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Our Apps Have Driven
5X AOV | 2X Conversions | $30M+ Additional Revenue
5X AOV | 2X Conversions | $30M+ Additional Revenue
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5.0 (900+ Reviews)
Shopify Apps
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• Shopify Collabs is Shopify’s native influencer and affiliate marketing app: It connects merchants with creators for affiliate campaigns, product gifting, and commission tracking, all inside the Shopify dashboard with no third-party tools needed.
• Available on all Shopify plans except Starter and Retail: No monthly fee. Merchants pay a 2.9% processing fee on each automatic commission payout, on top of the affiliate commission rate they set.
• Creator signups are currently paused: New registrations are not being accepted. Merchants can still directly invite creators via email, with up to 100 invites per 7-day period, expiring after 30 days.
• Creators connect Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to their profile: Payouts go through Hyperwallet, with PayPal, bank transfer, and wire transfer available depending on the creator’s country. Minimum payout is $25, sent twice per month.
• Using Shopify for affiliate marketing through Collabs means you only pay when a sale happens: 83.8% of brands report gaining higher quality customers through influencer marketing than other acquisition channels (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2024).
Shopify Collabs is Shopify's native influencer and affiliate marketing app, connecting brands directly with content creators to drive sales through authentic partnerships. Unlike traditional advertising, Shopify Collabs works on a commission-only model: merchants only pay when a creator drives an actual sale, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available to Shopify store owners.
The influencer marketing industry reached $24 billion in 2024, with 84.8% of brands reporting it as effective for their business.[1] Critically for Shopify merchants, 31% of social media users discover new products through influencer recommendations,[2] and micro-influencers on TikTok with between 1,000 and 5,000 followers achieve average engagement rates of 15%, far above what paid social ads typically deliver.[1]
Whether you are a Shopify store owner looking to grow through creator partnerships, or an existing creator managing brand collaborations, this guide covers everything you need to know about Shopify Collabs in 2026: what it is, how it works, how to use it, what it costs, and how to run an affiliate program through it.
Shopify Collabs is available on all Shopify plans except Starter and Retail. There is no monthly subscription fee to use the app.
Shopify Collabs is an influencer and affiliate marketing app built directly into Shopify. It connects Shopify merchants with content creators, allowing brands to discover creators, send product gifts, issue unique affiliate tracking links, and automate commission payments, all from within the Shopify admin panel. There are no third-party tools, external dashboards, or manual reconciliation processes involved.
In simple terms, Shopify Collabs is a bridge between Shopify brands and the creators who promote them. Brands get access to a creator marketplace with built-in performance tracking. Creators get a single platform to manage their brand partnerships and receive commission payments.
Shopify Collabs lets merchants discover creators who align with their brand's niche, values, and audience. From the Shopify dashboard, merchants can invite creators to promote their products, send free product gifts, track affiliate link performance, and pay commissions automatically. The entire process runs inside Shopify with no additional logins or external tools needed.
For YouTubers, Instagram creators, TikTok creators, and bloggers, Shopify Collabs provides a way to connect with Shopify brands, earn money through affiliate commissions, receive products for review, and manage all brand relationships in one place. Creators apply to brand opportunities, receive unique tracking links, share them with their audience, and earn a commission on every qualifying sale.
Unlike traditional influencer platforms that require manual setup and third-party tools, Shopify Collabs integrates directly with your Shopify store, offers built-in affiliate tracking and analytics, provides access to a growing creator network through the Discover marketplace, and simplifies payment and gifting logistics through native Shopify infrastructure. Shopify Collabs is available globally to merchants on qualifying plans, with the same geographic availability as Shopify itself.
Yes. Shopify Collabs is an official Shopify product, not a third-party service. It was launched by Shopify in 2020 as part of their push into the creator economy and is built and maintained directly by Shopify's own team. Commission tracking runs through Shopify's native order system, meaning there is no external tool that could manipulate attribution data. Creator payouts are processed through Hyperwallet, a regulated financial services company, and US-based creators are subject to W9 tax reporting requirements, confirming this is a formal, accountable platform.
