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How to choose a Shopify agency: a step-by-step guide

To choose a Shopify agency, write a short brief that covers your goal, budget range and deadline. Shortlist agencies whose stated work matches your project type. Check their Partner status in Shopify's own directory and review live stores they built. Then compare proposals on scope, exclusions and post-launch support, not on price alone.

Step 1: Write a one-page brief

A brief saves you hours of calls. It also gets you proposals you can compare. Include:

  • Your goal, such as a faster store, a new design or a move from another platform
  • Your budget range
  • Your deadline and any fixed dates, such as a product launch
  • Your current apps, integrations and data
  • Who on your team will approve work

Send the same brief to every agency.

Step 2: Match the agency to the project type

Shopify projects fall into four main types. Each needs different strengths.

  • New build: You need design, theme development and launch planning.
  • Redesign: You need design skill plus care for your current SEO, apps and data.
  • Migration: You need experience moving products, customers, orders and redirects from another platform.
  • Retainer: You need steady development, fixes and improvements after launch.

Ask each agency which of these it does most often. Look for work on its own site that matches your type.

Step 3: Check Partner status in Shopify's directory

Shopify runs its own Partner Directory. According to Shopify's Help Center, you can filter partners by availability for new clients, price range, services, location, industry, languages and Partner tier. Partner profiles also show merchant reviews.

Search for each agency on your shortlist. Confirm its profile, its services and any reviews from merchants.

Step 4: Look at live stores

Ask each agency for links to live stores it built. Then ask what the agency did on each one. Did it build the whole store, design the theme, or fix a few pages? Open the stores on your phone. Check speed, checkout flow and how products display.

Step 5: Ask the right questions on the first call

  • Who will design and build my store, and are they on your staff?
  • Which of the live stores you shared are closest to my project?
  • How will you handle my current apps and data?
  • How do you test before launch?
  • What support do you give after launch, and for how long?
  • How do you handle changes to scope?

Step 6: Compare proposals

Lay proposals side by side and check:

  • Scope: pages, features, integrations and migrations included
  • Assumptions: what the agency expects you to supply, such as content and photos
  • Exclusions: what costs extra, such as app fees or new copy
  • Support: what help you get after launch and on what terms
  • Timeline: key dates and what each date depends on

A low price often means a smaller scope. Read what is left out before you compare numbers.

Step 7: Lock in ownership and handover

Before you sign, confirm in writing:

  • Your store is in your company's name, and you hold the owner account.
  • You own the custom theme code the agency writes for you.
  • App subscriptions are billed to your account.
  • The agency gets staff or collaborator access, not ownership.
  • The agency hands over code, files and notes when the project ends.

How to read Shopify listings on Listed Agencies

The Shopify hub lists Shopify agencies A to Z. Position on the page is not a rank, and listings are free. Each listing shows the agency's stated specialty and who it says it serves. Use the hub to build a shortlist, then check each agency in Shopify's Partner Directory and on its own site.

Planning work beyond the build? Browse the CRO hub, the landing pages hub, the Klaviyo hub and the email hub. To decide between two related specialties, read landing page agency vs CRO agency. Find more on the guides page.

FAQ

How do I choose a Shopify agency?

Write a short brief with your goal, budget range and deadline. Shortlist agencies whose stated work matches your project type. Check their Partner status in Shopify's Partner Directory, review live stores they built, and compare proposals on scope, exclusions and post-launch support.

What is the difference between a Shopify Partner and a Shopify Plus Partner?

Shopify's Partner Directory groups partners into four tiers: Select, Plus, Premier and Platinum. According to Shopify's Help Center, Select Partners suit small and medium-sized businesses, and Plus Partners suit mid-market and larger businesses. Source: https://help.shopify.com/en/partners/grow-your-business/partner-directory/how-it-works

What should I ask a Shopify agency before hiring?

Ask who will build your store, which live stores match your project, how they will handle your apps and data, how they test before launch, and what support they give after launch.

Who owns the theme code and apps after a Shopify project?

Settle this in the contract. Keep the store and owner account in your company's name, bill apps to your own account, and state in writing that you own the custom theme code the agency writes for you.

Can I filter Shopify agencies by price range?

Yes. Shopify's Partner Directory lets you filter partners by price range, along with services, location, industry, languages, tier and availability for new clients.

How does Listed Agencies list Shopify agencies?

The Listed Agencies Shopify hub lists agencies A to Z. Listings are free, and position on the page is not a rank. Each listing shows the agency's stated specialty and who it says it serves.

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