Best Shopify Agencies in India — How to Choose (2026)
Shopify agencies in India charge ₹35,000–₹1,50,000 for theme setup, ₹2,00,000–₹5,00,000 for custom builds, and ₹5,00,000–₹10,00,000 for headless. Shopify Plus specialists charge ₹3,000–₹6,000 an hour.
Most Shopify work in India is theme configuration described as development. That is often exactly what a brand needs — but you should know which you are buying, because the price difference between configuration and Liquid development is substantial.
How we assessed these
- Live stores you can visit and test on mobile
- Whether they write Liquid or only configure themes
- Understanding of Indian requirements — GST, COD, gateways
- App stack recommendations and their monthly cost
- Post-launch support and CRO capability
The options
Freelance Shopify setup
Best for: First stores with a ready catalogueTheme configuration, product upload and app installation. Genuinely sufficient for launching a first D2C store, and the fastest route to selling.
- Fast
- Affordable
- Adequate for launch
- Configuration, not development
- Limited design differentiation
Shopify development studios
Best for: Brands where the storefront is a brand assetTeams writing custom Liquid sections, building bespoke PDP layouts and optimising conversion. This is where Shopify stops looking like a template and starts looking like your brand.
- Genuine custom development
- Conversion-focused
- Speed optimisation
- Higher cost
- Longer timelines
Headless / Plus specialists
Best for: High-volume stores where speed is revenueNext.js frontends on the Storefront API, or Shopify Plus checkout and Functions work. Justified above roughly ₹1 crore annual revenue, rarely below it.
- Fastest storefronts
- Full checkout control
- No theme constraints
- Expensive
- Permanent frontend maintenance
- Plus licence required for checkout work
How to choose
Ask to meet the people who will do the work
The single most useful question in an agency selection. Pitch teams and delivery teams are frequently different people. Ask who specifically will be on your project, and speak to them before signing.
Check references for projects that went wrong
Every agency has a case study for their best project. Ask instead about one that went badly and what they changed afterwards. The answer tells you far more about how they will behave when your project hits trouble.
Get ownership in writing
Code, design files, domain and hosting accounts should be yours, assigned in writing on final payment. Agencies that hold registrar or repository access are creating leverage you will feel later.
Price the app stack before you commit
Reviews, subscriptions, loyalty, upsells and GST invoicing routinely total ₹8,000–₹40,000 a month in app subscriptions. Ask for the full recommended stack with monthly costs during the proposal, not after launch.
Not sure which option fits?
Tell us what you're trying to build and we'll tell you honestly — including when the answer isn't us.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Shopify agency charge in India?
₹35,000–₹1,50,000 for theme setup, ₹2,00,000–₹5,00,000 for custom development, and ₹5,00,000 upward for headless builds. Hourly rates run ₹600–₹2,000 for freelancers and ₹1,500–₹4,000 for agencies, with Plus specialists higher.
Do I need a Shopify agency or can I set it up myself?
Shopify is genuinely designed for self-setup, and for a simple store with a ready catalogue you can launch yourself in a weekend. Hire an agency when design differentiation matters, when you need custom functionality, or when your time is better spent on product and marketing.
How do I evaluate an agency's actual capability?
Look at work they shipped rather than concepts they designed, and check whether those sites and apps are still live and still fast. Ask what they would change about a past project. Request the name of the person who will lead your work, and speak to them directly before committing.
What should be in the contract?
Scope with explicit exclusions, a payment schedule tied to milestones, a defined revision allowance, IP assignment on final payment, and what happens if either side wants to stop. The revision allowance and the exclusions are where most disputes originate, so get both in writing.