BigCommerce app development covers any software that plugs into a BigCommerce store: a connector that keeps orders flowing to your ERP, a private tool embedded in the control panel for your team, or a public app that other merchants install from the BigCommerce App Marketplace. It sits within our BigCommerce development work, and it is the part merchants reach for when the existing marketplace apps do not match how their business runs.
What you get is working software, not a prototype: an app registered in your BigCommerce developer account, code in your Git repository, hosting on accounts you own, and a runbook that explains how it syncs, what it logs and what to do when an outside system is down. If you are a software company, you also get an app that is ready for BigCommerce's review process.
Types of BigCommerce Apps We Build
| App type | What it does | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Integration connector | Syncs orders, products, customers or inventory between BigCommerce and one outside system such as an ERP, CRM, 3PL or POS, one way or two way. | Staff stop re-keying orders and stock counts between systems. |
| Private custom app | A single-store app with screens inside the control panel, built for your rules: B2B quotes, bulk tools, product builders, loyalty or reporting. | Your team works inside BigCommerce instead of in spreadsheets. |
| Marketplace app | A multi-store app with install, uninstall and multi-user flows, ready for the BigCommerce App Marketplace. | A product you can sell to other merchants on a subscription. |
| Storefront features | Page Builder widgets, storefront scripts or React components that display your app's data to shoppers. | Merchants place your feature on pages without editing theme code. |
| Checkout extensions | Custom checkout steps or fields built on the Checkout SDK, within what BigCommerce allows on its hosted checkout. | Collect delivery dates, PO numbers or gift notes at the right step. |
How BigCommerce Apps Work Under the Hood
Understanding the moving parts helps you judge any quote, ours included. A BigCommerce app is a web application you host, registered in the BigCommerce Developer Portal and granted specific permissions on each store that installs it.
Install and authentication flow
When a merchant installs an app, BigCommerce calls the app's auth callback with a temporary code, and the app exchanges it for a permanent access token for that store. Each time a user opens the app in the control panel, BigCommerce calls the load callback with a signed payload that the app must verify with its client secret before showing any data. Uninstall and remove-user callbacks tell the app when to delete tokens and user records. Getting these four callbacks right is the difference between an app that passes review and one that leaks data between stores.
Scopes and data access
Each app requests OAuth scopes, such as read-only access to orders or modify access to products. We request the smallest set that the features need. Merchants see the list at install, and broad scopes slow down both their approval and BigCommerce's review.
APIs an app can use
| API | Typical use in an app |
|---|---|
| REST Management API | Catalog, orders, customers, inventory, price lists and channels from the back office |
| GraphQL Storefront API | Product, cart and customer data for storefront features, including headless storefronts |
| GraphQL Admin API | Newer admin features, including App Extensions that add app links to control panel pages |
| Webhooks | Events such as order created, product updated or inventory changed, delivered to your app |
| Scripts and Widgets APIs | Adding storefront scripts and Page Builder widgets to Stencil themes |
| Checkout SDK | Custom checkout experiences on top of the BigCommerce checkout |
| B2B Edition APIs | Company accounts, quotes and buyer roles for B2B stores |
Webhooks only tell your app that something changed and which record it was. The app then calls the API for the details. BigCommerce retries failed deliveries and can switch off a webhook that keeps failing, so we log every delivery and alert on gaps instead of assuming events arrive.
Our BigCommerce App Development Process
- Discovery and API check (about 1 week). We map each feature to a specific endpoint, scope and webhook, confirm the API limits that apply to your BigCommerce plan, and flag anything the platform cannot do. You receive a written scope and a fixed quote.
- Data mapping and architecture (about 1 week). For connectors, every field is mapped between systems and you approve the mapping, including which system wins when the same record changes in both. For apps with screens, we sketch each control panel view.
- Build on a sandbox store (2 to 8 weeks). We create a draft app in the Developer Portal, build against a sandbox store, and use BigDesign, BigCommerce's React component library, so app screens look native in the control panel.
- Testing (1 to 2 weeks). We replay webhooks, run large catalog and order volumes, test install and uninstall repeatedly, add a second user to the store, and simulate outside systems being down to confirm retries work.
