Shopify app development by a team that ships to the App Store
Private apps for your own operations, public apps for the Shopify App Store, and Shopify Functions for the logic themes cannot reach. We have been through app review ourselves — our apps are live on the store today.
We have shipped through Shopify's app review. Most agencies quoting app work have not.
App review is where most Shopify app projects stall. Performance budgets, mandatory GDPR webhooks, billing API compliance, App Bridge requirements and the embedded-app UX standard are all hard gates, and an agency that has only built private apps tends to discover them late and expensively.
Thriftizer publishes its own apps on the Shopify App Store. That means the review process, the Partner Dashboard workflow and the ongoing platform-version treadmill are routine work for us rather than an unknown risk on your project.
We build with Remix and Polaris on Shopify's current app template, use the Admin GraphQL API rather than deprecated REST endpoints, and deploy on infrastructure that survives a Black Friday webhook burst.
Apps, Functions and integrations
Public App Store apps
Concept to listing: Remix and Polaris build, billing API integration, listing copy and assets, and shepherding through Shopify's review process.
Private & custom apps
Internal tooling for your own store — bulk operations, catalogue sync, custom reporting, warehouse and courier integrations.
Shopify Functions
Custom discount logic, delivery and payment customisation, cart transforms and validation rules, written in Rust and running natively on Shopify.
API integrations
Admin and Storefront GraphQL work connecting Shopify to your ERP, WMS, accounting stack, CRM or in-house systems, with proper retry and reconciliation.
Checkout extensions
Upsells, custom fields, validation and post-purchase flows on the supported checkout extensibility framework — upgrade-safe on Shopify Plus.
App maintenance
Shopify ships breaking platform changes on a schedule. We keep existing apps current with API versions, deprecations and review-standard updates.
How an app project runs
Scope & spec
We pin down what the app must do, which Shopify APIs and extension points it needs, and whether it should be public, custom or a Function.
Build
Remix and Polaris on Shopify's current app template, against the Admin GraphQL API. Weekly builds you can install on a development store.
Review & QA
Performance, GDPR webhooks, billing and the embedded UX standard checked against Shopify's review criteria before submission, not after rejection.
Launch & maintain
Submission and listing for public apps, or install and rollout for private ones. Then ongoing maintenance as Shopify's API versions move.
Shopify app development cost
Priced by scope. The biggest cost driver is whether the app is public — App Store submission adds compliance, billing and listing work.
A single Shopify Function, or a private app doing one job well — a sync, a bulk operation, a custom report.
Embedded admin UI, multiple API integrations, background jobs and webhook handling for your own store's operations.
Multi-tenant architecture, billing API, GDPR compliance, listing assets, review submission and post-launch maintenance.
Public apps also carry ongoing maintenance cost — Shopify deprecates API versions on a rolling schedule, and listings that fall behind get delisted.
Questions we get every week
Do you build apps for the public Shopify App Store?
Yes, and we publish our own. That matters because App Store submission has hard gates most agencies discover late: performance budgets, mandatory GDPR webhooks, billing API compliance, App Bridge requirements and the embedded-app UX standard. Having been through review with our own apps, we build against those criteria from the first commit.
What is the difference between a private, custom and public app?
A custom app is built for one specific store and installed directly — the right choice for internal tooling. A public app is listed on the Shopify App Store, installable by any merchant, and needs multi-tenant architecture plus billing and compliance work. Private apps are the legacy term Shopify has largely replaced with custom apps.
What are Shopify Functions and when do I need one?
Functions are small programs that run natively inside Shopify's own backend to customise discount, delivery, payment and cart logic — things themes and apps cannot reach. You need one when your business rules do not fit Shopify's built-in options: tiered volume discounts, custom shipping eligibility, hiding payment methods by condition. They are written in Rust and run at checkout speed.
Can you integrate Shopify with my ERP or warehouse system?
Yes. We build integrations against the Admin GraphQL API with proper retry, idempotency and reconciliation, rather than fire-and-forget webhook handlers. We have connected Shopify stores to ERP, WMS, accounting and CRM systems across our client portfolio.
How long does Shopify app development take?
A single Shopify Function or a focused custom app takes 3 to 6 weeks. A full private app with an embedded admin UI runs 8 to 12 weeks. Public App Store apps take 12 to 20 weeks including review, which itself can add two to four weeks depending on how many iterations Shopify requests.
Do you maintain apps you did not build?
Yes. Shopify deprecates Admin API versions on a rolling schedule and updates its review standards regularly, so inherited apps often need a compliance and version-upgrade pass before they can be extended. We scope that as its own piece of work before agreeing new features.
Explore next
Have an app idea or an integration problem?
Tell us what the app needs to do. We will tell you whether it should be an app, a Function or a theme change — and roughly what each option would cost before you commit to anything.
