Apps without a public distribution cannot use the Billing API error on appSubscriptionCreate

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

A developer encountered an error when attempting to use the appSubscriptionCreate mutation: “Apps without a public distribution cannot use the Billing API.” This occurred on a development store after updating to GraphQL API version 2022-07, despite setting test=true in the mutation parameters.

Solution:

  • Navigate to the app’s settings and select “Distribution” from the menu
  • Change the distribution method to “Shopify Store”

This configuration change resolved the issue, allowing the Billing API to function properly even in development environments. Multiple users confirmed this workaround successfully fixed the problem.

Summarized with AI on October 28. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
4

Thanks, this saved me so much time

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