Your Shopify App Idea. Built to Scale.

Your end-to-end Shopify app development partner

A successful Shopify app is more than working code. It starts with a real merchant problem and enough demand to justify building for it. It needs an architecture that stays fast as installs grow, uses Shopify’s current APIs and extension points, handles shop and customer data securely, and passes the Shopify App Store requirements before a single merchant sees it.

After launch, the work continues: onboarding that gets merchants to their first result, billing that handles trials, upgrades and reinstalls, infrastructure that scales with API traffic, emails that bring inactive merchants back, and updates every time Shopify releases a new API version.

BOOST STAR Experts covers that whole lifecycle. We plan, design, build, deploy and maintain Shopify apps, and we publish and run our own apps on the Shopify App Store, so the advice we give comes from apps we operate every day.

• Product discovery and app-market validation
• Scalable, multi-tenant app architecture
• Shopify API, extension and webhook integration
• Security, privacy and data protection
• App Store requirements and submission
• Embedded UX and merchant onboarding
• Billing, plans and subscriptions
• Hosting, deployment and monitoring
• Email automation and merchant retention
• Updates, API upgrades and support

Our Shopify app development capabilities

Public Shopify app development

Apps built to be installed by many merchants from the Shopify App Store: multi-tenant from day one, so every shop’s data, settings and plan stay separate as installs grow. Shopify App Store applications, Multi-tenant SaaS architecture, Embedded apps in the Shopify admin, Install, OAuth and onboarding flows, Plans, trials and subscriptions, Listing preparation and submission, Version updates and maintenance.

Custom Shopify app development

Apps for one business, installed through a custom distribution link instead of the App Store. Ideal for internal tools and integrations that only your store or Plus organisation needs. (“Private apps” were retired by Shopify; custom apps replace them.) Merchant-specific functionality, Custom admin tools and dashboards, Workflow automation, Reporting for your own data, Internal system integrations, Enterprise and Plus organisation apps.

Shopify API & platform integrations

We build on Shopify’s current APIs and extension points, never on deprecated methods, and connect Shopify with the systems the rest of your business runs on. GraphQL Admin API and Storefront API, Shopify Functions and webhooks, Checkout, customer account and theme app extensions, Flow, POS and Billing integrations, ERP, CRM, inventory and order systems, Payment, shipping and custom middleware.

MERN stack & full-stack development

MongoDB, Express, React and Node.js power the backends, dashboards and SaaS platforms behind Shopify apps, alongside the Shopify CLI app template where it fits. React, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, JavaScript and TypeScript, REST and GraphQL APIs, Authentication and roles, Real-time features, background jobs and queues, Database design and optimisation.

AI-powered Shopify apps

AI features that save merchants time or lift conversion, built on LLM APIs such as OpenAI and Google Gemini, with guardrails, cost control and a human in the loop where it matters. AI support and shopping assistants, Product recommendations and AI search, Review analysis and summaries, Product description generation, AI merchandising and reporting, AI workflow automation.

Cloud infrastructure, deployment & DevOps

Production hosting sized to your app’s installs, traffic, API usage and budget, with staging, CI/CD, monitoring and backups so releases are routine instead of risky. Server and cloud deployment, Staging and production environments, Domains, DNS, SSL and reverse proxies, CI/CD from GitHub, Docker, Monitoring, logging and alerts, Backups, scaling and security updates.

Email marketing & automation for apps

The emails an app sends, from install confirmations to trial reminders, built into your app or connected to the email platform you already use. Transactional and system emails, Onboarding and lifecycle sequences, Trial, renewal and upgrade campaigns, Uninstall feedback and win-back, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, SendGrid and more, Delivery, bounce and unsubscribe handling.

Maintenance, security & growth

An ongoing technical partnership after launch: we keep the app compatible, secure and fast, and keep shipping the features merchants ask for. Monitoring and bug fixing, Shopify API version upgrades, Performance and database tuning, Security reviews, App Store requirement updates, Feature development and product analytics.

