Can an unlisted public app bill clients off-platform, or is Shopify Billing required?

Shopify App Store
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We’re planning to build a Shopify app to distribute to our own existing clients (separate, independent merchant stores — not one Plus organization). We plan to use unlisted public distribution and share a direct install link rather than listing on the App Store.

All of these merchants are our own customers, acquired off-platform — none come through the Shopify App Store. We already bill them directly through our own SaaS contracts/invoicing.

I’ve searched the docs and forums but couldn’t find an exact, definitive, up-to-date answer for this specific setup, so I’m hoping someone can confirm:

  1. For an unlisted public app where all merchants are acquired off-platform, are we required to integrate Shopify App Pricing / the Billing API, or can we bill entirely outside Shopify?
  2. If off-platform billing is allowed, does it require explicit approval from Shopify, or is it automatic for unlisted apps with no Shopify-acquired merchants?
  3. Are there any app-review or compliance requirements (e.g. privacy policy URL, protected scopes) that still apply to unlisted apps in this setup?

Thanks!

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Hey @Gevorg_Glechyan, we have had a similar question posted here. The TLDR though is if your app connects to a paid service, then there has to be a path for merchants to install your app and pay for it through Shopify, even if you keep your app unlisted. You do not need to change anything for your existing clients.

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Thanks for answering, Kyle. That’s clear now. But one question: how our current clients will be able to install the Shopify app? Via some private distribution or something like this?