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Hire Shopify Developers & Custom Solution Experts

"Shopify developer" describes at least six specialisms that share a platform and almost nothing else. Hourly rate tells you very little about fit — a strong theme developer given a custom app project delivers something that works and can't be maintained, and a senior backend engineer with no Liquid experience spends paid hours learning your theme.

Six specialisms cover nearly all Shopify development:

- Theme and front-end work — custom theme development, theme customisation, and anything visible on the storefront the editor can't do. On shopexperts, theme customisation packages have a median of $548. The majority of Shopify development sits here.

- App and API development — custom apps for internal workflows, public App Store apps, and API integrations. Custom development and app packages on shopexperts have a median of $1,000 for a defined scope; larger app builds are quoted per project. See Shopify app development.

- Checkout and Plus features — checkout customization, Checkout UI extensions and Shopify Functions development. Most of it needs Shopify Plus: extensions inside the checkout steps and custom Functions are Plus-only, although any plan can brand its checkout and use public apps built on Functions.

- Backend and systems — ERP and backend integrations, connecting Shopify to systems that weren't designed to talk to it. More data modelling than Shopify.

- Headless — Hydrogen and headless commerce development. A genuinely different discipline, and most stores don't need it; a well-optimised theme covers what merchants usually assume requires it.

- Fixing and hardening — bug fixes and troubleshooting, performance and speed optimization, and accessibility compliance. Reactive work, and frequently the right first purchase.

If you can't tell which applies, a short paid scoping engagement costs less than hiring the wrong specialism and discovering it in week three. Compare expert Shopify developers below, or browse the specific service you need.

Top-rated Shopify developers, agencies and Plus Partners

Matias Lopez
ML
Front-End DeveloperBuenos Aires, ArgentinaFrom $70
4.97(163 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
85

I have over five years of experience in web development using technologies such as Shopify, Angular, Node.js, JavaScript, React, Vue, MongoDB, MySQL, and PHP. My journey with Shopify started when I joined Hey Carson, now known as 'Shop Experts', successfully completing their trial period. I have gained significant experience in Shopify development. I've worked in complex tasks such as integrating Shopify apps, Shopify Admin API, custom design development, apps extensions development, theme development and much more. Over the past few years, I've acquired what I believe is a solid understanding of Shopify development, which helps me deliver high-quality solutions to the clients I've worked with.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Technical Support & Maintenance
Store Setup & Management
Erick Kagai
EK
Shopify ConsultantNairobi, KenyaFrom $285
4.93(73 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
85

I help online businesses make more money with what they already have. Your $100 in ads once brought back $1,000. Now the same $100, in ads or apps, quietly brings back less every month. You are busy running the business, so nobody chases why. So I start with an audit, the way a hospital starts with triage. A short call is the triage. A fixed-price read is the lab test. The results decide the fix, and the fix has a fixed price before it starts. Shopify speed and ad tracking fixes: for stores where the ads bring visitors but not sales. One example. A clothing brand's product pages took 15.4 seconds to load. Five weeks before Black Friday, I got them to 7.4 seconds. That is the job: I find what slows your store down, and I fix it. The same work keeps finding a second problem: numbers you cannot trust. The code that tells Meta or Google about a sale fires twice, so sales count double. Ads run across every product, with no check on which ones earn. Apps bill every month for work nobody has measured. So I also check what your money is really doing, instead of trusting what Google, Meta and the apps say. Then I fix what I find. I work with established stores run by their founders. To me, speed and ad spend are sales problems, not technical boxes to tick. What I work on, eight ways in: Speed check. I measure how fast your pages load for real shoppers on a phone. I find what makes them wait, and I fix it. Accessibility check. I test your store the way a keyboard user or a screen reader meets it. I check whether a widget sits on top of problems it does not fix. You get the findings in the order a complaint would reach them. Shopify deadline check. Shopify changes its rules on set dates. Scripts ended on 30 June. Order status script tags ended on 26 August. I find what has already stopped working on your store and what is dated ahead, and I make the repairs. Tracking and attribution fix. Meta Pixel, GA4 (Google Analytics) and server-side tracking. I remove the double counting and prove it in your own dashboards. Ad spend by product and the app bill get read in the same pass. Google and Meta recovery. Your products stopped showing on Google or Meta. I find where the connection broke and get them showing again. Sale price check. AI shopping tools, like ChatGPT, now get your "was" prices from Shopify. I check that yours reach them right. Builds and theme upgrades. New sections and modern themes, with your custom work and your tracking still running. Every change to the live site has a way back. Partner Seat. 25 hours a month. I watch speed, the pages customers see, broken links, tracking and app bills. Your work goes first in the queue. Each check is $285. If you go ahead, I take the fee off the fix price. Key results: Product page load time cut from 15.4 seconds to 7.4 seconds, 52% faster. Mobile PageSpeed on product pages from 18 to 28. The apps the client chose stayed in place, at their call. Two apps were billing to track what the store's own Google channel already did. I removed them, checked the tracking was clean, and took $199 a year off the app bill. Repeat clients going back to 2018. One store has come back for 14 projects over four years. How I work: A paid check first. It measures the real problem, no guessing. If you go ahead, I take the fee off the fix price. Work in stages. You approve each one. Every delivery ends with before and after numbers, and a short list of the next things I found. 80+ projects done. Clients in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and Denmark. Send me your store address. I will tell you what slows it down, whether your numbers add up, and what a complaint would find first. No commitment.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Marketing & Growth
Store Setup & Management
Technical Support & Maintenance

