When it's time to choose an agency for your e-commerce project, you will inevitably come across these two labels: Shopify agency and Shopify Plus agency. The second one inevitably sounds more premium, more exclusive. But behind this seemingly obvious distinction lies a reality far more nuanced than the gold badges would have us believe.
Let's say it right away, because it sets the angle for this article: Stellar Projects is a certified Shopify Plus Partner agency. We hold this label, and we know what it costs to earn and what it costs to keep. That is precisely why we can say what it proves, and above all what it does not prove.
The Shopify Plus Partner certification: a label that impresses (but doesn't do everything)
Let's be clear from the start: yes, there really is an official "Shopify Plus agency" certification. Until the end of 2024, this label distinguished agencies that had proven their ability to handle complex projects on the platform's enterprise version. Since then, the program has evolved into a multi-tier system (Select, Plus, Premier, Platinum), but the principle remains the same: Shopify officially recognizes certain agencies as preferred partners.
To earn this certification, a Shopify agency must meet strict criteria: maintain a rating above 4/5 with at least 20 client reviews, provide responsive support (under 30 minutes for critical emergencies, 12 hours for high priorities), have solid infrastructure and, ideally, hold security certifications such as SOC2 Type 2. It's demanding, and it proves a certain level of maturity.
That last criterion deserves to be weighed against the reverse requirement. Shopify requires its certified agencies to respond in under 30 minutes to a critical emergency. On our side, the response times we see from Shopify are counted in days, not minutes.
"The features are now breathtaking. Shopify has unquestionably become the best and most intuitive CMS for online merchants.", Ludovic Mariault, founder of a Shopify Partner agency
The hidden constraints of a certification
But this is where the story gets interesting: earning and keeping this certification takes far more than technical expertise. Certified Shopify Plus agencies must, among other things, organize joint events with the Shopify France teams, participate actively in the ecosystem and comply with recurring administrative requirements.
We know this cost; we pay it every year. For some agencies, it's an investment consistent with their visibility and growth strategy. For others, excellent at what they do but preferring to focus on pure creation rather than events, it's a constraint they are happy to do without. And that's the rub: turning down these obligations does not mean turning down excellence. It simply means choosing a different agency model.
Saying this from inside the system changes the weight of the argument. A non-certified agency that downplays the label can always be suspected of justifying its absence. We have it, and we still think it is worth what it is worth: one signal among others, never a guarantee on its own.
When the best don't wear the badge
One of the best-kept secrets of the Shopify ecosystem is that some of the best specialized Shopify agencies are not Shopify Plus certified. Not because they couldn't get certified, but because they have deliberately chosen not to enter this system.
We regularly cross paths with them, on tenders or when taking over projects. Teams of three to ten people, with no badge, delivering technically flawless Plus stores. Conversely, we have taken over sites built by certified agencies, with technical debt and architecture choices that had to be undone. The label had prevented none of it.
This reality is a little awkward for the classic marketing storytelling, but it deserves to be said: an agency does not need to be a certified Shopify Plus Partner to deliver exceptional Shopify Plus projects. Technical capabilities and access to the platform's advanced features are available far beyond the small circle of certified agencies.
What really matters when choosing an agency
So, if certification isn't the Holy Grail, what should you focus on? On criteria that are far more tangible and far more telling about what your project experience will be.
Technical expertise first. Does the agency truly master the subtleties of Shopify 2.0, checkout extensibility features, complex API integrations? Ask to see code and concrete use cases. An expert Shopify agency will talk to you in detail about its technical choices, not in vague marketing concepts.
Creativity next. Shopify is powerful, but it's also a framework that can quickly become uniform if you don't know how to go beyond it. Look at the portfolio. Do you see sites that all look alike, or truly differentiated experiences? The ability to go off the beaten path can't be bought with a certification.
"Despite a very tight schedule, the agency brought us all its expertise on a variety of topics: connecting Shopify to SAP and managing IT flows, UX/UI optimizations, day-to-day support... A team that is available, responsive and invested in its clients' challenges.", Client testimonial, migration to Shopify Plus
Agility, an often underestimated criterion. A small team can pivot in a few hours where a large agency will take several days to mobilize the right resources. When your launch is scheduled in three weeks and a critical bug appears, that responsiveness is what makes the difference. If you want to learn more about how to assess this agility, discover the essential criteria for choosing your Shopify agency.
