A Shopify theme backup app creates copies of your theme's files on a schedule, giving you a way to recover if a code change or app install breaks your storefront. While Shopify lets you duplicate a theme manually, an app automates the process and keeps a history of versions you can restore from.
| Your situation | Pick | Starts at | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| You want a downloadable copy of your theme files as part of a wider store change history. | Actorly | see its listing | not read this run |
| You want a simple, focused app just for theme backups with a ZIP download. | Goback ‑ Auto Theme backups | see its listing | 2026-10-21 |
| You want a full-store backup solution that includes themes and offers extensive item recovery. | Rewind Backups | see its listing | 2026-10-21 |
| You want a full-store backup with restore by date, and your needs fit within product-count tiers. | Talon Backups | see its listing | 2026-10-21 |
Goback: Focused theme-only backups
Goback ‑ Auto Theme backups is a dedicated tool for creating automatic daily backups of your published theme. It's a good fit if your only goal is to back up your theme without needing to back up products, orders, or other store data. The app also allows for unlimited manual backups.
A "diff checker" feature lets you compare the code between any two backup versions file by file. Restoring a theme is a "guided restore by re-uploading the.zip," meaning you download the theme files and then add them back to your store through the Shopify admin. As listed on its Shopify App Store page, history is kept for seven days on the Starter plan and 30 days on the Pro plan. For pricing, see its listing.
Rewind Backups: A full-store backup solution
Rewind Backups is for merchants who need to back up their entire store, not just the theme. It protects products, themes, collections, customer data, and more. This makes it suitable for stores where data across the entire business is critical.
The service offers automated daily and on-demand backups, and it keeps a 365-day backup history. You can restore multiple items at once, including entire collections, or restore individual items. The app also backs up metafields and data from third-party services like Klaviyo and Mailchimp (Rewind Backups - Maximize your store uptime with automated backup and). Pricing, as listed on its Shopify App Store page, is based on the number of orders per month. A higher-priced Protection Suite plan adds features like automated QA testing, downtime monitoring, and a staging environment.
Talon Backups: Tiered backups for the whole store
Talon Backups also provides automated daily backups for your entire store. It is an option for merchants who want a complete backup with pricing based on product counts. The app creates a backup automatically every 24 hours and allows for on-demand backups.
The app features a "detailed comparison view" to track changes over time and can perform a full restore by date or recover single records. As listed on its Shopify App Store page, all plans include one year of history. The plans are tiered based on the number of product backups, starting with a basic plan and scaling to higher tiers that accommodate larger catalogs and add backups for orders, customers, and metafields.
How we compared
This comparison is based on the features stated on each app's public listing on the Shopify App Store. The goal is to help you choose based on what you need to protect and how you prefer to restore it.
Criteria considered:
- What is backed up: Whether the app backs up only themes or the entire store.
- Restore method: How a theme is restored (e.g., ZIP download vs. direct restore).
- Backup frequency and history: How often backups are made and how long they are kept.
- Pricing model: How pricing scales (e.g., by features, order volume, or product count).
Sources were read on 2026-10-21.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a theme backup from an app and a theme duplicate in Shopify?
A theme duplicate is a manual copy you create in your Shopify admin. According to Shopify's help documentation, you can duplicate a theme to create a backup copy before you customize it. This creates a point-in-time snapshot of your theme's code. A backup app, like Goback, automates this by creating copies on a regular schedule, such as daily, and keeps a history of versions you can use to restore your theme.
How do I restore a theme from a backup?
The method depends on the app. Some apps, like Goback, provide a .zip file of your theme. You then download this file and upload it to your store from the Themes page in your Shopify admin. Other apps, such as Rewind Backups, offer a restore that recovers items directly from the app's interface.
How many themes can I have in my Shopify store?
According to Shopify's help documentation, you can have up to 20 themes in your Shopify admin. If you reach this limit, you must delete an existing theme before you can add or duplicate another. The agency Nodus Works notes that Shopify Plus stores have a higher limit of 100 themes.
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