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Deyan Chernogorski
DC
Shopify Plus EngineerRuse, BulgariaFrom $65
4.95(74 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

Shopify Performance & Front-end Developer | 10+ Years Building Fast, Custom Stores I’ve spent over 10 years building, customizing, and speeding up Shopify stores for brands of all sizes. I build custom themes and apps, fix slow pages, improve how a store looks and works on desktop and mobile, and handle Shopify Plus checkout customization with Functions. I care about work that is reliable on launch day and still holds up months later, so I stay available after delivery. Proud father of Radost. What I do Custom themes, apps, and front-end features, built to fit your store Shopify Plus Functions and checkout customization CRO & Speed optimization and Core Web Vitals, including advanced CLS fixes UX improvements that make your products easier to find and buy, on desktop and mobile What sets me apart Reliability. Good development doesn’t end at launch, so I stay available for support, improvements, and fast problem-solving. Clients get one person who knows their store and answers quickly, before and after delivery. Free Store Quick Look Send me your store link and within 3 business days I’ll send a one-page summary covering: Your biggest speed problem, explained in plain language A first look at your apps: how many are installed, what looks wrong, and which ones could be replaced with custom theme code Three things on your mobile shopping path that I would fix first, each with a screenshot It’s free, there’s no commitment, and I change nothing on your store. If you’d like the issues fixed, we go ahead step by step: I confirm the scope, and you approve each step. I take a limited number each week, for established stores. Canvas services (new Shopify feature) Canvas store-build sprint For new launches and smaller merchants who want a custom store fast. Kickoff call to define your brand, products, audience, and goals AI-assisted design direction: I write the brief and guide Sidekick in Canvas, then refine the result with direct edits and QA Responsive QA on mobile, tablet, and desktop, covering product, collection, cart, and checkout flows Core Web Vitals and layout shift check before launch Launch, walkthrough, and a post-launch support window of 14 days Working with me Whether it’s a full store build, advanced customization, a Canvas build, or performance tuning, you get clear communication, consistent quality, and dependable support. Not sure where to start? Send me your store link for a free Quick Look.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Store Setup & Management
Rabia Tariq
RT
Shopify Plus EngineerIslamabad, PakistanFrom $100
4.99(20 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

