10 Shopify App Success Stories [2024]
Want to tap into the booming ecommerce market? Consider developing a Shopify app. A Shopify app enhances the functionality of Shopify stores, providing solutions that store owners need, such as customer engagement, inventory management, or sales optimization.
Building a Shopify app requires a good understanding of coding and UX design. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme; it involves ongoing development, customer support, and consistent updates to keep up with Shopify’s platform changes. However, the payoff can be significant if you solve a common problem for store owners.
A successful Shopify app could generate recurring revenue through monthly subscriptions or one-time fees. The Shopify App Store provides a built-in market for your app, making it easier to reach your target audience. With dedication and the right idea, you could create a valuable tool for thousands of ecommerce businesses.
If you have a knack for tech and an eye for ecommerce needs, developing a Shopify app is a rewarding venture to consider.
In this list, you'll find real-world shopify app success stories and very profitable examples of starting a shopify app that makes money.
1. Growave ($1.32M/year)
Eldar, the founder of Growave, started the business after realizing the limitations of his successful previous venture, ThinkLab. With a desire to expand into a dynamic market, Eldar and his team researched and developed a product for the growing e-commerce industry. Despite facing challenges and delays, Growave eventually launched as a free app and gained traction through forums and the Shopify App Store, steadily growing its customer base and revenue to over 12,000 merchants and $110,000 per month.
How much money it makes: $1.32M/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
How many people on the team: 70
Growave, an all-in-one marketing tool for Shopify brands, went from struggling to be profitable to earning over $110,000 monthly with over 12,000 merchants using the app worldwide, thanks to an improved marketing and retention strategy implemented after the launch.
2. Exto.io ($1.15M/year)
market research and validation before launching our product. We assumed that the demand would be there based on our own beliefs and experiences in the industry, but it turned out that we needed to make adjustments and improvements based on customer feedback. This taught us the importance of listening to our customers and constantly iterating on our product to meet their needs.
How much money it makes: $1.15M/year
How much did it cost to start: $80K
How many people on the team: 10
Exto.io's CEO and founder shares how they grew their flagship product, Recom.ai, into a full-fledged marketing tool with a $96K monthly turnover, attracting a diverse range of customers from small mom-and-pop shops to enterprise companies using a performance marketing approach and prioritizing customer feedback.
3. TxtCart® ($1.02M/year)
Kyle Bigley started TxtCart after realizing the untapped potential in SMS marketing during his dropshipping days in college. He launched the AI-powered SMS marketing company in 2019, generating $1M ARR while still bootstrapped, and is on track for $3M ARR by 2026.
How much money it makes: $1.02M/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 7
TxtCart, an AI-powered SMS marketing company for Shopify stores, has driven over $50M in revenue for clients by leveraging a 20X ROI on SMS strategies, while growing to a $1M ARR and aiming for $3M—all while remaining bootstrapped.
4. ByteStand ($780K/year)
Todd, a serial entrepreneur, came up with the idea for ByteStand after experiencing the limitations of selling on Amazon and wanting to diversify his business. He saw a gap in the market for a tool to automate the process of moving inventory from Amazon to Shopify and decided to create one himself, despite having no software development experience. With the help of a team of independent developers, he built the app and launched it on Shopify, quickly attracting paying customers and generating revenue.
How much money it makes: $780K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 1
ByteStand, a software development company run by ecommerce experts, created Shopify apps, including FreshCredit and FBA Shipping, which generate approximately $17,000 per month in revenue, with over 2,000 shops using their software.
5. Widebundle ($660K/year)
He used Shopify Facebook Groups and communities to read people’s problems and questions, add comments, and start conversations. It’s a long job that only a few people want to do, but it works.
At some point, Matt found 3 people who wanted the same thing but it didn’t exist in the Shopify App Store. They wanted features from a bundled app that didn’t exist. And if 3 people want it, maybe there are more.
How much money it makes: $660K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 6
WideBundle is a Shopify App founded in May 2020, that has grown to making over $40,000 monthly, with 5 people working full-time, and helps Shopify merchants create bundles and offers to increase their average order value.
6. Bonify ($504K/year)
Dan Pepin and John Carbone came up with the idea for Bonify while working as programmers at a digital agency and being frustrated with how things were being done. They left the company and started Bonify with a focus on building SAAS products. Their first app, Custom Fields, was launched in April 2016 and initially made little money, but they continued to improve it based on customer feedback and have since built a successful Shopify app business, with their apps bringing in $15,000 per month and a goal to double that revenue by the end of the year.
How much money it makes: $504K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Bonify co-founders successfully transition from a small web development agency to a lifestyle SAAS company by building Shopify apps, reaching $15,000 monthly revenue and planning to double it by year end through improved marketing and new features.
7. SuperLemon ($348K/year)
After 2 failed startups, the founders set their sights on working on something people want and are ready to pay for. Their priority even before they had decided on the idea for the product was to find an audience, a group of people who faced a problem, and who currently pay for a software tool to solve their problem. App marketplaces were a way to mitigate some of this risk.
They had some prior experience with building a Shopify store, and also had a friend who built a $20k/mo Shopify app without any employees.
To find problems worth solving, they browsed the entire Shopify app store, which at the time had 3,000+ apps. Going through every single app, jotting down interesting ones, especially ones that had poor reviews indicating that they could do a better job at solving the same problem, and picked 5 out of the 100s of those ideas they identified, based on their goals and constraints:
- An existing problem that people were already paying for
- Existing apps weren’t doing the best possible job at solving customer’s needs
- The app had the potential to grow to at least $3k in MRR, which after costs would allow the founders to live comfortably in Bengaluru
How much money it makes: $348K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
SuperLemon, a WhatsApp plugin for Shopify eCommerce stores, crossed $29,000 in MRR as of July 2020, with 20,000 users from 50+ countries and 1700+ paying customers, all acquired through organic marketing strategies and a relentless focus on customer service and satisfaction.
8. Rush - Ship, Track, Notify ($240K/year)
providing value and a unique experience through our app. We listen to our ideal customers and constantly work to improve and meet their needs. We also prioritize building strong customer relationships and offering exceptional customer support. As a result, we have received positive feedback and reviews, which has helped to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Additionally, our blog has been a valuable resource for e-commerce-related topics, further attracting traffic and potential customers to our website.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
How many people on the team: 9
Rush co-founder Kiril Kirilov has developed an all-in-one post-purchase solution for Shopify businesses that has achieved $20k in monthly recurring revenue, boasting impressive last mile updates and notifications, customizable tracking pages, and upselling and cross-selling options.
9. Analyzify ($144K/year)
DataPack, the founder's productized offer for data-analytics-related projects, had received too many requests from Shopify stores. So they decided to create a standalone product for the Shopify market.
How much money it makes: $144K/year
How much did it cost to start: $6K
How many people on the team: 3
Analyzify.app is a Shopify app that helps enable accurate and reliable data tracking and generates $12K+/month with over 350 stores empowered, thanks to a freemium version on YouTube and exceptional customer support.
10. Cinquanta Cox-Smith ($120K/year)
Cinquanta Cox-Smith, a Multipreneur from South Carolina, stumbled upon the Print On Demand industry 12 years ago when she wanted to create a unique shirt and discovered Spreadshirt.com. Through her creativity and networking skills, she found success in designing and selling catchy, conversation-starting shirts. This eventually led her to create multiple POD brands on various platforms, generating an impressive $120k per year in revenue.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 1
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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