The 5 best Shopify themes to upgrade to from Horizon

Disclosure: we make Ignite, so of course it’s first. Everything we say about Horizon and the other four comes from their own Theme Store listings, and for Horizon, from its code too. Horizon is a well-made theme, and plenty of stores are happy on it. This is for the ones that want more.

Horizon at a glance

Horizon is the flagship of Shopify’s Horizon collection: ten free themes from Shopify, all built around nested theme blocks. Its listing promises a polished design and a clean setup, so you can launch fast, and nested theme blocks for flexible layouts.

Its listing is strong on the basics: pre-orders, back-in-stock alerts, quick view, recently viewed and infinite scroll. Its code does a little more than its listing says, too, with a sticky add to cart bar and a before/after slider.

So why look elsewhere? Usually for one of three reasons:

1. It’s lean on purpose. Shopify’s own notes for Horizon say functionality defaults to “no”, and that themes “shouldn’t support each and every feature in Shopify.” Countdown timers, an age check, trust badges and breadcrumbs aren’t in its listing or its code.
2. Fit. Horizon’s demo is a clothing store, and its listing is about minimal, launch-ready design. A store that sells on specs, fitment or ingredients needs more room to explain.
3. Support. Horizon’s support link goes to Shopify Support. There’s no theme designer to email when you want to know how a block works.

What you gain, side by side

Horizon’s listing names 42 features. Ignite’s names 57, including all 42 of Horizon’s, so nothing you rely on goes missing. And feature lists don’t tell the whole story. Ignite also has side-by-side product compare and year, make and model search, which aren’t categories on the Theme Store at all.

What about theme blocks?

Horizon is built around theme blocks: small pieces, such as a heading, an image or a button, that you can nest inside each other to build a layout. If you like working that way, you don’t have to give it up.

In Ignite, Flexible columns works the same way. Add columns of any width, fill each with its own blocks, and use a row to place blocks side by side inside a column. Ignite’s other sections use blocks set up for the job they do, with the settings that job needs.

One thing to know before you shop: Shopify doesn’t allow themes based on Horizon on the Theme Store. Every paid theme is built differently, so you’ll set up your pages again whichever one you choose.

The five themes at a glance

1. Ignite

Best for

Stores that need more than a clean start

Price

$380, paid once

Rating

100% positive, 113 reviews

Designer

Benchmark Themes

Ignite is our theme. Where Horizon gives you a clean start, Ignite is built for stores with a lot to sell and a lot to explain, and it comes with five presets set up for different trades: tech and electronics, car parts, health and wellness, toys and games, and pet supplies.

• What Horizon leaves out. Countdown timers, an age check, trust badges and breadcrumbs, all built in.
• Built for choosing. Side-by-side product compare, spec tables that change with the variant, and year, make and model search with a saved garage in the Alpha preset.
• Built for AI search. Structured data, FAQ sections and a hidden comparison table that AI assistants can read.
• Support from people. Questions go by email to real people in the UK who know the theme inside out.

It costs $380, paid once, and holds a 100% positive rating from 113 reviews.

Worth knowing: Horizon is free, and Ignite isn’t. Horizon uses theme blocks in every section, where Ignite uses them in Flexible columns. Ignite doesn’t list a before/after image slider, and it has no preset made for fashion, although it works for fashion stores too.

See Ignite on the Theme Store

How we chose

We looked at well-reviewed premium themes on the Shopify Theme Store, kept the ones a typical Horizon store would consider, and ranked them on what’s built in, price and reviews. Every one has at least 100 reviews and a rating of 90% or more.

Prices, ratings and review counts change, so check the Theme Store before you buy. Every theme here can be tried on your store for free.

How to upgrade from Horizon without losing anything

Changing theme doesn’t touch your products, customers or orders. It does mean rebuilding the parts of your store that live in the theme, so plan it like a small project.

1. List what Horizon does for you. Note your sections and blocks, any apps that add blocks or code to the theme, and any custom code a developer added.
2. Try the new theme. Add it from the Theme Store. It installs unpublished, alongside Horizon, so customers don’t see a thing.
3. Rebuild in the editor. Recreate your home page, product page and collection pages. Content in metafields carries straight over.
4. Check what you can drop. If the new theme has countdowns, an age check or product compare built in, you may be able to remove the apps that did them.
5. Preview, then publish. Check every template on desktop and mobile, then publish. You only pay for the theme at this point.

Our launch checklist covers what to check before you publish Ignite. For a closer look at what’s built in, see the Ignite Shopify theme or the best Shopify themes for car parts stores. Still on Dawn? See the best themes to upgrade to from Dawn.

This page contains affiliate links to the Shopify Theme Store. If you buy a theme through one, we may earn a commission, whichever theme you choose.