Team availability: let's talk about it. This is where things get really concrete. You are better off being supported by the passionate founder of a small agency, who knows your project inside out and answers your messages in the evening, than by the intern of a 50-person agency where you are just one file number among many.
The criterion the badge never mentions: budget
There is one point on which the certification remains completely silent, and yet it's the one that decides most projects: how much it costs. A badge doesn't tell you whether the agency charges €550 or €950 per day, or whether its €70,000 quote covers 90 or 130 person-days.
A Plus-certified agency generally charges 15 to 30% more than a generalist Shopify agency for an equivalent scope. That gap is justified on some projects, not on others. We publish our ranges by project type and our daily rates by profile so you can judge how much a Plus agency really costs, including the cases where the extra cost is not justified.
It's an exercise few agencies practice, certified or not. A provider that refuses to give a ballpark figure before seeing your budget often tells you more about how it works than a badge does.
Cultural fit: the invisible but decisive criterion
And then there's the criterion that can't be measured, that no badge certifies, but that makes all the difference: cultural fit. Do you feel understood? Do the agency's values resonate with yours? Is there good chemistry?
A lifestyle beauty brand won't work the same way as an auto parts retailer. A hypergrowth startup doesn't have the same needs as a heritage house going digital. Our Shopify agency must understand your DNA, not just your technical specs.
Client testimonials often say more than a list of certifications. When a client writes "The agency is a true partner and a driver of our digital success", they are talking about commitment, closeness and involvement. These qualities don't come with an official badge, but they are worth far more in the long run.
Shopify Plus: a question of project, not label
Let's also restate something obvious that sometimes gets lost in the jargon: Shopify Plus is first and foremost a Shopify subscription tier designed for businesses with large volumes (generally above €500,000 in annual revenue) or specific needs in terms of checkout customization, multi-store management or advanced automation.
Any competent Shopify agency can work on a Shopify Plus project. What changes is access to certain premium features and Shopify's support on the merchant side. But technically, a non-certified agency can perfectly well design and develop a high-performing Shopify Plus store. It may not have the little gold badge on its website, but its code will be just as clean.
Before choosing between a certified Plus Partner agency and a standard Shopify agency, you first need to know whether your project really needs Shopify Plus. The switchover criteria (revenue, B2B needs, multi-store, custom checkout) are detailed in our complete Shopify Plus guide for 2026, with the Plus vs. Advanced comparison table and the break-even thresholds.
So, Shopify Plus agency or Shopify agency?
The real question isn't "does the agency have a certification?", but "is this the right agency for my project?". The Shopify Plus Partner certification is an indicator, certainly not an absolute guarantee of quality. It reflects a certain level of commitment to the Shopify ecosystem, an ability to follow processes and a desire for institutional visibility.
But it guarantees neither creativity, nor agility, nor closeness, nor even always cutting-edge technical expertise. Some of the finest Shopify Plus builds come from agencies that chose to stay outside the certification system, putting the quality of their work ahead of collecting badges.
When you meet an agency, ask it the right questions. Ask to see projects similar to yours. Ask who will actually work on your project. Ask how emergencies are handled. Ask for references you can call. Ask for its daily rates. And above all, trust your instincts. If there's no connection in the first conversations, even with the most certified agency in the world, move on.
Excellence in e-commerce can't be certified. It is lived, project after project, in the quality of listening, the accuracy of the solutions proposed, and that precious ability to turn technical constraints into creative opportunities. Certified or not, that's what makes the difference between an adequate service and a true growth partnership.
Do you have a Shopify or Shopify Plus project in mind? Let's talk about it with our experts. No sales pitch, just an honest conversation about what makes sense for your brand.
Stellar Projects is a certified Shopify Plus Partner agency. We design e-commerce stores on every Shopify plan, selecting the one that best fits each project's challenges. We have supported brands such as Songe Lab, Panier des Sens and MINI electric bikes in their rollout on Shopify Plus.
