Devvista is a software development and growth agency that places and manages Shopify developers for merchants in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and the UAE. You can hire for theme work, custom apps, ERP and accounting links, checkout rules, headless storefronts or a platform migration, billed hourly or at a fixed price.
Shopify handles hosting, payments and the core store, so most stores need a developer for a short list of jobs: a theme built around your catalog, an app for a workflow no App Store app covers, or a link to the systems behind the store. Below: what each job involves, how it is priced, how to check a developer, and how it works in five markets.
What Our Shopify Developers Build
Custom themes
A theme built around your catalog and brand, using sections and blocks so your team can edit pages without a developer. We build to your design, test on a development store and check the result on phones, where most store traffic arrives.
Custom Shopify apps
Apps for work that no App Store app does: syncing orders and stock with an ERP, wholesale pricing rules, admin screens and reports. For a single merchant, Shopify says custom distribution is the usual route, and it needs no approval. See custom Shopify app development for how we scope and price these.
ERP and accounting links
Inventory, orders, refunds and tax lines moving between Shopify and an ERP or accounting package, with a visible failure list so nothing is lost silently. Devvista is an official Odoo partner, so Odoo can be planned on both sides. Our Shopify ERP integration guide explains the design.
Checkout and Plus logic
Rules that run inside checkout, such as custom discount types, hidden payment options or order checks, use Shopify Functions. Shopify states that only Plus stores can use custom apps that contain Function APIs, while public apps with functions work on any plan, so we check your plan before designing. Our comparison of Shopify Plus and Shopify sets out when the upgrade pays off.
Headless storefronts
For stores that need frontend freedom beyond a theme, we build a separate storefront connected to Shopify through its APIs. It costs more to build and maintain than a theme, so we help you decide whether you need it.
Platform migrations
Moves from WooCommerce, Magento or BigCommerce, with a redirect map built before launch. The process is set out under Shopify migration services.
Speed and conversion fixes
An audit of theme code, scripts, images and checkout steps against your own analytics, followed by targeted changes. We report what changed and what your numbers show afterwards, instead of promising a result in advance.
What It Costs and How You Can Hire
Devvista prices Shopify work either as a fixed price from $500 to $100,000 depending on complexity, or hourly from $10 to $100 an hour depending on the type and level of developer. We quote in US dollars.
Illustration (an estimate, not a quote): a developer for 20 hours a week over a month is 80 hours, which is $3,200 at an assumed $40 an hour. A defined build, such as a theme or a custom app, is better as a fixed price once the scope is written down.
| Model | Best for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time or full-time by the hour | Ongoing store development, maintenance and steady improvements | $10 to $100 an hour by developer level |
| Fixed price | A defined build with a written scope, such as a theme, a migration or an integration | $500 to $100,000 by complexity |
| Short scoping engagement | You know the problem but not the solution, so the build needs a clear spec | Quoted before it starts |
Which Developer Profile You Need
Shopify work splits into profiles that rarely overlap in one person. Matching the profile to the job is the most useful part of hiring.
| Profile | What they do | Ask to see |
|---|---|---|
| Theme developer | Liquid, sections and blocks, performance and accessibility | A theme they built and how fast it loads on a phone |
| App and integration developer | Shopify APIs, webhooks, background jobs and error handling | How they recover when a message is lost |
| Checkout specialist | Shopify Functions and checkout extensions, with a clear view of what needs Plus | A rule they built and the plan it required |
| Headless developer | A separate frontend and the Storefront API | A plan for hosting and upkeep |
| Migration lead | Data cleanup, URL mapping, redirects and Search Console monitoring | A redirect map from a past move |
How to Check Any Shopify Developer Before You Hire
These questions work whoever you hire, including us. A good answer is specific and mentions a trade-off.
- Which API will the app use? Shopify describes the REST Admin API as legacy as of October 1, 2024, so a new build should use GraphQL.
- How are lost webhook deliveries handled? Shopify says webhook delivery is not always guaranteed and recommends reconciliation jobs.
- Which plan does this need? A custom app with Function APIs needs Plus; ask the developer to prove the requirement from Shopify's documentation.
- Who owns the code and the hosting after launch, and what do I receive at handover?
- What will it cost each month to run, apart from the build, including app fees and hosting for any backend?
- Can I see a similar thing they built, and what the numbers showed afterwards?
Be cautious of anyone who promises a conversion lift or a ranking date. Results depend on traffic, offer and product, and nobody controls them.
Our Hiring Process
Requirements call
We learn what you sell, which tools you use and what hurts today, then say which profile fits. You receive a written summary.
Matching
We propose a developer for the profile, with the rate band that applies, so you know the price before you commit.
Interview
You meet the developer and ask the questions above. We join if you want us to.
Onboarding
Access, a development store and a written scope are set up so work starts on a clear brief.
Support
You lead the priorities. We manage the delivery side, review the work and keep a shared project board you can read at any time.
Hiring Across the US, UK, Australia, Canada and the UAE
Devvista works remotely with merchants in all five markets and has no office in any of them. Calls, written specs and a shared board replace site visits.
Shopify lists all five countries among the supported countries for Shopify Payments, provided your business is located in one of them. Tax setup differs by country and is confirmed with your accountant. Each country has its own page with local detail: the UK, Australia, Canada and the UAE.
Who This Is For, and Who It Is Not
A good fit: a store with a clear need and a budget, whether that is a theme, an app, a migration or a link to your back office. Not a fit: someone who needs a developer on site, or who wants a guaranteed sales increase. We would rather say so on the first call.
If you are still deciding what you need, our guide to hiring a Shopify developer and our comparison of Shopify and WooCommerce are the next reads.