For merchants, the platform carries the same level of trust as Shopify itself. All affiliate tracking, commission calculations, and payout records are tied to Shopify's native order system. Shopify Collabs is available globally to merchants on qualifying Shopify plans, with the same geographic restrictions that apply to Shopify overall.
Shopify Collabs operates as a two-sided marketplace built inside the Shopify ecosystem. Merchants set up a brand profile and define their collaboration terms. Creators build a profile, connect their social accounts, and browse brand opportunities through the Discover tab. Shopify manages all the tracking, attribution, and payment automation between both parties.
After installing the Collabs app from the Shopify App Store, a merchant completes their brand profile and chooses what type of collaboration to run: affiliate-only (commission on sales), product gifting (sending products to creators for organic content), or a combination of both.
To find creators, merchants have two options. The first is the Shopify Collabs Discover tab, where they can search for and browse creators by niche, follower range, social platform, and content type. The second is direct email invitation: merchants can send invites to creators who are not yet registered on Shopify Collabs, and those creators can create an account directly through the invite link. Merchants can send up to 100 email invitations per 7-day period, and invitations expire after 30 days if not accepted.
Once a creator is approved, the merchant sends them a unique affiliate tracking link, a product gift, or both, directly through Shopify. Every click and purchase from that creator's link is tracked automatically. Commission amounts are calculated by Shopify and held for a merchant-defined period of between 1 and 90 days (to account for returns), then paid out to the creator automatically through Hyperwallet.
Creators discover brand opportunities through the Shopify Collabs Discover tab or receive a direct invitation from a merchant. Once accepted into a brand's program, they receive a unique tracking link, a free product, or both. They share content and links across their channels, and every qualifying sale is tracked in real time. Commissions are calculated automatically at the brand's set rate and paid out twice per month, with a minimum payout threshold of $25.
The Shopify Collabs Discover feature functions as a two-way matchmaking tool. Merchants use it to search for creators by filtering on niche, audience size, and social platform. Creators can connect Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to their Collabs profile. Merchants can additionally filter by Twitch and Twitter presence. Creators use Discover to browse brand campaigns and apply to opportunities that match their audience and content style. When a creator applies, the merchant receives the application in their inbox and either approves or declines.
Shopify manages the full operational layer of the Collabs relationship: unique link generation and click tracking, conversion attribution and commission calculation, fraud prevention on commissions, payout scheduling through Hyperwallet, inventory sync for gifting campaigns, and analytics integration with the Shopify dashboard. This is what makes Shopify Collabs different from managing affiliate relationships through spreadsheets or standalone affiliate apps. The infrastructure is native to the platform merchants are already using to run their store.
Shopify Collabs brings together all the essential tools for influencer marketing and affiliate management, without leaving your Shopify admin. Whether you're managing one creator or hundreds, these features help you collaborate, track, and grow with ease.
The Discover page inside Shopify Collabs helps merchants find creators who match their brand's identity, audience, and niche. You can filter by:
• Category (fashion, beauty, fitness, tech, etc.)
• Follower count or engagement rate
• Social platform (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Twitch and Twitter also available as filters)
• Content type
This feature turns influencer discovery into a data-driven search, ensuring you collaborate only with creators who align with your marketing goals.
Shopify Collabs includes a built-in affiliate system, so you can create unique links for each creator and automatically track the traffic and sales they generate. You can:
• Set custom commission rates
• Monitor sales performance per creator
• Automate affiliate payouts
Collabs simplifies the process of sending free or discounted products to influencers for reviews or promotions. You can:
• Create custom gift offers directly in Shopify
• Let creators choose their preferred products
• Track which items were redeemed
Data is key in marketing, and Shopify Collabs delivers detailed insights into every collaboration. You can track clicks and conversions per influencer, total affiliate revenue, and top-performing partnerships. All metrics are integrated with Shopify's analytics, so you can measure ROI and identify your most valuable creators.
Unlike third-party influencer tools, Shopify Collabs lives inside your Shopify admin panel. That means no extra logins or setup hassle, real-time sync with your orders, inventory, and analytics, and easy collaboration management under one dashboard.
