Shopify payouts

Let’s face it - there’s a big difference between making a sale and having the money in your bank account. If you’re running a Shopify app business, you’ve probably noticed that gap can be… interesting to track. That’s where the Shopify Payouts report comes in.

While the Partner Dashboard tells you what you’ve already been paid, this report shows you exactly what’s coming next. Think of it as your crystal ball for cash flow - it takes all those pending charges, known payment patterns, and Shopify’s payout schedule and turns them into clear predictions of when you’ll actually see your money.

What you’ll see in this report

Your financial snapshot

Right at the top, you get the full picture of where your money stands in the current payout window:

Total billed subscriptions: Every subscription charge you’ve written to customer invoices. This is money that should be heading your way.
Total billed usage: All those usage-based charges that merchants have racked up. Maybe it’s API calls, maybe it’s orders processed - whatever you bill for beyond the base subscription.
Total upcoming: Charges you know are coming based on merchant billing cycles. These aren’t written yet, but you can see them coming.
Total paid: The satisfying number - charges that have successfully been collected in this window.
Total due: The less satisfying number - charges that should have been paid by now but aren’t showing as collected yet.

Watch your money move

The main chart shows you exactly how charges flow through your collection process each day. Each charge moves through distinct stages:

Upcoming: These are charges you can predict based on known billing patterns. They haven’t hit a merchant’s invoice yet, but you know they’re coming.
Billed: You’ve written these charges to merchant invoices. The clock is ticking on collection.
Paid: Success! These charges have been collected and are just waiting for their payout date.
Due: These charges should have been paid by now but aren’t showing as collected. Might be worth a closer look.

Track every payment

Below the chart, you’ll find a detailed view of every customer’s payment status. Think of it as your accounts receivable tracker - you can see:

Who’s paid and who hasn’t
When each customer is expected to pay
The status of both subscription and usage charges
Important dates like when you billed them and when their Shopify billing cycle runs

Understanding accuracy

The Shopify Payouts report gets more precise as you get closer to actual payout date. Here’s what affects the numbers you see:

First-time payments

Remember that mysterious first app charge? Until a merchant pays their first bill, we can’t predict when they’ll pay future ones. This means:

New customer charges won’t appear in predictions until after their first payment
The report might look like it’s underpredicting early in the payout window
Don’t worry - these payments will show up once they’re paid, often balancing out other factors

Gross vs net amounts

Here’s a quirk worth knowing about: while paid amounts show what you’ll actually receive (after Shopify’s revenue share), other statuses show the full charge amount. This means:

Your estimated payout might look a bit higher early in the window
As charges move to “Paid” status, the numbers adjust to reflect your actual take-home amount
The prediction naturally becomes more accurate as the payout window progresses

Once you hit $1M in yearly earnings, Shopify’s revenue share adjusts. While the report accounts for the standard revenue share in paid amounts, it doesn’t yet factor in this threshold change. Something to keep in mind if you’re in that success tier!

How payouts work

Shopify processes payouts twice monthly:

First window covers collections from the 1st through the 15th
Second window covers collections from the 16th through month’s end
You’ll see your money about 5 business days after each window closes

The report automatically shows you the current window and calculates your expected payout date. You can also look back at the previous window or peek ahead to the next one.

Making the most of this report

For financial planning

Money in motion needs active management. Here’s how to stay ahead:

Use predicted payout amounts to budget confidently for the next few weeks
Compare payout windows over time to understand your seasonal patterns
Monitor your paid-to-due ratio – if it starts dropping, you might want to investigate collection issues
Track the impact of pricing changes or new feature launches on your payout trends
Plan your own payment schedules (like contractor payments or infrastructure upgrades) around your known payout dates

For customer management

Turn payment data into customer insights:

Identify high-risk accounts by watching for changes in payment patterns
Spot customers who might need attention before their next billing cycle
Use payment history to inform conversations about plan upgrades or renewals
Group customers by payment timing to better predict and manage cash flow
Get ahead of potential issues by identifying customers whose payments are trending later

For growth planning

Use payout patterns to inform business decisions:

Track how different customer segments impact your cash flow
Measure the financial impact of marketing campaigns by watching new customer payment patterns
Understand how trial-to-paid conversions affect your payout windows
See how usage-based revenue grows compared to subscription revenue
Use payment timing insights to optimize your pricing strategy

Pro tips

Small habits that make a big difference:

Set a calendar reminder for the day before each payout window closes to review predictions
Export your customer payment list before customer service meetings to flag any accounts needing discussion
Cross-reference with the Billing cycles report when onboarding large customers to better predict payment timing
Use the search and filter options in the customer list to quickly find specific accounts or payment patterns
Remember that while early-window predictions might vary, end-of-window accuracy is usually quite tight
Keep an eye on your ratio of subscription to usage charges – significant changes might signal evolving customer behavior

Running a successful app business means staying on top of your cash flow. This report helps you do exactly that - turning the mystery of “when will I get paid?” into clear, actionable insights. Need help making sense of your payouts or investigating specific charges? Our team is here to help you get the most out of this report.