Ever visited a stunning, user-friendly Shopify store and wondered what theme it was running?
We’ll help you figure that out!
This article covers what a Shopify theme is, the different ways to detect Shopify theme, the places to find the best Shopify themes, and how to tell if a store is using a custom Shopify theme.
We’ll also highlight why you should consider detecting a Shopify theme.
Lastly, we’ll check out a solution that can help you build a scalable, headless Shopify store.
This Article Contains
- What Is a Shopify Theme?
- 4 Ways to Detect a Shopify Theme
- Why Should You Consider Detecting a Shopify Theme?
- Where Can You Find the Best Shopify Theme?
- Free vs Paid Shopify Themes: What Is the Difference?
- The Drawbacks of Prebuilt Shopify Themes
- How to Tell if a Store Is Using a Custom Shopify Theme
- 3 Common Shopify FAQs
- Pack: The Best Solution for Your eCommerce Store
What Is a Shopify Theme?
A Shopify theme is a template that determines the look and feel of your online store.
The theme you choose should:
- Align with your brand voice
- Distinguish your store from the competition
- Persuade customers to buy from your store
For example, if you’re selling electronics, you should choose a theme that makes your store look modern and energetic.
The good news?
You can choose from tons of free and paid Shopify themes.
Alternatively, if you’re a software developer, you can create your own custom Shopify theme or customize an existing one to suit your needs.
And if you know a store with a Shopify theme that you’d like to emulate, you have ways to detect which theme they’re using.
4 Ways to Detect a Shopify Theme
Let’s say we came across the web store G Fuel — a company that produces energy and sports nutrition supplements. You dig the look and feel of their website and want to find out what Shopify theme they’re using.
Here are the four methods to detect the exact theme that site is using:
- Use an Online Shopify Theme Detector
- Use a Shopify Theme Detector Chrome Extension
- Check the Shopify Theme Name From the Page Source Code
- Use the Chrome Developer Tools
1. Use an Online Shopify Theme Detector
Online tools like Shopify Theme Detector can help you find the names of almost any store’s Shopify theme.
So if you want to check the theme used by G Fuel, just follow these steps:
- Visit the Shopify Theme Detector website.
- Type the store’s URL (https://gfuel.com/) in the Add a URL box.
- Click the DETECT THEME button.
This Shopify theme checker reveals that G Fuel uses “IMPULSE (Main Theme)” as their Shopify theme.
(If you’d like to explore another online Shopify theme checker, you might want to try the AfterSell Shopify Theme Detector tool or WhatStoreTheme.)
2. Use a Shopify Theme Detector Chrome Extension
The Shopify Theme Detector tool also has a Google Chrome extension (plugin) that can help you identify themes. This is especially useful if you mean to use the detection function frequently.
Here are the steps for using this theme checker:
- Visit the Chrome Web Store.
- Type “Shopify Theme Detector” in the search box and press Enter.
- Select the Shopify Theme Detector option and then click the Add to Chrome button.
Now, how would you use this Google Chrome extension to detect the exact theme used by the G Fuel store?
- Visit the G Fuel site.
- Click the Shopify Theme Detector Chrome plugin to detect the theme used.
Want to explore other Shopify theme detector Chrome extensions?
Look for the PPSPY-Shopify Spy & Dropship Tool or the Koala Inspector — Shopify & Dropship Spy Tool. Just know that you’ll need to sign up to use these Chrome extensions.
Check the Shopify Theme Name From the Page Source Code
Want to detect a Shopify theme without using any app?
You can usually find the themes name in the site’s source code.
Here are the steps you need to apply:
- Visit the relevant Shopify site.
- Right-click on a blank space and select View page source. Alternatively, press Ctrl + U.
- Press Ctrl + F to open the search box.
- Type “Shopify.theme” and press Enter.
- Look for a “Shopify.theme” result containing “name” within it.
4. Use Chrome Developer Tools
The Chrome Developer tools might also help — especially if you can’t find the theme name when viewing the page source.
Here’s how to detect a Shopify theme using the Chrome Developer tools:
- Visit the relevant Shopify store.
- Right-click on a blank space and select Inspect. This should pop up a sidebar window on the right.
- Click the Console tab.
- Check the themes name at the top of the screen.
If you can’t find the theme name from the Console tab, try checking it in the Elements tab.
Clearly, detecting a Shopify theme is easier than you might’ve thought. Now, let’s see how you can use what you discover.
Why Should You Consider Detecting a Shopify Theme?
Here are the top reasons to detect the theme of a Shopify or Shopify Plus (a Shopify site with additional features) store:
Reason #1: Finding a Suitable and Affordable Theme for Your eCommerce Site
According to a Forrester Research study, a well-designed user interface could boost your conversion rate by up to 200%.
When building an online store, you need to ensure that the theme is:
- User-friendly and easy to navigate
- Scalable
- Aligned with your brand
- Affordable
And what’s the easiest way to find a suitable theme?
