FAQ
Linesman: frequently asked questions
Straight answers about how Linesman stops bot checkouts and card testing, what it never touches, and what it costs.
Questions merchants ask
What is Linesman?
Linesman is a Shopify app that stops bot checkouts and card testing at the payment step, then finds and deletes the fake customer accounts bots leave behind and suppresses them in Klaviyo. It never changes storefront pages.
How does Linesman stop card testing?
A tiny script in your theme gives real shoppers' carts an invisible browser check. At the payment step, Linesman's checkout guard (built on Shopify Functions) stops carts that look automated, while returning customers and your allow list always pass. During an attack, checks get stricter automatically and repeat offenders are blocked for 24 hours.
How much does Linesman cost?
The Free plan blocks bot checkouts at the payment step (Balanced mode, with automatic block lists) and includes the Bot Receipt, attack alerts and cleanup of up to 250 customers a month. Pro costs $19.99 a month (or $199.99 a year) and adds Strict mode, Attack mode, unlimited cleanup and Klaviyo suppression; Shopify bills it on your regular invoice. Every new store gets Pro free for its first 14 days.
Do I need to edit my theme code?
No. You switch the Linesman Shield on in the theme editor (it's an app embed), and the checkout guard runs inside Shopify checkout. If you change themes later, switch the Shield on again in the new theme.
What does a shopper see if a checkout is stopped?
A short message at the payment step: "We couldn't confirm this checkout. Please refresh the page and try again. Need help? Contact {your store email}." Pro stores can change the wording.
Does it work with headless or Hydrogen storefronts?
Not yet. The Shield runs as an app embed in an Online Store theme, so Linesman needs the Online Store sales channel.
Will Linesman block Google or hurt my SEO?
No. Linesman never blocks or changes your store pages. It only checks carts at the payment step.
Can it block a real customer?
It's designed not to: returning customers, your allow list and recent buyers always pass, and you start in Watch mode to see the proof. If a real shopper is ever stopped, they can refresh and try again, and you can allow them in one click.
Does it work with Shop Pay, Apple Pay and PayPal?
Yes. Shopify runs the checkout guard for express checkouts too.
Why can't you delete abandoned checkouts?
Shopify doesn't allow any app to delete them. Linesman marks them as bots in its reports and removes the fake customers they create.
What data do you store?
Scores, reasons, and one-way scrambled versions of emails, phones and addresses so we can recognise repeat bots. We never store readable customer details.
Does it slow down my store?
No. The Shield script is under 8 KB, loads after your page and starts its browser check only when a shopper interacts with the page.
Does suppressing profiles lower my Klaviyo bill?
Yes. Klaviyo's Help Center says suppressed profiles don't count toward your billing plan's profile count. Linesman suppresses bot profiles before it deletes the customers, so they stop adding to your next Klaviyo bill. Savings shown in Linesman are estimates.
Can Linesman stop bots visiting my .myshopify.com address?
No app can block visits: Shopify receives every request to your store, including your .myshopify.com address, before any app sees it. Linesman stops what those bots do next — bot checkouts, card tests and fake customer accounts — whichever address they came through. It doesn't remove bot visits from your Shopify analytics.