SERVICE / 03·Shopify App Development

Shopify apps merchants actually keep installed.

Public App Store apps, private custom apps, theme-app-extensions and checkout extensions — built on Shopify CLI 3, Polaris and modern App Bridge, with the GraphQL Admin API at the core.

App Store + custom apps Polaris + App Bridge Checkout extensions
4.992%
● connected · resilient · in-motionSMBRG/EMERALD
App work we do

From single-merchant private apps to App Store unicorns.

We build apps that pass review, install cleanly, and survive the next API version bump. Embedded admin UIs, billing, webhooks, GDPR, the works.

Public App Store apps

End-to-end public apps: OAuth onboarding, embedded admin (Polaris + App Bridge), Recurring Application Charge, App Store listing assets and review prep.

Private / custom apps

Single-merchant apps installed via custom app distribution. Faster to ship, no review queue, and the same architecture as our App Store work.

Theme app extensions

App blocks merchants can drop into their OS 2.0 theme without editing code. Performance-budgeted, accessibility-checked, configuration-rich.

Checkout extensions

Checkout UI extensions, Shopify Functions for discounts and shipping, Branding API tweaks — the modern way to customize checkout on Plus.

Subscriptions & billing

Subscription apps using the Subscription API, ReCharge integrations, and recurring billing flows that survive 3D Secure, retries and dunning.

App Store optimization

Listing copy, screenshots, demo videos, review-cycle prep, and post-launch ASO. We get apps approved on the first review pass 90% of the time.
How we work

A six-phase rhythm tuned to Shopify's app review cycle.

Shopify's review queue is unforgiving but predictable. We plan around it so launch dates are realistic, not aspirational.

STAGE 01 · Week 0–1

Discovery & merchant interviews

JTBD interviews with 5–10 merchants. Competitive teardown of existing apps. Output: an opinionated PRD and pricing model recommendation.

STAGE 02 · Week 1–2

Architecture & UX

Polaris-based wireframes, embedded vs. unembedded decision, webhook + GraphQL plan, billing model, GDPR plan.

STAGE 03 · Week 2–N

Build

Shopify CLI 3 scaffold, App Bridge 4, Remix or Next, GraphQL Admin API, theme app extensions where relevant. Continuous deploys to a partner dev store.

STAGE 04 · Final 2 weeks

Review prep

App Store review checklist (40+ items), demo video, listing assets, billing flows tested, GDPR webhooks verified, Functions tested at scale.

STAGE 05 · Day 1

Submit & ship

Submit to App Store, monitor review queue, address feedback within 24h. For private apps, install on the merchant store and run smoke tests.

STAGE 06 · Day 1–90

Post-launch hypercare

API version monitor, billing reconciliation, ASO iterations, support inbox triage, and a roadmap of the next 3 features based on real install data.
What you walk away with

A passing review on the first attempt. A codebase that survives every API version bump.

Every app ships with current Shopify CLI 3 scaffolding, App Bridge 4, the latest stable GraphQL Admin API version pinned in CI, and a watcher that flags deprecations weeks before they bite. Listing assets and demo videos are part of the deliverable.

App
  • Embedded admin (Polaris)
  • GraphQL Admin API client
  • Webhook + Pub/Sub plumbing
  • Recurring billing flows
Extensions
  • Theme app extensions (blocks)
  • Checkout UI extensions
  • Shopify Functions (discount, shipping, payment)
  • Admin UI extensions
Listing
  • App Store listing copy
  • 5+ screenshot variants
  • 60-second demo video
  • Pricing page on marketing site
Operations
  • CI on GitHub Actions
  • API version watcher
  • GDPR mandatory webhooks tested
  • Privacy + ToS templates
Selected work

Apps that pass review and earn renewals.

Recent Shopify app engagements, with merchant names anonymized.

Public app · Loyalty

Embedded loyalty + referral app from PRD to listing.

1st pass
Shopify App Store review approval
14 weeks · Remix, GraphQL, App Bridge 4
Custom app · Plus merchant

Private subscription + tier upgrade flow.

+22%
subscriber LTV vs. previous platform
10 weeks · Subscriptions API, Stripe
Theme app extension

Sticky-add-to-cart + cross-sell app block, public app.

4.9★
avg. rating after 6 months
8 weeks · Liquid, App Blocks, Functions
90%
Apps that pass App Store review on first submission
24
Public + private Shopify apps in production
< 24h
Avg. turnaround on review feedback
4.7★
Avg. rating across our public App Store apps
FAQ

The questions buyers ask before signing.

Don't see yours? Send it over →

Custom apps are right when one merchant needs the functionality and you want speed. Public apps are right when distribution and recurring revenue matter. We help you choose during discovery — sometimes the answer is "private now, public in v2".

Bring us the messy version.
We'll bring back a plan.

A 25-minute scoping call costs nothing and usually shortens your project by weeks. No sales engineer, no slide deck — just a senior who'll be on your build.

# what to bring to the call
· a one-paragraph problem statement
· any existing docs / Figma / repos
· a rough budget envelope (or "no idea")
· a target launch window
$ that's it. we'll do the rest.