How to Identify Shopify Plus Stores [44,369-Store Study + 7 Detection Methods]

TL;DR: We analyzed 44,369 Shopify stores and found Plus merchants have 2.4x more apps and 2x higher lead scores than regular stores. Plus stores pay $2,000+/month for Shopify alone, which is a strong budget signal. Use the free Store Inspector extension to detect Plus stores instantly. For prospecting at scale, StoreInspect lets you filter thousands of verified Plus merchants.

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If you sell to Shopify merchants, you need to know which ones are on Shopify Plus.

Why? Plus stores are different prospects:

• They pay $2,000+/month just for Shopify (regular plans are $39-399)
• They get dedicated support and account managers
• They spend more on apps, agencies, and tools
• They're usually doing $1M+ per year in sales

Here's the problem: Shopify doesn't show which stores are on Plus. There's no badge. No public list. No obvious way to check.

We spent months figuring this out. After analyzing 44,369 Shopify stores, we documented every detection method that actually works. This guide shows you how to spot Plus stores for prospecting, competitor research, or qualifying leads.

Why Finding Shopify Plus Stores Matters

Different people care about Plus detection for different reasons:

The common thread: Plus stores are better targets.

The $2,000/Month Budget Signal

Shopify Plus costs at least $2,000/month. That's $24,000/year just for the platform.

Stores that pay this much are showing you four things:

1. They have budget. If they spend $24k+ on Shopify, they'll spend on apps and agencies.
2. They're growing. Plus is built for stores doing $1M+ per year.
3. They need advanced features. Checkout customization, B2B tools, automation.
4. They have real decision-makers. Bigger teams mean dedicated ecommerce roles.

That's why Plus stores get a big boost in our lead scoring system. They're simply better prospects.

Shopify Plus vs Regular Shopify: What the Data Shows

We analyzed 44,369 Shopify stores across 16 categories. Here's how Plus merchants differ from regular Shopify stores.

Key Metrics Comparison

Key insight: Plus stores install 2.4x more apps than regular stores. More apps = more budget for tools = more opportunities if you're selling to them.

Theme Usage Patterns

Plus merchants are 45% more likely to use paid themes. They spend more across the board.

Traffic Tier Correlation

Bigger stores are more likely to be on Plus:

At the highest traffic levels, almost every store is on Plus. Big stores need Plus features like unlimited staff accounts, dedicated support, and custom checkout pages.

Real examples: Stores like Allbirds, Gymshark, and Kylie Cosmetics are all on Shopify Plus. You can verify this using the methods below.

Plus Adoption by Category

Beauty and health categories have the highest Plus adoption. These niches often use subscriptions and complex shipping, which Plus handles better. (For more category insights, see our Shopify competitor analysis.)

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7 Ways to Detect Shopify Plus Stores

Here's every method that works, ranked by how reliable and easy each one is.

Method 1: Check for Plus-Exclusive Features (Most Reliable)

Certain Shopify features are only available on Plus. If you see them, the store is definitely on Plus.

Plus-exclusive features to look for:

Example: If a store has a completely custom checkout page with unique styling, animations, or logic that isn't standard Shopify checkout, they're on Plus.

Method 2: Inspect the Page Source

The fastest technical method is searching the page source for Plus-specific patterns.

How to do it:

1. Open the store in Chrome
2. Right-click → "View Page Source" (or Cmd+U / Ctrl+U)
3. Search (Cmd+F / Ctrl+F) for these patterns:

checkout-ui-extensions
shopify.extend
Shopify.Plus
shopify-plus
checkout.liquid
launchpad
shopify.scripts
multipass

If you find 2+ of these patterns, the store is likely on Plus.

Code snippet for DevTools Console:

// Paste this in DevTools Console (F12 → Console)
const html = document.documentElement.innerHTML.toLowerCase();
const plusSignals = [
  'checkout-ui-extensions',
  'shopify.extend',
  'shopify plus',
  'shopify-plus',
  'launchpad',
  'shopify.scripts',
  'multipass',
  'b2b',
  'wholesale'
];
const found = plusSignals.filter(s => html.includes(s));
console.log(`Plus signals found (${found.length}):`, found);
console.log(found.length >= 2 ? '✅ Likely Shopify Plus' : '❌ Probably not Plus');

Method 3: Check for Checkout Extensibility

Only Plus stores can customize their checkout page. Shopify calls this "Checkout Extensibility."

What to look for:

• data-shopify-checkout-api-token in the page code
• Scripts from checkout.shopifycs.com
• References to checkout-ui-extensions

Important dates:

• August 2024: Old checkout customization (checkout.liquid) stopped working
• August 2025: More old features removed
• June 2026: Shopify Scripts replaced by Shopify Functions

These changes make older detection tricks less useful. The patterns above are what work now.

