How much to charge for a Shopify app
How much to charge for a Shopify app comes down to one question: what does this app change for the store? An app that recovers abandoned orders, cuts a team's fulfillment admin in half, or unlocks a wholesale channel is worth a share of that result. An app that moves one field from one screen to another is worth much less, even if the code takes the same time. Price on that value, itemize the parts, and quote a monthly plan. Do not price on hours.
Claude Code makes the code quick to write. The slow, risky parts are elsewhere: getting the app approved if it is public, handling the store's real orders and customer data safely, and keeping it working as Shopify changes its APIs. Those are what the quote should be built around.
Custom app or public app: decide this before you quote
Shopify has two ways to distribute an app, and they lead to very different projects. You also cannot switch later. Shopify's docs say the distribution method cannot be changed after you select it, so get this right in discovery.
Shopify app distribution, from Shopify's developer docs
| Custom app | Public app | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can install it | One store, or several stores in the same Shopify Plus organization | Any Shopify store, through the Shopify App Store |
| Shopify review | Not required | Required before it goes live in the App Store |
| Charging merchants | Cannot use Shopify's app billing system. You invoice the client directly | Billed through Shopify, with plans, usage pricing and trials |
| App Store registration | Not required for a single merchant | One-time $19 fee per Partner account |
Most client work is a custom app. One store, one problem, invoiced directly. That is a services project, and the rest of this post prices it. A public app is a product. If a client asks you to build one, you are helping them launch a software business, with review, support, billing and a public listing. Price that as a much bigger engagement, or consider whether it is a product you should own yourself. Micro SaaS vs client work with Claude Code covers that fork.
The CCC Shopify App Quote
Six parts of a Shopify app quote
| Part | What it prices | Question to ask the client |
|---|---|---|
| Base build | The app itself and what it does in the store | What does this change in sales, refunds or hours each month? |
| Store data and permissions | Which orders, products and customer data the app reads or writes | What should this app be allowed to touch, and what should it never touch? |
| Integrations | Connections to the client's other tools, like inventory, shipping or a CRM | What else does the store already run on? |
| Testing and launch | Testing on a development store, then a careful install on the live store | When is the store quietest, and who signs off? |
| App Store submission | Only for public apps: listing, review fixes, billing setup | Is this for your store only, or for other merchants too? |
| Keep plan | API version updates, monitoring, fixes and small changes | Who do you call when it stops working on a busy day? |
Base build. Start with the outcome. Ask what the app changes each month, in sales recovered, refunds avoided or staff hours saved, and price the build at a fraction of one year of that value so the client can see it pay for itself. A small app that adds one admin action sits at the low end. Apps that touch checkout, pricing or fulfillment sit much higher, because a mistake there costs the store money directly.
Store data and permissions. A Shopify app works with real orders and real customers. Decide exactly which data it needs, ask only for those permissions, and write it into the scope. This is the line that protects the client, and it is real work, so price it.
Testing and launch. Build and test on a development store, then install on the live store at a quiet time with the client watching. Checkout apps have their own design requirements on Shopify, and they apply to custom apps too, so budget time to meet them if the app touches checkout.
Ask these before you quote
- Does an existing App Store app already do this? If one covers what they need, a custom build may cost them more to own. Say so. That honesty is how you win the next project.
- Who owns the app? The Shopify Partner or app account, the hosting and any API keys should be in the client's name or clearly handed over, with you given access.
- What happens if it fails? An app that hides a product badge failing is an annoyance. An app that changes prices or routes orders failing is lost revenue. The answer sets how much testing to price.
- Is this really one store? If they have several stores, check whether they are in the same Plus organization, because that decides whether a custom app can be installed on all of them.
More questions that prevent a bad quote are in client discovery questions before you quote.
Always quote the Keep plan
Shopify releases a new API version every three months, and each stable version is supported for at least 12 months. That means an app nobody updates will eventually be running on a version Shopify has retired. Add the client's own changes, new products, new shipping rules, new tools, and a Shopify app needs someone looking after it.
Quote a monthly plan in the original proposal. Say what it covers: updating to new API versions, checking that the app still works on the live store, security fixes, hosting if you manage it, and a set amount of small changes. Say what it does not cover: new features and new integrations, which are quoted separately. How to price a maintenance retainer covers the structure.
How to present the Shopify app quote
- Lead with the outcome in their words. One line on what the app changes for the store, then the price.
- Itemize it. Base build, data and permissions, integrations, testing and launch, App Store submission if public, then the Keep plan. Itemized quotes get trimmed, not rejected.
- Gate payments on proof. A deposit to start, a payment when the app works on a development store, and the final payment after it runs cleanly on the live store. How to structure milestone payments for an AI project covers the schedule.
- Write the scope down. What the app does, what data it can touch, and who owns which account. How to write a statement of work for an AI project has the template.
And skip hourly. Claude Code makes the build fast, so hourly pricing turns that speed into a pay cut. I covered why in why I stopped charging hourly for AI builds.
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Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for a Shopify app?
Price it on what it changes for the store, in sales, refunds or hours saved. Charge a fraction of one year of that value for the build, add lines for data and permissions, integrations, testing and launch, and quote a monthly plan.
What is the difference between a custom and a public Shopify app?
A custom app is installed on one store, or several stores in the same Plus organization, and needs no Shopify review. A public app is listed in the Shopify App Store, needs review, and can bill merchants through Shopify. You cannot change the method after you pick it.
Can I charge for a custom Shopify app through Shopify billing?
No. Shopify's docs say custom apps cannot use Shopify's app billing system, so you invoice the client directly for a custom app.
Does Shopify take a cut of app revenue?
For public App Store apps, Shopify's published revenue share lets developers keep 100% of their first $1,000,000 in lifetime gross app revenue and 85% above that, plus a 2.9% processing fee. Registering for the App Store is a one-time $19 fee and is not needed for a single-merchant custom app.
Should I charge a monthly fee for a Shopify app?
Yes. Shopify releases a new API version every quarter and supports each for at least 12 months, so the app needs regular updates, plus fixes and small changes as the store grows.
Last reviewed by Duncan Rogoff on October 20, 2026
