What is a Shopify development store?
A Shopify development store is a free, fully functional Shopify account designed specifically for designers, developers, and agencies to build and test ecommerce stores before going live. Unlike regular Shopify stores, development stores offer special features for creating and experimenting with store designs without requiring a paid subscription.
Key Characteristics of Development Stores
Free access to all Shopify features (including paid themes/apps)
No transaction fees during development
Password-protected (not publicly accessible)
90-day expiration (can be extended indefinitely)
Cannot process real payments (test mode only)
How to Set Up a Shopify Development Store
Method 1: Partner Account Creation (Recommended)
Sign up for a Shopify Partners account.
Navigate to “Stores” > “Add store.”
Select “Development store.”
Choose:
“Build a new store for a client.”
“Test themes and apps” (for personal projects)
Complete store details (fake data is acceptable)
Method 2: Client Handoff Process
Create a store under a partner account.
Develop store (themes, apps, products)
Transfer ownership via:
Development store transfer (for unpaid stores)
Partner development store conversion (for stores moving to paid plans)
Development Store vs. Regular Shopify Store
| Feature | Development Store | Regular Store |
| Cost | Free | $29+/month |
| Payment Processing | Test mode only | Real transactions |
| Public Access | Password-protected | Publicly accessible |
| Expiration | 90 days (extendable) | Permanent |
| Staff Accounts | Unlimited | Plan-dependent |
5 Advanced Uses for Development Stores
1. Theme Development & Testing
Install any theme (including paid ones).
Use Theme Kit for local development.
Test across multiple device breakpoints.
2. Custom App Development
Build and test private apps
Simulate API rate limits
Debug webhook responses
3. Client Demonstrations
Present customized store designs
Showcase different navigation structures
Demonstrate checkout customization.
4. Migration Testing
Practice product/customer data imports.
Test third-party integrations.
Verify theme compatibility.
5. Training Environments
Onboard new team members
Practice store management
Simulate order workflows
Development Store Limitations to Know
No real transactions: Can’t process actual payments
No live chat support: Email support only
Auto-renewal required: Must extend before expiration.
No POS access: Unless on the Shopify Plus partner program
Product limits: 50 variants per product maximum
Best Practices for Development Stores
Use realistic data. Populate with 20+ products for accurate testing.
Enable all tax settings: Configure for target markets early.
Test checkout thoroughly. Especially customizations.
Document changes: Track all modifications for client handoff.
Clean before transferring: Remove test orders/customers.
Extending Your Development Store
Shopify automatically expires development stores after 90 days, but partners can:
Indefinitely extend through Partner Dashboard
Convert to a paid store when ready for launch.
Duplicate stores to reset the expiration clock
Troubleshooting Common Issues
“Store expired” error: Contact Shopify Partners support.
Missing features: Verify partner account status.
Transfer failures: Check client email associations.
Theme installation problems: Clear cache and retry.
Development stores remain one of Shopify’s most powerful (and underutilized) tools for building professional ecommerce experiences risk-free. By leveraging them effectively, developers can reduce client costs, improve deliverables, and test innovations without financial commitment. Learn about the more information, check it out.
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