Shop Minis Developer Terms

Last Updated: May 2025

Welcome! Thank you for your interest in developing Shop Minis. These Shop Minis Developer Terms ("Mini Terms") supplement, and are governed by, the Shopify Partner Program Agreement and the Shopify API Terms (collectively, the "PPA"), and apply specifically to Shop Mini Developers.

Reference to "Terms" in these Mini Terms means, collectively, these Mini Terms, the Shop Minis developer guidelines ("Developer Guidelines"), the PPA and any other documentation we make available to you. In the event of any inconsistencies between these Mini Terms and the PPA, the Mini Terms will take precedence in resolving the conflict, unless explicitly specified herein to the contrary. For clarity, the terms applicable to App Developers and Public Applications in the PPA shall apply to you and your Shop Mini(s). Any capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the PPA.

1. Definitions

  • "Applicable Data Protection Law(s)" means any data protection or privacy laws applicable to the processing of information or data defined as ‘personal data,’ ‘personal information,’ or ‘personally identifiable information’ (or analogous term), their implementing regulations and secondary legislation, each as may be amended, updated or replaced from time to time.
  • "Merchant Materials" means any content or materials owned or controlled by Merchants that Shopify makes available to you via the Shop Minis SDK, including: (i) intellectual property (such as trademarks, service marks, logos, and trade names); (ii) product and service information (including descriptions and pricing); or (iii) digital content (including photos, images, videos, graphics, written content, and audio files).
  • "Shop" means Shopify’s mobile and web shopping application.
  • "Shop Mini" means an Application developed by a Shop Mini Developer in connection with Shop.
  • "Shop Mini Content" means any data, information, technology, materials, or other content that you or those acting on your behalf add to your Shop Mini or otherwise make available to us in connection with your Shop Mini(s).
  • "Shop Mini Developer" means a Partner who develops an Application that facilitates the provision of third party functionality within Shop. Shop Mini Developers are considered Partners and App Developers under the PPA.
  • "Shop Mini SDK" means the APIs, software developer kits and other products and services and associated software made available to you by Shopify related to the development of Shop Minis, which forms part of the Shopify API.
  • "Shop User" means each of the users or customers that use Shop.
  • "Shop User Data" means any Personal Data or other data relating to a Shop User. This data may include, without limitation, names, preferences, user-generated images, purchase history, favorite products, and other related user-specific content. For clarity, Shop User Data under these Mini Terms refers specifically to data accessed or received through the Shop Mini SDK or provided by the Shop User to a Shop Mini Developer in the applicable Shop Mini (as permitted by the Terms). While certain elements of Shop User Data may overlap with data defined as "Customer Data" in the PPA (particularly in the context of a Partner processing data on behalf of a Merchant), Shop User Data pertains solely to the data processed in connection with a Shop User’s use of Shop and shared with a Shop Mini Developer in relation to its applicable Shop Mini.

