By the Editorial team
Key takeaways
- Best for mid-sized and large brands: craftberry pairs Shopify Premier Partner status and 11+ years on Shopify with one in-house team for every stage of a store.
- Proof to check: A tier on Shopify’s own Partner Directory listing and verified Clutch reviews outweigh badges on an agency’s site.
- How the others differ: Command C and Ambaum lead on Shopify Plus, Shopify’s plan for high-volume brands. MHT Media leads on conversion rate optimization (CRO), and three studios lead on design.
- What to ask: Buyers need answers on who works on the account, who owns the code, and what support follows launch.
What criteria decided the ranking of these Shopify agencies?
Five public criteria determined the ranking of these agencies, and a buyer can check every one of them without help from the agency.
The order rewards proof on a third-party page over claims an agency makes about itself on its own website.
- Partner tier: The tier must appear on the agency’s live Shopify Partner Directory listing.
- Independent reviews: Reviews count most when they sit on Clutch and the agency’s site links to the profile.
- Named US clients: The agency must name American brands it has worked with.
- Public project detail: Case studies must describe the work delivered for a named client.
- Clear scope: The agency must state who it serves, so buyers can rule it in or out early.
Most agencies here publish neither fees nor post-launch support terms, and few list team size on their sites. Buyers need those details in writing before signing.
Which 10 Shopify agencies rank highest on verified client proof?
1. Craftberry
Established brands work with craftberry, a Shopify Premier agency focused on Shopify Plus builds and migrations since 2015.
The team has long-term clients across the US, including Pepper in Denver, a client since 2018 with 120+ projects.
- Best for: Established ecommerce brands with $2M+ in annual revenue that have outgrown basic setups.
- US clients: Glowforge, Pepper, and Honest Baby Clothing.
- Services: A single in-house team of Shopify specialists covers everything from design and development to platform migrations and conversion optimization.
- Results: According to their Clutch reviews, Honest Baby Clothing lifted conversions by 81% with a rebuilt cart experience, and Glowforge got a full Shopify redesign.
- Not suitable for: Stores that just need a theme installed or a few quick tweaks rather than a full build or migration.
2. Command C
Command C builds Shopify Plus stores and runs enterprise migrations for large, established merchants, using a women-led team where the people who scope also build.
Command C moved Eden Brothers from a legacy platform to Shopify Plus and rebuilt its product data around growing zones and seasons.
- Best for: Large, established merchants planning a move to Shopify Plus.
- US clients: Levi’s, Brooklyn Brewery, Eden Brothers and Lucchese Bootmaker.
- Services: Enterprise migrations, Shopify Plus development and retainers, plus BigCommerce, Magento and WordPress work.
- Results: Command C delivered seasonal-availability product pages, GA4-ready analytics and one foundation for Eden Brothers and its sub-brands.
- Not suitable for: Smaller merchants. Command C focuses on large, established merchants and starts each migration with a technical roadmap audit.
3. Ambaum
Ambaum, a team of former merchants and operators, takes on complex Shopify Plus development and fractional CTO work for B2B and wholesale brands.
Ambaum built a custom Shopify Plus store for Great Notion Brewing that handles alcohol compliance and fulfillment from multiple locations.
- Best for: B2B and wholesale sellers with complex catalogs, such as auto parts and food and beverage.
- US clients: Great Notion Brewing, Westinghouse, BTI Direct and Premier Catch.
- Services: Custom Shopify Plus builds, custom apps, fractional CTO leadership and AI work.
- Results: For BTI Direct, Ambaum built custom apps for pricing, data and images across a large John Deere parts catalog.
- Not suitable for: Ambaum states no exclusions on the pages reviewed.
4. MHT Media
MHT Media runs CRO programs for direct-to-consumer (DTC) Shopify brands, building every test in-house alongside a client’s existing designers and developers. MHT Media handles ongoing development and email for Mad Viking Beard Co.
- Best for: Higher-traffic DTC stores that want testing run beside their current teams.
- US clients: Mad Viking Beard Co., GiantMouse, Wellnest Home and TackleHD.
- Services: A/B testing, site speed work and app audits, plus design, development and migrations.
- Results: MHT Media’s ongoing work for Mad Viking Beard Co. covers B2B customer portal changes, subscription app logic, a move from Okendo to Junip and custom Klaviyo flows.
- Not suitable for: Lower-traffic stores below the traffic level MHT Media’s CRO plans require.
5. BLKDG
BLKDG puts Shopify design and development, CRO, SEO, paid media and Klaviyo email under one accountable team for DTC, outdoor, craft beverage and lifestyle brands. BLKDG fully revamped the Shopify store for Mechs and Co., a seller of custom keyboards.