Public app or custom app?

Shopify has two ways to distribute an app, and the choice is permanent for that app. It decides who can install it, how it is reviewed and how it is billed.

New public apps must use the GraphQL Admin API (the REST Admin API is legacy) and subscribe to Shopify’s mandatory privacy webhooks.

Some extension points depend on the merchant’s plan: for example, checkout UI extensions on the information, shipping and payment steps need Shopify Plus.

Who can install it

Public app: Any merchant, from the Shopify App Store. Custom app: One store, or several stores in the same Shopify Plus organisation.

How it is installed

Public app: App Store listing and install flow. Custom app: An install link you send to the store owner.

Shopify review

Public app: Required: the app must meet the App Store requirements. Custom app: No App Store review.

Billing

Public app: Must charge through Shopify (App Pricing or Billing API). Custom app: No App Store billing; the work is usually paid as a project.

Best for

Public app: A product you want to sell to many merchants. Custom app: Features and integrations only your business needs.

Built for Shopify

Public app: Eligible once it meets the criteria. Custom app: Not applicable.

Build Shopify apps that meet the highest standards

Built for Shopify is the highest recognition Shopify gives an app on the App Store. It signals that an app is easy to use, performs well, handles data safely and integrates deeply with Shopify, and it brings extra promotion in the App Store and on other merchant surfaces.

An app applies from its Partner Dashboard once it meets the prerequisites: it must follow the App Store requirements, the Partner must be in good standing, and the app needs at least 50 net installs from active shops on paid plans, at least five reviews and a minimum recent rating. Shopify’s reviewers then evaluate the app against the full criteria, and approved apps are reviewed again every year.

Built for Shopify status is awarded only by Shopify, after its own review. We prepare apps to meet the published criteria, but no agency can guarantee approval, and none of our own apps is presented here as Built for Shopify.

Platform integration

Current APIs, theme app extensions instead of theme code edits, and the right extension point for each feature.

Embedded app design

Polaris components and App Bridge, so the app feels like part of the Shopify admin.

Admin performance

Web Vitals at the 75th percentile: LCP within 2.5 s, CLS within 0.1 and INP within 200 ms.

Storefront and checkout speed

At most a 10-point drop in the store’s Lighthouse score, and fast, reliable checkout calls.

Security and data handling

Least-privilege access scopes, verified webhooks, privacy webhooks and protected customer data.

Onboarding

A clear first-run setup that gets merchants to value without contacting support.

Billing

Shopify billing that handles trials, plan changes and reinstalls without errors.

Accessibility

Keyboard and screen-reader friendly interfaces and readable contrast.

• Review your app’s architecture and API usage
• Find compliance and UX gaps against the current criteria
• Improve admin, storefront and checkout performance
• Rework embedded screens with Polaris and App Bridge
• Improve onboarding and merchant workflows
• Prepare your application for Shopify’s evaluation

The complete Shopify app development lifecycle

Idea & product discovery

The merchant problem, target merchants, market demand, competing apps and the core functionality worth building first.

Strategy & architecture

Features, tech stack, data model, APIs, integrations, user roles, distribution method and infrastructure.

UI/UX design & prototyping

Wireframes, embedded admin screens, merchant dashboards, onboarding flows and clickable prototypes.

Application development

Frontend, backend, APIs, database, Shopify extensions, billing and automation, in reviewed sprints.

Testing & QA

Functional, integration, security, performance, compatibility and user acceptance testing on development stores.

Deployment & launch

Production servers, domains, SSL, databases, monitoring and deployment pipelines, checked before go-live.

App Store submission

Listing copy, screenshots, documentation, privacy details and test instructions for Shopify’s review.

Growth & optimisation

Performance monitoring, onboarding improvements, new features, infrastructure tuning and API upgrades.

Built on Shopify’s current platform

Beyond Shopify we connect apps to third-party APIs, ERP and CRM systems, inventory and order management, payment and shipping providers, and custom middleware, after checking each system’s API and data flows.