Shopify Collabs is available on all plans except Starter and Retail. Installation is free from the Shopify App Store.
Setting up Shopify Collabs is simple and takes just a few minutes. The process differs slightly for merchants (brands) and creators, but both can start collaborating quickly once the app is live.
1. Install Shopify Collabs from the App Store
2. Set Up Your Brand Profile: Add your brand logo, description, and niche so creators understand your business
3. Define Collaboration Type: Choose affiliate commissions, free product gifts, or paid collaborations
4. Invite or Discover Creators: Use the Discover tab to search for influencers or share your Collabs application link. You can also send direct email invitations to creators who are not yet on the platform. Merchants can send up to 100 invitations per 7-day period, and invitations expire after 30 days
5. Send Gift Offers or Affiliate Links: Once approved, send gifts or affiliate links through the dashboard
6. Track and Manage Performance: Use the built-in analytics to monitor sales, clicks, and conversions
7. Handle Payments Seamlessly: Shopify automates creator commission tracking through Hyperwallet
Pro Tip: Creator commission payouts are processed through Shopify's Partner Dashboard via Hyperwallet. Creators can choose PayPal, bank transfer, or wire transfer as their payout method depending on their country.
Important: Shopify Collabs is not currently accepting new creator signups. There is no confirmed timeline for when signups will reopen. Existing creators with active brand partnerships can continue using the platform as normal. Merchants can still invite new creators directly via email, and invited creators can create a Collabs account through the invite link without going through the standard application process.
1. Create a Collabs Account: Go to collabs.shopify.com and sign up (or accept a merchant's email invite)
2. Connect Your Social Media Profiles: Link your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube profiles. Merchants can also filter by Twitch and Twitter accounts when searching Discover
3. Build Your Creator Profile: Add a bio, interests, and preferred product categories
4. Browse Brand Opportunities: Use the Discover tab to find brands and apply to collaborate
5. Receive Gifts or Affiliate Offers: Once accepted, brands may send products or unique affiliate links
6. Promote and Earn: Share your affiliate links or content. Every qualifying purchase earns commission
7. Track Earnings: The Collabs dashboard shows your total sales, clicks, and pending payments in real time
Using Shopify for affiliate marketing through Collabs gives Shopify merchants a structural advantage over third-party affiliate tools. Because Collabs is built into Shopify, every affiliate sale is tracked against the same order data, inventory records, and customer profiles that power the rest of the store. There is no API connection to configure, no data export to manage, and no end-of-month reconciliation needed.
The core mechanic of using Shopify for affiliate marketing through Collabs is performance-based. Merchants only pay when a creator drives an actual confirmed sale. There are no upfront creator fees, no media buying budget, and no impressions being paid for without results. Merchants set their own commission rate, typically between 10 and 20 percent of the order value, and Shopify calculates and records commission automatically on every qualifying order.
According to the Influencer Marketing Hub's 2024 State of Influencer Marketing Report, 49.6% of brands already use a percentage-of-sales payment model for influencer partnerships, confirming the commission-only structure is both familiar to creators and established as a market standard.[1]
The only platform cost is a 2.9% processing fee on each commission payout, charged as a separate line item on the merchant's Shopify bill. For example, a $10 commission on a $100 order generates a $0.29 processing fee. There is no monthly subscription fee for Shopify Collabs.
To run an affiliate program using Shopify Collabs, merchants define a commission structure, set up a Collabs application page, and either promote it publicly or invite specific creators. The application page can be shared on social media or a link-in-bio page so creators can apply without any back-and-forth. Each approved creator automatically receives a unique tracking link tied to their Collabs profile and commission account.
Merchants can structure their program in multiple ways: a flat commission rate for all creators, tiered commissions with higher rates for top performers, capped commission per order, or restrictions limiting the program to specific product collections. The analytics dashboard shows exactly which creators are driving clicks and conversions, making it straightforward to identify which partnerships to scale.
