In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Hire a developer who builds in a store you own and works through a collaborator account, starts from a theme before custom code, keeps paid apps to a minimum, and can explain PayNow, GST settings and local shipping on Shopify. Partner Directory tiers help, but ask for live Singapore stores.
Freelancer, studio or Shopify Partner agency
Shopify developers in Singapore range from solo freelancers to agencies listed in Shopify's own directory.
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Theme set-up, small changes, a first store | Cover if they are unavailable; check past stores |
| Small studio | Fixed-scope store builds with design | Who builds versus who sells; support after launch |
| Partner Directory agency | Larger catalogues, custom features, Shopify Plus | Higher cost, retainers, minimum project sizes |
| DIY with a theme | Simple stores with a few products | Your time; payments, tax and shipping settings are easy to get wrong |
Shopify's Partner Directory lets you filter by service and location. Shopify says partners are tiered as Select, Plus and Premier based on factors including their history of experience and proven success on Shopify. A tier is a useful signal, not a guarantee, and many capable freelancers are not listed.
Who owns the Shopify store
Ownership decides whether you can change developer later without rebuilding. Get it right on day one.
A good set-up
- Store created in your name, billed to your card
- Developer joins as a collaborator using a request code you provide
- Permissions limited to what they need
- Domain registered in your company's name
- Payment provider and bank account in your company's name
Red flags
- Developer owns the store and "rents" it to you
- Shared owner login passed around by email
- Payments set up under the developer's business
- Domain bought on the developer's account
- Custom app hosted on the developer's server with no handover
Shopify's help page on collaborator accounts explains that partners request access with a code you share, you choose their permissions, collaborators do not count towards your staff limit, and access expires automatically if a collaborator has not logged in for 90 days. Remove access when the project ends.
Theme or custom code?
A good developer will push back on custom work you do not need.
Theme with settings
Most small stores- Free or one-off paid theme from the Shopify Theme Store
- Changes through the theme editor, no code
- Updates from the theme developer
- Easy for any future developer to take over
Best for: Stores under a few hundred products with standard checkout.
Theme with custom sections
- Small code changes on top of a theme
- Good for one or two special layouts
- Needs care when the theme updates
- Document every change
Best for: A store that needs a specific feature the theme lacks.
Fully custom theme or app
- Built from scratch to your design
- Higher build and maintenance cost
- Harder to hand over
- Justified for unusual products or integrations
Best for: Larger brands with a clear business case.
Paid themes in the Shopify Theme Store are a one-off purchase, roughly US$100 to US$450 when we checked in October 2026. Our Shopify store cost guide adds up plans, themes and apps.
App sprawl and monthly fees
Apps are where Shopify stores get expensive and slow. Each review widget, upsell tool, pop-up or subscription app tends to carry its own monthly fee and its own scripts.
App check before launch
Shopify's Singapore pricing page lists Basic at S$39 a month, or S$29 a month paid yearly, as of October 2026. A handful of apps at a few dollars each can easily match the plan fee.
The Singapore test: payments, GST and shipping
These questions separate developers who have built Singapore stores from those who have not.
Ask how they set up PayNow
Shopify Payments covers cards; PayNow usually comes through a provider such as HitPay or Stripe. A good answer mentions the fees and Shopify's third-party transaction fee. See our Shopify Payments vs HitPay guide.
Ask how they handle GST
If you are GST-registered, prices are usually shown inclusive of 9% GST. They should know where Shopify's tax settings live. Our Shopify GST set-up guide covers this.
Ask about delivery options
Local courier rates, same-day or next-day zones, self-collection and how rates appear at checkout.
Ask about invoices and receipts
Order confirmations and tax invoices need the right business name, UEN and GST number where applicable.
Ask what they hand over
Login list, app list with costs, theme changes documented, and a short guide to adding products and processing orders.
Red flags and how to compare quotes
Compare quotes on the same scope, not just the total.
- No product count or page list in the quote.
- Custom build proposed before they have looked at what a theme can do.
- Many paid apps in the plan without monthly costs stated.
- Store or payments in their name.
- No mention of training or handover.
- Long maintenance contracts you must sign to launch.
- Ranking promises for Google or marketplaces.
Do it yourself or get help?
If you have a few products and time, building on a theme yourself is realistic. The risky parts are payments, tax and shipping settings, which are easy to get subtly wrong.
IT Sorted builds stores in your own Shopify account, with collaborator access only. Shopify Store (S$1,890, paid upfront) covers a ready-to-sell store with up to 30 products, PayNow and cards, and shipping. Online Store Pro (S$3,490) covers up to 150 products with variants, discounts and one marketplace connector.
Frequently asked questions
Look at Shopify's Partner Directory and local recommendations, then ask for live Singapore stores they built. Check the stores on your phone, ask how they set up PayNow, GST and delivery, and get a written scope listing products, pages, apps and handover. The store and payments must be in your name.
Shopify's Partner Directory groups partners into Select, Plus and Premier tiers. Shopify says the tiers are based on several factors, including a partner's history of experience and proven success on Shopify. A higher tier signals more experience, but many capable freelancers are not in the directory at all.
No. Create the store yourself and give the developer a collaborator account with only the permissions they need. Collaborators request access with a code you provide, do not count towards your staff limit, and lose access automatically after 90 days without logging in. Remove them when the project ends.
Most small stores do not. A free or paid theme from the Shopify Theme Store, set up properly, covers standard product pages, collections and checkout. Custom code makes sense for unusual products or integrations, but it costs more to build, maintain and hand over to another developer.
Ask your developer to list every app with its monthly price before installing, check whether Shopify or your theme already covers the need, and review apps every quarter. Each app adds a fee and often slows the store, so remove anything you are not using.