Shopify Partners FAQ

Here are some common questions we get asked about Shopify’s Partner Program. Read on to see if your question is answered here.

How does the Shopify Partner Program work?

The Shopify Partner program gives you multiple ways to generate revenue. One is to refer clients to us by using development stores, and receive a revenue share. Another is to use your affiliate link to earn a bounty for each Shopify merchant who signs up using your affiliate link. You can write and publish Shopify apps or Shopify themes. You can also sell your apps or themes on a subscription basis or for a one-time fee. See Shopify Partner revenue share for more details.

How do I become a Shopify Partner?

Simply sign up for a Shopify Partner account. Once you’re a Partner, you can submit apps to the Shopify App Store and also start signing clients up under your account. You’ll be earning a portion of the revenue Shopify earns from each client from the day you sign them up. Shopify will pay you via PayPal on a regular basis, provided you’ve achieved the minimum balance.

How will I get paid?



Payments will be delivered to you via PayPal in USD. Any money owed to you will be paid out twice monthly as long as your balance is above $25 USD. If your balance is below $25, it will be held until the next payout period. If you decide to close your Partner account and your balance is below $25, then the amount will not be paid out.

How do I hand over a development store to a client?

Follow this guide for Handing off development stores to clients.

Why can’t I install an app on a development store?

Free apps can be installed on the development store. To install an app that has a fee, the development store needs to be on a plan with a credit card on the account.

How do I work on a live shop without affecting it?

Option 1: Work with a development store

Download the theme from the Themes page in the live shop, and then upload it to your existing development store. Now you can work on a copy of the live shop’s theme in a dev environment.

When you're ready to launch the updated theme, download the theme from your development store and then upload it to the live shop as the primary theme.

Option 2: Shopify Theme Kit

You can use the Shopify Theme Kit to modify a store's theme with a local text editor of your choice. When you're done making your changes locally, then you can push them to the store.

Shopify supports multiple themes, so you can make a copy of your theme on the Themes page in your Shopify admin, and edit that unpublished theme.

What is the best practice when you've built a store for a client using a third-party theme?

If you've built a store for a client and it includes a third-party theme, then you need to transfer the theme to the client. The best way to do this depends on whether the theme still needs code customization when you transfer the development store to your client:

  • If the theme still needs code customization, then buy the theme on behalf of the client, bill the client the cost of the theme, and handoff the development store so that your credit card is removed from its account.

  • If the theme doesn't need any code customization, then leave the theme as a free trial. Your client doesn't need to pay for the theme until they want to publish it (or if they want to customize its code). They can do this after you transfer the development store.

If you use a free trial of the theme, at what point does the client have to pay for the theme? Does it have to be when we transfer the store?

The merchant pays for the theme when they want to publish the theme or edit the code. This can be done after you handoff the dev store.

An affiliate link is a unique URL to provide to your clients. Every Partner receives their own unique affiliate link. When it's time to create your client’s store, log in to your Partner Dashboard and open a development store, or provide your client with your affiliate link. This will connect the client’s store with your Shopify Partner account, and let you track your affiliate income.

To be paid a monthly recurring revenue share for the merchants you refer, you must create a development store for them. If they sign up through your affiliate link, you will be paid a bounty payment instead. To learn more, see Shopify Partner revenue share.

How does app billing work?

Application billing is explained in full in the Application Billing documentation.

I don't live in Canada. Can I still participate?


If a client signs up for a trial account and upgrades, will I be paid for the upgraded plan?

Yes. The plan change will be reflected in your Partner Dashboard.

What information will I be able to track about my affiliated clients?


Why can’t I find out the revenue from each individual client?

We do not provide this statistic as it would be a violation of the client’s privacy.

Will I get any tools to help me promote Shopify to my clients?

Yes. Visit our Client Resources section of the website for brochures, flyers and information you can share with prospective and current customers. We also provide some creative Shopify banners and logos for you to use and suggestions for how to brand yourself as a Shopify Partner. We send out a monthly newsletter containing Shopify news, tips on how to promote Shopify, and any other important information. If there's anything in particular you think we could provide that would be valuable to help you sell, please contact our 24/7 Priority Partner Support at 1-866-752-0324, by email, or from the live chat within your Partner Dashboard.

Is the amount I can earn capped?


What is included in the revenue share?

Everything you need to know about revenue share is outlined in our getting started guide.

If I referred a customer to Shopify before I signed up as a Partner, can I still add them to my Referrals?

No. If you referred a customer before you signed up as a Partner, then you can't add their account to your Referrals.

Can I earn revenue on my own store?

Unfortunately, no. Collecting Partner earnings on a store run by yourself in whole or in part is fraud and grounds for dismissal from the Partner program.

Can I use a development store to advertise my services?

Yes. You can't process any payments through a personal development store, but you are welcome to use one as a public-facing website to advertise your services and display your work.

I know my affiliated client stores have had sales in the last few weeks. Why doesn't my revenue seem to be increasing accordingly?

As a Shopify Partner, you earn a revenue share with Shopify of your client's monthly Shopify bill for as long as they are a Shopify customer, and as long as you remain an active Shopify Partner.

We calculate your revenue share based on invoices paid by the client. After the invoice has been sent from Shopify to the client and the client has paid, you'll see your revenue tally start to accumulate.

What happens if I want to dispute an amount of revenue I’ve been paid? It seems like the amount I received should be more/less.

For any payment disputes, contact our Partner Support with the full details of the issue. We'll review your message and do our best to resolve it.

Will there be more features coming in the Partner system?

Yes. Just as with Shopify, we’re continuously developing all kinds of useful features for the Partner program. We’ll keep you updated on these upgrades right before they go live. If there’s any feature or functionality that you want to see added to the Shopify Partner Program, then contact our Partner Support.

What are the terms of service?

The terms of service are located here.

How do I cancel the program after signing up?

Please contact our Partner Support.

How do I contact Priority Partner Support?

You can reach out 24/7 by phone at 1-866-752-0324, by email, or from the live chat within your Partner Dashboard.

Is the Partner Dashboard available in multiple languages?

Yes. To learn how to choose the language that you want to use, see Choose your preferred language.