GraphQL Admin API

Products, orders, customers and settings. Required for all new public apps.

Storefront API & Hydrogen

Headless and custom storefronts, including Hydrogen builds.

Shopify Functions

Custom discount, delivery, payment and cart logic that runs on Shopify.

Webhooks

Real-time events, verified and processed reliably, including privacy webhooks.

Checkout extensibility

Checkout UI extensions and pixels (some checkout steps need Shopify Plus).

Customer account extensions

Features inside the new customer accounts, such as wishlists or reorders.

Theme app extensions

App blocks and embeds that merchants place without touching theme code.

Shopify Flow

Triggers and actions so merchants can automate your app in their workflows.

POS UI extensions

App features for staff on Shopify POS in physical stores.

Billing & App Pricing

Plans, trials, usage charges and upgrades billed through Shopify.

App Bridge & Polaris

Embedded admin UI that looks and behaves like Shopify.

Shopify CLI

App scaffolding, extensions, configuration and deployments.

Infrastructure that keeps your app running

A Shopify app is a live service. Every install sends webhooks, API calls and admin traffic to your servers, and merchants expect it to work at 3 a.m. during a sale. We design the infrastructure around your app’s real numbers: merchant volume, traffic peaks, API usage, background work and operating costs.

We deploy on the platform that suits the app, whether AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, DigitalOcean, Railway, Render, Vercel or another environment. No single host is right for every app, so we explain the trade-offs before choosing.

Databases get the same care: MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL and Redis, with migrations, query optimisation, backups and access control.

• Production, staging and development environments
• Domains, DNS, SSL and reverse proxies
• CI/CD pipelines from GitHub, automated deployments
• Docker containers and environment variables
• Monitoring, error logging and alerts
• Backups and recovery plans
• Scaling and load management
• Database migrations, tuning and security
• Regular security updates

Email marketing & automation for Shopify apps

Email is how an app welcomes new merchants, explains its features, collects payment and wins back the ones who drift away. We build that communication into your app, or connect your app to the email platform you already run, including Shopify Flow and external automation tools.

Marketing emails are sent only with the consent the law requires, with working unsubscribe links and privacy-compliant data handling (for example GDPR and CAN-SPAM, depending on where recipients are).

Transactional emails

Installation confirmation, Merchant onboarding, Account verification, Password reset, Billing and subscription notices, Usage alerts, Error and system notifications.

Lifecycle automation

Welcome sequences, Onboarding campaigns, Feature education, Inactive user reactivation, Trial expiry and renewal reminders, Upgrade and upsell campaigns, Uninstall feedback and win-back.

Infrastructure

SMTP and API delivery, Template development, Dynamic content and segmentation, Trigger-based and scheduled sends, Delivery and bounce tracking, Unsubscribe management, Email analytics.

Platforms we integrate

Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Brevo, SendGrid, Amazon SES, Postmark, Resend.

Technologies & development stack

Frontend

React, React Router (Shopify app template), Remix (existing apps), TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, Polaris, App Bridge.

Backend

Node.js, Express.js, GraphQL, REST APIs.

Databases

MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis.

Shopify ecosystem

Admin API, Storefront API, Functions, Webhooks, Flow, Checkout extensibility, Theme app extensions, Billing API.

Cloud & infrastructure

AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, DigitalOcean, Railway, Render, Vercel, Docker.

AI & automation

OpenAI APIs, Google Gemini APIs, Other LLM APIs, Workflow automation, Background processing.

Email & communication

Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Brevo, SendGrid, Postmark, Amazon SES, Resend.

