Estimated 9 min read

On this page:

• Service Track Tiers Explained

• Shopify Registered Partner

• Shopify Select Partner

• Shopify Plus Partner

• Shopify Premier Partner

• Shopify Platinum Partner

• The Requirements: How Service Partners Achieve Tiered Status

• Deep Dive: Commercial Impact Requirements

• Commercial Impact Thresholds by Tier

• Deep Dive: Education Credential Attainment Requirements

• Credential Attainment Thresholds by Tier

• Meeting Tier Requirements

• Key Takeaways

• Take the Next Step

As a Shopify Service Partner, you play a crucial role in helping merchants succeed. The Shopify Partner Program recognizes your contributions and provides a clear path for growth through a tiered structure. Service Partners can achieve one of five tier designations: Registered, Select, Plus, Premier, or Platinum.

While all partners start at the Registered level, advancing to the performance-based tiers – Select, Plus, Premier, and Platinum – depends on meeting specific requirements in two key categories: Commercial Impact and Credential Attainment. This article breaks down these requirements to help you evaluate your current standing and plan your progression within the program.

Service Track Tiers Explained

The five levels acknowledge varying degrees of experience, impact, and expertise within the Shopify ecosystem:

Shopify Registered Partner

The Registered tier is the entry point for all partners, providing baseline access to resources and tools needed to start growing your impact. Become a Registered Partner today.

Shopify Select Partner

The Select tier is for partners demonstrating expertise, particularly with merchants who are starting and running their stores. Benefits include eligibility for a tier badge and access to the Partner Directory. Explore top-rated Select Partners.

Shopify Plus Partner

The Plus tier recognizes partners who have shown success with merchants running and growing their stores across all Shopify plans. This tier unlocks additional support and resources to accelerate growth. Explore top-rated Plus Partners.

Shopify Premier Partner

The Premier tier is for high-performing partners, offering premium support, strategic collaboration opportunities, and priority access to Shopify events and personnel. Explore top-rated Premier Partners.

Shopify Platinum Partner

The Platinum tier is the highest tier of the Service Partner Program, reserved for Shopify’s most successful global enterprise partners. It features personalized account management, bespoke growth opportunities, and significant industry recognition. Explore top-rated Platinum Partners.

The Requirements: How Service Partners Achieve Tiered Status

Achieving the Select, Plus, Premier, or Platinum tiers requires meeting specific thresholds in both Commercial Impact and Credential Attainment. Let’s dive into what each category entails.

Deep Dive: Commercial Impact Requirements

Commercial impact measures a partner organization’s contribution to Shopify’s ecosystem growth through merchant acquisition and development. To meet the commercial requirements for a specific tier, you must satisfy criteria across three dimensions:

1. Dimension 1: Referral and Co-Sell RevenueThis reflects the annual revenue that accrues to Shopify from new merchants you’ve brought to the platform over the last 5 years through referrals, co-selling activities, or development store transfers.

2. OR Dimension 2: Existing Merchant RevenueThis alternative revenue path reflects the annual revenue that accrues to Shopify from existing merchants you actively manage (indicated by collaborator account access) that are new to Shopify over the last 5 years.

3. AND Dimension 3: Deal MinimumsThis measures the minimum number of specific types of merchant shops acquired (deals closed) within a defined timeframe.

Commercial Impact Thresholds by Tier

Revenue figures are annual US Dollars (USD) generated for Shopify. “Plus/Ent” refers to Shopify Plus or Enterprise deals.

Deep Dive: Education Credential Attainment Requirements

Credential attainment demonstrates the collective expertise of people at your organization and commitment to mastering the Shopify platform. To meet the credential requirements, your organization must satisfy criteria across two dimensions simultaneously:

1. Dimension 1: Verified SkillsThis is the aggregate number of Shopify Verified Skills earned by all individuals within a partner organization. Verified Skills are earned by individuals that pass assessments via Shopify Academy.

