Shopify vs Medusa
Shopify is leading e-commerce platform for building online stores with themes, apps, and payments, while Medusa is open-source headless commerce platform built with Node.js for developer-first e-commerce. The biggest difference up front: Medusa is free, while Shopify starts at $29/mo. Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform, whereas Medusa targets developers wanting a headless, open-source shopify alternative.
| Feature | Shopify | Medusa |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | — | ✓ |
| Open source | — | ✓ |
| App Store | ✓ | — |
| Headless | — | ✓ |
| Node.js | — | ✓ |
| Online Store | ✓ | — |
| Open Source | — | ✓ |
| Payments | ✓ | — |
| Plugins | — | ✓ |
| Themes | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Medusa is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Shopify starts at $29/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: Shopify offers App Store, Online Store and Payments that Medusa lacks. Medusa brings Headless, Node.js and Open Source that Shopify does not have.
Team fit: Shopify is geared toward any size teams, while Medusa is aimed at small teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.
Open source: Medusa is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Shopify is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.
Where each tool shines: Shopify's biggest strengths are: includes online store as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows. includes themes as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows. Medusa's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes headless as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows.
Watch out for: With Shopify, users commonly note that starts at $29/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users. With Medusa, the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.
choose Shopify if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform
- You specifically need App Store and Online Store
- You care about includes themes as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows
- Your team size fits the any size profile Shopify is designed for
choose Medusa if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting a headless, open-source shopify alternative
- Budget is a hard constraint — Medusa is free, Shopify is not
- You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
- You specifically need Headless and Node.js
- You care about includes headless as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows
frequently asked
What is the difference between Shopify and Medusa?
Shopify is leading e-commerce platform for building online stores with themes, apps, and payments, while Medusa is open-source headless commerce platform built with Node.js for developer-first e-commerce. The biggest difference up front: Medusa is free, while Shopify starts at $29/mo. Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform, whereas Medusa targets developers wanting a headless, open-source shopify alternative.
Should I use Shopify or Medusa?
Medusa is the free option; Shopify charges $29/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Shopify over Medusa?
Choose Shopify if Your profile matches its sweet spot: businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform; You specifically need App Store and Online Store; You care about includes themes as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows; Your team size fits the any size profile Shopify is designed for.
When should I choose Medusa over Shopify?
Choose Medusa if Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting a headless, open-source shopify alternative; Budget is a hard constraint — Medusa is free, Shopify is not; You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code; You specifically need Headless and Node.js; You care about includes headless as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows.
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