Shopify maintenance
Shopify maintenance and support retainer
Shopify changes every quarter. Apps update, APIs retire and features you rely on get switched off on a fixed date. A monthly retainer keeps a developer who knows your store watching for those changes, fixing issues quickly and shipping the small improvements that never make it into a project.
Platform changes a retainer covers
- 01
January 1, 2026
custom apps can no longer be created in the Shopify admin. New ones are built in the Dev Dashboard.
- 02
June 30, 2026
Shopify Scripts stopped running. Discount, shipping and payment logic now needs Shopify Functions.
- 03
August 26, 2026
script tags on the Thank you and Order status pages stopped running for the last stores still using them (Shopify Plus lost them in 2025). Purchase tracking must run as Customer Events pixels.
- 04
October 1, 2026
apps can no longer create or update script tags. Older app code that relies on them has to move to theme app extensions.
- 05
January 1, 2027
every public app must use expiring offline access tokens.
- 06
March 1, 2027
script tags stop running on storefronts, so any tracking or app feature still loaded that way stops working.
- 07
Every quarter
Shopify releases a new API version and supports each one for at least 12 months, so integrations and apps need regular upgrades.
Signs your store needs ongoing support
Conversions in Google Ads, Meta or GA4 dropped and nobody knows why.
An app update or theme change broke something, and it took days to find someone to fix it.
You get Shopify emails about deprecations, failing webhooks or API versions, and they pile up.
Small requests like a new section, a banner rule or a metafield wait weeks for a free slot.
The store has slowed down as apps and scripts were added over the years.
What we check every month
| Area | What we do |
|---|---|
| Area01Platform deadlines | What we doTrack Shopify changelog items that affect your store and plan each change before its date |
| Area02Tracking | What we doTest that purchase and lead events still reach GA4, Google Ads and Meta after every checkout or app change |
| Area03Apps and API versions | What we doReview installed apps, remove leftovers from uninstalled ones, and move custom apps and integrations to supported API versions |
| Area04Theme | What we doApply fixes and small changes on an unpublished theme first, and keep the theme under version control |
| Area05Speed | What we doWatch Core Web Vitals and flag the apps, scripts or images that slow the store down |
| Area06Integrations | What we doCheck failed webhook deliveries and sync errors with ERP, warehouse or accounting systems |
Monthly Shopify maintenance retainer
A set number of developer hours every month for merchants who want their store looked after, not rescued.
What's included
- Bug fixes and small theme changes: sections, blocks, metafields, banners and content rules
- App reviews, updates and removal of unused app code
- Platform deadline planning and the changes they need
- Tracking checks after checkout, theme or app changes
- Speed monitoring and fixes
- Priority handling when something breaks
What you get
- One developer who knows your store, backed by our team
- A monthly report: what we fixed, what changed on the platform, what's coming next
- Unused hours can go to small improvements from your wish list
The monthly fee depends on the hours and your store's apps and integrations. We quote it after reviewing your store.
How it works
- 01
Store review
We review your theme, apps, integrations and tracking, and list the risks and quick wins.
- 02
Plan and quote
We agree the monthly hours, response times for urgent issues and a monthly fee.
- 03
Onboard
We set up collaborator access, version control for the theme and a shared task list.
- 04
Maintain and report
We work through fixes and platform changes each month and send a short report.
Related guides
- 01Shopify's Thank you page upgrade broke your tracking? Here's how to fix it
- 02Theme app extensions and app blocks: a practical guide (script tags end in 2027)
- 03Legacy customer accounts are deprecated: how to upgrade without breaking anything
- 04Expiring offline access tokens: what public apps must change before January 1, 2027
Work we've shipped
Shopify maintenance questions
A Shopify retainer is a monthly agreement for a set number of developer hours on your store. Instead of scoping and quoting every small job, you have a developer who already knows your theme, apps and integrations and handles fixes, updates and platform changes as they come up.
A retainer suits stores with a steady stream of small changes, apps to keep updated and platform deadlines to meet. A one-off project suits a defined build such as a redesign, a migration or a custom app. Many stores start with a project and move to a retainer once it is live.
A fixed number of developer hours each month for fixes, small changes, app and API upkeep, tracking checks and platform deadlines. Unused hours go to improvements from your wish list.
Shopify runs the servers, but your theme, apps, tracking and integrations are yours. Shopify retires features and API versions on fixed dates, apps change, and every change can break something that worked yesterday.
Urgent issues such as a broken checkout step, missing tracking or a failing integration go ahead of planned work. We agree response times for urgent issues when we set up the retainer.
Yes. We start with a review of the code and the apps installed, put the theme under version control and document anything custom before making changes.
It depends on the hours you need and how many apps and integrations the store runs. We quote a monthly fee after reviewing the store.
Yes. For WordPress and custom websites, see our website maintenance and support service.
Get a retainer plan
Send your store URL and tell us what keeps breaking or waiting. We'll review the store and reply with a plan and a monthly fee.
Prefer email? Write to webguru.com.pk@gmail.com