Custom Shopify themes that don't break when an app updates.
Online Store 2.0 themes built on a Dawn fork. Section-first, performance-budgeted, accessible, and yours to own forever.
Three things that make this engagement different.
OS 2.0 section-first architecture
Every theme is built on Shopify's Online Store 2.0 sections, so your team edits content via theme customizer — no dev needed for content changes.
ADA-compliant by default
WCAG 2.1 AA compliance built in: semantic HTML, ARIA labels, focus states, color contrast, keyboard navigation. We audit accessibility on every PR.
You own the code
No license fees. No vendor lock-in. The Liquid + CSS + JS is yours forever. Hire any Shopify dev to extend it later.
What we build.
Custom theme from scratch
Built on a Dawn fork (Shopify's official theme base) with your brand applied throughout. Every section configurable in the theme editor. No template clone.
Online Store 2.0 section library
A library of reusable sections (hero, product grid, testimonials, FAQ, CTA, etc.) you can mix and match across pages. Marketing team can build new pages without dev help.
Custom apps for missing features
If Shopify doesn't do it natively, we build a custom app. Bundle builders, subscription portals, custom calculators, configurators, B2B request-quote flows.
Performance budget enforced
LCP <2.5s, CLS <0.1, INP <200ms, Lighthouse mobile 85+. We enforce a performance budget on every PR — if a change makes the site slower, it doesn't ship.
Accessibility audits on every PR
Every PR runs accessibility tests (axe, WAVE) before merge. Color contrast, keyboard nav, screen reader compatibility, alt text — all checked automatically + manually.
Storefront + checkout (Plus)
For Shopify Plus, we also build checkout extensions: custom fields, upsells, gift wrapping, address validation, age verification — using officially-supported checkout extensibility.
Three tiers. Fixed price. Fixed timeline.
- Up to 5 section customizations
- PDP, collection, or home redesign
- Performance optimization included
- Accessibility audit + fixes
- 14-day post-launch support
- Full custom theme (Dawn fork)
- 15+ Online Store 2.0 sections
- PDP, PLP, home, cart, checkout
- Performance budget enforced
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
- Theme customizer documentation
- 30-day post-launch optimization
- Everything in Custom Theme
- One custom Shopify app
- App store-quality UI
- API integration as needed
- You own the app code
- 60-day post-launch support
What merchants ask before booking theme & custom dev.
Why custom theme over a paid Shopify theme?
Paid themes are great until you need to customize beyond their built-in options. Then you're fighting the theme's code, paying for features you don't use, and dealing with bloat. A custom theme is purpose-built — faster, lighter, exactly what you need, owned by you.
Can my marketing team edit content without a developer?
Yes — that's the whole point of Online Store 2.0. Every section we build has theme editor settings: images, text, CTAs, colors. Your team adds sections, edits content, and rearranges pages without touching code.
What about page builder apps like Shogun or PageFly?
Page builders are fine for landing pages and quick experiments. They're terrible for your main storefront — slow, bloated, lock you in. Our custom themes give you the same flexibility (drag and drop sections) without the page builder overhead.
Will my theme stay compatible with Shopify updates?
Yes. We build on Shopify's official theme architecture (Dawn fork, OS 2.0 sections), follow Liquid best practices, and avoid hacks. Shopify rolls out updates monthly — our themes have stayed compatible across every update for 14 years.
Can you build a custom Shopify app?
Yes — we've built 22 apps live on the Shopify App Store, plus many more private apps for clients. Public apps for App Store distribution start at $35K; private apps for your store only start at $15K. We build with Shopify Polaris (their official design system) so the UX feels native.
Can you maintain our theme after launch?
Yes. Theme maintenance retainers start at $2,000/month with a dedicated dev for ongoing updates, A/B tests, new sections, and feature additions. Most theme clients roll into a retainer after launch.
Ready to ship Shopify work faster?
No pitch. A senior Carti dev reviews your store live and sends a 1-page report.