Detect and analyze the Shopify themes used by the existing stores in your industry (or niche). From there, you compare prices and weigh your options.
After all, if it’s working for them, it should work for you too!
But what if your competitor is using a WordPress site? How would you detect their WordPress theme?
In this case, you’d have to spy on the WordPress site using a suitable WordPress theme detector. And besides detecting a WordPress theme, a reliable WordPress theme detector will also show you what WordPress plugin a site uses.
Reason #2: Scouting Your Competitors
To run a successful Shopify site, you’ll need to spy on your competitors store and try to outperform them. Detecting and analyzing their Shopify theme is a good start.
But you don’t have to stop there.
With Chrome extensions like the PPSPY-Shopify Spy & Dropship Tool, you can discover more information, such as your competitor’s best-selling products, site traffic statistics, and more.
Then, leverage this data to tweak your store to maximize revenue.
Want to discover other things, such as the Shopify app used by a competitor?
Check out a Shopify app detector like Shopify AppTheme Detector!
The best part is that Shopify AppTheme Detector also lets you detect the theme used by the store in question. You’d also be glad to know that this Shopify AppTheme Detector is free to use.
What if you find a theme you love and want to use for your site?
Let’s see where you can find it.
Where Can You Find the Best Shopify Theme?
The Shopify Theme Store is the first place you should check out. It has around 112+ themes you can pick from.
Bear in mind that you’d have to sign up for Shopify before you can start installing themes.
To install a theme, visit the Shopify Theme Store and then select the relevant option from the list.
Alternatively, you can search for all kinds of themes on third-party marketplaces like TemplateMonster and Themeforest.
But what should you choose between a premium and a free Shopify theme?
Free vs Paid Shopify Themes: What Is the Difference?
A free Shopify theme usually comes with a basic layout and is easy to use or customize. However, most paid Shopify themes will offer much more functionality and additional personalization features.
Some examples of premium features that come with paid Shopify themes are:
- A wide layout for showcasing high-resolution imagery (and more design options)
- Grid-style layouts that help you add multiple products simultaneously
- Free stock images
- The QuickPay feature — a Shopify app that facilitates a smooth checkout experience
If you have a tight budget or want to experiment with different themes, a free theme will be your best option.
On the other hand, paid themes can be an excellent option if you’ve researched and know which Shopify theme would best suit your store. The prices for paid themes on the Shopify Theme Store typically range from $180 to $350.
But is it worth using prebuilt Shopify themes?
The Drawbacks of Prebuilt Shopify Themes
Prebuilt Shopify themes come with certain disadvantages, such as:
- You might not stand out from competitors: By using a prebuilt Shopify theme, you may end up with a generic store that looks like thousands of others.
- The theme might not reflect your brand perfectly: If you don’t choose your theme wisely, you can end up with an option that doesn’t align with your brand. This could negatively impact your conversions and UX.
How do you tell if a Shopify template is prebuilt or custom-made?
How to Tell a Custom Shopify Theme from a Prebuilt One
Custom themes are often developed from scratch.
But in some cases, they’re created by tweaking an existing Shopify theme.
How can you tell that a theme is custom-made?
To differentiate a prebuilt Shopify template from a custom-made one, you’d need to check the theme ID (a short unique code) on the page source.
If the theme ID section reads “null,” it means the theme is likely custom-made. You probably won’t find it online.
These are the steps for finding a theme ID:
- Visit any Shopify store, such as the G Fuel site.
- Right-click on a blank space and select View page source.
- Press Ctrl + F to open the search box.
- Type “Shopify.theme.style” and press Enter.
- Locate the theme ID (it’s the value that appears next to the “id” option).
Since the theme ID section reads “null” in this case, it means G Fuel is using a custom Shopify theme.
But earlier, we discovered that G Fuel uses the “Impulse” Shopify theme.
Why does this theme now appear as being custom-built?
Here’s the thing:
A custom theme made from an existing Shopify theme template doesn’t have a theme ID.
In this case, chances are that G Fuel’s custom theme might have been made from an existing Shopify theme.
And how can we prove this?
We can check if G Fuel’s “Impulse” theme exists on the Shopify Theme Store or anywhere else.
Here’s how:
- Visit the Shopify Theme Store.
- Type “Impulse” in the search box and press Enter.
The search results show that the theme exists!
This means G Fuel likely used the prebuilt “Impulse” Shopify theme and customized it.
Let’s now check out some of the common questions you might have about Shopify.
3 Common Shopify FAQs
Here are the answers to your Shopify FAQs:
1. How Do Shopify Themes Work?
A Shopify theme controls the features, organization, and overall feel of your site.
When you first create your account, Shopify uses a default theme from its theme store. You can change this to another free theme, purchase a new one, upload one from your computer, or even tweak an existing theme to your requirements.