I’m a Shopify & Shopify Plus Engineer with 9+ years of hands-on experience, specializing in building, optimizing, and scaling high-performing eCommerce stores. At ShopExperts, I work with growth-focused brands to deliver clean, conversion-driven Shopify solutions, from custom theme development and advanced Liquid/JavaScript customization to store migrations, speed optimization, and complex third-party integrations. My core strengths include: Shopify & Shopify Plus development Custom theme development and heavy theme refactors Site speed optimization & Core Web Vitals Wix / Magento / Squarespace / Square Up / Kajabi / WordPress → Shopify migrations with SEO preservation Custom apps, APIs, and system integrations CRO-focused UX improvements for higher conversions I’m known for my structured approach, clean code, and transparent communication. I don’t just “implement features”, I focus on long-term store health, scalability, and performance, ensuring merchants are set up for sustainable growth. If you’re looking for a reliable senior Shopify engineer who understands both the technical and business side of eCommerce, I’d be happy to help. Big ideas, small questions, or “help, my store is broken” moments — let’s talk on a free discovery call 💬 https://calendly.com/rabia234t/call

Offered services
Shopify Development
AI & Emerging Tech
Store Setup & Management
Marketing & Growth
Technical Support & Maintenance
Consulting & Strategy
Sumit Chakradhar
SC
Shopify Plus EngineerKathmandu, NepalFrom $100
4.97(130 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

10+ years, 500+ Shopify store owners, and countless successful projects—I'm a top-rated Shopify expert dedicated to helping brands improve their store's conversion, speed, functionality, and aesthetics. As the longest-serving developer at Shopexperts (formerly HeyCarson), I've built my reputation on meticulous attention to detail, reliability, and unwavering commitment to client success. My work speaks for itself —check out reviews from past clients who can attest to my dedication and results-driven approach.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Store Setup & Management
Lautaro Climent
LC
Front-End DeveloperBuenos Aires, ArgentinaFrom $65
4.91(58 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

I’m a seasoned web developer and Shopify specialist with over 5 years of experience delivering high-converting, beautifully designed online stores for clients worldwide. As a core member of the ShopExperts team, I’ve led and contributed to projects ranging from complete Shopify migrations to advanced customizations, always focusing on UX/UI best practices and modern e-commerce strategies. My approach blends technical excellence with creative vision: I believe that every brand deserves a digital presence as unique and inspiring as its mission. Whether you’re a startup seeking rapid growth or an established business looking to refresh your online store, I’ll help you unlock your site’s full potential. I specialize in all aspects of modern web development and optimization: From designing and building engaging websites, to customizing user experiences, integrating third-party tools, and ensuring your online presence performs at its best. My clients value my clarity, reliability, and my commitment to going the extra mile to achieve outstanding results. I’m passionate about staying ahead of e-commerce trends and turning challenges into growth opportunities. Let’s build the future of your brand, together.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Store Setup & Management
AI & Emerging Tech
Muhammad Asad ullah baig
MA
Shopify Plus EngineerIslamabad, PakistanFrom $100
5.00(16 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

Turn Your Shopify Store Into a Reliable Sales Engine If you're looking for a Shopify developer who understands both the technical side and the business outcomes behind it, you're in the right place. As a Shopify Certified Developer with 10+ years of hands-on experience, I've worked with 100+ brands across fashion, apparel, beauty, food, fitness, and electronics to build stores that are fast, scalable, and built to convert. Whether you're a founder launching your first store or an established brand ready to level up, I bring the expertise to get you there. What Gets Delivered: Every project is approached with one goal, growth. Here's what that looks like in practice: Custom Shopify Theme Development — Figma and Adobe XD designs transformed into clean, maintainable Liquid-based themes optimized for performance and long-term scalability Store Redesigns & UX Improvements — Navigation restructured, friction points removed, and user journeys refined to drive more conversions without disrupting live traffic Speed & Performance Optimization — Core Web Vitals improvements, faster page load times, and technical SEO fixes that directly impact search rankings and reduce bounce rate Custom Feature Development — Bundles, upsells, subscriptions, loyalty programs, and third-party API integrations tailored to specific business models Store Migrations & Ongoing Support — Smooth, low-risk platform migrations and dependable technical maintenance that keep operations running without interruption Why Brands Keep Coming Back: Every architecture decision, layout choice, and integration is guided by one question: Does this help the business grow? Clean code and structured development aren't just standards — they're what make a store reliable at scale. Founders launching from scratch, in-house teams needing a trusted technical collaborator, and agencies looking for a dependable Shopify specialist, all have found long-term value in this kind of partnership. Ready to Grow Your Shopify Store? Whether it's a full custom build, a performance overhaul, or targeted improvements to boost conversions, let's map out a clear path forward. Reach out to discuss your goals and what's possible.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Store Setup & Management
Technical Support & Maintenance
Design, UX & Branding
Emil Gjorgjijev
EG
Ecommerce Operations ManagerSkopje, North MacedoniaFrom $65
5.00(14 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
95