- Best for: Lifestyle and craft beverage brands wanting the build and ongoing marketing from one team.
- US clients: Mechs and Co., mountainFLOW, CoffeeAM and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.
- Services: SEO, paid media, Klaviyo email and CRO alongside Shopify design and development.
- Results: BLKDG built new Shopify stores for CoffeeAM and mountainFLOW.
- Not suitable for: No exclusions are stated. BLKDG is not Shopify-only and also builds on WordPress and custom stacks.
6. First Pier
First Pier is a full-service Shopify shop for DTC and retail brands, focused on Shopify POS (point of sale) and multichannel selling. First Pier launched the first online store for the Saint Joseph’s College of Maine campus store.
- Best for: Retailers that sell in person and online and need Shopify POS tied to ecommerce.
- US clients: Saint Joseph’s College of Maine (campus store).
- Services: POS implementation, Shopify development, ERP work, SEO, paid media and branding.
- Results: Saint Joseph’s College of Maine got a Shopify store, POS setup and analytics, delivered in phases.
- Not suitable for: Buyers wanting execution without strategy work, because First Pier works with clients who value strategy and screens each inquiry.
7. Studio Seagraves
Studio Seagraves offers brand strategy and Shopify builds, with Klaviyo email, to high-end fashion, home and beauty brands. Studio Seagraves is women-owned and led deKor Living’s full migration from a legacy platform to Shopify.
- Best for: Luxury labels that want editorial design on Shopify.
- US clients: deKor Living, VoCê Haircare, Beautiful Bed Company and Comerford Collection.
- Services: Brand strategy, Shopify design and build, and Klaviyo email.
- Results: For deKor Living, Studio Seagraves delivered editorial site design, restructured navigation, better product discovery and a mobile-first UX.
- Not suitable for: Companies outside luxury fashion, home and beauty, since Studio Seagraves reviews every inquiry against that focus.
8. Kona Made
Kona Made handles brand identity, packaging and Shopify web design for CPG and wellness brands from one team. Kona Made rebranded Fuel Meals and designed its new website.
- Best for: CPG and wellness brands that want packaging and the online store designed together.
- US clients: Fuel Meals, Perfect Keto, Franklin’s Popcorn and Beyond Good.
- Services: Brand identity, packaging design and custom web design on Shopify, Squarespace or WordPress.
- Results: Fuel Meals came away with a new visual identity, website, labels, packaging and social and email design.
- Not suitable for: Teams without formal brand guidelines or seeking logo-only work. Kona Made declines both and is not Shopify-only.
9. Unrestrained Commerce
Unrestrained Commerce is founder-led, and the founder, Nicholas, works directly with small and growing DTC brands and startups on Shopify builds, migrations and CRO.
Unrestrained Commerce moved Windshield Defense from WordPress to Shopify with a custom Google Maps dealer and installer locator.
- Best for: Small, growing DTC brands that want to work directly with the founder.
- US clients: FORLOH, Windshield Defense, Freida Rothman and Honeywell.
- Services: Migrations, Shopify development, CRO and site speed fixes.
- Results: Windshield Defense got a dealers-only wholesale portal and a clean launch with redirects.
- Not suitable for: Brands needing a large team, because Unrestrained Commerce is a founder-led shop with limited capacity.
10. Radically Made
Radically Made pairs Shopify design with Klaviyo email for mission-driven, founder-led DTC brands. Radically Made is female- and BIPOC-founded and redesigned the Shopify site for Sideline Bags, adding a team-orders page for bulk buying.
- Best for: Founder-led DTC brands with a social mission wanting site and email from one studio.
- US clients: Sideline Bags, SprinkleBites, Bri Beauty and FERRA.
- Services: Klaviyo email retainers plus Shopify design and builds.
- Results: Work for Sideline Bags included user-generated content, conversion-focused product pages, a new wholesale page and a variant structure ready for TikTok Shop.
- Not suitable for: Brands that are not mission-driven, as Radically Made works only with mission-driven brands and requires clients to apply.
How do these Shopify agency partners compare on public proof?
