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SmartSize on development stores

Guide type: Explanation Difficulty: Beginner Applies to: SmartSize setup and billing

A development store is a Shopify store used for testing and building before you launch your real store or before you switch to a paid Shopify plan. SmartSize can be installed on a development store so you can test size charts, fit quizzes, and storefront setup without affecting live shoppers. This article explains how SmartSize works on development stores and what to expect when you move to a live store.

What is a development store?

A development store is a free Shopify store for testing. It is often used by merchants preparing to launch, or by developers and agencies building a store for a client. Development stores have most features of a live store, but they cannot process real orders and do not have live Shopify billing.

How SmartSize works on development stores

When you install SmartSize on a development store, you can access the full dashboard and set up size charts, fit quizzes, and product display rules. This lets you preview how SmartSize looks on your product pages and test the shopper experience before launch.

Because Shopify does not process real app charges on development stores, SmartSize billing works differently during this phase. You can explore features and settings, but the plan and billing summary may show test or placeholder values.

Plan features on development stores

You can create and test most SmartSize features on a development store, including size charts, fit quizzes, product display rules, storefront popup settings, and translations.

Features that depend on live shopper traffic—such as fit quiz recommendation quotas—may not show real usage numbers because the store has no live shoppers yet.

Moving from a development store to a live store

When you are ready to launch, you typically move to a live Shopify store. There are two common paths.

Transfer the development store to a live plan. If you keep the same store and convert it to a live Shopify plan, open SmartSize and select a real plan. Shopify will show the billing approval step, and your SmartSize features will continue to work on the now-live store.

Rebuild on a new live store. If you launch a separate store, install SmartSize on that store and set up your content again. SmartSize does not automatically transfer content between stores. You can use export and import features where available, or recreate your charts and quizzes manually.

Examples

A merchant tests SmartSize before launch

You are building your store on a development store. You install SmartSize, create two size charts, and check how the Size Chart button looks on your product pages. You also run through a fit quiz to see the shopper experience. Because you are on a development store, you do not need to approve a real charge yet. When you launch, you return to SmartSize, choose a plan, and approve the charge in Shopify.

An agency builds a store for a client

A developer creates a development store to build a custom theme for your brand. They install SmartSize, turn on the app extensions, and configure product display rules. You review the setup in the development store. When the store is transferred to you and switched to a live Shopify plan, the developer reminds you to choose a SmartSize plan so the size charts remain visible.

Dev store limits and blocked features

Development stores have full access to create and test size charts, fit quizzes, and storefront settings. However, some features are limited or behave differently compared to a live store:

  • No real shopper traffic — Fit quiz recommendation quotas do not show realistic usage because the store has no live customers.
  • Billing is in test mode — Plan selections and usage counts may show test or placeholder values. You will not be charged on a development store.
  • Blocked page — If your development store reaches a hard limit that would normally require a plan upgrade, SmartSize may show a blocked page with a warning banner explaining the limitation.

When you see the blocked page, it means a feature requires a higher plan than what is available on a development store. The feature will become available automatically when you transition to a live store and select a real SmartSize plan.

Limitations to keep in mind

  • Development stores do not have real shopper traffic, so fit quiz recommendation quotas do not show realistic usage.
  • Some Shopify features that depend on a live store may not be available, but SmartSize storefront features generally work because they run on the product page.
  • If you delete the development store, any SmartSize content on it is lost unless you exported it or recreated it elsewhere.

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