Architecture and framework choice
Framework, routes, caching, and hosting, chosen and written down before anyone writes code.
The Problem
Your Theme Has Become the Slowest Part of Your Store
It shows up when a campaign needs a layout your theme can't build, or when apps slow every page. Headless helps only when it's planned around your apps and team.
01 · Campaign pages
Marketing waits on two more apps and a developer's weekend.
Marketing edits content blocks in the Shopify admin without a developer ticket.
02 · Script bloat
Every app adds scripts to every page, slowing the store.
Each app you keep gets an API connection or a clean replacement.
03 · Failed builds
You've heard of headless builds that ran a year and broke.
A fit check comes first: templates, app APIs, and the right framework.
04 · Broken widgets
A reviews widget breaks, and marketing can't change a banner.
Every template is tested on a preview link before launch.
Marketing wants a launch page with a quiz, a lookbook, and video by Friday. Your theme can almost do it, with two more apps and a developer's weekend. Every app adds scripts to every page, so the store slows with each campaign. You've heard headless fixes this. You've also heard of builds that ran a year and broke the reviews widget, leaving marketing unable to change a banner. So the theme stays, and the ideas wait.
We start with a fit check: which templates need custom work, which apps have APIs, and which framework suits your team. Then we build on Shopify's Storefront API and keep Shopify's checkout. Marketing edits content blocks in the Shopify admin, and every template is tested on a preview link first. You get the custom storefront, not a second job managing it.
Framework picked for your team
We weigh your team's skills, hosting, and other data sources before choosing the framework.
Every app has a plan
Each app you keep gets an API connection, a headless-ready replacement, or a clean exit.
Marketing keeps its independence
Pages come from blocks your team edits in the Shopify admin, without a developer ticket.
Our Headless Shopify Process
From Fit Check to Live Storefront in Five Clear Steps
You see the framework decision, the app map, and each template on a preview link, and you approve every stage.
We review your theme, apps, traffic, and content workflow, and ask what the theme blocks. You learn whether headless pays off for your store. If a custom theme solves it, we'll tell you before we quote.
What's Included
What You Get With Our Headless Shopify Development Services
Every plan covers architecture, storefront, apps, SEO carry-over, and launch. Plans 2 and 3 add custom design, a CMS, search, and Plus features.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs Freelance React Developers vs a Custom Liquid Theme
A freelancer costs less per hour, and a custom Liquid theme launches sooner for less. Here's where each option fits and where it falls short.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Freelance React developer | Custom Liquid theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Framework choice | Reasoned in writing | What they know best | Not needed on Liquid |
| Layout freedom | Any design or interaction | Any design, one developer | Theme sections only |
| App connections | Mapped before the build | Found mid-build | Most work as installed |
| Testing process | Preview link per change | Varies by developer | Theme preview in admin |
| Page speed | Budget tested on phones | Depends on habits | Slowed by app scripts |
| Support after launch | 30 days, then optional | One person's schedule | Theme developer or none |
| Code ownership | Your GitHub account | Sometimes their accounts | Theme files in your store |
| Upfront cost | From $1,450, fixed quote | Lower hourly rate | Lowest of the three |
DeveloperLook
Freelance React developer
- Framework choice
- DeveloperLook: Reasoned in writingFreelance React developer: What they know best
- Layout freedom
- DeveloperLook: Any design or interactionFreelance React developer: Any design, one developer
- App connections
- DeveloperLook: Mapped before the buildFreelance React developer: Found mid-build
- Testing process
- DeveloperLook: Preview link per changeFreelance React developer: Varies by developer
- Page speed
- DeveloperLook: Budget tested on phonesFreelance React developer: Depends on habits
- Support after launch
- DeveloperLook: 30 days, then optionalFreelance React developer: One person's schedule
- Code ownership
- DeveloperLook: Your GitHub accountFreelance React developer: Sometimes their accounts
- Upfront cost
- DeveloperLook: From $1,450, fixed quoteFreelance React developer: Lower hourly rate
Projects We've Built
Ecommerce Projects We Have Built
Ecommerce storefronts our team has designed and built. A headless build gets the same component planning, phone testing, and launch checks.
