I’ve created a utility tool intended for public release. It’s a basic NPM package, but it uses an empty shell Shopify app to provide the authentication. The app doesn’t do anything other than provide this auth, so I’ve no intention of ever publishing it to the App Store.
Do I really need to go through the faff of writing a full App Store listing page content for something that will never see the App Store?
It seems like an awful waste of everyone’s time. I get it needs reviewing, which is fine, but waiting potentially 4 months or more to have content pointlessly reviewed is madness.
1 Like
Hey @ConduciveMammal,
Currently all public apps whether listed or unlisted, need to meet the full set of App Store requirements. That includes a complete listing (screenshots, demo screencast, test credentials) and a functional app UI that merchants can interact with. An unlisted app still has a listing, it’s just not searchable or recommended in the App Store. The visibility toggle is something you can flip at any time, but the baseline requirements are the same either way. The full checklist is here: Best practices for apps in the Shopify App Store and the detailed requirements are here: App Store requirements
I know that feels heavy for an auth-only utility. There is a practical upside worth considering and that’s once you’ve passed review, you’re already set up to flip visibility to listed whenever you want. If your tool grows or you decide to expand its reach, you get App Store discoverability without going through the process again.
I’ve gone ahead and shared your feedback as a feature request with the team, so it’s on their radar. No promises on timelines, but your input here is noted and appreciated.