The key differentiator for Shopify Collabs is the built-in creator discovery network. All other affiliate apps require merchants to recruit their own affiliates from scratch. Shopify Collabs gives merchants access to a marketplace of creators already looking for Shopify brand partnerships, with filtering by niche, platform, and audience size.
Shopify Collabs isn't just another influencer app. It's an ecosystem designed to connect, manage, and grow authentic partnerships between brands and creators. By combining influencer marketing, affiliate tracking, and gifting automation, Collabs helps businesses build credibility and drive consistent sales without spending thousands on ads.
• Streamlined Influencer Discovery: The Discover feature helps brands find creators who genuinely fit their niche, with filters for follower count, platform, and engagement. Saves time and ensures better brand alignment.
• Cost-Effective Marketing: Instead of expensive ad campaigns, you pay only when a sale happens through affiliate links. Shopify charges a 2.9% processing fee on each automatic commission payout, on top of the commission rate you set. There is no monthly platform fee.
• Built-in Affiliate Tracking: Shopify automatically tracks every click, conversion, and commission generated by creators. Eliminates manual data entry and errors.
• Gifting & Sampling Made Simple: Send free products or gifts directly through Shopify to creators for reviews. Encourages authentic content creation.
• Real-Time Performance Analytics: Monitor which influencers drive the most traffic and sales. Helps you double down on top performers.
• Fully Integrated with Shopify Admin: No third-party apps or messy integrations needed. Keeps everything centralised and easy to manage.
Pro Insight: According to Influencer Marketing Hub's 2024 State of Influencer Marketing Report, 83.8% of brands reported gaining higher quality customers through influencer marketing than through other acquisition channels, and micro-influencers on TikTok achieve average engagement rates of 15%, compared to the 0.5 to 1% typical of paid social ads.[1]
• Access to Global Brands: Explore a marketplace of Shopify brands across niches, from fashion to tech to wellness.
• Free Products & Paid Partnerships: Get free gifts, affiliate commissions, or paid campaign opportunities.
• Transparent Commission Tracking: View real-time data on clicks, sales, and payouts.
• Easy Setup & Zero Fees: Sign up, link your social media, and start collaborating. The platform is completely free for creators.
• One Dashboard for Everything: Manage all brand collaborations in one place.
Important: Shopify Collabs is not currently accepting new creator signups. There is no confirmed timeline for when signups will reopen. Existing creators with active brand partnerships can continue using the platform as normal. Merchants can still invite new creators directly via email, and invited creators can create a Collabs account through the invite link without going through the standard application process.
Shopify Collabs isn't just for brands. It's a powerful tool for creators, influencers, and affiliates to grow their personal brand, build relationships with Shopify merchants, and earn money doing what they love.
The creator journey in Shopify Collabs begins with a free signup at collabs.shopify.com or through a direct merchant invite. Once registered, set up a public profile highlighting your social presence, niche, and content style.
1. Sign Up: Visit collabs.shopify.com and register, or accept a merchant's direct email invite
2. Build Your Profile: Add a short bio, connect social accounts (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), and select your preferred categories
3. Apply to Brand Collabs: Browse brand campaigns or use Discover to find partnership opportunities
The Discover page in Collabs acts like a matchmaking hub between creators and brands. Here, you'll find Shopify merchants looking for creators to review or unbox new products, create social content (Reels, Shorts, TikToks), promote affiliate links, and join long-term ambassador programs.
You can filter campaigns by industry or niche (fashion, home décor, tech, etc.), product type or price range, and reward type (gift, commission, or both).
Tip: Focus on brands that truly resonate with your personal audience. Authentic collaborations perform 3 to 5 times better than random sponsorships.
One of the best parts about Shopify Collabs is its affiliate-first approach. Once you're accepted by a brand, you'll receive a unique tracking link to share across your platforms. Every time someone buys through that link, you earn a commission.
• Affiliate Commission: Earn 5 to 20% of each sale through your link (set by the brand)
• Free Gifts / Product Samples: Receive free products to create content
• Paid Campaigns: Brands pay upfront for posts, videos, or reviews (fee negotiated directly)
Everything, from applications to communication, happens inside Shopify Collabs. You can accept or decline brand invites, track the products you've received, view pending commissions, and communicate with brand owners directly through the platform.
