The Shopify Partner Directory is where merchants go when they need someone to build, fix or scale a Shopify store and don’t want to start from a cold Google search. It lists agencies and freelancers that Shopify has verified, sorted by service, location and partner tier. It’s also widely misunderstood: a listing is not a recommendation, a higher tier is not a guarantee of fit, and the directory is only one of three places a serious search should include.
This guide explains how the directory actually works in 2026, what the partner tiers mean, how to shortlist and vet a partner beyond the badge, and where the directory fits next to Clutch and referrals. We’re listed in it ourselves — Mgroup’s Shopify Partner Directory profile — so this is written from both sides of the search.
What the Shopify Partner Directory is — and what it isn’t
The Shopify Partner Directory is Shopify’s official listing of service partners: agencies, developers, designers and consultants who have joined the Shopify Partner Program and met the requirements for a public profile. Merchants can filter by service (store setup, theme development, migration, marketing, app development), by location, by language and by partner tier, then contact partners directly from their profile.
What it isn’t: a ranking. Shopify doesn’t score partners against each other, doesn’t publish review counts the way Clutch does, and doesn’t take a commission on the work. Partners in the directory work independently — Shopify’s own wording is that they “work independently to provide you with the best service.” That independence is the point: the directory tells you who is verified, not who is right for your project.
It also isn’t the whole market. Some of the strongest Shopify teams keep a minimal profile because their pipeline is referral-driven, and some very active profiles belong to teams that treat the directory as their main lead source. Neither signal is bad on its own — it just means the profile is a starting point, not a verdict.
Partner tiers explained
Shopify tiers partners “based on multiple factors, including their history of experience and proven success on Shopify.” The directory currently shows four tiers you can browse separately:
- Select — established partners with a track record of successful Shopify projects. This is the tier most experienced boutique and mid-size agencies sit in.
- Plus — partners with demonstrated experience on Shopify Plus, the enterprise plan: larger catalogues, B2B, checkout extensibility, multi-store setups.
- Premier — a higher tier for partners with significant Plus experience and volume.
- Platinum — the top tier, reserved for a small number of partners with the largest Plus practices.
Two things to keep in mind. First, tiers reflect history and volume, not quality per project: a Select partner with a deep migration practice can be a better fit for a replatforming than a Platinum agency whose strength is enterprise design. Second, tiers change. A partner’s badge tells you where they were at the last review, and the criteria themselves are Shopify’s to adjust, so treat the tier as one input.
For transparency: Mgroup has been a Shopify Select Partner since 2016 and works on Shopify and Shopify Plus only. When a client asks whether “Select” is enough for a Plus project, the honest answer is that the badge matters less than the last three Plus builds the team shipped — which is exactly what the vetting section below is about.
How to search the directory well
Most merchants type a location and pick the first three profiles. A better search takes ten minutes and produces a shortlist you can actually compare.
- Start from the service, not the city. Filter by the job you need done — migration, theme development, B2B, app development, CRO. A partner that lists “everything” is usually strong at one or two of those.
- Use location as a preference, not a rule. Time-zone overlap matters more than the office address. A partner in Ukraine or Poland working US and UK hours is a normal setup in 2026; a partner two blocks away who only answers on Fridays is not.
- Filter by Plus only if you’re on Plus. Plus-tier partners price for Plus scope. A standard-plan store with 800 SKUs will often get a better team, and a better price, from a Select partner.
- Read the profile for specifics. Named platforms migrated from, named apps built, named industries. Generic “we grow brands” copy tells you nothing; “Magento 2 to Shopify Plus, 40,000 SKUs, ERP integration” tells you a lot.
- Open the partner’s own site before you contact them. The directory profile is a summary; the case studies, engagement models and pricing pages are where the real information is.
How to vet a partner beyond the badge
The badge gets a partner onto your list. These five checks decide whether they stay on it. They’re the same checks we’d want a client to run on us.
1. Case studies with numbers, not logos
A wall of client logos proves the partner sent an invoice. A case study proves they solved a problem: what the store was on, what broke, what they built, what changed afterwards. Look for at least two that resemble your project in platform and scale.