Shopify apps we can build

• Product reviews & ratings
• Wishlists
• Trust badges & trust signals
• AI chat & customer support
• Instagram feed & social
• Product bundles
• Upsell & cross-sell
• Subscriptions
• Loyalty & rewards
• Inventory management
• Order management
• Shipping & fulfilment
• Product customisation
• Marketing automation
• Analytics & reporting
• SEO & AI SEO
• Store speed optimisation
• Custom B2B apps
• Workflow automation
• Custom Shopify SaaS products

Apps we’ve built and run on the Shopify App Store

• Our Shopify apps

Why choose BOOST STAR Experts for your Shopify app

Dedicated Shopify app developers

A team that builds Shopify apps and extensions, not only themes.

We run our own App Store apps

We publish, support and update our own apps, listed further up this page.

Public and custom apps

App Store products and private business tools, with the right distribution for each.

Full-stack MERN development

React, Node.js, Express and MongoDB, from the database to the admin screen.

API and system integrations

Shopify APIs plus ERP, CRM, inventory, payment and shipping systems.

Practical AI features

LLM integrations aimed at merchant outcomes, with costs kept under control.

Deployment and server management

Hosting, CI/CD, monitoring and backups handled by the same team.

Email automation in-house

Lifecycle and transactional email built alongside the app.

App Store and Built for Shopify readiness

Submission support and preparation against Shopify’s published criteria.

Long-term partnership

Maintenance, API upgrades and new features after launch.

Industries & business types we support

A D2C brand usually needs features that set its store apart, an enterprise needs integrations and controls, and a SaaS founder needs an app that works for thousands of different stores. We plan each app around the business model it serves.

D2C brands

Custom features that set the store apart: bundles, personalisation, loyalty.

eCommerce retailers

Operational tools for inventory, orders and fulfilment at volume.

SaaS startups

Public apps with multi-tenant architecture, billing and growth tracking.

Shopify Plus merchants

Checkout extensions, Functions and organisation-wide custom apps.

Enterprise businesses

Integrations with ERP, CRM and data platforms, with audit and access control.

B2B commerce

Quotes, approvals, company pricing and reorder workflows.

Fashion & apparel

Size guidance, lookbooks, wishlists and social proof.

Beauty & cosmetics

Reviews, routines, subscriptions and product recommendations.

Electronics

Product comparisons, warranties, specification search and bundles.

Home & furniture

Product customisation, delivery scheduling and large-item shipping rules.

Health & lifestyle

Subscriptions, quizzes and compliant product information.

Multi-vendor & marketplaces

Vendor onboarding, commissions, payouts and split fulfilment.

One integrated Shopify technology team

• Shopify development
• Shopify Plus agency
• Our Shopify apps
• Shopify SEO
• AI SEO
• Digital marketing
• Conversion rate optimisation
• Speed optimisation
• Email marketing

Frequently asked questions

What does a Shopify app development agency do?

A Shopify app development agency plans, designs, builds, launches and maintains apps that extend Shopify. That covers public apps sold on the Shopify App Store, custom apps for a single business, and the integrations, extensions, infrastructure and support around them. BOOST STAR Experts covers the full lifecycle, from validating the idea to App Store submission and ongoing updates.

How much does Shopify app development cost?

It depends on scope. A focused custom app with a few admin screens and one integration costs far less than a public multi-tenant SaaS app with billing, extensions, AI features and email automation. After a discovery call we send a written scope with features, timeline and a fixed quote. Hosting, third-party services and Shopify’s revenue share on App Store sales are separate from our fee.

How long does it take to build a Shopify app?

As a guide, a simple custom app takes a few weeks, a public App Store app with billing and onboarding usually takes two to four months, and a larger SaaS product with integrations or AI features can take longer. Shopify’s App Store review adds time after submission. We give a dated timeline once the scope is agreed.

What is the difference between a public Shopify app and a custom app?

A public app is distributed through the Shopify App Store, can be installed by any merchant, must pass Shopify’s review and must bill through Shopify. A custom app is installed from a link on one store, or on several stores in the same Shopify Plus organisation, and is not listed or reviewed for the App Store. The distribution method can’t be changed later, so it is decided at the start. Shopify’s older “private apps” have been replaced by custom apps.

Can you develop and publish Shopify App Store applications?