Sefinix Furniture Ecommerce Store and Dashboard
- Furniture
- Dashboard
- E-commerce
Unicom Fashion Ecommerce App and Admin Dashboard
- Fashion
- Dashboard
- E-commerce
Havenly Furniture Ecommerce Website
- Furniture
- E-commerce
- Dashboard
Modeverse Ecommerce Web Design & Development
- Fashion
- Retail
- E-commerce
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built custom Shopify storefronts for.
We had a different kind of problem. People were visiting the store, adding products to their carts, and then disappearing before they finished the order. We had tried a few apps and made changes here and there, but nothing really seemed to solve the bigger issue. The team went through the shopping experience with us and pointed out things we hadn't really noticed ourselves. They cleaned up the cart and checkout flow, made the mobile experience much smoother, and helped us make the store feel easier to shop. I’m not going to pretend we fixed everything overnight, but it finally feels like the store is helping the sale instead of getting in the way of it.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
1,000+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Work Culture
Why Shopify Brands Trust Us With Headless Builds
Shopify headless development leaves your team with code to maintain for years. These habits keep it fast, editable, and easy to hand over.
Apps audited before code
We list every app and how it reaches your storefront before writing code. A reviews widget with no API shows up in week one, not launch week.
Frameworks chosen on merit
We recommend the framework your team can maintain, not the one we enjoy writing. Some brands get Hydrogen on Oxygen, others Next.js on Vercel.
Marketers stay in charge
Your team edits pages, banners, and menus in the Shopify admin or a CMS after launch. Nobody files a ticket to change a hero image.
Phones before launch day
We test every template on mid-range phones with real product data, not just a fast laptop. Speed problems get fixed before customers find them.
Fixed scope, fixed price
You approve a written scope and a fixed quote after the architecture step. Anything new gets its own quote before we build it.
You own the code
Code lives in your GitHub, and hosting sits in your Shopify or Vercel account. You can move the storefront to any team without asking us.
Overview
What does a headless Shopify agency build for your store?
DeveloperLook is a headless Shopify agency that builds custom storefronts in Hydrogen or Next.js on Shopify's Storefront API. We map every app, set up content your team edits, and keep Shopify's checkout. Starter storefronts cost $1,450 and launch in 4 to 6 weeks. Custom builds take 8 to 16 weeks, and you own the code.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · Headless Shopify Agency
- Service
- Headless Shopify agency services (framework, storefront, apps, launch)
- Typical timeline
- 4 to 6 weeks for starters, 8 to 16 for custom builds
- Platforms
- Shopify and Shopify Plus
- Built with
- Storefront API, Customer Account API, metaobjects, Oxygen or Vercel
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,000+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30 days of post-launch support on every plan
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $1,450 USD, fixed scope after a free fit call
Reviewed 28 Sep 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Brands with content-heavy storefronts
Your brand story needs layouts your theme can't build, and every campaign page waits on a developer.
Shopify Plus brands with several storefronts
You run several brands or markets on Shopify Plus and want one codebase serving every storefront.
Teams choosing between Hydrogen and Next.js
Your developers know React, and you want a headless Shopify agency's view on Hydrogen versus Next.js first.
Stores whose themes carry too many apps
Your theme loads scripts from a dozen apps, and nobody can remove them without breaking something.
Agencies selling headless builds
Your agency sold a headless storefront and needs a headless Shopify development company to build it under your name.
Not a fit
Hydrogen specifically
You want Hydrogen specifically, or your Hydrogen storefront needs an upgrade. Our Shopify Hydrogen Development page covers Oxygen, upgrades, and theme rebuilds.
Still comparing platforms
You're still weighing Shopify against other platforms or a composable stack. Our Headless Commerce Agency page starts with a platform-neutral assessment.
New sections or speed fixes
Your theme only needs new sections or speed fixes. A custom Liquid build through our Custom Shopify Development page costs less and launches sooner.
Theme already sells well
Your budget is under $1,450, or a premium theme with a few apps already sells well. Headless adds costs you won't earn back yet.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Send a two-line brief. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for Your Headless Storefront
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on templates, app connections, and Plus features, and you get a fixed proposal after a free fit call.
For stores that want a fast headless storefront built from a proven starter template.
