Shopify glossaryGlossary4 min read
What Is Shopify Flow? Free Automations Every Shopify Store Should Run
Shopify Flow is a free app that automates store tasks: when something happens, it checks your rules and acts. Here is how it works, what each plan gets, and six workflows worth switching on.
Key takeaways
- Shopify Flow is a free Shopify app that runs automations, called workflows, when something happens in your store.
- Each workflow has one trigger, optional conditions, and one or more actions, such as tagging an order or emailing your team.
- Flow works on the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus plans. The Send HTTP request action needs Grow or higher.
- Flow automates admin work. It doesn't change checkout logic, which is the job of Shopify Functions.
- Who it is for
- Store owners automating admin work
- Time needed
- 4 minutes to read
- What you need
- Basic plan or higher
Shopify Flow is Shopify's free automation app: it watches your store for events, such as a new order or a stock change, and runs the actions you choose, such as adding a tag, updating a product or sending an email to your team. Each automation is a workflow made of a trigger, optional conditions and actions.
Many store owners still assume Flow is a Shopify Plus feature, so they don't know they already have it. I set up Flow on most stores I build. The plan rules below were checked in the Shopify Help Center on 7 November 2026.
How Shopify Flow works
| Part | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | The event that starts the workflow | Order created |
| Condition | Decides which actions run | Order total is 500 or more |
| Action | Changes the store or contacts a service | Add order tags |
| Connector | An action or trigger from another app | Post to a helpdesk app |
A workflow can have only one trigger, but it can branch into several conditions and actions. Written out, a simple high-value order workflow looks like this:
Trigger: Order created
Condition: Order total price is greater than or equal to 500
Then: Add order tags: high-value
Send internal email: "{{ order.name }} needs a gift note"
Else: do nothingThe {{ order.name }} part is a variable. Flow uses its own version of Liquid for these, which differs slightly from the theme Liquid you may know. Flow can also read and write metafields, loop over lists, and run on a schedule.
Which plans get Shopify Flow
| Feature | Basic | Grow and Advanced | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flow app | Free | Free | Free |
| Send HTTP request | – | Yes | Yes |
| Tasks from custom partner apps | – | – | Yes |
Shopify also says usage limits vary by plan, based on API limits. For a typical store, that limit rarely comes into play.
Where to find Flow in Shopify
Install the free Shopify Flow app from the Shopify App Store, then open it from Apps in your admin. Staff need Shopify Flow permissions to see it and turn workflows on. You can build a workflow from scratch or start from a pre-made template, which is the faster route for common jobs.
Triggers cover most store events. A few I use often: Order created, Order paid, Product created, Product variant inventory quantity changed, Customer tags added, Refund created and Scheduled time.
Free automations every store should run
- Low stock alert. When a variant's inventory drops below a number you choose, email the person who reorders.
- Tag high-value orders. Tag big orders so your team can add a note, check them for fraud or ship them first.
- Hide sold-out products. Unpublish a product when every variant hits zero, and publish it again when stock returns.
- Tag repeat customers. Add a customer tag after a second order, then use it in email segments.
- Refund watch. Send an internal email on every refund over a set amount.
- Weekly tidy-up. A scheduled workflow that finds products missing a tag or metafield and reports them.
Common misconceptions
- "Flow is only for Shopify Plus." It is free on Basic and up, with only a couple of features held back on lower plans.
- "Flow can change discounts and checkout." Flow runs after events in the admin. Changing how discounts, shipping options or payment methods behave at checkout needs Shopify Functions.
- "Flow replaces every automation tool." It is strongest inside Shopify. For long chains across many outside tools, a platform such as n8n or Zapier can be the better fit.
- "Templates are ready to switch on." They are starting points. Check every condition against how your store actually works.
Related terms
- Shopify Functions: custom code that changes checkout and discount logic.
- Metafields: custom data fields that Flow can read and update.
- Webhook: a message Shopify sends to another system when an event happens, the developer's version of a trigger.
- Tags: labels on orders, products and customers, the most common output of a Flow workflow.
What to do next
- Install Flow and switch on one workflow this week. A low stock alert is the easiest win.
- Follow my step-by-step guide to Shopify Flow automation for more workflows and how to test them.
- Need cross-app automation? See how I connect Shopify to other tools with n8n.
- Hand it over. AI and automation work starts from $600, with a fixed quote after a free review.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Flow free?
Yes. The Shopify Flow app is free on the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus plans. You only pay if a workflow uses a paid third-party app through a connector.
Do I need Shopify Plus to use Flow?
No. Flow works on Basic and up. The Send HTTP request action needs Grow or higher, and tasks created by custom partner apps need Plus.
What can Shopify Flow automate?
Admin tasks that follow from store events: tagging orders and customers, publishing or hiding products, updating metafields, sending internal emails and calling other apps. Each workflow starts from one trigger, such as Order created.
Is Shopify Flow better than Zapier or n8n?
For jobs inside Shopify, Flow is usually the simpler choice because it is free and reads store data directly. For long workflows across many outside tools, Zapier or n8n give more options.
Can Shopify Flow change discounts or checkout?
No. Flow acts after events happen. To change how discounts are calculated or which shipping and payment options show at checkout, a developer uses Shopify Functions.
Sources
- Shopify Flow, Shopify Help Center
- Flow triggers, Shopify Help Center
- Flow actions, Shopify Help Center
- Creating workflows, Shopify Help Center
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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