeks. Standard integrations or admin tools: 8 to 12 weeks. Complex multi-system apps with billing, multi-store support, or heavy background jobs: 16 weeks or more. Every project ships in two-week sprints with reviewable progress.
Where does the app run? Do I need to manage hosting?
We host on Render, Railway, Fly, or AWS depending on the workload. For most private apps, hosting runs $20 to $80 per month. You get the credentials and own the infrastructure; we maintain it if you want, or you can take it over.
What happens when Shopify deprecates the API version my app uses?
Shopify deprecates each Admin API version after one year. Our maintenance retainer includes annual version upgrades so the app never breaks silently. Without a retainer, the upgrade is a one-off engagement scoped at the time.
Can you integrate the app with my CRM, ERP, or 3PL?
Yes. We have built Shopify apps that integrate with Salesforce, HubSpot, NetSuite, ShipStation, ShipBob, and custom in-house systems via REST and GraphQL. We will scope the integration as part of the discovery call.
Work With Us

Ready to get started?

Book a free scoping call, bring your workflow problem and we will tell you whether a custom app is the right solution and what it would cost to build.

Or contact us →