Depending on your subscription tier, Shopify allows you to add up to 20 themes to your store. However, only one of these themes can be published at a time.
2. How Much Does It Cost to Build a Shopify Store?
That depends on which package you choose and whether you use a free or premium theme. Shopify offers a 14-day free trial option and these three packages:
Basic: $29/month
- Online Store (Includes eCommerce website and blog)
- Add unlimited products
- Sales channels (for selling on online marketplaces and social media)
- Free SSL certificate
- Discount codes
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Gift cards
- Reports (Basic)
- Customer segmentation (helps you filter and group customers into hundreds of segments)
- Marketing automation (helps you send automated emails with templates or custom workflows)
- Unlimited contacts
- International market management
- Market domains and subfolders (helps you assign custom web addresses for each market)
Professional: $79/month
- All the features in the Basic plan
- Add five staff accounts
- Assign up to 5 inventory locations where you store your products
- Reports (Standard)
- eCommerce automation tools
- 1% transaction fees
Unlimited: $299/month
- All the features in the Professional plan
- Add 15 staff accounts
- Assign up to 8 inventory locations where you store your products
- Reports (Advanced)
- Third-party calculated shipping rates (Shows you calculated rates with your account or third-party apps at checkout)
- 0.5% transaction fees
- Duties and import taxes (helps you estimate and collect duties and import taxes at checkout)
Choosing a Shopify plan will only give you the framework for operating your website. You’ll still need to select an appropriate Shopify theme to make it presentable and engaging for customers.
Depending on whether you choose a free or premium theme, you can expect a total start-up cost of $179 to $649 for your website — which will be a recurring monthly payment for your chosen plan after that.
3. How Do You Build a Headless Shopify Store?
A headless Shopify store separates the front end (what the customer sees or the “head”) from the back end (the “body”).
In a nutshell:
- The front end (head) is the part of the website that the user sees and interacts with. It holds the graphic design (website look) and user interface (website user experience).
- The back end (body) holds the website’s server and acts as the brain of the website. The back end receives requests from the front end (like CTA’s) and sends the appropriate data back to the front end — like product pricing.
Why does this matter?
Well, when using a headless Shopify website, you can expect benefits like:
- Greater flexibility, agility, and performance (improves site speed)
- Complete control over how and where your content appears
- Greater all-round user experience
- Secure third-party integrations
- The ability to choose your favorite developer tools and frameworks
- Easy integrations with new headless technology and innovations — making your store future-proof
- Low risk of DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) and malware attacks
You can build a headless Shopify website in two different ways:
- Option #1 – DIY: Build your own headless Shopify store if you have a team of front-end developers.
- Option #2 – Partner with a front-end-as-a-service (FaaS) provider: Make your life easier with a FaaS provider like Pack.
Let’s explore why option #2 is ideal for building a headless commerce platform.
Pack: The Best Solution for Your eCommerce Store
Using a headless Shopify store has many benefits, such as omnichannel capabilities, seamless integrations, and scalability.
But building your headless front end from scratch isn’t easy. It’s also often challenging to manage and scale the platform on your own.
What’s an easy way out then?
Partner with Pack — a Front-end-as-a-Service provider.
But what makes Pack unique?
By using Pack’s composable solution, you don’t have to build your front-end infrastructure from scratch.
And that’s not all!
Here are some other benefits of Pack’s composable front-end:
- More admin control for content management, component reusability, and landing page building
- Scalable workflow and developer experience
- Open framework to integrate new and modern technologies
- Build complex features more efficiently with React!
- Complete control for custom design experiences
Some of the special features of Pack’s composable front-end include:
- Pre-integrated Shopify checkout, accounts, third parties, and more
- An easy-to-use theme editor to manage your content in real-time
- Product bundling for bundle management
- Product grouping for complex catalogs
- Documentation for knowledge sharing
So, what exactly can Pack do for you as a Shopify store owner?
Let’s take a look at Sand Cloud’s case study:
Sand Cloud (an apparel company) built and grew its brand using a Shopify eCommerce store theme. But its site speed was slow, and the eCommerce business couldn’t scale up fast.
The solution?
Pack built a Headless Shopify PWA storefront platform for Sand Cloud. This solution improved site speed and accelerated the brand’s growth.
Here are the results:
- 500% YOY (year-on-year) growth
- 43% increase in conversion
- 47% increase in AOV (average order value)
It’s Time to Build a Scalable, Headless Online Store With Pack!
Finding a suitable Shopify theme can be quite stressful. That’s why it’s often best to spy on your competitor’s store and detect the themes they’re using.
From there, you can decide on a suitable theme that best aligns with your brand.
But if you’re a serious store owner who wants to build a scalable Shopify site, you should consider taking the headless approach.
Contact Pack today to find out how they can help you build a headless and flexible Shopify store.