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Best Shopify Developers
Updated 2026-09-25
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A Shopify store can be live in days, but a store that actually sells needs clear product pages, a smooth checkout and correct settings for shipping, taxes and payments. Most problems come from a vague brief and from apps added without a plan. This guide shows you what to ask for.
We are finalizing our shortlist for this service. Until then, the guide below walks you through how to evaluate sellers yourself.
Browse all Shopify gigs on Fiverr →
What a good Shopify package includes
Shopify gigs range from installing a theme to a fully custom store design, plus migrations and fixes. A clear package states:
- Theme: which theme will be used, and whether it is free or paid.
- Pages: home, collection, product, cart, about, contact and policy pages.
- Products: how many products and variants will be uploaded, if any.
- Settings: payments, shipping zones, taxes, and email notifications.
- Apps: which apps will be installed and which ones charge a monthly fee.
- Mobile layout checked on real phones, since many shoppers buy on mobile.
- Revisions, delivery time, and a short guide to managing the store.
How to brief a Shopify developer
Stores have many small settings, and each one missed in the brief becomes a question later. Send:
- What you sell and roughly how many products and variants (sizes, colors).
- Product data: a spreadsheet with titles, descriptions, prices and photos.
- Stores you like, with what you like about them.
- Where you ship and how you want to charge for shipping.
- Brand files: logo, colors and fonts. Our logo design guide explains which files to have.
- For migrations: your current platform and exactly what must be moved.
- Must-have features such as subscriptions, bundles, reviews or wholesale pricing.
What drives the price
- a ready-made theme versus a custom design
- number of products and variants to upload
- migration from another platform, including redirects
- custom features that need code or several apps
- product photos and product descriptions, if the developer creates them
- the developer's experience and how quickly you need the store
Red flags
- The developer asks for your owner login instead of staff or collaborator access.
- The developer wants the store created under their own account, to transfer later.
- A long list of paid apps with no explanation of what each one does or costs.
- A custom store promised in a day for a very low price. This usually means a theme with your logo.
- The portfolio has no live stores you can browse on your phone.
Before you accept delivery, place a real test order on your phone: add a product to the cart, pay, and check the confirmation email and the shipping cost. Then refund it. This finds most setup mistakes while the developer is still working on your order.
Once the store is live, you need traffic. Our SEO guide and social media marketing guide cover the next steps.
Quick pre-order checklist
- The store, domain and payment settings are in my name.
- I have a product spreadsheet with photos ready.
- I know which paid theme and apps will be used and what they cost each month.
- I have decided where I ship and how I charge for shipping.
- I have browsed at least three live stores from the developer's portfolio on my phone.
FAQ
Do I need a developer, or can I set up Shopify myself?
You can launch a simple store yourself with a free theme. A developer helps when you want a custom design, need to move from another platform, or have many products, variants or special features.
Should the developer have access to my store?
Give them staff or collaborator access, not your owner login. Keep the store, the payment settings and the domain in your own name, and remove their access once the job is done.
Are theme and app costs included in the price?
Usually not. Paid themes and apps are billed to the store owner, and many apps charge monthly. Ask the developer to list every paid theme and app they plan to use before you order.
Can a developer move my store from another platform?
Many do. Ask exactly what will be moved: products, images, customers, order history, blog posts and old page addresses. Redirects from old addresses help keep your search traffic.
Who sets up taxes, shipping and legal pages?
A developer can enter the settings, but the rules depend on where you sell. Decide the shipping rates and check your local tax and consumer rules yourself, or with an accountant.