At a glance
| Approach | Starting point | Output | Editing later | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify theme editor | Your theme's sections | Native theme | Theme editor | Limited to the sections your theme ships with |
| Shopify AI block generation | A text description | Theme blocks | Theme editor | One block at a time; plan and theme requirements |
| Page builder apps | Templates or a blank canvas | Depends on the app | The app's visual editor | Monthly fee; check how pages behave if you uninstall |
| Developer or agency | A brief | Custom Liquid | Theme editor or developer | Highest cost and lead time |
| Page Mix | Two reference links | Native theme sections | Theme editor | No visual editor of its own; product, home and about pages only |
The Shopify theme editor
Every Online Store 2.0 theme lets you build pages from its sections and blocks, and you can create extra templates for different products. It's free and safe. The limit is your theme: if it has no comparison table or long-form sales section, you can't add one without code or an app.
Shopify's AI block generation
Shopify's theme editor can generate a custom theme block from a text description, powered by Sidekick (see Shopify's help page). It's handy for filling a single gap, such as a new kind of banner. It builds pieces, not a whole page designed from a reference.
Drag-and-drop page builder apps
Apps such as Shogun, PageFly, GemPages, Replo and Instant give you a visual editor, template libraries and, in some cases, built-in testing. They suit teams who build many pages and want to edit layouts visually without touching code. Pricing and features change often, so compare current plans on each app's Shopify App Store listing. Ask how pages are rendered and what happens if you uninstall: some builders output native theme sections, others rely on the app.
A developer or agency
Custom Liquid sections give you exactly what you specify, done properly. This is still the right call for complex functionality, integrations and pages you'll maintain for years. It's also the slowest and most expensive way to try a new layout.
Page Mix: reference-based building
Page Mix starts from pages you already like. Give it a layout reference and a style reference, and it adds a complete, blank, editable page to your own theme as native sections, with a working buy box. Plans start at £50 a month, and a Magic Remix costs 3 credits.
Choose Page Mix when you have a clear idea of the look, want a finished page rather than a canvas, want several directions to compare or test, and are happy editing in Shopify's theme editor afterwards.
Choose something else when you want ongoing drag-and-drop editing (a page builder app), only need one extra block (Shopify's AI blocks or your theme), or need custom functionality (a developer).
Combining approaches
These aren't exclusive. A common pattern is using Page Mix for the first version of a new page, the theme editor for content, Shopify's AI blocks for small additions, and a developer only for anything functional.