2. Development and Submission of Shop Minis

  • A. Authorized Development. Shopify authorizes Shop Mini Developers to develop Shop Minis using the Shop Mini SDK, provided Shop Mini Developers strictly comply with the Terms. Submitting a Shop Mini to Shopify constitutes agreement with the Terms.
  • B. Shop Mini Review & Approval. Submission of a Shop Mini shall not obligate Shopify to approve or publish the Shop Mini. All Shop Minis, and any updates thereto, require Shopify’s express approval before distribution. Shopify has sole and unlimited discretion to approve, reject, conditionally approve, or remove any Shop Mini at any time, for any reason, without liability. YOU AGREE THAT SHOPIFY MAY MONITOR YOUR SHOP MINI AND USE OF THE SHOP MINI SDK TO ENSURE QUALITY, IMPROVE THE SHOP MINI SDK AND OTHER SERVICES, AND VERIFY YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS. You will not interfere with this monitoring. You will not materially change your Shop Mini’s functionality (including the scope of Shop User Data or Merchant Materials you collect or how you use or share it) beyond its reviewed stated purpose.
  • C. Compliance. Shop Mini Developers must fully adhere to all Developer Guidelines, which Shopify may update or modify at its discretion. Further to Section 2.2 of Part A of the Partner Program Agreement, Shop Mini Developers must ensure their Shop Mini complies with all applicable law, including, but not limited to, accessibility, privacy and consumer protection laws. Shopify may require Shop Mini Developers to implement amendments or improvements to remain compliant.
  • D. Termination or Suspension. For clarity, Shopify’s rights in the PPA to suspend or terminate access to the Shopify API shall extend to these Mini Terms and/or the Shop Mini SDK. Termination or suspension shall not relieve you from any obligation or liability that accrued prior to the effective date of such termination or suspension. In addition to any provisions that by their nature are intended to survive, the following sections of the Mini Terms will survive any termination or suspension: Section 1 (Definitions); Section 3(A) (License); Section 4 (Use of Merchant Materials and Prohibitive Practices); Section 5 (Data Access, Privacy and Security); and Section 7 (Indemnification and Limitation of Liability). The survival of these provisions is in addition to any provisions of the PPA that survive the termination or expiration of the PPA according to its terms.

3. Use of Your Shop Mini and Shop Mini Content

  • A. License. You grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to run, publicly display and perform, distribute, reproduce, modify, host, translate, store, and otherwise use your Shop Mini and Shop Mini Content in connection with Shop or the provision of the Services. This license allows us to, among other things: enable Shop Users and Merchants (if applicable) to use your Shop Mini in Shop or on such Merchants’ Stores; display and provide information about you and your Shop Mini to Shop Users and Merchants; frame and link to, place content around, and limit commands from your Shop Mini; make your Shop Mini discoverable by Shop Users and Merchants on or through Shop or the Service; and analyze your Shop Mini and Shop Mini Content for security, performance and compliance. We will not be subject to any third party terms or policies (including yours) associated with your Shop Mini or Shop Mini Content.
  • B. Responsibility for Shop Mini. You are solely responsible for your Shop Mini (including its development, operation, maintenance, support, distribution, use, and content). You will develop and provide us your Shop Mini’s terms of service, and any updates thereto, that will apply to Shop Users’ use of your Shop Mini and you agree (i) such agreement is solely between you and the Shop User and we will not have any responsibility or liability thereunder and (ii) such agreement may not and will not supersede, modify, or be inconsistent with the Terms, and in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the Terms and any agreement between you and Shop Users, the Terms shall supersede, prevail and govern.
  • C. Shop Mini Content. You agree that all Shop Mini Content will comply with the Shop Content Policies, the Terms and all applicable laws. In particular, you agree to follow the FTC Endorsement Guidelines if you engage or pay individuals to promote any items or content in your Shop Mini. Shopify shall have the right to take any appropriate action with respect to Shop Mini Content that is not in compliance with the Terms or applicable laws.

