2025 Shopify Developer Poll: Community Insights

Insights from 400+ Shopify app developers

Mat De Sousa conducted a poll on X with some interesting and unexpected results.

Demoground being a visual product, we thought it would be fun to visualize the data and add some commentary.

All credit goes to Mat for conducting the poll and sharing the results.

Please give him a follow on X

Summary

Most Positive Response

Is building a Shopify App still a good idea in 2025?

66% YES

Most Negative Response

Do you trust Shopify not to compete?

82.5% NO

Most Divided Opinion

Is Built For Shopify certification worth the effort?

52% YES

Strongest Consensus

Should Shopify remove ghost apps?

89% YES

Developer Sentiment Across Key Questions

Key Findings Analysis

Top Concerns

  • 1

    84% believe Shopify gives unfair visibility to certain apps

    Suggests perception of favoritism in the app store

  • 2

    82.5% don't trust Shopify to avoid competing with partners

    Major trust issue regarding platform competition

  • 3

    80% think ranking is more about hacks than product quality

    Perceived gaming of the app store ranking system

Positive Indicators

  • 1

    66% still believe building a Shopify app is a good idea in 2025

    Majority remain optimistic about the opportunity

  • 2

    62% want Shopify to promote partner apps more aggressively

    Desire for better merchant awareness of apps

  • 3

    55% would recommend building a Shopify app today

    Slightly positive net promoter score

Detailed Survey Results

1. Do you think Shopify cares about small app developers?

YES 41%
NO 59%

2. Do you trust Shopify not to compete directly with partners in the future?

YES 17.5%
NO 82.5%

3. Should Shopify promote partner apps more aggressively to merchants?

YES 62%
NO 38%

4. Is building a Shopify App still a good idea in 2025?

YES 66%
NO 34%

5. Should Shopify allow more transparency on app store ranking factors?

YES 83%
NO 17%

6. Have recent changes in Shopify made it harder to grow as a partner?

YES 67%
NO 33%

7. Do you think app reviews on the Shopify App Store are trustworthy?

YES 38%
NO 62%

8. Is ranking on the Shopify App Store more about hacks than product quality?

YES 80%
NO 20%

9. Do you believe Shopify gives unfair visibility to certain apps?

YES 84%
NO 16%

10. Are Shopify merchants overwhelmed by too many apps solving similar problems?

YES 87%
NO 13%

11. Is the Shopify app approval process too strict for new developers?

YES 45%
NO 55%

12. Is Built For Shopify certification worth the effort?

YES 48%
NO 52%

13. Have you avoided applying for BFS due to complexity or unclear ROI?

YES 63%
NO 37%

14. Is Shopify moving away from being "partner-first"?

YES 72%
NO 28%

15. Would you recommend a friend to build a Shopify app today?

YES 55%
NO 45%

16. Should Shopify remove ghost apps?

YES 89%
NO 11%

Key Takeaways and Conclusions

Developer Concerns

  • Strong perception that Shopify is moving away from being "partner-first" (72% agree)
  • Widespread distrust that Shopify will avoid competing with partners (82.5% skeptical)
  • Belief that app store ranking favors "hacks" over quality (80% agree)
  • Concerns about unfair visibility for certain apps (84% agree)

Opportunities for Improvement

  • Overwhelming demand for ghost app removal (89% support)
  • Strong desire for more ranking factor transparency (83% want this)
  • Majority want more aggressive promotion of partner apps (62% support)
  • Despite concerns, 66% still see building apps as a good opportunity

The survey reveals a complex developer sentiment: while concerns about competition and fairness are prevalent, the majority still see value in the Shopify ecosystem and want to see improvements rather than abandon the platform.