2. AND Dimension 2: People MinimumsThis is the minimum number of distinct individuals within your organization who must have successfully completed at least one Verified Skills exam. This ensures that expertise is distributed within your team and isn’t concentrated with just one or two people. The aggregate skill count (Dimension 1) only counts towards tier achievement if this minimum number of skilled individuals (Dimension 2) is met.

Credential Attainment Thresholds by Tier

Meeting Tier Requirements

Understanding how the commercial impact and credential attainment requirements interact is key to planning your tier progression. Let’s look at a few scenarios with imaginary Service Partners:

Service Partner A

Service Partner A set a goal in the beginning of the year to progress from the Select Tier into the Plus Tier. Let’s check their performance in each dimension to assess their tier outcome.

Commercial Impact Check

• Dimension 1: Referral and Co-Sell Revenue$600k annual revenue, from new merchants over the last 5 years. This passes ≥ $500k requirement for the Plus tier.

• OR Dimension 2: Existing Merchant Revenue$1M annual revenue, from new merchants over the last 5 years. This does not meet the Plus tier requirement of ≥ $2.5M.

• AND Dimension 3: Deal Minimums5 Shopify Plus deals in the last 5 years. This meets the ≥ 2 Plus/Ent deals in the last 5 years requirement for the Plus tier.

Credential Attainment Check

• Dimension 1: Verified SkillsTeam collectively holds 12 Shopify Verified Skills. This meets the ≥ 10 Verified skills requirement for the Plus tier.

• AND Dimension 2: People MinimumsThese 12 skills are held by 4 different people within the agency. This meets the ≥ 3 people minimum for the Plus tier.

Tier Outcome: Service Partner A

Service Partner A met the requirements in both Commercial Impact AND Credential Attainment, progressing to the Shopify Plus Partner tier.

Service Partner B

Service Partner B set a goal in the beginning of the year to progress from the Plus Tier into the Premier Tier. Let’s check their performance in each dimension to assess their tier outcome.

Commercial Impact Check

• Dimension 1: Referral and Co-Sell Revenue$2.5M annual revenue, from new merchants over the last 5 years. This passes the ≥ $2M requirement for the Premier tier.

• OR Dimension 2: Existing Merchant Revenue$11M annual revenue, from new merchants over the last 5 years. This meets the ≥ $10M requirement for the Premier tier.

• AND Dimension 3: Deal Minimums5 Shopify Plus deals closed in the last 2 years. This meets the ≥ 4 Plus/Ent deals in the last 2 years requirement for the Premier tier.

Credential Attainment Check

• Dimension 1: Verified SkillsTeam collectively holds 30 Shopify Verified Skills. This meets the ≥ 30 Verified skills requirement for the Premier tier.

• AND Dimension 2: People MinimumsThese 35 skills held by only 5 different people. This does not meet the ≥ 10 people minimum for the Premier tier.

Tier Outcome: Service Partner B

Although they exceeded the Commercial impact requirements for the Premier tier in all three dimensions, they failed to meet the Credential attainment requirements (specifically the people minimum). Therefore, they do not achieve the Premier tier. Their next step should be encouraging more team members to earn Verified Skills through Shopify Academy to meet the people minimum requirement for the Premier tier. In the meantime, Service Partner B would qualify for the Plus tier.

Key Takeaways

Progressing through the Shopify Service Partner tiers – from Registered up to Platinum – is a clear reflection of your demonstrated success and expertise within the Shopify ecosystem. Advancement hinges on consistently meeting thresholds across both the Commercial Impact and Credential Attainment dimensions. Understanding these requirements is the first step towards planning your growth trajectory within the program.

Take the Next Step

Ready to plan your next move? View your current tier status on the home page in your Partner Dashboard or visit the Shopify Service Partner Directory to explore service offerings and browse partners by tier.

Go further

• Discover how the Shopify Partner Program boosts growth

• Overview of Technology Partner Tier Requirements

• Exploring the Shopify Partner Ecosystem