$1,450one-time, USD
- Hydrogen or Next.js starter storefront
- Up to 8 templates with editable content blocks
- Shopify checkout through the Storefront API cart
- Up to 3 apps connected by API
- SEO carry-over and mobile speed testing
- 30 days of post-launch support
Recommended
For brands that need a custom design and content marketing manages alone.
$4,400one-time, USD
- Everything in Headless Starter
- Custom design system from your Figma files
- Up to 20 templates and page sections
- Headless CMS or metaobject page builder
- Up to 8 apps connected or replaced
- Search and filters on Algolia or Shopify
For Shopify Plus brands running markets, B2B buyers, or more than one storefront.
$8,700one-time, USD
- Everything in Custom Headless Build
- Markets with localized routes and prices
- B2B company accounts and catalogs
- Checkout extensions matched to your storefront
- Up to 2 storefronts from one codebase
- 1 ERP or custom integration
For Agencies
White-Label Headless Builds for Agencies and Studios
You own the client relationship. We supply the headless engineering: architecture, storefront build, app connections, and launch. Your client sees your brand, and our developers work in your Slack and GitHub.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Share the brief
Send the client's store, goals, and deadline for a theme and app review.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We scope it
You get an architecture note and a fixed quote to resell.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
We build, you present
We build on preview links while you lead client calls and approvals.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
Stay client-facing
We work under your brand, so the relationship and credit stay yours.
Senior React engineers
Developers who build React storefronts on Shopify's APIs.
Predictable delivery
Fixed scope per phase, with preview links your client can review.
Flexible capacity
Sell headless builds without hiring React developers first.
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
We pick tools that fit Shopify's APIs and your team. That means a React framework, Oxygen or Vercel hosting, and GA4 and Search Console after launch.
Hydrogen
Next.js
React
TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
- Storefront API
- Customer Account API
- Shopify Plus
GraphQL
- Oxygen
Vercel
Netlify
Cloudflare
Algolia
Google Analytics (GA4)
Google Search Console
Lighthouse
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on cost, timelines, frameworks, apps, checkout, and SEO.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
A starter headless storefront costs $1,450, covering up to 8 templates and 3 app connections. A custom design with a CMS and up to 8 apps is $4,400. Plus builds with markets, B2B, and a second storefront start at $8,700. You get the fixed quote after the architecture step.
A starter storefront takes 4 to 6 weeks, and custom or Plus builds take 8 to 16 weeks. The architecture step fixes the timeline in writing. Content is what usually stretches projects, so rewrites and new photos run alongside the build instead of after it.
Going headless on Shopify means a custom storefront reads products and content from Shopify's APIs while Shopify runs checkout and orders. It suits brands that outgrow theme sections, stores slowed by app scripts, and Plus brands with several storefronts. If a premium theme covers your plans, we'll say so.
Yes, and your products, customers, and order history stay put, because Shopify remains the backend. We rebuild the storefront, keep product and collection URLs, and add redirects for anything that changes. Your Liquid theme stays live until launch day, so sales continue during the build.
Hydrogen is the better default for Shopify-only stores, because Shopify hosts it on Oxygen at no extra charge on paid plans. Next.js fits when the storefront also pulls from other systems or your team already uses Vercel. Both follow the same Shopify headless commerce model.
Apps that add features through your theme stop working, because theme app extensions only run in Online Store themes. Apps with APIs keep working through custom connections, including many reviews, subscription, and loyalty tools. We check each app before quoting and suggest replacements where needed.
The cart runs on Shopify's Storefront API, and checkout stays on Shopify: the cart sends each buyer to Shopify's own checkout. That keeps Shop Pay, payment settings, and checkout customizations working. Signed-in buyers stay signed in through the Customer Account API, so saved details carry over.
Done well, going headless protects rankings and speeds pages up, because pages render on the server and ship less theme code. We carry over titles, structured data, and sitemaps, and keep product URLs unchanged. We also test key templates on mid-range phones against a speed budget.
Yes, and we plan it in step 3, not after launch. Landing pages, banners, and menus become content blocks your team edits in the Shopify admin or a CMS such as Sanity. New pages reuse existing components, so campaigns don't need a developer to go live.
You do, from day one. The code lives in your GitHub organization, and hosting runs on Oxygen in your Shopify account or in your own Vercel account. After 30 days of included support, keep us for upgrades, hand the code to your team, or hire anyone else.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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