A seasoned E-Commerce Specialist with a strong focus on Shopify and Klaviyo with over 6 years of experience.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Technical Support & Maintenance
Store Setup & Management
Operations, Logistics & Fulfillment
Ivan Seleznev
IS
Frontend EngineerBelgrade, SerbiaFrom $200
5.00(27 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
95

Senior Shopify Developer with 10+ years of experience building, customizing, and optimizing Shopify and Shopify Plus stores. I specialize in theme development, Liquid, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, performance optimization, app integrations, and creating scalable eCommerce solutions tailored to business goals. I’ve worked across the full development lifecycle, from translating design concepts into responsive, high-performing storefronts to troubleshooting complex technical issues and improving conversion-focused user experiences. I’m also known for fast delivery, clean implementation, and reliable collaboration to deliver business-driven solutions on time.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Awais Javed
AJ
Front-End DeveloperOttawa, CanadaFrom $295
5.00(19 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

I'm a Shopify developer with years of hands-on experience building and scaling e-commerce stores — from custom theme development to conversion rate optimization and third-party integrations. I've worked with brands like Après Nail and through platforms like Storetasker, delivering solutions that look great and perform even better. I specialize in Liquid programming, frontend development, and UI/UX enhancement. Whether you need a full theme build, a tricky app integration, or a speed and SEO overhaul, I bring a detail-oriented approach that gets results — not just code. I leverage AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot throughout my workflow — drafting Liquid logic faster, QA-testing edge cases, and generating content-ready section structures. This means faster turnaround, fewer revisions, and more value for your budget. My background spans custom store builds, GA4 + GTM tracking setups, Klaviyo integrations, loyalty app configurations, A/B testing, and cross-functional collaboration with design and marketing teams. I treat every project like it's my own store on the line. I'm a Computer Software Engineering graduate and Growth Collective certified in Creative Website Design (Shopify). Let's build something that converts.

Offered services
Shopify Development
Store Setup & Management
Technical Support & Maintenance
AI & Emerging Tech
Marketing & Growth
Design, UX & Branding

How to hire a Shopify developer

Development quotes vary widely — the same brief can return figures far apart, because it was ambiguous enough to support both readings.

Write the brief as an outcome with constraints, not a task. "Build us a custom app" produces vague quotes. "Build a custom app that syncs inventory between Shopify and our NetSuite instance every 15 minutes, handles 8,000 SKUs across three locations, and alerts us on sync failure" produces comparable ones. Time spent on the brief saves back-and-forth and money later.

Match the specialisation, not the rate. Theme and Liquid work fits freelancers and small studios. Custom apps need API experience. Shopify Plus builds, Functions and checkout work need a specialist with shipped Plus projects — a general developer learns them on your budget. On shopexperts, development freelancers list a median starting price of $100 and agencies $250 (October 2026).

Verify Partner status where it matters. Shopify's Partner Program has five tiers: Registered, Select, Plus, Premier and Platinum, with Platinum at the top. Verify claimed tiers in the Shopify Partner directory rather than accepting them from a proposal. Non-Partners can be excellent, but they lack the Partner support channel that resolves platform edge cases quickly.

Ask for live URLs and follow up on two of them. Three live Shopify stores from the last twelve months, and for a large project, contact two of those merchants directly. Ask whether the project shipped on time, what changed mid-project, and whether they'd hire again. That conversation is worth more than any portfolio.

Insist on milestone structure. Good quotes break into phases — discovery, build, QA, launch — with deliverables and payment tied to each. A lump sum with no phase breakdown means either a senior developer confident enough to absorb the risk, which is rare, or nobody has thought about the hard parts yet, which is common.

