beta v2.2636.5
Rubik Variant Images & Swatch

Rubik Variant Images Help for Shopify: Swatches and Variant Galleries

Rubik Variant Images & Swatch filters a Shopify product gallery so shoppers see only the photos for the variant they pick, and turns the variant picker into image, color or pill swatches. Shopify's default allows one image per variant; Rubik lets you assign several, plus video and 3D models. Craftshift built it, and it has been on the App Store since October 2024. Open the App Store listing.

Experts come in when the catalog is large or the theme is customized: assigning hundreds of images, matching swatches to real fabric colors, turning on swatches for collection cards, and styling it all to sit naturally in the theme.

As of October 2026, 6 experts carry the Rubik Variant Images badge on shopexperts: 1 agency and 5 freelancers, based in Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Kenya and Nepal.

Tell an expert how many products and variants you sell, and which theme you run.

Where Rubik setup needs an experienced hand

Installing is free and switching swatches on takes a few clicks. The hours go into the catalog.

Image mapping at scale. Assigning several images to each variant across hundreds of products, with shared images for shots that apply to every color. AI assignment and color matching speed it up, but someone still checks the result product by product.

Swatch design per option. Image, color or pill swatches, mixed across options: fabric photos for color, pills for size. Shape, size and color are adjustable, and more than 100 CSS variables cover finer styling.

Collection card swatches. Off by default. Once enabled, a click on a card swatch can change the card image, price and add-to-cart link, so every collection and search template needs a test.

Two-option products. Combined options such as color plus style, where the image set has to follow both choices.

Custom templates. Rubik supports more than 350 themes and 7 page builders. Heavily edited product templates are theme customization work.

Video and 3D per variant. Each variant can carry video and 3D models. If the models don't exist yet, 3D product rendering experts produce them.

Using the free setup. The listing offers free setup for all themes. On a standard theme with simple variants, that may be all you need.

How to choose a swatch and gallery expert

Swatch work is visual. Judge candidates on stores they have shipped, then on how they would plan your catalog.

Ask for a live example. Open a product page and a collection page they set up, on a phone. The gallery should switch cleanly and card swatches should change the image.

Ask how they will assign images. For a large catalog, a good answer combines AI assignment with a review pass and shared images, and checks the monthly AI image allowance on your plan.

Ask about your theme. They should confirm it is supported and work on a duplicate theme before touching the live one.

Ask how swatch colors get picked. A color guessed from a variant name rarely matches the fabric. Expect sampling from photos, or image swatches instead.

Reasons to pass. Editing theme code when the app's settings or CSS variables would do, or no plan for products added after launch.

A ten-product batch. Your hardest collection done end to end, paid as a small fixed job, before the rest of the catalog.

Rubik Variant Images plans, storage and styling

Plans are priced by product count. As of October 2026: Free covers 1 product and 50 AI images a month. Starter is $25 a month or $200 a year for 100 products and 1,000 AI images. Advanced is $50 or $400 for 1,000 products and 5,000. Premium is $75 or $600, unlimited products and 50,000. Paid plans have a 7-day free trial.

The free plan is a theme check. One product proves the app works on your theme. It won't run a store.

Data sits in metafields. Craftshift says swatch and image data is stored in Shopify metafields and loads with the page, with no external API calls.

Styles are isolated. Swatches render in a Shadow DOM, so app CSS shouldn't clash with theme styles. Restyling goes through the app's CSS variables, not the theme stylesheet.

Combined listings need a second app. Grouping separate Shopify products into one listing is done by Rubik Combined Listings, a separate app.

17 admin languages. The listing names 17, including German, French and Japanese.

Rubik badge holders by skill

Every one of the 6 profiles lists store setup and management, and 5 add Shopify development.

Store setup and management

All 6 list it: install, swatch settings and image assignment

Shopify development

5 of 6, for custom product templates and card layouts

Technical support

2 list it, for fixes when a theme update moves the gallery

Design, UX and branding

1 profile, for swatch styling that matches the brand

AI and emerging tech

1 profile, a fit for AI image assignment on big catalogs

Languages beyond English

Bulgarian, Hindi, Nepali and Spanish between them

Rubik Variant Images Shopify questions

How much does a Rubik Variant Images setup cost?

Two parts. The app plan depends on how many products use it, from free for one product to $75 a month for unlimited. Expert time depends on how many images need assigning and checking, whether collection cards get swatches, and how customized your theme is. Ask for a fixed quote on a ten-product batch first.

Does Rubik Variant Images work with my Shopify theme?

Probably. Craftshift says the app supports more than 350 themes and 7 page builders, and the listing offers free setup for all themes. Enable it on a duplicate theme, set up one product on the free plan, and check the gallery and swatches on desktop and mobile before you pay for a plan.

How do I switch to Rubik from another swatch app?

The listing doesn't describe an import from other apps, so plan to reassign images; AI assignment shortens that. Remove the old app's blocks and leftover code first, or shoppers may see two variant pickers. Then check every product type, because a missed one shows the full gallery again.

Will Rubik Variant Images slow down product pages?

Craftshift says swatch and image data is stored in Shopify metafields and loads with the page, with no external API calls. Measure anyway: record speed scores on a heavy product page before and after install. If they drop, speed optimization experts can find out why.

What should I send a Rubik expert first?

Your product and variant counts, the options each product uses, your theme name, and how your image files are named. List the collections that should show card swatches, and flag any products with video or 3D models. A consistent naming scheme makes any bulk assignment easier to check.