Method 4: Look for Enterprise App Patterns

Plus stores tend to use enterprise-grade apps that are rare on non-Plus stores.

Apps that strongly signal Plus:

If you see 3+ of these enterprise apps, the store is almost certainly on Plus.

How to check: Use the free Store Inspector extension to instantly see which apps a store is running.

Method 5: Use Browser Extensions (Fastest)

The fastest way to check one store at a time is a browser extension. (See our full Shopify spy tools comparison for more options.)

Recommended extensions:

Using Store Inspector:

1. Install the free extension
2. Visit any Shopify store
3. Click the extension icon
4. Look for the Shopify Plus indicator in "Enterprise Signals"

The extension also shows apps, themes, and pixels, which is useful for finding agency clients.

Method 6: Use Store Databases (For Scale)

Checking stores one by one doesn't scale. If you need hundreds or thousands of Plus stores, use a database. (We covered more options in our guide to finding Shopify stores.)

Database comparison:

When to use each:

• Need contacts too: StoreInspect. Filter by Plus, get owner emails, export to CRM.
• Need API or bulk data: BuiltWith. Most comprehensive but expensive.
• Need simple lists: Store Leads. Good balance of features and price.
• Just browsing: CartInsight. Free but limited.

Method 7: Check Public Plus Directories

Some directories and marketplaces reveal Plus stores.

Where to look:

1. Shopify Plus Partner Directory. Agencies list their Plus clients as case studies.
2. BuiltWith Trends. trends.builtwith.com/shop/Shopify-Plus lists detected Plus stores.
3. Shopify Plus Homepage. Featured customer logos are all Plus.
4. Case Study Databases. Search "[brand] Shopify Plus case study".

Reverse engineering approach:

1. Find a Shopify Plus agency (e.g., from Plus Partner directory)
2. Look at their portfolio/case studies
3. Those stores are confirmed Plus

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Why Plus Detection Is Getting Harder

Shopify keeps moving Plus-only features to regular plans. This makes detection trickier every year.

What changed:

What still works:

1. Checkout Extensibility. Still Plus-only.
2. B2B/Wholesale features. Still Plus-only.
3. Multipass SSO. Still Plus-only.
4. Enterprise app patterns. Strong signal.
5. Database verification. Pre-checked by providers.

The best approach: combine multiple signals. Don't rely on just one method.

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Detection Accuracy: What to Expect

No method is perfect. Here's what each one actually delivers:

Best practice: Use 2+ methods. If a store shows Plus signals from multiple sources, you can trust it.

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FAQ

How accurate is Shopify Plus detection?

No single method is 100% accurate. Source code scanning is about 85-90% accurate. Store databases verify Plus status through multiple signals, hitting 90-95% accuracy. Your best bet: combine 2-3 methods.

Is there a free way to detect Shopify Plus?

Yes. The Store Inspector extension is free and detects Plus instantly. You can also check the page source manually (Method 2) or use the code snippet above.

What's the difference between Shopify Plus and Shopify Advanced?

Shopify Advanced costs $399/month. Shopify Plus starts at $2,000/month and adds: unlimited staff accounts, dedicated support, checkout customization, B2B features, Launchpad, and higher API limits. Plus is built for stores doing $1M+ per year.

Why should I care if a store is Shopify Plus?

Plus stores are better prospects. They have more budget ($24k+/year just for Shopify), run more apps (2.4x more), and have dedicated ecommerce teams. Our data shows Plus stores score 2x higher on lead quality.

Where can I get a list of all Shopify Plus stores?

No single list has them all. BuiltWith tracks ~81,000. StoreInspect has 39,000+ with contact info. Store Leads reports ~66,000. These lists overlap, and none are complete.

Is Shopify Plus detection getting harder?

Yes. Shopify removed checkout.liquid (2024), is removing Scripts (2026), and made Flow free for everyone. Detection now depends more on Checkout Extensibility, B2B features, and app patterns. Store databases stay reliable because they check multiple signals.

Can stores hide that they're on Shopify Plus?

Not really. Stores can remove some visible signals, but Plus features leave technical traces: API calls, checkout code, B2B pages. With enough digging, you can usually confirm Plus status.

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Summary

Plus stores are better prospects. The data proves it:

• 2.4x more apps. They spend more on tools.
• 2x higher lead scores. Better qualified.
• $2,000+/month. Real budget for services.

The 7 detection methods:

1. Check for Plus-exclusive features (most reliable)
2. Inspect page source for patterns
3. Look for Checkout Extensibility signals
4. Spot enterprise app patterns
5. Use browser extensions (fastest)
6. Query store databases (for scale)
7. Check public directories

For checking one store, use the free Store Inspector extension. For prospecting at scale, filter by Plus status in a store database.

Once you've found Plus stores, audit them to find the best opportunities.

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