With Shopify, anyone can open and run their own online store, and that’s no secret. With over 1.75 million websites hosted in 2024, this incredibly popular platform makes up the major part of the e-commerce market.
Though, this popularity makes the market even more competitive: these days, to make your Shopify store stand out, you need to customize it with different apps and plugins.
It all began in 2009, when Shopify released an API that let developers make and sell apps in the Shopify App Store. These days, there are a lot of different apps, and each one has a unique purpose: some make the website look better, while others do things like automating processes or syncing with other software.
If you’re new to Shopify app development, you probably have a lot of questions. If so, this guide is exactly for you, covering all the basics you need to get started.
Types of Shopify Apps
Basically, there are two main types of Shopify apps: public and custom.
Public Shopify Apps
Any Shopify merchant can use public apps, which can help raise brand awareness and make your business stand out. You can easily install them via the Shopify App Store. All of those apps let you reach more customers and improve your store. But to be honest, public apps are usually pretty basic because they have to meet Shopify’s strict standards.
Custom Shopify Apps
Custom apps are created to meet the specific needs of a business and its customers by software developers. That’s why you won’t ever find these apps in the app store.
Since these apps are made to fit your business, they typically can:
- make more relevant product suggestions;
- increase sales;
- add new store features;
- improve conversion rates.
They are a perfect choice for complex businesses, but usually cost more than a public app, and take time to build.
How to Choose the Right Shopify App?
Well, traditionally, apps have been a great way to add cool features to your Shopify site. Here’s pretty basic advice: make sure you have the right tools, before you try to make your brand stand out.
Spend some time researching and comparing different Shopify apps to find the ones that suit your brand the best. So, below are some things to pay attention to when scrolling the Shopify App Store.
Price
Typically, the price is the first thing that draws your attention when you’re looking for apps. There are a lot of free apps in the Shopify App Store. But just because these are free, it doesn’t mean you should instantly grab them.
Think about what your store really needs before you start picking. It’s sometimes better to spend a little more to get the job done quickly. So don’t just take free stuff. Think about your budget and what you need, then choose something that will really help your store.
Description
Most of the time, the app description comes next after the price. This is where you can find out what the app does and what features it has. There are videos, screenshots, and lots of information to help you make a choice.
But keep in mind that these descriptions are also marketing tools. They’re meant to get you to buy the app. Just take them with a grain of salt, even though they seem useful. Try to see past the marketing hype and focus on what the app can actually do for you.
Reviews
Reading reviews is the best way to find the right Shopify app. So, read what other people say, before downloading. Shopify only lets people review apps who have actually used them, so you know you’re getting real, honest feedback.
Read both the good and bad reviews. They’ll tell you a lot about how well the app works and how hard the developers are working to make it better.
What about Custom Apps?
Now let’s talk about custom apps. They are still the best option if your business is complex enough. A custom app not only makes your site look better, but also helps your brand stand out from other sellers.
Sure, they’re a bit more complicated to develop, needing lots of planning, design, and testing to get them just right. So, make sure you know exactly what you want from your custom app and when you want it.
Bottom Line
Shopify is quite a simple platform to set up an online store – that’s why so many people use it. But just because it’s popular, it makes the market competition even harder. Hopefully, the Shopify App Store makes it really easy for websites to stand out in this crowded market.
But where to look for a trusted developer, if you need something more complex? DigitalSuits is a leader in many areas of Shopify app development, and an official Shopify and Shopify Plus partner. We’re good at creating fresh UI/UX designs, integration with third-party apps, and even building custom apps from scratch. Visit our site to learn more.