4. Use of Merchant Materials and Prohibited Practices

  • A. Merchant Materials. Your access to the Shop Mini SDK may provide you access to Merchant Materials. You are solely responsible for your decision to use or distribute any Merchant Materials. While we may review Merchant Materials and other content to determine whether it is illegal or violates our policies or the Terms, and we may remove or refuse to display such content, we make no representations or warranties about Merchant Materials or any decisions we make regarding it. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 4 of the Mini Terms supersedes Section 6.1.1 of the Shopify API Terms.
  • B. Use of Merchant Materials. Subject to your strict compliance with the Terms, Shopify grants you a limited, revocable, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right solely to display unmodified Merchant Materials (made available via the Shop Mini SDK) within your Shop Mini's interface inside Shop. Any other use is strictly prohibited. You shall not, directly or indirectly: (i) copy, store (except transient caching for immediate display), modify, create derivative works of, export, scrape, aggregate, or transfer Merchant Materials; (ii) use, or allow any third party to use, Merchant Materials for any purpose beyond display, including for analytics, research, LLM training, your own marketing, or outside of Shop; (iii) use Merchant Materials in any manner implying Merchant endorsement (beyond displaying their offerings), or in any unlawful, harmful, or disparaging way; or (iv) challenge ownership rights. No rights are granted by implication. This sublicense terminates automatically and immediately upon termination of these Mini Terms, removal of your Shop Mini, revocation of access to the Shop Mini SDK, or your breach of the Terms, requiring you to cease all use and purge caches.You may not copy, distribute, sell, sublicense, display, cache, export, reuse, repurpose, or otherwise use Merchant Materials for any purpose other than providing a Shop Mini in Shop in accordance with the Terms.
  • C. Third Party Integrations. If you integrate with a third party platform or service, you agree that: (i) you will fully comply with such third party’s terms of use; (ii) Shopify will have no responsibility or liability under such third party terms; and (iii) in all circumstances, you will comply, and ensure that such third party complies, with these Terms with respect to any Shop User Data or Merchant Materials you make available via such third party integrations, and you acknowledge and agree that any act or omission by such third party amounting to a breach of the Terms will be deemed to be a breach by you.
  • D. Merchant rights. Shopify reserves the right to enable Merchants to restrict or revoke Shop Mini Developers’ access to their Merchant Materials. Shop Mini Developers must immediately cease use of any restricted Merchant Materials upon notice by Shopify.
  • E. Prohibited practices. You represent, warrant and agree that your Shop Mini, the Shop Mini Content and your use of the Shop Mini SDK will not:
      1. violate the Developer Guidelines, the Shop Content Policy, the Terms or any other applicable Shopify terms or policies;
      1. infringe or misappropriate any patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, right of publicity, right of privacy, or other intellectual property or proprietary right of Shopify or any third party;
      1. not integrate advertisements, tracking mechanisms, or analytics tools that enable third-party data transfer or profiling.
      1. attempt unauthorized scraping or replication of Shop User Data or Merchant Materials or attempt to bypass, disable or circumvent any security features, limitations or usage restrictions;
      1. not introduce, transmit or distribute any viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses, malware, spyware, adware, backdoors, or other harmful code, files, scripts, agents, programs or items of a destructive, deceptive or invasive nature to the Shopify API or the Service (including Shop) or any data available through them; or
      1. violate key terms, conditions, or guidelines imposed by relevant third-party platforms (such as Apple App Store Guidelines or Google Play Store Policies) that are applicable to applications distributed or operating within their ecosystems, particularly concerning prohibited content, payments, or user safety.

