Is Shopify SOC 2 Compliant? What Merchants Need to Know

If you sell through Shopify or integrate with their platform, you have probably wondered: is Shopify SOC 2 compliant? The short answer is yes. Shopify holds a SOC 2 Type 2 report, and the company has invested heavily in security infrastructure to protect merchant and customer data. But understanding what that means for your business requires looking beyond the certification itself.

This guide covers Shopify's SOC 2 compliance status, what it means for merchants, where the boundaries of Shopify's security responsibility end, and what steps you should take to protect your own business.

Shopify's SOC 2 Compliance Status

Shopify maintains a SOC 2 Type 2 report. This means an independent auditor (typically one of the Big Four accounting firms) has examined Shopify's controls over an extended period, usually 6 to 12 months, and verified they are designed and operating effectively.

Shopify's SOC 2 report covers the Trust Service Criteria established by the AICPA:

Security: Protection against unauthorized access to systems and data
Availability: Systems are available for operation and use as committed
Confidentiality: Information designated as confidential is protected as committed

Shopify publishes details about its security practices through the Shopify Trust Center, which provides information about their compliance certifications, security measures, and data protection policies.

Beyond SOC 2, Shopify also maintains:

PCI DSS Level 1 compliance: The highest level of PCI DSS certification, covering all Shopify-hosted stores and payment processing
ISO 27001 certification: Demonstrating their information security management system meets international standards
GDPR compliance: For merchants and customers in the European Economic Area

What Shopify's SOC 2 Report Actually Covers

Understanding the scope of Shopify's SOC 2 report is essential because it defines the boundary between Shopify's security responsibilities and yours.

Shopify's SOC 2 report covers:

Infrastructure security: The physical and virtual infrastructure that runs the Shopify platform, including data centers, networks, and servers
Application security: The core Shopify application, including the admin panel, storefront, checkout process, and APIs
Data protection: How Shopify stores, processes, and transmits merchant and customer data within their systems
Access controls: How Shopify employees access production systems and merchant data
Incident response: Shopify's procedures for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents
Change management: How Shopify develops, tests, and deploys changes to the platform

What the Report Does NOT Cover

Shopify's SOC 2 report does not cover:

Third-party apps installed from the Shopify App Store
Custom code, themes, or integrations you build on top of Shopify
Your internal business processes, employee access management, or data handling practices
How you configure your Shopify store's settings and permissions
External services you connect to your Shopify store (email marketing, analytics, shipping providers)

⚠ Warning

Installing a third-party Shopify app can create security gaps that Shopify's SOC 2 compliance does not address. Each app has its own security posture, and many smaller app developers do not hold SOC 2 reports. Evaluate the security of every app before granting it access to your store data.

The Shared Responsibility Model

Shopify's SOC 2 compliance operates under a shared responsibility model. Shopify secures the platform, but merchants are responsible for securing their use of the platform.

Shopify's Responsibilities

Securing the infrastructure and application code
Encrypting data at rest and in transit
Maintaining PCI DSS compliance for payment processing
Monitoring for platform-level threats and vulnerabilities
Performing regular security testing and audits
Providing secure authentication mechanisms (including two-factor authentication)

Your Responsibilities as a Merchant

Access management: Limiting staff account access to only what each person needs, enabling two-factor authentication for all accounts, and regularly reviewing active accounts
App vetting: Evaluating the security practices of third-party apps before installation, removing unused apps, and reviewing app permissions
Customer data handling: Following applicable privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, state privacy laws) for how you collect, use, and share customer data
Password security: Using strong, unique passwords for your Shopify admin and any connected services
Configuration security: Properly configuring checkout settings, payment providers, and API access tokens
Incident response: Having a plan for responding to security incidents that affect your store or customer data

How to Verify Shopify's SOC 2 Report

If your business needs to review Shopify's SOC 2 report directly, perhaps because your own compliance program requires vendor due diligence, you can request it through Shopify's Trust Center. SOC 2 reports are confidential documents and typically require a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before Shopify will share them.

Steps to request the report:

Visit the Shopify Trust Center
Submit a request for Shopify's SOC 2 Type 2 report
Sign the required NDA
Review the report with your compliance or security team

When reviewing the report, pay attention to:

The auditor's opinion: Look for an unqualified (clean) opinion, meaning the auditor found no significant issues
The scope and period: Confirm the report covers the services you use and is current (not more than 12 months old)
Complementary user entity controls (CUECs): These are controls Shopify expects merchants to implement. Your compliance depends on fulfilling these requirements.
Any exceptions or qualifications: Note any control deficiencies the auditor identified

Shopify Plus and Enterprise Security

Shopify Plus, the enterprise tier, includes additional security features relevant to SOC 2 compliance:

Enhanced access controls: More granular staff permissions and the ability to restrict access by IP address
Organization-level management: Centralized user management across multiple stores
Custom SSL certificates: For merchants who need specific certificate configurations
Dedicated support: Including priority security incident response
Shopify Flow automation: For building automated security workflows (such as flagging suspicious orders)

For enterprise merchants with stringent compliance requirements, Shopify Plus provides the additional controls needed to meet SOC 2, HIPAA (with limitations), and other regulatory requirements at the merchant level.