- Install and go live (1 to 3 days). The app is installed on your live store, an initial sync or backfill runs with you watching, and monitoring is switched on.
- Marketplace submission (for public apps). We prepare the listing, support documentation and test credentials BigCommerce requests, and handle feedback from the app review until approval.
A focused integration connector typically takes 4 to 8 weeks end to end. A private app with several screens takes 6 to 10 weeks, and a marketplace app with billing usually takes 10 to 16 weeks before submission.
Catalyst-Compatible BigCommerce App Development
Catalyst is BigCommerce's headless storefront framework, built on Next.js. It changes what a storefront-facing app can rely on. Apps that only work in the back office, such as order exports, ERP syncs and reporting tools, are usually compatible already because they never touch the storefront. Apps that add features for shoppers by injecting scripts into a Stencil theme are a different story: Catalyst storefronts do not load Stencil scripts in the same way.
When an app has a storefront component, we keep its business logic on the server, expose data through APIs that any front end can call, and provide components that work in both a Stencil theme and a Catalyst storefront. If you maintain an existing app, we can review it against BigCommerce's Catalyst compatibility guidance and list what needs to change.
Private App, API Account or Marketplace App?
Not every requirement needs a full app. Choosing the lightest option that works keeps build and running costs down.
| Option | When it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Store-level API account plus a script or middleware | A one-way sync with no screens, such as nightly inventory from a warehouse feed | No interface for staff; settings live in code or a config file |
| Private custom app | One store needs screens, settings or workflows inside the control panel | You host and maintain it, but only for your own store |
| Marketplace app | You want many merchants to install and pay for the app | Multi-store data separation, billing, support and review requirements |
| Existing marketplace app | A current app already covers most of the requirement | Monthly fee and less control, but no build cost |
We check the App Marketplace before quoting. If an existing app covers the requirement, we will say so.
Tools and Stack for BigCommerce App Development
| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| BigCommerce platform | Developer Portal, sandbox stores, BigDesign, the official Next.js sample app, Stencil CLI, Catalyst |
| Languages and frameworks | TypeScript and Node.js with Next.js or Express, PHP with Laravel where your team prefers it |
| App platforms | Gadget, which offers a BigCommerce connection, when its hosted model suits the project |
| Data and queues | PostgreSQL or MySQL, Redis with BullMQ, or a cloud queue such as Amazon SQS for retries |
| Hosting | Vercel, AWS, Google Cloud or your existing provider, on accounts you own |
| Testing and monitoring | Postman, ngrok for local webhook testing, Sentry for error tracking, structured logs with alerting |
BigCommerce App Development Deliverables
- Source code in your Git repository, with a README covering setup, environment variables and deployment.
- The app registered under your BigCommerce developer account, with production and sandbox credentials separated.
- A field mapping document for every connector, signed off by you.
- A runbook: what the app syncs, how often, what it logs, how retries work and what to do when an outside system is down.
- Automated tests for the auth flow, webhook handling and core business rules.
- For marketplace apps: listing copy, support documentation and review submission.
Success is measured in operational terms: orders arrive in the ERP without manual entry, sync errors are visible in logs and alerts rather than discovered by customers, and the app keeps working through install, uninstall and permission changes. Sales impact depends on what the app enables, so we report on the operational outcomes and leave revenue claims out.
BigCommerce App Development Pricing
We price BigCommerce apps as fixed-price projects after discovery, with a starting point for each app type. Cost is driven by the number of outside systems, whether sync runs one way or two ways, how many control panel screens the app needs, whether it must serve many stores, and whether it includes subscription billing for merchants. Hosting and third-party services are billed to your own accounts.
