HubSpot App Development is Evolving: What E-commerce & RevOps Need to Know

Hey ESHOPMAN community! We often talk about leveraging HubSpot for e-commerce success, from managing your CRM to automating sales and marketing. But what about when you need something a little more custom? Something that bridges a unique gap for your store or streamlines a very specific RevOps workflow?

That’s where HubSpot’s developer platform comes in, allowing you to build custom apps and integrations. Recently, an important announcement surfaced in the HubSpot Community forums that’s critical for anyone currently developing, or planning to develop, public apps for their HubSpot portal or the Marketplace. It’s all about the sunsetting of legacy public app creation.

The Big Shift: Legacy Public App Creation is Changing

The original poster, a representative from HubSpot, shared a heads-up that, beginning May 26, 2026, the way new public apps are created is undergoing a significant change. Specifically, the ability to create new legacy public apps directly through the Developer Platform UI will be permanently disabled. Instead, new public app development will need to utilize the more modern, Projects-based app platform.

Now, before you panic, let's break down what this means for you, especially if you’re running an e-commerce operation or managing RevOps within HubSpot:

• New Apps Only: This change primarily affects the creation of new public apps.
• Existing Apps are Safe (for now): If you already have existing legacy public apps powering parts of your e-commerce store or RevOps stack, don't worry! They will continue to function as they are. HubSpot has a separate migration initiative planned for existing apps, which will come with its own timeline and tooling.
• Private Apps Unaffected: Legacy private apps are also not impacted by this specific change.

Why This Matters for Your Store and RevOps Strategy

For ESHOPMAN users, RevOps professionals, and marketers, custom apps can be game-changers. Imagine needing a bespoke integration to pull specific product data from your storefront into HubSpot for advanced segmentation, or to automate a unique order fulfillment process. Or perhaps you're considering building a custom dashboard that combines e-commerce metrics with marketing spend, or even an integration with an online whatsapp store builder to streamline customer service directly from your CRM.

These kinds of powerful, tailored solutions often rely on public apps if they're meant to be installable by multiple portals or listed in the marketplace. The shift to a Projects-based platform means a more robust and modern development environment. While it might involve a learning curve for some, it ultimately leads to more capable and maintainable applications.

Key Dates & Your Next Steps

HubSpot outlined clear timelines for this transition:

• May 26, 2026: For any HubSpot accounts created on or after this date, legacy public app creation will be disabled immediately.
• June 23, 2026: For existing HubSpot accounts (created before May 26, 2026), legacy public app creation will be disabled.

So, what should you do to get ready?

1. If you're planning a new public app: Start with the Projects-based platform now. Don't wait until the deadline. This platform uses the HubSpot CLI (Command Line Interface) and offers a more comprehensive suite of tools, including UI extensions and dedicated deployment.
2. Review the documentation: HubSpot has provided excellent resources. Dive into the developer documentation for the HubSpot CLI and Projects to set up your environment.
3. No immediate action for existing apps: As mentioned, your current legacy public apps will continue to function. Keep an eye out for future announcements regarding migration tools for these.

This move by HubSpot signals a commitment to a more modern, developer-friendly ecosystem. The Projects-based platform supports features like UI extensions and app cards, which allow for deeper integration and a more seamless user experience directly within the HubSpot interface. This is fantastic news for creating more intuitive and powerful tools that can truly elevate your e-commerce and RevOps efforts.

ESHOPMAN Team Comment

We see this as a positive and necessary evolution for the HubSpot developer ecosystem. While any platform change requires adaptation, the shift to Projects-based apps promises more robust, scalable, and integrated solutions for e-commerce businesses. For ESHOPMAN users looking to build advanced custom functionalities or specialized integrations, embracing the new CLI-based workflow will lead to more powerful and future-proof applications that truly enhance their storefront and operational efficiency within HubSpot.

Staying informed about these developer updates is crucial for anyone leveraging HubSpot beyond its out-of-the-box capabilities. It ensures that your custom solutions remain compatible and continue to drive value for your business. So, if you're thinking about building that next big integration for your store, start exploring the Projects-based platform today!