---
title: >-
  Updated App Store Requirements: 1.3 Always Use Honest and Transparent Review
  Practices - Shopify developer changelog
description: >-
  Shopify’s developer changelog documents all changes to Shopify’s platform.
  Find the latest news and learn about new platform opportunities.
source_url:
  html: >-
    https://shopify.dev/changelog/updated-app-store-requirements-13-always-use-honest-and-transparent-review-practices
  md: >-
    https://shopify.dev/changelog/updated-app-store-requirements-13-always-use-honest-and-transparent-review-practices.md
metadata:
  effectiveApiVersion: ''
  affectedApi: []
  primaryTag:
    displayName: Shopify App Store
    handle: shopify_app_store
  secondaryTag:
    displayName: Update
    handle: update
  indicatesActionRequired: false
  createdAt: '2026-07-02T10:03:33-04:00'
  postedAt: '2026-07-06T12:30:00-04:00'
  updatedAt: '2026-07-06T12:27:08-04:00'
  effectiveAt: '2026-07-06T12:00:00-04:00'
---

July 6, 2026

Tags:

* Shopify App Store

# Updated App Store Requirements: 1.3 Always Use Honest and Transparent Review Practices

All apps published to Shopify’s App Store are subject to policy 1.3 “Always use honest and transparent review practices”.

**What’s changing:** The [Shopify App Store requirements policy 1.3](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/shopify-app-store/app-store-requirements#always-use-honest-and-transparent-review-practices) further clarifies our enforcement on the existing [Partner Program Agreement](https://www.shopify.com/ca/partners/terms) Section C.2.1 on fake and incentivized reviews in Shopify’s App Store.

* **Incentivizing reviews:** While incentivizing reviews has always been against policy, we’re further clarifying how we enforce it. Developers found to be incentivizing reviews may face consequences such as the removal of a portion of reviews, demotion or delisting of your app, or termination of your Partner account.
* **Fake and untrusted reviews:** We're making adjustments to our logic to publish reviews targeting both fake and untrusted reviews. Going forward, only reviews that meet our trust standards will appear publicly. Reviews that don’t meet this standard will be unpublished, and may be published automatically once they meet the standards.

**Please make sure your app is in compliance by:**

* Using the [Reviews API](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/app-home/apis/user-interface-and-interactions/reviews-api) when possible to collect authentic reviews from your users
* Asking for reviews only in neutral language. Offering any incentives within or outside the app is not allowed.

To learn more, see the [Shopify App Store Requirements](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/shopify-app-store/app-store-requirements#always-use-honest-and-transparent-review-practices).