App types
You can use apps to enhance your Shopify admin or add new features. There are two different types of apps that you can add to your Shopify store: public and custom.
On this page
Public apps
There are two types of public apps, listed and unlisted. Both listed and unlisted apps must pass Shopify's app review process, and can be installed from the Shopify App Store.
If an app is unlisted then it doesn't appear in Shopify App Store search results or categories. Instead, you can install it from the app's App Store listing or directly from the developer's website.
Built for Shopify
Some public apps in the Shopify App Store are highlighted with a Built for Shopify tag. This identifies apps that have surpassed a strict set of quality, safety, and performance standards.
Built for Shopify apps appear higher up in your search results, and might also appear as recommendations on the Shopify App Store homepage, or within your Shopify admin.
Custom apps
Custom apps can be used to add features to your Shopify admin or to extend your online store to other platforms using custom storefronts. Custom apps are built exclusively for your Shopify store and aren't listed on the Shopify App Store.
An external app developer can make a custom app for you without needing API access to your store and access to your Shopify admin. You can install a custom app by clicking an install link provided to you by the app's developer.
If you're working with a developer that you trust, or if you're making your own custom app, then you can also create and install a custom app in the Shopify admin.
Draft apps
Draft apps are used by Shopify Partners during development, and can only be installed on development stores for testing purposes. Installing a draft app on a development store disables store transfer permanently.
Draft apps can only be installed on your store after Shopify review, or after they're converted to a custom app.