Top 100+ Shopify Developers in 2023

Shopify development is a system created to give new store owners a way to seek help when first starting out. I mentioned above how great Shopify is with its ease of use compared to its competitors. With that being said, if you have never used Shopify before, and were looking to hit the ground running for your new online store, Shopify developers are just what you need.

Going into further detail, Shopify developers specialize in the growth of your online store and possess a full understanding of how Shopify development services work. Specifically in the following areas: Website Creation and Design, Domain Registration, Site Navigation, Inventory Management systems, Payment Gateways, and most importantly Checkout Operation. Shopify development is all about setting the client up for success, by creating a fully functioning online store (to your specifications) and then handing it off to you.

Once your online store has been built and transferred by Shopify developers, you will be sent instructions via email to create a new customer account and select a Shopify plan. Your store will stay paused until you accept the transfer. When that process has been completed a collaborator account will automatically be created and the developer who built your store will start receiving the monthly revenue from Shopify based on the plan you’ve picked.

How does that old saying go? You get what you pay for, especially with online marketing. Finding trustworthy Shopify developers to take on your project can be tough, but not impossible. One thing to consider is, what are your goals? Do you need a front-end developer? (Someone who works on the website design) or a back-end developer? (Someone who fixes bugs, sets up integrations, etc.). Maybe both? Let’s break this down. You can expect anywhere from $500-$1000 if you need some help with the graphical feel of your store. Front-end developers generally cost less than back-end developers. With a back-end dev, you can expect to pay $1000-$1500 for bug and performance fixes.

Now these prices are based on you already having a store setup and needing some help from Shopify developers. For those of you that don’t and are looking to have a fully built Shopify store you can expect pricing to start between $2000 to over $10,000! These are big numbers and I’m sure your next question is, what makes a project cost so much? Here are some things to contemplate: are you asking for a site with over 500 products with specific landing pages for collections, app integrations, social media integrations, ad integrations, and custom website code? Then expect the price to be much higher than a small store with 10 products that is just looking for a basic setup.

Big picture: starting a business is a huge undertaking, and finding the right Shopify development services is crucial to your success. Paying a buddy “who knows Shopify” $100 to put together an online store won’t have the same effect as hiring an expert developer who knows what it takes to generate revenue.

So now that we’ve gone over what Shopify development is, and how much hiring a Shopify developer will cost, it’s time to turn your attention to finding the right person, or Shopify development agency to complete your project. The very first thing you should look for is the level of expertise the person or business is claiming. It’s important to ask to view their portfolio and projects similar to what you’re looking for.

If Shopify developers are able to provide their portfolio, make sure you ask questions about the sites they have built. Do a quick Google search of the projects to see their ranking, click into different pages, explore the website to check for any bugs or mistakes that may raise the red flag. This is your business we are discussing after all. You cannot overlook this first part, if you don’t thoroughly do your due diligence the rest of your buying experience may not go as planned.

The next thing you want to look at is clear and consistent pricing. Most Shopify development agencies or freelance developers will not have their prices posted on a website. Their goal is to have a conversation on the phone or Zoom call to get a better understanding of what you need and how they can best serve you. If during that call you’re able to present the project, and they struggle to give you concise pricing just think of the customer support you’ll receive from this company when they can’t give you a firm price on your build-out.

Finally, as I mentioned above, the last thing you should be reviewing is the type of support Shopify developers offer. An expert’s job to guide you in the right direction, that means being honest and giving you the best advice, things like, which features bring value vs ones that are just a waste of time and money, which tools you should be using and why, and which apps make the most cents (See what I did there) for your store. If during your call with a potential agency, the expert on the other end never tries to give reasoning behind their best practices, that’s usually a red flag.

To recap, make sure you focus on these three things: Expertise, pricing, and support when choosing the right Shopify developer or agency to work on, or built your dream online store.

Now that we have covered some of the major topics that surround what Shopify development is, and how hiring a professional can assist with building your store, here are 10 additional questions you should be asking Shopify agencies.

Reading through this article you may be torn between choosing a team of expert Shopify experts at an agency, or a freelancing developer who can perform very specific tasks. Choose what fits your situation best, need an end-to-end solution? Agency, need to setup some apps? Freelancer.

This is often overlooked when searching for different professionals. A key indicator to look at is price. Most Shopify developers who are starting out will charge 30-50 percent less than those who have more experience.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an entire industry on its own. However, having basic SEO knowledge is key to increasing your Google visibility and improving your rank position. Terms like Title tags, H1 Tags, Meta descriptions should all be familiar with the expert.

This one is simple, mobile traffic is king. Everyone has a mobile device with the ability to purchase products. Having experience creating a responsive mobile-friendly webpage should be an automatic yes. That means finding, integrating, and fixing any apps that may cause mobile issues.

Shopify’s library of themes is in the hundreds, not to mention the paid themes from other developers. If you’re after a specific theme that has unique features, make sure to ask if they have worked on this before.

No matter how much we follow best practices, sometimes things break. Asking about a warranty for bug fixes or free help with minor updates is valuable information. Support after the product has been delivered is just as necessary as the creation.

Preying on entrepreneurs that are starting out with Shopify is just plain wrong. Always ask about hidden fees, or a change of price when it's time to sign the contract. Often, you’ll see a price start at a certain amount at the beginning of the engagement then jump up when you see the bill.

This usually applies to projects that need to be completed yesterday, this does not apply to everyone. However even if it doesn’t apply to yours right now, it may in the future. Having a Shopify developer that you can count on during crunch time is vital.

Things don’t always work out and that’s okay. You’re about to spend a good amount of money for an expert and having peace of mind knowing there is a satisfaction or money-back guarantee is priceless.

Paying over $2000 on anything is tough for most people. Sometimes it’s better to ask for a part of the project, like domain and website setup, at a fraction of the price, to help with expenses. You can also look at this from a trial perspective and evaluate your future partner(s).