Can a public Shopify app depend on another app and handle subscriptions externally?

Built for Shopify
1

I’m working on a public app for Shopify that requires another app to function. I have two questions:

  1. Can we develop an app that relies on another app to function, for example, an app that provides an integration with another app to provide analytics?
  2. If the app needs a subscription to function, can we manage the subscription and payments inside our website?
2

Hi @amohammed

  1. According to the Shopify App guidelines, no if you own this other app:
  1. Multiple apps with overlapping functionality created by the same Partner - App must not be identical to other apps you’ve published to the Shopify App Store. Learn more about duplicate apps in our Partner Program Agreement.

If you don’t own this other app, it seems like potentially yes it’s allowed, but you’re going to fragment your TAM (total addressable market). You’ll essentially require merchants to have two subscriptions for your service to operate.

As a business strategy, I really don’t recommend this route but it’s up to you obviously.

  1. If the app needs a subscription to function, can we manage the subscription and payments inside our website?

No, all Shopify apps must handle billing through the Shopify billing system:

The app billing API resources are specific to and mandatory for all full and limited visibility apps that are distributed through the Shopify App Store, unless Shopify has notified you otherwise.

3

@amohammed, Dylan has provided a great response here. Just to add on to that a little bit, there’s also section 10 of prohibited app types. You’ll want to take a close look at how you are sharing data between the 2 apps to ensure you’re not violating any of our terms.

Apps that primarily function to share or provide merchant data to third parties - Apps that primarily function to share or provide merchant data to one or more third parties must have prior written consent from Shopify and must comply with our API Terms. Otherwise, they aren’t eligible to be listed on the Shopify App Store. Each third party that receives merchant data using the app must agree to Shopify’s API Terms.

Another thing to consider is our app review team is going to review your app by first installing it on our own test stores to ensure it meets all requirements. It will need to function as a standalone app without requirements to install other apps.