StarApps buys AppMaker to expand into native mobile commerce apps
What's the deal? Shopify app developer StarAppsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired AppMakerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an enterprise platform that builds native mobile apps for retailers. AppMaker serves more than 200 enterprise brands whose apps process over $100 million in annual gross merchandise value. Terms were not disclosed.
What each side brings: StarApps, founded in 2016, builds product merchandising apps used by 30,000 merchants, including 2,500 on Shopify Plus. AppMaker builds fully customised native mobile apps designed for retention and repeat revenue.
What's the endgame? The deal lets StarApps support merchants across a larger part of the customer journey, moving beyond product discovery into owned mobile channels. "AppMaker is the perfect fit for what we're trying to achieve on an enterprise level," said Shashank Agrawal, founder of StarApps.
Why now? Paid customer acquisition is getting more expensive every year, pushing brands toward owned channels. Native mobile apps consistently drive the strongest repeat purchase behaviour, but a custom build sits out of budget for many merchants, leaving them reliant on limited templates.
What changes for customers? AppMaker will keep supporting its existing customers and partners while tapping StarApps' scale and distribution on Shopify. Its platform lets a brand's own tech team, or its Shopify development partners, build custom features directly on top of the platform.
"Our customers consistently see some of their highest repeat purchase rates and strongest loyalty metrics through their app," said Saleeh K, founder of AppMaker. "Joining forces with StarApps allows us to bring this impact to many more brands, at scale."
The signal: The deal reflects consolidation in the Shopify ecosystem as app developers broaden their reach across the buyer journey. With global e-commerce sales forecast to hit $5.24 trillion in 2026 and Shopify accounting for 14% of US e-commerce, mobile commerce — the fastest-growing segment — is where competition is intensifying.
Read more: Sociable