Ask who owns the code and where it lives. Repository access, documentation, and whether you can hand the project to another developer without an archaeology exercise. This costs nothing to agree upfront and is expensive to resolve later.

Which kind of Shopify developer do you actually need?

Six distinct specialisations, and the wrong choice costs more than the rate difference. Match your project to one of these before you shortlist. The prices below are fixed-price packages listed on shopexperts in October 2026; each covers a defined scope, so larger projects are quoted separately.

Theme and Liquid developer — theme customisation packages have a median of $548, custom section packages $280 and custom theme builds $1,750. Custom sections, layout changes, theme customisation, OS 2.0 migrations, styling beyond the editor. This covers the majority of Shopify development work. If your requirement is something visible on the storefront that the theme editor can't do, this is your hire.

Custom app developer — custom development and app packages have a median of $1,000 (middle half $390 to $2,499); larger app builds are quoted per project. Custom apps for internal workflows, public apps for the App Store, embedded admin tools, and anything using the Admin API, webhooks or OAuth. Distinct skill set from theme work; the overlap is smaller than merchants assume.

Shopify Plus and checkout specialist — Plus and checkout packages have a median of $1,050 (middle half $625 to $8,000). Plus setup and migration, Functions, Checkout Extensibility, multi-store, B2B. In practice it needs someone with shipped Plus projects. Mistakes here affect checkout, which makes them immediately expensive.

Integration engineer — integration packages have a median of $625, across 7 packages from $250 to $10,000. Connecting Shopify to ERPs, 3PLs, PIMs, CRMs and accounting systems. The work is data modelling and error handling more than it is Shopify, and someone who has only worked inside Shopify usually underestimates it.

Headless and Hydrogen developer — three headless packages are listed, at $2,499, $2,800 and $5,000; full builds are scoped per store. React engineering against the Storefront API. Genuinely different discipline, and most stores don't need it — a well-optimised theme covers what merchants usually think requires headless.

Maintenance and support developer — monthly support retainers have a median of $1,950 (middle half $500 to $2,575), and bug-fix packages $95. Ongoing fixes, theme updates, app conflicts, small features. Undervalued and frequently the right answer when the real problem is that nobody owns the store technically.

If you can't tell which of these your project needs, that's a legitimate reason to pay for a short scoping engagement before hiring. It's cheaper than hiring the wrong specialisation and discovering it in week three.

How much does a Shopify developer cost?

Shopify development spans a wide price range, because "development" covers everything from a CSS fix to an enterprise replatform. Typical market ranges, followed by what developers on shopexperts list:

Per project

$500 – $500,000+

Small fixes to enterprise Plus builds

Hourly rate

$60 – $400

Freelance developers to senior Plus specialists

Monthly retainer

$500 – $30,000+

Maintenance to active feature development

Starting prices on shopexperts

$85 – $1,000

Middle half of 596 listed; median $200

The first three tiles are typical market ranges, not shopexperts data. The fourth is: in October 2026, 596 Shopify Development experts listed a starting price. A starting price is the smallest job an expert will quote, often an audit or a small fix, so treat it as a floor, not a quote.

In the wider market, small theme fixes and Liquid customisation sit at $500-$3,500. Custom section development runs $600-$3,000 per section. Full theme development or heavy customisation runs $5,000-$30,000. Custom app development runs $12,000-$120,000+ depending on whether it's a private internal tool or a public App Store listing with billing and review. Integration work — ERP, 3PL, PIM, accounting — runs $15,000-$150,000+. Shopify Plus setup and enterprise builds run $20,000-$400,000+ depending on migration complexity and checkout customisation. Headless builds run $25,000-$500,000+.

Ongoing retainers sit at $500-$3,000/month for maintenance and small fixes, $3,000-$10,000/month for regular feature work, and $10,000-$30,000+/month for dedicated Plus development capacity. Well-specified work — theme customisation, defined feature builds, app configuration — travels well across time zones.

Architecture decisions, Plus edge cases and anything where the specification will change mid-project go better with a developer who shares some of your working hours, because the cost of a misunderstanding scales with the complexity of what's being built. Request a free quote for a figure specific to your project.