Yes. We build public apps that meet the Shopify App Store requirements and prepare the listing, screenshots, documentation, privacy details and test instructions for review. We publish and maintain our own apps on the App Store, which you can see on this page and on our Apps page.

What is Built for Shopify?

Built for Shopify is the highest recognition Shopify gives an App Store app. It shows the app meets Shopify’s standards for performance, design, integration and merchant value, and it brings extra promotion. Apps apply once they meet prerequisites such as at least 50 net installs from active paid shops, at least five reviews and a minimum rating; Shopify then reviews the app and re-reviews it every year.

Can you help prepare an existing app for Built for Shopify recognition?

Yes. We review the app against Shopify’s current criteria, including admin Web Vitals, storefront impact, embedded design, App Bridge, billing and onboarding, then fix the gaps and help prepare the application. Shopify makes the final decision, so no agency can guarantee approval.

What technologies are used for Shopify app development?

Shopify recommends the Shopify CLI with its React Router app template, Polaris and App Bridge for the embedded interface, and the GraphQL Admin API. Around that we use Node.js, Express, React, TypeScript, MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL and Redis, Shopify Functions and extensions, and cloud hosting such as AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Railway, Render or Vercel.

Can you build Shopify apps using the MERN stack?

Yes. MongoDB, Express, React and Node.js work well for Shopify apps and the SaaS platforms behind them. We use Shopify’s official libraries for authentication, sessions and webhooks, Polaris and App Bridge for the embedded admin, and design the database for many shops from the start.

Can you develop AI-powered Shopify applications?

Yes. We build features such as AI support and shopping assistants, product recommendations, AI search, review analysis and product description generation, using LLM APIs such as OpenAI and Google Gemini. We focus on outcomes merchants can measure and add limits, caching and review steps to keep quality and costs under control.

Can you integrate external APIs with Shopify apps?

Yes. We connect Shopify apps to ERP and CRM systems, inventory, order, payment and shipping providers, marketing tools and custom software, through their APIs, existing connectors or custom middleware, and test the integration with real data before launch.

Can you deploy and manage Shopify app servers?

Yes. We set up production and staging environments, domains, SSL, databases, CI/CD pipelines, Docker, monitoring, logging and backups, and choose the host based on your app’s traffic, API usage and budget. We can also manage the infrastructure after launch.

Can you build email automation for Shopify applications?

Yes. We build transactional emails such as install confirmations, billing notices and alerts, and lifecycle sequences such as onboarding, trial reminders, upgrade campaigns and uninstall feedback, with segmentation, tracking, bounce handling and unsubscribe management, sent with the consent the law requires.

Can you migrate or upgrade an existing Shopify application?

Yes. We upgrade apps to current Shopify API versions, move REST Admin API calls to the GraphQL Admin API, migrate Remix apps to the React Router template, replace theme code edits with theme app extensions and move off retired features such as Shopify Scripts and checkout.liquid.

Do you provide ongoing Shopify app maintenance?

Yes. Maintenance covers monitoring, bug fixes, quarterly API version upgrades, security reviews, performance and database tuning, App Store requirement changes and new features, under a monthly plan or as needed.

Can you build subscription-based SaaS applications for Shopify?

Yes. We build multi-tenant SaaS apps with free and paid plans, trials, usage-based charges and upgrades through Shopify’s billing, plus the dashboards, analytics and email automation a subscription product needs.

Can you integrate Klaviyo, Mailchimp, SendGrid and other email platforms?

Yes. We integrate Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Brevo, SendGrid, Amazon SES, Postmark, Resend and other providers, either to send your app’s own emails or to sync merchant and customer events into the platform a merchant already uses.

Can you help with Shopify app billing and subscriptions?

Yes. Apps on the Shopify App Store must charge through Shopify, using Shopify App Pricing or the Billing API. We set up plans, trials, usage charges, upgrades, downgrades and reinstall handling so merchants can change plans without contacting support.