Shopify App Development

When it comes to enhancing your Shopify store, apps play a huge role in adding extra functionality and streamlining operations. Broadly, you’ll find two main categories of Shopify apps: public apps and custom apps. Public apps are available to all merchants via the Shopify App Store, while custom apps are designed specifically for your business.

Earlier, Shopify also allowed private apps, which worked similarly to custom apps but required developers to directly request API access to your store. However, since January 2022, private apps are no longer supported. Instead, Shopify now encourages merchants to use custom apps through their Partner Dashboard, which provides a more secure, modern, and flexible development environment.

This transition ensures better scalability, improved security, and smoother integration with Shopify’s ever-evolving platform. So, whether you’re looking to plug in an existing solution or invest in a tailored app, knowing the difference between these types of apps helps you make the right decision for your store’s long-term growth.

Public apps are the most common choice for Shopify merchants. They’re built either by Shopify itself or by third-party developers and are available to everyone through the Shopify App Store. Every public app goes through Shopify’s strict approval process, which ensures it meets quality, security, and functionality standards before being made available. This gives merchants peace of mind that the app is safe to install and will integrate smoothly with their stores.

The biggest advantage of public apps is convenience. These apps are often created to solve common challenges faced by a wide range of businesses. For example, you can find apps for email marketing, SEO optimization, inventory management, customer loyalty programs, upselling, and abandoned cart recovery. Since these are widely used, they often come with detailed documentation, customer support, and active updates from the developer.

Public apps are also offered in two forms:

Listed Apps – These are visible in the Shopify App Store, searchable by keywords, categories, and reviews. Listed apps usually have a large user base and plenty of ratings, so you can gauge reliability before installing.

Unlisted Apps – These apps aren’t publicly visible in the App Store but are still approved by Shopify. They are accessed through a direct link provided by the developer. While not as widely promoted, they are still safe to use.

However, the downside of public apps is that they’re designed for general use cases, which means customization is limited. For example, you might find an app that partially meets your needs but lacks certain features specific to your workflow. In such cases, merchants sometimes end up stacking multiple apps, which can increase monthly costs and potentially slow down site performance.

Still, for most small to medium-sized businesses, public apps are an affordable, fast, and reliable way to extend their store’s capabilities. They’re ideal when you’re looking for a quick solution without heavy upfront investment.

Custom apps are tailor-made solutions built specifically for your Shopify store. Unlike public apps, which are meant to serve many merchants, custom apps are designed around your business’s unique processes, goals, and integrations. The key advantage of custom apps is control. You’re not limited by the features of a pre-built tool; you can define exactly what your app should do. For example, if your business requires a custom shipping rate calculator, unique product bundling logic, or integration with an industry-specific CRM, a custom app can handle these requirements seamlessly.

Another benefit is seamless integration with your existing tools. Public apps sometimes overlap in functionality or don’t fully communicate with your systems, leading to inefficiencies. A custom app can be built to integrate perfectly with your ERP, accounting software, warehouse system, or marketing tools. Building a custom app requires more effort. You’ll need to collaborate with a Shopify developer or development team who understands both your business goals and Shopify’s API framework. This process involves time, investment, and ongoing maintenance. Unlike public apps, custom apps don’t need Shopify’s approval to go live, but they still need to follow security and functionality best practices to ensure smooth operation.

The long-term payoff, however, can be significant. With a custom app, you avoid paying monthly subscription fees for multiple apps that only partially solve your problems. Instead, you invest once in a tool that is perfectly aligned with your workflows. Over time, this can even save money and reduce complexity in your store’s backend. Custom apps are particularly valuable for established businesses or fast-scaling entrepreneurs who need advanced functionality that public apps simply don’t provide. They also future-proof your store by giving you the flexibility to adapt and update features as your business grows.