Performance
Does Address Validation slow down checkout?
No. Address Validation loads asynchronously and is sandboxed, so checkout performance is unaffected. Verification typically completes in under 600ms. Validation rules run entirely in the browser with zero network requests.
Can Address Validation block or fail checkout?
Verifiers never block checkout. If verification times out or fails, checkout proceeds normally. The status is recorded for your review but purchases are never interrupted.
The only exception is validation rules set to "Error (Blocks Checkout)." These require you to explicitly enable the "Allow app to block checkout" permission in your Shopify checkout settings. Without that permission, even Error rules won't block.
Can it handle high traffic?
Yes. Address Validation is built to handle 100,000+ validations per second, so it scales for flash sales, product drops, and high-volume stores.
Coverage and accuracy
What countries are supported?
195+ countries are supported via Experian. US addresses are validated against official USPS data. All addresses are normalised to carrier standards and mapped to Shopify's address fields.
How accurate is the validation?
Experian provides up to 5x greater accuracy than Google Maps for international addresses by using official postal authority databases rather than crowdsourced data. This catches non-existent addresses, outdated postal codes, and addresses that exist but aren't deliverable.
Does it work with Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and mobile checkout?
Yes. Validation works with all express checkout methods and displays in a mobile-optimised view. You can enable the "Include block in Shop Pay" toggle in the checkout editor for Shop Pay support.
Customer experience
Can customers keep their original address?
Yes. Customers can always click "Keep my address" to override any suggestion and proceed with their entered address. Suggestions are never forced.
Are messages available in other languages?
Validation rule messages are automatically translated at checkout. Verifier messages use defaults that you can override and translate in the Translations settings. See Customising validation messages and translations for details.
Billing and costs
How much does it cost?
Validation rules are free. Verifiers are billed per validation, starting at $0.01 for US addresses. Pricing varies by country. See Getting started with Address Validation for the full pricing table.
When am I charged?
Shopify bills you when you reach $200 in usage. Each charge is fully transparent. You can see exactly which addresses were validated and what was included in each billing cycle from your Shopify admin.
What happens if I reach my usage cap?
Verification pauses automatically. Checkout continues to work normally without address validation. Increase your cap anytime to resume. You'll never be charged more than your cap.
Managing Address Validation
Can I disable Address Validation instantly?
Yes. Set your verifier status to Draft in the Order Editing app, or remove the Address Validation block from the Shopify checkout editor. No code changes needed.
Is my data protected?
Yes. Order Editing is SOC 2 certified and works exclusively with SOC 2 compliant partners for data processing. Security practices are audited annually by independent accounting and security firms.
Do I need Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is required for checkout validation (before purchase). Post-purchase validation on the Thank You page and Order Status page works on all Shopify plans. See Post-checkout address correction for details.
