Guide

Shopify native store credit — the complete guide

Shopify added a built-in store credit system in 2024. It's simple, but Shopify's own documentation covers the mechanics, not how to actually use it well. Here's the practical version.

What it is

Native store credit is a balance tied to a customer's Shopify account, denominated in your store's currency. Merchants issue it from the admin (or via the Admin API), customers see it in their account, and it applies automatically at checkout on their next order.

What it's good for

• Refunds you'd rather keep in-store than pay out in cash.
• Cashback / loyalty-style rewards on purchases.
• Compensation for shipping issues, damaged items, or goodwill gestures.
• Migrating balances from a legacy gift-card or loyalty system.

Limitations to know before you rely on it

• New customer accounts only. Native store credit doesn't work with Shopify's legacy customer accounts. If your store hasn't migrated, check before you plan around it.
• Full balance redemption only. Customers can't partially apply a credit balance — it's all or nothing at checkout, which is a Shopify platform limitation, not an app limitation.
• Transaction fees on newer stores. Stores created after May 12, 2025 pay a transaction fee on the portion of an order paid with store credit (waived on Plus with Shopify Payments). This is Shopify's fee, not an app fee.
• $15,000 cap per customer. Unlikely to matter outside of B2B-scale accounts.
• Single currency. Credit is issued and redeemed in your store's base currency.

What Shopify doesn't automate

Shopify gives you the ledger and the checkout integration, but no rules engine. Issuing cashback on every order, prompting refund-to-credit at the right moment, setting expiry dates, and reminding customers before they lose their balance — that's automation layered on top, which is what apps like StoreCred exist to do.