Shopify product configurators
A product configurator lets customers build what they buy, like a PC, a sofa or a made-to-measure product, with compatibility and price checked as they choose. We work out whether you need one, then design and build it.
A configurator is one kind of custom Shopify app, and the one we're asked for most.
Do you need a configurator?
Most stores don't. Pick the simplest option that handles your rules:
| Shopify variants | Options app | Custom configurator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good for | A few stocked choices like size and colour | Personalisation, add-ons, simple conditions | Parts that must be compatible, prices built from components |
| Stock tracking | Per variant | Usually not for add-ons | Per component, if designed in |
| Rules between choices | None | Simple show/hide | Any rule you can write down |
| Limits | Shopify's option and variant limits | What the app supports | Build and maintenance cost |
What we've built
For CACTi PCs, a UK gaming-PC retailer, we built a custom PC builder that launched on 17 August 2026: a Shopify app where customers choose components with live compatibility checks and pricing, and the finished PC goes into the cart as one product. It sold almost nothing until we found why: a like-for-like build cost more than the same PC on the shelf, because of a build fee shoppers couldn't see. We removed it on 6 September.
14% of the store's net sales from 7% of its ordersCustom PC builder, 7 Sep–7 Oct 2026 (first month after the pricing change). Other changes shipped in the same weeks; how many buyers would otherwise have bought a prebuilt isn't measured.
2.0×Average custom build vs the store's average order, 7 Sep–7 Oct 2026. Other changes shipped in the same weeks; how many buyers would otherwise have bought a prebuilt isn't measured.
In short
A Shopify product configurator is a step-by-step builder on the product page or in its own app. Customers choose options that depend on each other; the configurator blocks combinations that don't work, updates the price as they go, and adds the result to the cart as one product your team can fulfil.
Who this is for
- Stores selling products made of compatible parts, such as PCs, furniture, bikes or kitchens
- Made-to-measure products priced by size, material or finish
- Teams whose options app can't express their rules any more
- Brands that sell a build-your-own option next to ready-made products
How it works
- 01
Map the rules
Every option, which choices rule out others, where each price comes from, and how the finished build must look in the cart and the order.
- 02
Choose the approach
Variants, an options app or a custom build. We recommend the simplest one that handles your rules, and say why.
- 03
Design the flow
Steps, the running summary and the price, designed for mobile first, because that is where most people will build.
- 04
Build and test
Every invalid combination, price change and stock state, through cart, checkout and the order your team receives.
- 05
Hand over
Your team learns how to add components and change rules, and what to check when they do.
Work we have done
Questions
Do we need Shopify Plus for a configurator?
Not necessarily. The custom PC builder we built for CACTi PCs runs on a store without Shopify Plus. It depends on how the build has to be priced and placed in the cart.
What if the configurator launches and nobody buys?
Check price before design. The CACTi builder sold almost nothing until we compared a like-for-like build with the same PC on the shelf and found a hidden build fee. Removing it is what changed the result.
Should we use an app or build a custom configurator?
Start with an app if it handles your rules. Build custom when options depend on each other in ways an app can’t express, prices come from components, or the build has to reach your team as one fulfillable order.
How much does a custom configurator cost?
It depends on the number of rules and how the catalogue is managed. We map the rules first, then quote a fixed price for the build.
How does the order reach our team?
We design that before building: usually one product line in the cart, with the chosen components listed so whoever builds or packs it has everything they need.
Will a configurator slow the product page down?
It shouldn’t. We load it only where it’s used, test it on mid-range phones, and measure page speed before and after.
Tell us what isn't working.
In 20 minutes we look at your store with you and say what we would check first, and whether we are the right team for it.