Shopify developers send estimates when a merchant asks for a build, migration, or custom feature and compares proposals from several freelancers or agencies. Clients usually compare total price, timeline, what is and is not included, and whether you have built similar stores. A clear quote with defined deliverables is often what separates you from a cheaper but vaguer bid.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
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Invoice_1001_Client_2026-10-14.pdf
Starting from a free or premium theme and building from scratch differ hugely in cost, and clients often assume the cheaper one when they see a custom design.
Naming the homepage, collection, product, cart, blog, and any landing page templates sets a limit on what is included.
List each feature, such as a subscription app, product bundler, ERP sync, or custom metafields, so nothing is assumed to be included.
State the number of products, customers, orders, and redirects, and whether you will clean up the source data, since messy data can double the effort.
Clarify who supplies copy, images, logos, and design files, and what happens to the timeline if assets arrive late.
Setting a number of rounds and listing the browsers and devices you will test avoids endless feedback cycles.
Defines how long you fix defects for free and what is billed separately, such as Shopify updates or new third-party app conflicts.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| General Shopify development (theme edits, Liquid, small fixes) | per hour | $60-150 |
| Custom app or API integration development | per hour | $100-200 |
| Shopify Plus checkout and Functions work | per hour | $125-225 |
| Theme setup and customization for a small store | flat fee | $2,000-8,000 |
| Custom theme build from design files | flat fee | $8,000-30,000 |
| Store migration (WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce to Shopify) | flat fee | $2,500-15,000 |
| Monthly support retainer | per month | $500-3,000 |
| Speed and performance audit with fixes | flat fee | $750-3,500 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
Show discovery, design or theme setup, build, migration, QA, and launch as separate lines. Clients can see where the money goes, and it makes it easier to remove or defer a piece instead of negotiating your rate.
List expected monthly app fees and theme licenses as client-paid costs so they can see the full cost of running the store, not just your development fee.
A basic, standard, and extended version, for example theme setup only, setup plus custom sections, and full custom build, helps clients choose a budget and reduces back-and-forth.
Migrations from older platforms and projects involving third-party APIs hide surprises. Add a buffer of 10% to 20% or state that API or data problems found later will be quoted as a change order.
Fourteen to thirty days is typical. Shopify platform changes, your availability, and app pricing can all shift, so put an expiration date on the quote.
Simple quotes are usually free. For large or complex projects such as custom apps or Plus builds, many developers charge for a paid discovery or scoping phase, sometimes credited toward the build if the client moves forward.
With a fixed fee, you absorb overruns caused by your own errors, but additional work requested by the client should go through a written change order. With an hourly estimate, give a range and notify the client when you reach about 80% of the upper figure.
It is a good idea. The estimate gives the price and scope, while a contract covers IP ownership, payment schedule, revisions, and termination. Many developers combine both into one proposal the client signs before work starts.
Use the Shopify Developer invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Shopify Developer invoice template