Integration Connector
From $2,500 project
One-time, 50% upfront
- Connects BigCommerce to one outside system (ERP, CRM, 3PL or POS)
- Orders, products, customers or inventory synced through the BigCommerce APIs and webhooks
- One-way or two-way sync with field mapping you approve
- Error logging, retries and email alerts
- Settings screen inside the BigCommerce control panel
- 30 days support
- 3 to 4 weeks
- Add-on
- App hosting and monitoring: $99/month. Extra development: $45/hour
Private Custom App
From $4,500 project
One-time, milestone billing
- Single-store app built for your business rules
- Examples: B2B quotes, custom product builders, bulk tools, loyalty or reporting
- Embedded in the control panel with BigDesign UI
- Storefront widgets or Stencil theme hooks where needed
- Secure OAuth install, cloud hosting set up
- 60 days support
- 4 to 6 weeks
- Add-on
- App hosting and monitoring: $99/month. Extra development: $45/hour
Marketplace App
From $12,000 project
One-time, milestone billing
- Multi-store app for the BigCommerce App Marketplace
- Install, uninstall and multi-user flows
- Subscription billing for your app's customers
- Admin dashboard and usage analytics
- Help docs and marketplace review support
- 90 days support
- 8 to 12 weeks
- Add-on
- App hosting and monitoring: from $199/month
All prices in USD. Need something different? Ask for a custom quote.
For an app that spans several systems or needs ongoing feature work, contact us for a custom quote.
How to Choose a BigCommerce App Development Partner
Choose a partner who can explain the auth callbacks, API limits and webhook behavior of BigCommerce before writing code, and who builds on accounts you own. A strong partner will also tell you when an existing app or a simple API script is enough. Ask these questions:
- Which endpoints and scopes will the app use, and why each one?
- How does the app handle rate limits, failed webhooks and an outside system being offline?
- Will the app work with a Catalyst storefront if we move to headless later?
- Who owns the code, the hosting account and the developer portal app?
- What does the handover include, and what does ongoing support look like?
| Route | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-house developer | Ongoing feature work when you have the team already | Learning the BigCommerce app model on your project timeline |
| Freelancer | A small, well-defined script or connector | Single point of failure for an app your operations depend on |
| BigCommerce app development company | Apps with several screens, systems or stores | Ask who actually writes the code and who supports it after launch |
Mistakes That Break BigCommerce Apps in Production
- Ignoring rate limits. Bulk syncs that hit the API as fast as possible start failing on large catalogs. We queue requests and back off when the store's quota runs low.
- Trusting webhook order. Events can arrive late or out of sequence. The app should fetch the current record rather than apply events blindly.
- No idempotency. A retried webhook should not create a duplicate order in the ERP. Every write checks whether it has already happened.
- Weak token handling. Access tokens are stored encrypted, and deleted when a store uninstalls the app.
- Storefront scripts that slow checkout. Scripts loaded on every page, including checkout, when they are only needed on product pages.
- Stencil-only assumptions. Features tied to theme injection that stop working when a merchant moves to Catalyst.
Use Cases for Custom BigCommerce App Development
- B2B quoting and approvals. Quote requests reviewed by sales staff in the control panel, then converted into orders with negotiated prices.
- Product configurators. Build-your-own products with rules that BigCommerce's native options and modifiers cannot express.
- ERP and accounting sync. Orders out, inventory and price lists in, with a clear rule for which system owns each field.
- 3PL and fulfillment. Orders pushed to a warehouse system, tracking numbers written back to BigCommerce shipments.
- Bulk operations. Mass price updates, category moves or metafield edits with a preview before changes apply.
- Reporting. Dashboards combining BigCommerce order data with ad spend or margin data your reports cannot show today.
Mobile apps are a separate project: a native shopping app for a BigCommerce store uses the same APIs but is built through our ecommerce app development service.
Who Should Commission a Custom BigCommerce App, and Who Should Not
A good fit if you:
- Run a BigCommerce store with a manual process that costs staff hours every week.
- Need BigCommerce to talk to a system no marketplace app supports well.
- Are a software company that wants a BigCommerce integration for your product.
- Plan to move to Catalyst and need apps that will keep working.
Probably not a fit if you:
- Have a requirement an existing marketplace app already handles at a reasonable monthly cost.
- Process so few orders that manual entry is cheaper than building and hosting an app.
- Need the app live within days; a properly tested app takes weeks.
Related BigCommerce and App Services
Apps need looking after once they are live, and our BigCommerce maintenance plans include app and integration checks. If you also sell on Shopify, our Shopify app development team builds the equivalent there. For headless storefront projects, see our headless commerce development service.