Shopify Partners are integral to our mission to make commerce better for everyone. They are an extension of our product and team, adding unparalleled value for customers.
We're introducing new service and technology go-to-market tracks to help partners grow with us. The change introduces a tiered model with clear requirements and benefits for each stage of our partnership. Not only will this make it easier for partners to work with us, it will also make it easier for merchants to identify and work with our top partners.
A tiered go-to-market model for partners of all types and sizes
The new service and technology tracks are meant for partners who want to go-to-market with Shopify and who want to be rewarded for selling and influencing Shopify solutions alongside their own offerings. The program includes two partner tracks - Service and Technology – which provide information, tools, and benefits relevant to our partners’ businesses.
The Service Partner track of the Shopify Partner Program is designed for agencies, consultancies, and systems integrators looking to provide expert services that help merchants succeed on Shopify. This track is open to all partners who meet the performance requirements to be placed into one of five tiers: Registered, Select, Plus, Premier, and Platinum.
The Technology Track is tailored for independent software vendors (ISV), application developers (Apps), enterprise resource planning (ERP) providers, and global technology companies looking to both integrate solutions with Shopify and go-to-market with Shopify. There are four levels of the Shopify Partner Program for Technology Track partners: Registered, Plus, Premier, and Platinum. The top three tiers are by invitation only, based on performance requirements.
The Shopify App Store continues to be the best place for Shopify app developers to showcase their solutions to millions of entrepreneurs around the world. In addition, app developers can earn additional App Store and enablement benefits by achieving Built for Shopify status, Shopify’s quality standard for apps.
Learn more about the App Store here.
Additional partner benefits unlocked based on performance
Partner tier placement will be based on key performance metrics associated with each program track, including achieving commercial impact and required credentials.
Specifically, we will be assessing the following:
Commercial Impact
- Partner attributed revenue to Shopify
- Minimum number of deals
Skill Development (Service Track)
- Number of Verified Skills credentials achieved (with minimum requirements for team size)
Product Integration Criteria (Technology Track)
The following two technology credential categories certify a technology partner's ability to deliver high-quality support, secure, reliable, and scalable solutions tailored to Shopify's platform.
Refer to the program guides for more information, found in the Partner Docs section in your Partner Dashboard.
Each tier level will have unique benefits that partners can unlock as they grow with Shopify. Our benefits aim to provide the access, investment, and tools required for partners to succeed, which may include:
- Ability to differentiate with an updated Partner Directory profile page, tier placement, and Verified Skills badges
- Access to Shopify partner resources and enablement, including access to partner management (based on tier and regional capacity), priority technical support, and on-demand marketing resources
- Partnership acceleration funding, including marketing development funds, referral incentives such as Plus Plan Referrals, Enterprise Commerce Incentive, and POS Profit Share
- Co-sell opportunities, including account mapping and Shopify referrals
“We're excited to see Shopify continue to improve the program. With so many agencies out there, it's hard for merchants to find the right partner. We've been looking for ways to help differentiate, and this will help clarify the caliber of partner for the market.”
—Ryan Donahue, Shopify Partner Lead, CQL
Continued investment in education to help partners deliver exceptional client experiences
The fast pace of product innovation and ever-increasing needs of customers means partners need to keep their skills sharp to thrive.
Shopify Academy is the learning center for partners with 13 new Verified Skill learning paths and assessments. Shopify Verified Skills enable partners to upskill their teams and deliver better merchant experiences. Verified Skills badges are earned through successful completion of assessments, and demonstrate Shopify proficiency.
We will continue to launch new Verified Skills to help our partners achieve a competitive edge. We will also launch additional educational credentials including formal developer and consultant certifications in 2025.
“Shopify Verified Skills courses and assessments enable us to upskill our team, deliver exceptional client experiences, and drive more business demand. Earning these credentials has bolstered our ability to showcase our proficiency and differentiate ourselves in a competitive commerce landscape.”
—Mike Warwick, Vice President Shopify Practice, Astound Digital
What’s next
Learn more about the new Shopify Partner Program by joining our upcoming webinar:
January 29, 2025 at 11am EST: Unveiling the Future: Shopify's New Partner Program for 2025
These changes will give our partners even more leverage to compete and win alongside Shopify. We couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead for Shopify Partners!