Creator commission payouts are processed through Shopify's Partner Dashboard, powered by Hyperwallet. Creators choose their payout method within the dashboard: PayPal, bank transfer, or wire transfer. Availability of each method depends on the creator's country and currency. All payouts are denominated in USD, and a currency conversion fee applies for creators receiving payouts in other currencies.
Key payout details every creator should know:
• Minimum payout threshold: $25
• Payout frequency: twice per month, automatically
• Holding period: between 1 and 90 days, set by each merchant per campaign
• W9 requirement: US-based creators working with US merchants may need to submit a W9 tax form. Without a completed W9 on file, annual payouts from that brand are capped at $599.99
• Be Niche-Focused: Choose a clear niche. Brands prefer creators with focused audiences
• Post Consistently: Share authentic content regularly to build brand trust
• Use Multiple Channels: Promote links across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and blogs
• Track Analytics Weekly: Check the Collabs dashboard to see what performs best
• Stay Professional: Respond quickly, deliver content on time, and follow guidelines
Unlike other influencer platforms, Shopify Collabs doesn't charge fees or take a cut from your earnings. It's completely free for creators, giving you full control over your collaborations and income.
Thousands of creators globally are using Shopify Collabs to replace random sponsorships with genuine brand deals, earn steady affiliate income, and build their reputation in the creator economy.
If you're looking to monetise your influence the smart way, Shopify Collabs gives you the tools to make it happen.
Shopify Collabs can be an incredibly powerful growth tool, but like any marketing strategy, its success depends on how well you execute. Whether you're a Shopify merchant looking to grow your brand or a creator building collaborations, following a few best practices ensures stronger partnerships, higher conversions, and lasting results.
• Define Clear Goals: Decide if your focus is brand awareness, user-generated content (UGC), or direct sales
• Collaborate with Micro-Influencers: Partner with smaller creators (5k to 50k followers) who have strong engagement. Micro-influencers often convert better than big accounts
• Offer Fair Commissions: Set competitive rates (10 to 20%) or meaningful gifts. This motivates creators to promote authentically
• Personalise Outreach: Write customised collaboration invites instead of generic messages
• Track and Optimise Regularly: Review top-performing creators monthly and invest in what's working
Pro Tip: Create a 'Collabs Welcome Kit', a short brand guide with image assets and example captions, to help creators understand your tone and keep content consistent across channels.
• Choose Brands That Fit Your Niche: Stick to categories your audience already loves
• Create Authentic Content: Share genuine experiences with the product, not just promotions
• Use Multiple Touchpoints: Share affiliate links in stories, videos, reels, and blogs
• Stay Transparent: Disclose partnerships clearly (#ad or #collab)
• Follow Up With Brands: Send post-campaign reports or screenshots of engagement to strengthen relationships for repeat deals
Do: Set realistic goals, communicate regularly with partners, track performance weekly, use Collabs' built-in payment tools, and re-engage top-performing collaborators.
Don't: Expect instant results from your first collab, ghost brands or creators after deals, ignore analytics data, manage transactions outside Shopify, or keep switching partners too often.
For Merchants:
• Installed Shopify Collabs and completed your brand profile
• Defined campaign type (affiliate / gifting / paid)
• Created clear commission or gifting terms
• Added 3 to 5 creators to your first campaign
• Monitored clicks, conversions, and payouts weekly
For Creators:
• Completed Collabs creator profile and connected socials
• Applied to at least 3 brand opportunities this month
• Promoted affiliate links with genuine storytelling
• Checked Collabs analytics for earnings
• Followed up with brands for long-term deals
The true power of Shopify Collabs lies in consistency and authenticity. Brands that continuously nurture their creator relationships, instead of treating them as one-off promotions, tend to build stronger communities and generate repeat sales.
Creators who focus on building trust and adding value, instead of chasing one-time sponsorships, often grow into brand ambassadors or long-term partners.
Think beyond campaigns. Think collaborations.
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