What do Shopify developers do?

Six specialisations, and most developers are genuinely strong in one or two:

Theme Development and Liquid

Custom sections, layout, OS 2.0 migration, storefront work

Custom App Development

Private and public apps, Admin API, webhooks, embedded tools

Shopify Plus and Checkout

Plus migration, Functions, Checkout Extensibility, multi-store, B2B

Integrations and Data

ERP, 3PL, PIM, CRM and accounting system connections

Headless and Hydrogen

Storefront API, React storefronts, PWA and mobile

Maintenance and Support

Theme updates, app conflicts, bug fixes, ongoing small features

Frequently asked questions about hiring Shopify developers

What does a Shopify developer do?

Shopify development covers six fairly distinct specialisations: theme and Liquid work on the storefront, custom app development against Shopify's APIs, Shopify Plus and checkout work using Functions and Checkout Extensibility, integrations with ERP, 3PL and accounting systems, headless builds with Hydrogen, and ongoing maintenance. Most developers are genuinely strong in one or two of these, and matching the specialisation to your project matters more than comparing hourly rates.

How much does a Shopify developer cost?

On shopexperts, the 596 development experts who list a starting price have a median of $200, and the middle half sit between $85 and $1,000 (October 2026). A starting price is the smallest job an expert will quote. Fixed-price packages are closer to project costs: theme customisation has a median of $548, custom development and apps $1,000, Shopify Plus and checkout $1,050, and monthly support retainers $1,950. Larger builds are quoted per project, so request a free quote with your scope.

Freelancer, agency, or Shopify Plus Partner?

Freelancers fit theme work, defined features and maintenance. Agencies fit larger projects where design, development and project management need coordinating, and where continuity across a longer engagement matters. Plus specialists fit Plus stores and projects with custom Functions, in-checkout extensions, multi-store or B2B. On shopexperts, development freelancers list a median starting price of $100 and agencies $250 (October 2026). Pick the smallest team that can credibly deliver your scope — a larger team costs more and rarely delivers more until the scope needs it.

Do I need a Shopify Plus Partner for a Plus build?

Not necessarily. Plus work (custom Functions, checkout extensions, multi-store, B2B) rewards prior Plus experience, so ask for shipped Plus projects and check any claimed tier in Shopify's Partner Directory. A general developer can work on a Plus store, but learns its enterprise layer at your expense.

How long does Shopify development take?

Small theme fixes take 1-3 weeks. Full theme development or heavy customisation takes 4-12 weeks. Custom app development runs 6-16 weeks. Integration projects run 8-20 weeks depending on the system at the other end. Shopify Plus migrations and enterprise builds take 12-32 weeks. Rush timelines are possible, usually at a premium, and almost always achieved by compressing QA, which is where the cost reappears later.

What's the difference between a Shopify developer and a general web developer?

Platform-specific knowledge: Liquid templating, Shopify's app architecture and injection patterns, checkout extensibility rules, Functions, Plus enterprise features, and how to ship without breaking site speed or app compatibility. A capable general web developer can learn Shopify, but the ramp-up comes before productive feature work starts, and you're paying for it. For a store that runs its business on Shopify, platform-specific experience usually pays for itself.

Should I hire offshore Shopify developers?

For well-specified work, location matters less than the brief — theme customisation, features built from clear specifications, app configuration, and defined bug fixing travel well across time zones. Don't assume it costs less: on shopexperts, development experts based outside the US, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand list a median starting price of $300, against $199 for those based there (October 2026). Where it goes wrong is anything where the specification will change mid-project, or where architecture decisions are being made rather than executed, because the cost of a misunderstanding scales with what's being built. Many mid-market brands run a hybrid: local senior direction and architecture, offshore implementation underneath it.

What should I ask a Shopify developer before hiring?

Five things. Which of the six specialisations is their primary one, and what proportion of their last year was spent there. Three live Shopify URLs from the last twelve months, ideally in a comparable scope. How they structure customisations so future theme updates don't destroy them — the answer should involve separate section and snippet files rather than edits to core theme files. Who owns the repository and documentation at the end. And what happens if the scope changes mid-project, because it will.