Shopify vs Saleor
Shopify is leading e-commerce platform for building online stores with themes, apps, and payments, while Saleor is Open-source, GraphQL-first headless commerce platform for high-volume stores. The biggest difference up front: Saleor is free, while Shopify starts at $29/mo. Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform, whereas Saleor targets teams wanting graphql-first headless e-commerce.
| Feature | Shopify | Saleor |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | — | ✓ |
| Open source | — | ✓ |
| App Store | ✓ | — |
| Dashboard | — | ✓ |
| GraphQL | — | ✓ |
| Headless | — | ✓ |
| Multi-Channel | — | ✓ |
| Online Store | ✓ | — |
| Payments | ✓ | — |
| Themes | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Saleor 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 Saleor lacks. Saleor brings Dashboard, GraphQL and Headless that Shopify does not have.
Team fit: Shopify is geared toward any size teams, while Saleor is aimed at mid-size 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: Saleor 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. Saleor's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes graphql 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 Saleor, 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 Saleor if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting graphql-first headless e-commerce
- Budget is a hard constraint — Saleor is free, Shopify is not
- You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
- You specifically need Dashboard and GraphQL
- You care about includes graphql as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows
frequently asked
What is the difference between Shopify and Saleor?
Shopify is leading e-commerce platform for building online stores with themes, apps, and payments, while Saleor is Open-source, GraphQL-first headless commerce platform for high-volume stores. The biggest difference up front: Saleor is free, while Shopify starts at $29/mo. Shopify is built for businesses wanting the most popular e-commerce platform, whereas Saleor targets teams wanting graphql-first headless e-commerce.
Should I use Shopify or Saleor?
Saleor is the free option; Shopify charges $29/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
When should I choose Shopify over Saleor?
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 Saleor over Shopify?
Choose Saleor if Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting graphql-first headless e-commerce; Budget is a hard constraint — Saleor is free, Shopify is not; You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code; You specifically need Dashboard and GraphQL; You care about includes graphql as a core feature, purpose-built for e-commerce workflows.
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