At some point, every Shopify app founder comes to a crossroads: should I build a new app, maybe even acquire one (more on that next issue), or should I go all in and put my eggs in the same basket?
The category you're building in might have a ceiling. And diversifying into multiple apps seems like the obvious way to manage that risk. But it comes with a different kind of risk, one that small Shopify app teams are especially vulnerable to losing focus and getting distracted.
Emili has been building in the Shopify ecosystem for 10 years. She started with a single pickup and local delivery app, a product so complex it had virtually no competition for nearly five years, and has since expanded into a full suite of apps used by retail merchants in 150 countries.
She's seen multiple cycles of how Shopify has evolved, how merchant needs have shifted, and what it takes to stay relevant through all of it.
If anyone can speak honestly about what it's like to bet on multiple apps, and whether it's worth it, it's definitely her.
Let's get to it!
Why Did Zapiet Build Multiple Apps Instead of One?
This was one of my main curiosities.
There wasn't a single aha moment. It was a series of signals from merchants that made the direction clear. And like every successful app founder I've seen, they listened closely enough to their merchants that the next app became obvious. Validation came before the build, not after.
A few of the key reasons Emili mentioned:
Avoiding unnecessary complexity. Zapiet's flagship app was already incredibly comprehensive. But many merchants only needed one specific thing, like delivery rates by zip code.
As Emili put it: "Why do we bring the customer on this journey of configuring such a complex app, if we can just offer the feature that they need in the price point that better suits their business?"
Supporting merchants at every stage. Standalone apps let early-stage merchants start small and pay for exactly what they need. When they grow and need more, they graduate naturally to the next product. The suite becomes a built-in expansion path.
Architecture sometimes forces your hand. Some features simply can't be bolted onto an existing product. Zapiet Eats, their on-demand solution for restaurants, required over a million dollars of investment and a completely separate build because the existing app architecture couldn't support it.
"It's very similar to pickup and delivery, but it's for on demand, and we're in a different world now."
Shopify and market signals play a role, too. As strategic partners of Shopify, Zapiet sometimes builds new solutions in direct response to markets Shopify is growing into or launches they want to support. Global expansion, like their current focus on Japan, opens up regional needs that point toward new products.
What Are the Challenges of Maintaining Multiple Apps?
This is where it gets tricky. The multi-app path is genuinely viable, but it's not a hedge against risk. It's a trade of one kind of risk for another. Emili's honest take can help founders considering app suites understand what they're actually signing up for.
The founders who navigate it well are the ones who stay ruthlessly close to their core expertise and invest in communication as seriously as they invest in the product.
Here are the highlights from our conversation.
Technical compliance multiplies fast. Every time Shopify rolls out a mandatory UI update or changes its criteria, you're not updating one app, you're updating all of them. Zapiet manages this by assigning dedicated "app leads" per product, but it's a real and ongoing cost.
Marketing is the hardest part. Emili didn't hesitate here: "Communicating about multiple apps is the biggest challenge of any SaaS business."
How do you clearly convey what each product does, who it's for, and when to use it, without confusing anyone? Zapiet leans on partners to help carry the message and uses a cohesive brand identity, distinct colors, and mascots per app, to keep things navigable and memorable.
Educating merchants and agencies never stops. Users need to understand which product is right for them right now, and which one they'll need later.
Zapiet handles this through highly consultative onboarding, matching merchants to the right app for their current stage while planting the seed for what comes next.
Focus is a constant battle. This is the one I keep coming back to. Zapiet stays disciplined by building only within what Emili calls their "bubble of logistic expertise." They don't venture into app categories they don't deeply understand.
Her advice was straightforward: "If you like an easy life as a founder, don't build multiple apps."
There's much more in our full conversation, including how Emili thinks about partnerships, what merchant proximity has meant for Zapiet's growth, and her honest take on the state of the ecosystem for founders starting out today.
Defining the problem is half the solution. But most founders are too close to their own app to see it clearly.
This assessment asks the hard questions you might not be asking yourself. Where are merchants dropping off? What's holding back your installs? Is your positioning actually landing?
Answer honestly, and you'll get a clear picture of where your app is stuck, plus Shopify-specific recommendations for your current stage.