If Your Business Needs Its Own SOC 2

Shopify's SOC 2 compliance covers the platform, not your business. If your customers or partners require you to demonstrate SOC 2 compliance, you need your own SOC 2 report.

When building your SOC 2 program on top of Shopify:

Map Shopify's controls to your own: Document which Trust Service Criteria Shopify's controls satisfy and identify gaps that your own controls must fill
Include Shopify in your vendor management program: Your SOC 2 auditor will want to see that you monitor the compliance status of critical vendors, including Shopify
Document CUECs: Show your auditor that you have implemented the complementary user entity controls specified in Shopify's SOC 2 report
Address third-party apps: Treat each app as a separate vendor that needs assessment and monitoring
Use compliance automation tools: Platforms like Vanta, Drata, or Secureframe can streamline the process of building and maintaining your SOC 2 program, even for startups and small businesses

💡 Pro Tip

If you are a SaaS company that integrates with Shopify (for example, a Shopify app developer), you will almost certainly need your own SOC 2 report. Merchants increasingly require SOC 2 reports from the apps they install, especially for apps that access customer data.

Shopify Security Best Practices for Merchants

Regardless of Shopify's SOC 2 status, implement these security practices for your store:

Enable two-factor authentication for every staff account, with no exceptions
Review staff permissions quarterly and remove access for anyone who no longer needs it
Audit installed apps monthly. Remove any app you are not actively using. For active apps, review what data permissions they hold.
Use Shopify Payments when possible. It reduces PCI DSS scope compared to integrating third-party payment gateways.
Monitor for suspicious activity using Shopify's built-in fraud analysis tools and consider additional fraud prevention apps for high-volume stores
Keep API keys secure. Never expose API tokens in client-side code or public repositories. Rotate keys periodically.
Implement a privacy policy that accurately reflects your data collection and use practices
Test your checkout flow regularly to ensure payment processing is working correctly and securely

How Shopify Compares to Other E-Commerce Platforms

| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Magento (Adobe) | |---------|---------|-------------|-------------|-----------------| | SOC 2 Type 2 | Yes | No (self-hosted) | Yes | No (self-hosted) | | PCI DSS Level 1 | Yes | Depends on host | Yes | Depends on host | | ISO 27001 | Yes | No | Yes | Partial | | Built-in SSL | Yes (free) | Depends on host | Yes (free) | Depends on host | | Managed security updates | Yes | No (manual) | Yes | No (manual) |

Self-hosted platforms like WooCommerce and Magento shift the entire security burden to the merchant. You are responsible for server security, patching, PCI compliance, and all other security controls. Managed platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce handle infrastructure security, letting merchants focus on store-level security.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shopify PCI compliant?

Yes. Shopify is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, the highest level of PCI DSS compliance. This applies to all Shopify-hosted stores and covers the payment processing infrastructure. Merchants using Shopify do not need to complete their own SAQ for Shopify-processed payments.

Does Shopify have a SOC 2 Type 2 report?

Yes. Shopify maintains a current SOC 2 Type 2 report covering Security, Availability, and Confidentiality trust service criteria. You can request a copy through the Shopify Trust Center.

Is Shopify HIPAA compliant?

Shopify is not designed as a HIPAA-compliant platform. While Shopify Plus has enhanced security features, Shopify does not sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) for standard commerce use. If you sell health-related products, consult a compliance attorney about your specific obligations.

Do I need my own SOC 2 if I use Shopify?

It depends on your business. If your customers or partners require you to demonstrate SOC 2 compliance, you need your own report. Shopify's SOC 2 covers the platform, not your business processes, data handling, or integrations.

Are Shopify apps SOC 2 compliant?

Not necessarily. Each Shopify app is developed and maintained by a third party with its own security practices. Some app developers hold SOC 2 reports, but many do not. Always evaluate the security posture of apps before installing them.

How does Shopify handle data encryption?

Shopify encrypts data at rest using AES-256 encryption and data in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher. Payment card data is tokenized and handled within Shopify's PCI-compliant infrastructure.