The 10 agencies compare on public proof through partner tier, named US clients and the page where each claim can be verified. craftberry leads with Clutch reviews from Glowforge and Honest Baby Clothing, and the nine others follow in rank order.
| Rank | Agency | Best for | Shopify tier | US clients | Where to verify |
| 1 | craftberry | Brands doing $2M+ a year | Premier | Glowforge, Pepper | Partner Directory, Clutch reviews |
| 2 | Command C | Large merchants moving to Shopify Plus | Premier | Eden Brothers, Levi’s | Partner Directory, case studies |
| 3 | Ambaum | Complex B2B and wholesale builds | Premier | Great Notion Brewing, BTI Direct | Partner Directory, case studies |
| 4 | MHT Media | CRO for higher-traffic DTC stores | Select | Mad Viking Beard Co., Wellnest Home | Partner Directory, Clutch profile |
| 5 | BLKDG | Build plus marketing | Select | Mechs and Co., CoffeeAM | Partner Directory, Clutch profile |
| 6 | First Pier | Shopify POS and retail | Select | Saint Joseph’s College of Maine | Partner Directory, Clutch profile |
| 7 | Studio Seagraves | Luxury design | Select | deKor Living, VoCê Haircare | Partner Directory, project pages |
| 8 | Kona Made | Brand and Shopify design for CPG | Tier not stated | Fuel Meals, Perfect Keto | Clutch profile |
| 9 | Unrestrained Commerce | Direct work with the founder | Tier not stated | Windshield Defense, FORLOH | Its case studies |
| 10 | Radically Made | Mission-driven DTC brands | Tier not stated | Sideline Bags, FERRA | Its case studies |
What questions should brands ask before they hire a Shopify agency?
Before hiring an agency, brands should ask about the account team and post-launch support, because reviews rarely cover either.
- Account team: Buyers can ask for the names and roles of the people building and testing the store.
- Brand-chosen references: A brand can pick a past client from the case studies, rather than one the agency selects.
- Code and account ownership: The contract should state that the brand owns the theme code, apps and Shopify accounts.
- Store access: The agency should work through staff or collaborator access, and the owner login stays with the brand.
- Post-launch support: The brand needs written terms for bug fixes and response times after launch.
What red flags suggest a Shopify agency’s reviews can’t be trusted?
The red flags that suggest an agency’s reviews can’t be trusted are claims a buyer cannot match to a listing, a named client, or a real project. Each of the six patterns below takes a few minutes to check on public pages.
- Missing tier: The tier on the agency’s site does not appear on its live Partner Directory listing.
- Anonymous reviews: Testimonials give no client name, company or project.
- Review bursts: Many reviews arrive in a short window, a pattern Shopify delays posting to catch.
- No references: The agency will not connect a buyer with a past client.
- Owner login requests: The agency asks for the store owner’s login instead of staff or collaborator access.
- Unnamed metrics: A results claim gives a percentage or revenue figure with no named client.
What do buyers ask most about Shopify agencies?
What are the best Shopify agencies?
The best Shopify agencies in this ranking are craftberry, Command C, Ambaum, MHT Media and BLKDG, followed by First Pier, Studio Seagraves, Kona Made, Unrestrained Commerce and Radically Made.
Each name’s clients and work a buyer can check on a Partner Directory listing, Clutch, or case studies.
Which Shopify agencies have the best client reviews?
The Shopify agencies with the best client reviews are those whose reviews sit on an independent platform such as Clutch and name the client and the project. A high score with no named client says less than a few detailed reviews from real brands.
How can brands verify a Shopify agency’s reviews?
Brands can verify a Shopify agency’s reviews by matching them to its Partner Directory listing and Clutch profile, then asking named clients for a reference call.
Shopify removes fake, misleading, incentivized, or duplicate Directory reviews, and suspect reviews can go through its Report a partner violation form.
How to hire a Shopify agency: what are the steps?
To hire a Shopify agency, a brand defines its scope and budget, shortlists agencies whose tier and reviews check out, and then speaks with references. The final step is a written contract covering fees, code ownership, store access, and post-launch support.
Are Shopify agency star ratings reliable on their own?
Shopify agency star ratings are not reliable on their own, because an average score hides who wrote the reviews and what work was done. Clutch Premier Verified only requires an average above 3.0, so written reviews and named clients carry more weight than stars.
What do Shopify partner tiers mean?
Shopify partner tiers show where Shopify places an agency in its partner program, and the tier appears on the agency’s live Partner Directory listing. The tiers in this guide are Premier and Select, and agencies without a findable listing are marked “Tier not stated.”
How should a US brand choose a Shopify agency?
A US brand should choose a Shopify agency by matching its revenue and catalog to the agency’s stated focus, then checking named US clients and verified reviews. Agencies that publish limits, such as minimum traffic or required brand guidelines, make screening faster.
Which Shopify agency should mid-sized brands shortlist first?
Mid-sized brands should shortlist craftberry first: a Shopify Premier Partner with 11+ years on Shopify and one in-house team for every stage of the store.
Command C and Ambaum come next for large Shopify Plus projects, MHT Media for testing on higher-traffic stores, and the design studios for brand-led builds.
Which sources were used for this guide?
- Shopify review policies, Shopify Help Center (Shopify)
- Shopify Partner Directory (Shopify)
- What is Clutch Verified?, Clutch Help Center (Clutch)
