Ecom Field Guide

Shopify App Review Pre-Submission Checklist

Work through the manual checks that catch the most common Shopify App Store rejections before you click Submit for review. The list comes from the author's own rejection history across many apps plus Shopify's published requirements, with the numbered rule beside each item where one exists. Tell it whether your app reads orders or customers, which pricing method you use and whether you call a slow external API, and it shows only the items that apply. It is for developers and agencies shipping embedded apps. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded, stored or sent.

Disclosure: the author builds and sells Shopify apps under Orbitloft, and also publishes a code linter for some of these patterns; see the disclosure page and the plain link orbitloft.com/shopcheck. Every item here can be checked by hand without it.

About your app (shows or hides items)

Nothing is stored or sent. Reloading the page clears your ticks; print first if you want a record.

How to use this checklist

Set the three app questions first. Items tagged for protected customer data, slow external calls and your pricing method appear only when they apply, so a free app that reads only products gets a shorter list. Tick an item only after you have tested it on a real, deployed build, not after reading your own code. The progress bar counts visible items only.

Where the items come from

Roughly half of the list is Shopify's published rules, which we read on shopify.dev on 2026-10-23: 1.1.1 (works without third-party cookies), 1.1.4 (factual content only), 1.2.1 to 1.2.3 (billing through Shopify, accept and decline charges, change plans without support), 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 (no blocking or partial errors), 2.2.3 (latest App Bridge loaded first), 2.3.1 to 2.3.4 (install and OAuth flow), 4.2.1 (accurate pricing), 4.3.3 and 4.3.6 (no statistics, superlatives or testimonials), 4.4.4 and 4.4.5 (real, unique images) and 4.5.3 to 4.5.6 (screencast, credentials, emergency contact). The rest comes from rejections and suspensions the author hit repeatedly across a portfolio of apps that shared one scaffold, and from pattern checks written after the fact. Those items are marked "observed": they are lessons, not Shopify rules, and Shopify may behave differently for your app.

The test that catches most of it

Install on a brand-new development store from your production URL, pick no plan, and walk every navigation item with sample data off. If you meet a redirect, an error page, a blank iframe or placeholder data, a reviewer will too. Then approve a plan, decline one, uninstall and reinstall.

What it does not cover

It does not predict how long review takes, which is outside anyone's control (see what to expect after you submit). It does not review your code, check your listing text for you, or replace Shopify's own automated checks on the Partner Dashboard submission page. Requirements change, so confirm the numbered rules on Shopify's page. Timing figures such as the roughly two-hour cycle for the embedded app check come from Shopify staff replies in a forum thread and the author's own experience, not from documentation. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing guarantees approval.

Data last verified 2026-10-23. Prices, hours and rules change; confirm fees, limits and program terms with the official source before you rely on a number.

Sources

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Does this checklist guarantee my Shopify app will be approved?

No. Approval is Shopify's decision, and reviewers can raise issues no checklist anticipates. This list covers the failures that recur in the author's own submissions and the public requirements, so it lowers risk rather than removing it.

Does the checklist save my ticks?

No. Nothing is stored, uploaded or sent: the ticks live only in the open page, so reloading clears them. Use the Print button to keep a paper or PDF copy of where you are.

Why does it ask whether my app uses Shopify App Pricing or the Billing API?

Shopify says that once you opt in to Shopify App Pricing you cannot create new recurring charges through the Billing API. The correct checks differ: a Shopify App Pricing app must redirect to the hosted plan page, while a Billing API app must build a correct return URL and test flag.

Are the numbered requirements current?

The requirement IDs and wording were read on shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/shopify-app-store/app-store-requirements on 2026-10-23. Shopify edits that page, so confirm the live text. Items marked "observed" come from the author's own submissions and are not stated on Shopify's pages.

Do I still need to do the screencast and credentials myself?

Yes. Shopify requires an English demo screencast (4.5.3), valid test credentials with access to the full feature set (4.5.4, 4.5.5) and an emergency developer contact in the Partner Dashboard (4.5.6). No tool can record or enter those for you.