Shopify offers two versions of customer accounts: Classic (Legacy) Customer Accounts and New Customer Accounts. Understanding the differences between the two is important for determining the right setup for your Tapcart app. Both account options can pass authentication from native app pages into custom screens that require the user be authenticated.
Overview
Classic Customer Accounts are Shopify's original account experience. Customers register with an email and password to log in and manage their orders, addresses, and profile. This version offers extensive customization via Liquid theme files and supports Shopify's Multipass feature.
New Customer Accounts are Shopify's modern, passwordless account experience. Instead of a password, customers receive a one-time 6-digit verification code via email each time they log in. This version is built on a newer architecture that supports Shopify's Customer Account API and allows third-party apps to extend the portal with custom blocks and functionality.
Key Differences at a Glance
Feature | Classic Accounts | New Customer Accounts |
Login Method | Email + password | Passwordless (one-time email code) |
Multipass Support | ✅ Yes (Shopify Plus only) | ❌ Not supported |
Liquid / Theme Customization | ✅ Fully customizable | Limited (app block extensibility) |
Third-Party App Extensions | Limited | ✅ Supported via app blocks |
Custom Signup Fields | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not supported |
Shopify's Future Direction | ⚠️ Being deprecated | ✅ Actively developed |
Available to New Stores | ❌ No (as of Feb 2026) | ✅ Yes |
Multipass: Classic Accounts Only
Multipass is a Shopify Plus feature that allows merchants to securely pass authenticated customer sessions from an external source (such as a subscription portal, loyalty platform, or custom auth system) directly into Shopify without requiring the customer to log in again. This enables a seamless single sign-on (SSO) experience across tools.
Multipass is only compatible with Classic (Legacy) Customer Accounts. New Customer Accounts do not require Multipass. To set up Multipass in Tapcart:
Go to Shopify Admin and select Settings
Navigate to Customer Accounts, then scroll to the Multipass section
Enable Multipass and generate a secret key (if one hasn't been created)
Add your Multipass secret to the Tapcart Multipass integration page
Note: Multipass is exclusive to Shopify Plus merchants. If you are not on Shopify Plus, Multipass will not be available to you regardless of which account type you use.
Shopify is Sunsetting Classic Accounts
As of February 2026, Shopify has officially deprecated Classic (Legacy) Customer Accounts. This means:
New stores can no longer enable Classic Accounts
Classic Accounts will no longer receive feature updates or technical support from Shopify
A final sunset date for existing Classic Account stores is expected to be announced later in 2026
How This Affects Your Tapcart App
Tapcart supports both Classic and New Customer Accounts. If your store has switched to New Customer Accounts in Shopify, a small configuration is required to enable it in your app.
Here's a quick guide to which setup applies to you:
Using Classic Accounts with Multipass? No additional configuration is needed in Tapcart for the account experience. If you use web-based Custom Screens that require authentication, make sure Multipass is enabled and configured in the Tapcart integration page.
Switching to or already on New Customer Accounts? You'll need to complete a one-time setup to connect your Shopify storefront to Tapcart. This involves installing Shopify's Headless app, obtaining your Client ID and Store ID, and sharing those with our team. See our full setup guide: Setting up Shopify New Customer Accounts.
On New Customer Accounts and need authentication for a third-party integration? Merchants in this situation can create custom screens that link to those websites and the authentication will be passed from the app to the site.
Still Have Questions?
Our support team is happy to help you determine the right account setup for your store. Reach out to us at [email protected] and we'll guide you through the best path forward.