Introduction: Shopify’s Bold Step Into AI-Powered Design

Shopify has officially released Horizon, a new free theme designed to give store owners more creative control, more customization options, and built-in AI tools – all without needing to buy a premium template or rely heavily on developers.

As someone who has built, optimized, and customized Shopify stores for years, I’ve tested dozens of free and paid themes. Horizon is, without a doubt, the most flexible free theme Shopify has ever launched – and it’s also a glimpse into the platform’s AI-driven future.

And this time, I didn’t just test Horizon. I used it for a real client project – a dropshipping beauty products store based in Switzerland. That hands-on experience revealed a lot about what this theme can (and can’t) do.

1. Nested Blocks: Finally, True Layout Freedom

Older Shopify free themes often limited merchants to very fixed section layouts – meaning if you wanted something more unique, you had to rely on custom Liquid/CSS work or apps.

Horizon changes that with nested blocks, which allow you to:

• Add, remove, and rearrange blocks inside other blocks.

• Create multi-layer layouts that would previously require custom development.

• Reuse certain block setups across different pages for consistent branding.

Example Use Cases:

• Building a custom product detail section with images, text, and icons arranged exactly how you want.

• Creating a homepage hero with a layered background, floating text, and clickable call-to-action buttons – all without coding.

• Designing blog article templates that showcase images, quotes, and calls-to-action in a visually engaging way.

Why It Matters:
For store owners who want a unique look without a developer, this is huge. It puts Shopify closer to the flexibility of page builders like Webflow or Squarespace – but with the stability and speed of native Shopify themes.

2. My First Project Using Horizon

I first played with Horizon when it launched in version 1.0. At the time, I considered it for a few projects but decided against it – it felt like it needed more updates before it was ready for client work.

This time, I took the plunge. I used Horizon for a Swiss dropshipping store selling beauty products for women, and I leaned heavily on the new AI block coding feature – using it to build almost every section.

Some key takeaways from this project:

• Groups & Layouts Still Have a Learning Curve – I still find the grouping and layout settings a bit complicated, especially when trying to maintain consistent spacing and responsiveness.
• Great for Simple, Small Stores – I was surprised at how good Horizon can look if you’re building a smaller store with a straightforward structure.
• Not for Big Established Brands Yet – The theme is still better suited for smaller-scale projects; larger brands will likely need more advanced features.
• Hero Section Experiments – I spent a lot of time testing above-the-fold hero designs packed with CRO features: unique selling points (USPs), star ratings, timers, glowing headings, and scrolling text elements.
• Review Sections Need Work – I experimented with multiple review layouts, but this part of the theme still isn’t perfect.
• Before & After Sections – I built an engaging before-and-after section, and the result was a great experience both for me and the client.

One important point: you still need to know some HTML, Liquid, and CSS to get the most out of Horizon’s AI tools. I don’t recommend this theme for total beginners, as it can feel cumbersome without some technical knowledge.

3. AI Code Generator: Making Customization Easier

Horizon includes Shopify’s AI code generator directly inside the theme editor. You simply describe what you want, and Shopify generates the Liquid, CSS, or JavaScript needed to make it happen.

Example Commands:

• “Increase product image size on mobile view.”

• “Make all buttons rounded and blue.”

• “Add a shadow to the header when scrolling.”

In my beauty store project, I used the AI code generator for:

• Adjusting text styles in hero banners.

• Adding subtle animations to buttons.

• Fine-tuning spacing in product grids.

It’s a huge time-saver, but it’s not magic – you still need to check the output and sometimes tweak it manually.

Quite often you still find errors:

4. AI Image Generator: On-Demand Visual Content

The AI image generator is a built-in creative tool that lets you produce images directly in Shopify. You can:

• Generate lifestyle product shots for testing ad creatives.

• Create seasonal or holiday-themed banners.

• Mock up product variations before committing to production.

For my Swiss beauty client, it was particularly useful for quickly creating placeholder product images during store setup, ensuring we could move forward with design while waiting for final photography.

After playing with this tool, it seems like this tool works sometimes and sometimes not.

5. My Overall Impression After a Real Project

Using Horizon for a live store gave me a better sense of its strengths and weaknesses:

What I Liked:

• AI block coding let me build unique sections quickly.

• Nested blocks gave me creative flexibility for the homepage and product pages.

• The theme runs fast and feels lightweight even with custom layouts.

What I Found Challenging:

• Group and layout settings can be unintuitive.

• The review section options are still limited.

• Without basic coding knowledge, merchants will struggle to unlock Horizon’s full potential.

In short: great for small-to-medium projects with a developer or experienced Shopify builder involved, but not ideal for total DIY beginners.

6. Pros & Cons at a Glance

Pros:

• Completely free and officially supported by Shopify.

• Nested blocks provide real layout flexibility.

• Built-in AI tools save time and open creative possibilities.

• Great starting point for smaller stores or rebrands.

Cons:

• AI tools sometimes require manual adjustments.

• Limited pre-designed styles; more work needed for a unique brand look.

• Some parts (like reviews) still feel underdeveloped.

• Requires basic HTML, CSS, and Liquid skills to get the most out of it.

7. Should You Migrate from Dawn to Horizon? My Thoughts

One question I’ve been asking myself — and that many Shopify store owners will likely ask — is:

“Should I migrate my store from Dawn to Horizon?”

Personally, I’m still on the fence. My Dawn theme is heavily customized, and I just finished a full revamp earlier this year. Migrating to Horizon now would mean redoing a lot of custom work and potentially facing the learning curve that comes with its new block structure and AI tools.

For me, the smarter move is to let Dawn sit for a while and keep working with it until I’m fully confident Horizon is the way to go. That way, I can take the time to experiment with Horizon on side projects (like my recent Swiss beauty store build) and really understand how to make the most of its features before committing to a migration.

If you’re in a similar position with a highly customized Dawn store that’s performing well, I’d suggest the same:

• Test Horizon on a smaller or staging project first.

• Get comfortable with its nested block system and AI tools.

• Migrate only when you’re sure you’ll benefit from the extra flexibility.

8. Final Thoughts: A Strong Start, But Not for Everyone

The Shopify Horizon theme represents more than just a new design – it’s Shopify’s move toward AI-assisted, flexible storefront creation.

For my Swiss beauty store project, Horizon worked well because it was a small, straightforward shop where I could fully customize each section. The AI block coding allowed for quick experimentation, and I could pack in CRO features like timers, USPs, and star ratings with ease.

That said, I wouldn’t yet use Horizon for a large established brand – it’s better suited for small-to-mid projects where speed, flexibility, and experimentation matter most.

If you’re a merchant with some coding knowledge (or working with a developer), Horizon is worth exploring. If you’re brand new to Shopify with no technical background, it might feel cumbersome.