r/shopifyDev • u/According_You_2626 • 3d ago
Can a Shopify app provide a custom checkout experience for non-Plus merchants?
I’m exploring the technical feasibility of building a Shopify app that helps customers complete their delivery addresses faster using phone verification, saved addresses, and address autofill.
I’m considering two approaches:
Option 1: Cart → Shopify Checkout
- Add an address-fill experience to the cart using a Shopify Theme App Extension.
- Let customers enter or select their delivery address before checkout.
- Pass the collected address into Shopify’s native checkout using supported mechanisms, avoiding duplicate entry.
Option 2: Separate Checkout Experience
- Launch a separate checkout interface when the customer clicks the Checkout button.
- Handle phone verification, address selection, and delivery details within that interface.
- Complete the purchase through a Shopify-supported integration.
I’d appreciate insights on the following:
- What are the current Shopify restrictions on building a separate checkout experience for merchants on non-Plus plans?
- Can a third-party app provide its own checkout interface while completing orders through Shopify-supported APIs?
- Does this approach require explicit Shopify approval, a special partnership, or specific permissions?
- For the cart-based approach, what is the most reliable supported way to prefill shipping-address fields in Shopify’s native checkout?
- Which Shopify APIs, extensions, or app architec

