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ShopPay Payment Update Limitation – Expected Shopify Behavior

If your customer initially started their subscription using ShopPay, and they now wish to switch to paying directly with their credit or debit card, there is an important limitation to be aware of due to the way ShopPay functions within Shopify’s payment system.

🔍 Understanding ShopPay

ShopPay is not a direct payment method like a credit or debit card. Instead, it acts as a wallet, similar to Google Pay or Apple Pay. When a customer uses ShopPay at checkout, the subscription contract is technically created with ShopPay as the payment source, and a card is linked to that ShopPay wallet in the background.

🚫 What’s the issue?

Once a subscription has been created using ShopPay, there is no direct way to remove ShopPay from that subscription contract or switch to a new payment method (like entering a credit card directly). Even when customers are sent a payment update link from Shopify, clicking it only redirects them back to update the card inside their ShopPay wallet, not to a page where they can switch to a new card outside ShopPay.

🔄 Why can’t they switch?

This is a known limitation in Shopify’s system:

  • When the customer updates their payment using the Shopify “Update Payment Method” email, the link redirects them to ShopPay (not Shopify Payments).

  • This link allows them only to update the card saved in ShopPay, not remove it or choose a different gateway.

  • Shopify has confirmed this is expected behavior for any subscription that was initially set up via ShopPay.

✅ What are the workarounds?

There are two ways to move a subscription from ShopPay to a direct credit or debit card.

Option 1: Keep the existing subscription

  1. Send the customer a $0 Quick Checkout link and ask them to pay with a credit or debit card, not ShopPay. This saves the new card to their customer account without charging them.

  2. Switch the existing subscription to that card: from the subscription in the merchant portal, or by the customer in their customer portal.

See the step-by-step guide: Workaround: Updating a Customer’s Payment Method When Shop Pay Fails.

Option 2: Start a new subscription

  1. Ask the customer to cancel their current subscription (which is linked to ShopPay).

  2. Provide them a new checkout link to subscribe again.

  3. Instruct them to avoid selecting ShopPay during checkout this time, and instead enter their credit or debit card details directly.

  4. The new subscription will now be linked directly to Shopify Payments or another supported gateway, and not ShopPay.

We understand this is not ideal, and we are actively working with Shopify to improve this flow.

🧾 Additional Technical Details

  • The “Update Payment Method” link sent to the customer is generated using this Shopify API trigger:
    ​customerPaymentMethodSendUpdateEmail

  • The behavior described here applies to all Shopify subscription apps, not just Appstle.

  • Shopify has acknowledged this behavior and confirmed it is expected.

🧠 Summary

Issue

Explanation

Can ShopPay be removed after subscription creation?

⚠️ Not directly. Switch the subscription to a card the customer saves through a $0 Quick Checkout link (Option 1).

Can customers switch to another payment method via update link?

❌ No

Can they update the card in ShopPay?

✅ Yes

Workarounds

Switch the subscription to a card saved through a $0 Quick Checkout link (Option 1), or cancel & create a new subscription with direct card payment (Option 2)

📣 Questions?

If you have any questions or need help setting up the checkout link, our support team is happy to assist.

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