Limitations

Everything add-on pricing cannot do, gathered in one place so you find out before you build.

This page lists the limitations of add-on pricing. Most have a workaround. Check them before you build.

Mode limitations

Limitation	Affects	What to do
No Shopify POS support	Fixed amount	Use a product-backed mode on any option set published to POS. See POS limitations
No stock, so no out-of-stock display	Fixed amount	Use a product-backed mode
No SKU, weight, or tax setting	Fixed amount	Use a product-backed mode if any of those matter
Does not appear in Shopify product reports	Fixed amount	Use a product-backed mode
Generated products are visible to browsing until you exclude them	New product	Exclude the globo-product-options tag from collections and search. Do not unpublish them
Generated products do not track stock until you turn it on	New product	Enable tracking and change the inventory policy. See Stock and inventory
The link breaks if the product or variant is deleted in Shopify	Existing product	Relink. The app tells you when the target no longer exists

Option types that cannot carry a price

Type	Workaround
Phone, Email	Put the charge on a Switch beside it
Hidden field	Nothing to charge for — the customer makes no choice
Date and time picker	Charge for express delivery on a separate Radio button or Switch
File upload	Charge a setup fee on a separate Switch
Range slider	Use Number, which can drive an add-on quantity
Font picker	Charge for a premium font on a separate option
Product links	It navigates away — the destination product carries its own price
All static types	They collect nothing

For all of these types, apply the charge to a Switch or Checkbox, then use conditional logic to display the two options together. See Where you can set add-ons.

Behavior to be aware of

Behavior	Why it matters
Hidden options are not charged	A conditional rule that hides a priced option also removes its charge. This is usually what you want, but make sure to check both branches of the rule.
Priced default values charge on page load	The product looks more expensive than advertised before the customer does anything
Every selected value is charged on a multi-select	Cap it with Max selections
Add-on quantity is per option, not per value	All values in one option scale the same way. Except Mixed quantity, which gives each its own box
Duplicating an option set shares its add-on products	Both sets draw down the same stock. See Duplicate and delete
Deleting an option set leaves its generated products behind	Tidy them up in Shopify admin if the set is gone for good
Formulas cannot subtract	Dimension pricing must be expressed with multiplication, addition, and division. See Dimension add-on formula
Negative prices are rejected	You cannot use an add-on to discount the main product
Display settings are store-wide	There is no per-option-set control over how prices are shown

Features that add-on pricing does not include

You want	The right tool
A discount when several options are chosen	A Shopify discount, or a bundle app. Add-ons only add
A price that goes down	Not possible — negative prices are rejected. Price the base product lower and charge for upgrades instead
Tiered pricing — cheaper per unit at volume	Size or quantity bands as separate priced values on a Radio button
A minimum order charge	A Shopify setting or app, not an option
Different prices for different customers	Two option sets with different prices, split by customer rules
Different prices per country	Two option sets split by country rules, or Shopify Markets pricing on the add-on products
Add-ons on a subscription	Depends on your subscription app — test before promising it to customers