2. Reviews on a platform the partner doesn’t control
Testimonials on the partner’s site are curated. Reviews on Clutch, G2 or Google are harder to shape. Read the negative ones — how a partner handles a project that went sideways is more informative than five-star praise.
3. Something shipped on the Shopify App Store
A partner with a public app — even a small one — has passed Shopify’s app review, maintains code against API deprecations, and understands the platform below the theme layer. It’s a strong signal for any project involving integrations, checkout extensibility or custom functionality.
4. Engagement model and pricing in writing, before the call
Fixed-price, time and materials, or retainer — a partner should be able to explain which fits your project and why, and put a number on it after a discovery call. Vague pricing usually means vague scoping. Our own engagement models page is an example of what to expect to see.
5. Response time and who you’ll actually talk to
Send a specific question and time the reply. Then ask who your day-to-day contact will be. A sales lead who hands you to an unnamed “team” after signing is a common source of project friction; a developer or PM who joins the second call is a good sign.
If you want the long version of this checklist — including the questions to ask and the warning signs to watch for — it’s in our guide on how to choose a Shopify agency.
Directory vs Clutch vs referrals: where to look for what
| Source | What it’s good for | What it can’t tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify Partner Directory | Verified partners, filter by service/location/tier, Plus experience | Quality per project, pricing, how they work |
| Clutch / G2 | Independent reviews, budget ranges, project size | Shopify-specific depth; reviews skew to larger projects |
| Referrals from other merchants | Honest experience, including the bad parts | Whether the partner fits your platform and scale |
| Agency listicles (“best Shopify agencies”) | Quick overview of who’s active | Most are written by agencies; treat as marketing |
The practical approach: shortlist from the directory, verify on Clutch, and ask one merchant for a referral before you sign. If you’re deciding between an agency and an individual, we’ve compared the two in Shopify Plus agency vs freelancer.
Ten partners worth a look in 2026
This is not a ranking. It’s a set of directory-listed partners with clear specialisations, chosen so that most merchants will find at least one that matches their project. We’ve included ourselves; we’ve also included teams we compete with, because a useful list has to.
- Mgroup (Ukraine; US, UK, EU clients) — Shopify Select Partner since 2016. Replatforming to Shopify, Shopify Plus development, B2B and wholesale, Klaviyo implementation, three published App Store apps. Best fit: migrations and Plus builds with engineering complexity. Shopify Plus agency · services
- Swanky (UK, Australia, France) — Shopify Plus agency with a strong international footprint and a large partner-integration practice.
- Eastside Co (UK) — Shopify Platinum Partner; design, development and growth for established brands.
- Charle (London) — Shopify agency with a strong SEO and design practice for UK retailers.
- We Make Websites (London, New York) — Shopify Plus agency known for design-led builds for fashion and lifestyle brands.
- Half Helix (New York) — ecommerce design and development on Shopify for DTC brands.
- Barrel (New York) — commerce agency focused on CPG brands.
- Fuel Made (US) — Shopify and Klaviyo growth partner; a good fit when email is central to the roadmap.
- Netalico (US) — Shopify Plus development and UX, with a well-documented migration practice.
- Blend Commerce (UK) — Shopify CRO specialist; useful once the store is built and the question is conversion.
Location-specific shortlists: if you’re searching by city, see our pages for Los Angeles, New York and the UK — each explains how a remote partner covers that market’s hours and expectations.
Getting listed: a note for agencies and developers
If you’re on the other side of the directory, the path is the Shopify Partner Program: join, complete the profile, and submit for review. Tier progression follows your track record on the platform — referred stores, Plus experience, and the quality signals Shopify tracks. Two practical notes from our own experience: keep the profile specific (platforms, industries, named services), and keep it in sync with your website and Clutch profile. Merchants cross-check all three, and inconsistencies read as a red flag.
The short version
Use the Shopify Partner Directory to find verified partners and filter by the job you need. Read the tier as history, not as a promise. Vet every shortlisted partner on case studies with numbers, independent reviews, shipped work on the App Store, written pricing and response time. Then confirm with one merchant who has worked with them. That process takes an afternoon and prevents most of the six-month mistakes we get asked to fix.
