Warnify

Free first version

Start with a free custom app version. Continue only if it helps your store.

A custom Shopify app should not begin with a big commitment and vague promises. We start with one narrow workflow, build a first useful version for free, and let you decide after seeing it in your store. If it saves time or solves the problem, we continue for a small fee.

Start freeWhat we can build
$0for the first small version
You decideafter testing whether it is useful
Small feefor ongoing support and improvements

Free means focused

The free start covers a small first version, not an unlimited build. We choose one workflow that can be made useful quickly.

Test before paying

You can see the app behavior, try it with your store context, and decide from real use instead of a sales promise.

Pay only for value

If the app earns its place, the next step can be a modest fee for hosting, support, maintenance, and planned improvements.

Easy to stop

If the idea is not worth continuing, we stop there. The first version is intentionally low-pressure and easy to judge.

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Why start free

Small merchants need proof, not a long estimate.

A store owner often knows the problem but does not know whether a custom app is worth it. Maybe the task is annoying, but is it annoying enough to pay for? Maybe a workflow can be automated, but will the automation feel natural for staff?

A free first version answers those questions faster. It gives you something concrete to click, test, and criticize. That first release can reveal what matters, what should be removed, and what is worth improving.

  • Useful when the idea is clear but the exact app shape is not.
  • Useful when staff need to feel the workflow before committing.
  • Useful when a public app almost works but misses your store's rule.
Custom Shopify app free start roadmap with abstract progress cards
The free start is meant to prove the idea in a real store workflow, not trap you in a project.
Custom Shopify app workflow mockup across admin and storefront
The first version should make one repeated store action easier, safer, or more consistent.

What the first version includes

One practical workflow, built cleanly enough to use and learn from.

The first version usually includes a simple admin screen, setting, rule, storefront block, automation, data sync, warning flow, or report. It should be small enough to build quickly but complete enough that you can tell whether the idea works.

We keep the first scope tight because that protects both sides. You get a useful test without paying upfront. We get a clear target instead of an endless wish list.

  • One main workflow or feature.
  • Basic setup and testing in your Shopify context.
  • A clear recommendation for whether to continue, change direction, or stop.

After it works

A small paid plan keeps the app alive and improving.

If the app proves useful, the paid stage can cover hosting, monitoring, Shopify API changes, small fixes, support, and the next improvements. The goal is to keep the cost proportionate to the value of the workflow.

For some stores that means a small monthly maintenance fee. For others it means small project-based improvements. We choose the simplest model that matches the app and the merchant.

  • Maintenance for the app and hosting environment.
  • Small improvements based on real staff feedback.
  • Adjustments when Shopify APIs, themes, or business rules change.
Custom ecommerce app dashboard and storefront visual
If the app saves time or prevents mistakes, ongoing improvements can stay modest and focused.

Process

How the free start works

The free start is easiest when the first problem is specific. You do not need a complete specification, but you do need a real workflow we can inspect.

1

Send the problem

A short message is enough: what you do manually, where staff get stuck, what customers miss, or which public app is almost right.

2

Pick one result

We agree on the first outcome that would make the workflow easier to test, such as a rule editor, block, check, or report.

3

Try the first version

You test the app with your store context and tell us what feels useful, confusing, missing, or unnecessary.

4

Choose the next step

Continue for a small fee, adjust the idea, or stop without turning the free start into pressure.

Use cases

Best free-start candidates

A good candidate has a clear pain point, a repeated workflow, and a first version that can be judged quickly.

A repeated manual check

Staff review the same order, product, customer, tag, or note pattern every day and need a focused screen or automatic flag.

A customer warning

Some products require clear terms, handling notes, restriction notices, final sale acceptance, or policy acknowledgment before checkout.

A product data mess

Important product information lives in tags, spreadsheets, metafields, theme code, or staff memory and needs a cleaner workflow.

A theme edit that grew too much

The storefront has custom behavior that would be easier to manage from an app screen or theme app block.

A public app that is almost right

You pay for many features but only need one special rule, one cleaner interface, or one missing connection.

A small automation idea

A Shopify event should trigger a tag, note, metafield update, staff alert, or internal record without manual follow-up.

Illustrative feedback

What merchants usually want from a small custom app

These are fictional sample comments, written to show the kind of outcome a focused store app is designed for. Real client quotes will be added here only after we have permission to publish them.

Fictional example

The first version did one thing well: it caught the product exceptions our team kept checking by hand. That was enough to know the idea was worth continuing.

Maya

Operations lead, fictional skincare store

Fictional example

We did not need a huge platform. We needed a small admin screen that matched our catalog rules and stopped staff from guessing.

Leo

Founder, fictional outdoor gear store

Fictional example

The useful part was seeing a working version before paying for a long project. After testing it with real orders, the next features were obvious.

Nora

Store manager, fictional home goods shop

Demo stores

Example store types we can build apps for

These store names are fictional demo examples, not client claims. They make it easier to picture the app shape before we replace them with real published case studies.

Fictional demo store

Northline Outdoor Co.

Outdoor equipment

Product restriction and handling-warning app

Shows product-specific notices, requires acknowledgment, and flags orders that need staff review.

Fictional demo store

Luma Pantry

Specialty food

Cold-shipping and delivery-rule helper

Checks cart contents, shows delivery notes, and keeps staff aware of temperature-sensitive items.

Fictional demo store

Harbor & Stitch

Made-to-order apparel

Custom production checklist

Turns order notes, variants, and product tags into a cleaner internal production queue.

Fictional demo store

Finch Baby Goods

Baby products

Safety notice and consent workflow

Adds storefront notices for selected products and preserves the warning version accepted by the shopper.

Questions

Common questions before we start

What counts as a small first version?

Usually one workflow with one primary user and one clear success condition. If the idea is bigger, we split it and start with the part that proves the most.

Do I need to give store access?

Eventually, yes, if the app needs to be installed or tested in your Shopify environment. We can discuss the workflow first before any access is needed.

What is the small fee after the free start?

It depends on the app's hosting, support, and improvement needs. The fee is discussed after the first version, when the value and maintenance scope are clearer.

Can I ask for more than one feature?

Yes, but the free start should still pick one first feature. Extra ideas can become the roadmap if the first version proves useful.

Start with the one Shopify task you wish was already handled.

Send the rough idea. We will shape it into a small first version, build enough to test, and keep the next step optional.

Start free