5. Data Access, Privacy and Security

  • A. Shop User Data Access and Use. You may access Shop User Data through the Shop Mini SDK when enabled by a Shop User. Additionally, your Shop Mini may enable you to collect Shop User Data directly from Shop Users within the Shop Mini interface itself, but only if, and strictly as, permitted under the Developer Guidelines. For all Shop User Data you access, collect, receive, or otherwise process, regardless of the source (whether via the Shop Mini SDK or directly from the Shop User as permitted by the Developer Guidelines), you must: (i) obtain all necessary rights, permissions, and consents from the relevant Shop User; (ii) ensure that all such processing complies with these Terms, your privacy policy, and Applicable Data Protection Laws; and (iii) limit your access, collection, and processing of such Shop User Data to what is (a) authorized by the Shop User, and (b) strictly necessary for the purposes of providing the approved functionality of your Shop Mini as permitted under these Terms. Except as expressly permitted via the Shop Mini SDK or within the Developer Guidelines, you agree not to solicit, prompt, request, or otherwise collect any Shop User Data directly from a Shop User within the Shop Mini interface or by linking to external websites, forms, or applications.
  • B. Independent Controllers. You agree that, under Applicable Data Protection Laws, you act as an independent data controller of all Shop User Data accessed, collected, received, stored, processed, or otherwise used within your Shop Minis or transmitted to you through the Shop Mini SDK. YOU ASSUME FULL AND EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE DATA PROTECTION LAWS AS IT RELATES TO SUCH SHOP USER DATA.
  • C. Privacy Policy and Use. You will provide and adhere to a privacy policy for your Shop Mini that is compliant with Applicable Data Protection Laws and clearly, accurately, and fully describes to Shop Users what Personal Data you collect, how you use such data, and how Shop Users can exercise their rights under Applicable Data Protection Laws. For the avoidance of doubt, how you use Shop User Data includes how you access, collect, store, retain, transmit, share, and otherwise process it. You may only use Shop User Data in accordance with your privacy policy, Applicable Data Protection Laws and the Terms. You agree that your privacy policy may not and will not supersede, modify, or be inconsistent with the Terms or Applicable Data Protection Laws, which will supersede if there is any conflict or inconsistency with your privacy policy. You will maintain, and provide us, publicly available, up-to-date links to your privacy policy and make such privacy policy easily accessible to Shop Users from your Shop Mini.
  • D. Data rights. You will (1) promptly update the Shop User Data upon request from us or the applicable Shop User, and (2) promptly delete the Shop User Data when: (a) retaining it is no longer necessary for your Shop Mini’s stated and approved functionality that is permitted under the Terms; (b) you stop operating your Shop Mini (whether on your own, due to an enforcement action by us, or otherwise); (c) we request you delete it; (d) the applicable Shop User requests you delete it; or (e) required by Applicable Data Protection Laws. You will give Shop Users an easily accessible way to ask for their Shop User Data to be modified and deleted. If you have received Shop User Data in error, you will immediately tell us, delete it, and provide proof of deletion upon our request.
  • E. Restrictions & Prohibitions. In addition to and without limiting the obligations and restrictions set forth in Sections 4.E. and 5.A. of these Mini Terms, you explicitly agree you shall not access, attempt to access, or process the following data categories:
      1. any data not required for the legitimate functionality of your Shop Mini;
      1. payment-card data, shipping or billing addresses;
      1. sensitive or health related data of a Shop User;
      1. Shop-level analytics;
      1. customer lists provided directly through Merchants;
      1. other Shop Minis' internal data; or
      1. any other Shop User Data not explicitly permitted to be collected in the Developer Guidelines.
  • F. Targeted Advertising Prohibition. You shall not utilize Shop User Data to track user behavior across contexts, or for targeted advertising, third-party monetization, profiling beyond explicit authorized functionality, or selling data.
  • G. Security Requirements. For clarity, Section 9.14 of Part A of the Partner Program Agreement and Sections 7 and 8 of the Shopify API Terms apply to your Shop Mini. You must maintain appropriate industry-standard data security practices, promptly remedy vulnerabilities, notify Shopify immediately upon becoming aware of an actual or suspected breach related to Shop User Data or Merchant Materials, and cooperate fully in any security audits requested by Shopify.

6. User Fees and Revenue Share

  • A. No Fees. You agree not to, directly or indirectly, charge or accept any fees, costs, payments, subscriptions or other compensation from Shop Users or Merchants in connection with their access or use of, or any content or functionality contained or offered within, your Shop Mini.
  • B. No Default Revenue Share. Notwithstanding any terms to the contrary in the PPA, Shopify is under no obligation to pay you any revenue, commission, or other amounts in relation to your Shop Mini unless otherwise explicitly agreed by Shopify.

7. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability

  • A. Developer Indemnification. In addition to the indemnification requirements in the PPA, you shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Shopify and any Indemnified Party with respect to any Claims arising from or related to the use of Shop User Data or Merchant Materials.
  • B. Applicable Laws. These Terms are governed by and construed under the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable within Ontario, excluding any conflict of laws principles. The parties unconditionally and irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Ontario courts for any disputes or claims arising from or related to these Terms.

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