Billing policy clarification: paid Shopify app, standalone SaaS, and a separate free connector

Shopify App Store
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Hi Shopify team and fellow developers,

We are evaluating a subscription model involving a paid Shopify app, a standalone SaaS platform, and a separate free Shopify connector. Before implementing it, we would appreciate guidance on billing compliance and whether explicit approval is required.

Product structure

  1. Paid Shopify app: Available through the Shopify App Store for USD 29.90/month, billed entirely through Shopify. Merchants can use it without subscribing to our standalone platform.
  2. Standalone SaaS platform: EUR 29/month plus applicable VAT, billed through Stripe. It includes functionality shared with the paid Shopify app, plus additional dashboards, reports, and integrations with other platforms.
  3. Free Shopify connector: A separate app that synchronizes Shopify data with the standalone platform. There is no separate charge for this connector; access to the platform requires a paid SaaS subscription. The intended discovery and installation journey would be accessible exclusively from our platform, rather than through discovery on the Shopify App Store. Customers would not need the paid Shopify app to synchronize their store with the platform.

We are describing the intended customer journey for the connector, rather than assuming that its lack of App Store discoverability exempts it from Shopify’s distribution or billing requirements.

Proposed pricing when using both paid products

Customers with an active subscription to the paid Shopify app would receive a EUR 25/month discount on their standalone platform subscription:

  • Paid Shopify app: USD 29.90/month through Shopify.
  • Standalone platform: EUR 4/month plus applicable VAT through Stripe.

The platform subscription would be optional and would provide access to its broader functionality, including dashboards, reports, and other integrations.

Customer journeys

  1. Shopify app first: A merchant subscribes to the paid Shopify app. If they subsequently subscribe to the standalone platform, they pay an additional EUR 4/month plus applicable VAT through Stripe.
  2. Platform first: A customer subscribes to the standalone platform for EUR 29/month plus applicable VAT through Stripe. They can connect Shopify using the free connector without subscribing to the paid Shopify app. If they also choose to subscribe to the paid Shopify app, their platform subscription receives the EUR 25/month discount.
  3. Platform cancellation: A customer using both paid products cancels their platform subscription. Stripe billing stops, while the paid Shopify app subscription continues unchanged.
  4. Paid Shopify app uninstallation: A customer using both paid products uninstalls the paid Shopify app. The Shopify subscription ends, the EUR 25 platform discount is removed, and the existing platform subscription returns to EUR 29/month plus applicable VAT through Stripe. This conditional discount and the standard price would be clearly disclosed when subscribing.

Questions

  • Is this combination of Shopify billing and a discounted Stripe subscription permitted, given that the standalone platform includes additional functionality?
  • For merchants who first become customers through the paid Shopify app, must the optional platform subscription also be billed through Shopify, even if it includes dashboards, reports, and non-Shopify integrations?
  • Can customers who already pay for the standalone platform through Stripe connect their Shopify store using the separate free connector while retaining their existing Stripe subscription?
  • Does making the free connector accessible only through our platform affect the applicable billing requirements, or would the same requirements apply regardless of discoverability?
  • If a customer uninstalls the paid Shopify app but continues using the standalone platform at its full EUR 29/month price, can they continue synchronizing Shopify data through the free connector? Would the answer differ depending on whether they originally became a customer through Shopify or through our platform?
  • Would operating the paid app and free connector as separate apps raise any additional app review or distribution concerns?
  • Does any part of this model require an external billing exemption or other explicit approval? If so, what is the correct process for an already-published paid app and a separate connector being introduced?

We would appreciate guidance from Shopify staff, references to the relevant policies, and clarification on which aspects require an app-specific review.

Thank you.