What is Shopify Flow and what is it used for?

Quick Answer: Shopify Flow is a visual workflow automation tool built into Shopify for automating ecommerce operations. Available on Shopify ($79/month) and higher plans, it uses triggers, conditions, and actions to automate order processing, inventory management, customer tagging, fraud review, and fulfillment workflows.

What Is Shopify Flow?

Shopify Flow is a built-in visual automation tool for Shopify merchants. It uses a trigger-condition-action model to automate operational tasks that would otherwise require manual intervention or custom code. Shopify Flow was originally exclusive to Shopify Plus but became available on standard Shopify plans ($79/month) in 2023.

How It Works

Flow automations consist of three elements:

  • Triggers: Events that start the workflow (order created, customer created, product inventory changed)
  • Conditions: Logic checks that filter when the workflow should act (order total > $500, customer tag includes "VIP")
  • Actions: Operations performed when conditions are met (add tag, send notification, hide product)

Key Capabilities

  • Order management: Auto-tag high-value orders, flag suspicious orders for review, route to specific fulfillment locations
  • Inventory management: Alert when stock drops below threshold, auto-hide out-of-stock products, reorder notifications
  • Customer segmentation: Auto-tag customers based on purchase behavior, total spend, product categories
  • Fraud prevention: Hold high-risk orders for manual review, cancel orders matching fraud patterns
  • Loyalty programs: Award points, update VIP tiers, trigger reward notifications

Third-Party App Integration

Shopify Flow connects with third-party apps from the Shopify App Store:

  • Klaviyo, Mailchimp (email triggers)
  • Gorgias, Zendesk (support ticket creation)
  • ShipStation, ShipBob (fulfillment routing)
  • LoyaltyLion, Smile.io (loyalty programs)

Availability and Pricing

As of April 2026, Shopify Flow is included at no additional cost on:

  • Shopify plan: $79/month
  • Advanced: $299/month
  • Shopify Plus: $2,300/month

Flow is not available on Basic ($39/month) or Starter ($5/month) plans.

Limitations

Shopify Flow is limited to Shopify store operations. It cannot automate actions outside the Shopify ecosystem without third-party app connectors. For cross-platform automation (connecting Shopify to non-Shopify tools), merchants typically use Zapier, Make, or n8n alongside Flow.

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Last updated: | By Rafal Fila

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