Open source headless ecommerce means the commerce backend (products, carts, orders, customers, payments) runs as an API on code you can read, change and host yourself. The storefront your customers see is a separate application built against that API. You get full control of the store and its data, and you take on the work of building and running it.
There are now several mature open source platforms built this way. This guide compares seven of them on the things that decide a project: language, API, licence, managed hosting and whether anyone takes a cut of your sales. Every licence and price below was checked against the project’s own repository or pricing page in October 2026. We build on Medusa through our Medusa.js development service and on WooCommerce, so weigh that, but this guide also says when neither is the right call.
Short answer: Medusa suits TypeScript teams that need custom commerce logic. Saleor suits teams that want a GraphQL-first Python backend. Vendure suits teams that prefer strict TypeScript on NestJS. Bagisto, Shopware, Sylius and Magento Open Source suit teams already working in PHP. And many stores don’t need headless at all.
What “Open Source Headless” Means
In a traditional platform, one system manages the catalog and also renders the pages. In a headless setup, the backend only exposes data and actions through an API, and the storefront is built separately, often in Next.js, Astro or a mobile app. One backend can serve a website, an app and a wholesale portal at the same time. Our guide to headless vs traditional ecommerce covers the trade-off in full.
Open source adds ownership. You can self-host the backend, move it between providers, read every line of code and change any of it. There is no platform that can raise your fees or switch off your store. The wider case for and against owning your platform is in open source vs SaaS ecommerce.
The licence matters more than most comparisons admit. Permissive licences (MIT, BSD) let you use and modify the code with almost no conditions. Copyleft licences (GPL, OSL) attach conditions to how modified code is shared. Several platforms below also sell a commercial licence or edition alongside the open source core.
The Seven Platforms Compared
As of October 2026, from each project’s repository and pricing page:
| Platform | Language & framework | API | Licence | Managed hosting | Fee on sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medusa | TypeScript, Node.js | REST | MIT (except Enterprise Edition materials) | Medusa Cloud, from $29/month | None, self-hosted or on Cloud |
| Saleor | Python, Django | GraphQL | BSD-3-Clause | Saleor Cloud, paid tiers from $1,599/month | None self-hosted; GMV-based on Cloud |
| Vendure | TypeScript, NestJS | GraphQL | GPLv3 core, commercial licence available | Vendure Cloud, price on request | None |
| Bagisto | PHP, Laravel | GraphQL (official package) | MIT | Not covered here | None self-hosted |
| Shopware | PHP, Symfony | Store API (JSON over HTTP) | MIT (Community Edition) | Paid plans priced on GMV | None on Community Edition |
| Sylius | PHP, Symfony | API Platform | MIT | Not covered here | None self-hosted |
| Magento Open Source | PHP | GraphQL | OSL-3.0 | Adobe Commerce is the paid edition | None self-hosted |
“Fee on sales” means a percentage or GMV band charged by the platform. Your payment provider’s processing fees apply on every platform.
Medusa.js
Medusa is a commerce backend written in TypeScript on Node.js. It ships with a REST API for the storefront and the admin, an admin dashboard, and a modular architecture where carts, pricing, inventory, fulfillment and payments are separate modules you can extend or replace. Medusa publishes a Next.js starter storefront.
Licence and hosting. The repository is MIT-licensed, except for Enterprise Edition materials identified separately. You can self-host it for free. Medusa Cloud, the managed option, has published plans as of October 2026: Develop from $29/month, Launch from $99/month, Scale from $299/month and Enterprise priced on request, with no GMV fee on any plan (source).
Strengths. Custom commerce logic is where Medusa earns its place: B2B pricing per customer group, quote flows, marketplace order splitting, subscriptions and multi-region selling are built as code inside the backend rather than bolted on. TypeScript across backend and storefront means one language for the whole team.
Trade-offs. Medusa gives you the backend, not the store. The storefront, integrations and every custom rule are development work, and the store needs ongoing upkeep. Major versions can mean real migration work, as the move from v1 to v2 did.
Who it fits. Businesses with commerce rules a standard platform can’t handle, and a TypeScript team or agency to build and maintain the store. For the line items, see what a Medusa implementation costs. Head-to-head comparisons: Medusa vs Saleor and Medusa vs Vendure.
Saleor
Saleor is a Python application built on Django, with a GraphQL API as its only interface. It includes a React-based admin dashboard and an app system for extending the platform outside the core.
Licence and hosting. Saleor is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and can be self-hosted at no licence cost. Saleor Cloud is the managed option. As of October 2026, sandboxes are free for non-commercial use; the Select tier is $1,599/month for up to $200,000 in monthly GMV, then 0.8% on orders above that; the Volume tier is $3,999/month for up to $1,000,000 in monthly GMV, then 0.4%; Enterprise is priced on request (source).
Strengths. The GraphQL API is consistent and well documented, and the dashboard is mature. Multi-channel selling, with different prices, currencies and stock per channel, is part of the core model.
Trade-offs. If the storefront is built in JavaScript, the team works across two languages, Python on the backend and TypeScript on the front. Customising the core means working in Django. Saleor Cloud pricing is tied to GMV, so the hosting cost rises with sales.
Who it fits. Teams with Python experience, or teams that want GraphQL everywhere and value a polished dashboard out of the box. Our Medusa vs Saleor comparison covers the two side by side.
Vendure
Vendure is a TypeScript commerce framework built on NestJS, with GraphQL APIs for the storefront and the admin. Its plugin system follows NestJS patterns, and it includes an admin dashboard.
Licence and hosting. Vendure Core is licensed under GPLv3; its pricing page states it is “free under GPLv3 for developers building and operating a custom ecommerce application.” Vendure Platform is a commercial licence sold as a flat annual subscription, priced on request, with no GMV, order or user-based charges (source). Vendure Cloud is the managed hosting option. Vendure states that plugins and storefronts built against its API are not affected by the GPL (source). If the licence terms matter to your business, read them in full or ask a lawyer.
Strengths. Strict typing from top to bottom, a predictable structure for teams that know NestJS or Angular, and a well-designed plugin architecture.
Trade-offs. The NestJS and GraphQL stack has a smaller pool of developers than plain Node.js, which can affect hiring. Teams that want a permissive licence need to check whether the GPL core or the commercial licence suits them.
Who it fits. TypeScript teams that prefer a structured, strongly typed framework and are comfortable with GraphQL.
Other Open Source Options
Bagisto. An ecommerce platform built on PHP and Laravel, licensed under MIT. Headless builds use its official GraphQL API package, also MIT-licensed. A natural fit for teams that already build in Laravel.
Shopware. A PHP platform on Symfony. The Community Edition is the MIT-licensed open source core, free to download and use. Its Store API is designed for storefront interactions such as product browsing, cart, checkout and customer accounts, which is what a headless frontend needs. Shopware’s paid plans are priced on GMV and other factors (source).
Sylius. A PHP platform on Symfony, licensed under MIT, which describes itself as headless and is built on API Platform. Suited to teams that know Symfony and want to shape the commerce model themselves.
Magento Open Source. The free PHP edition of Magento, licensed under OSL-3.0, with a GraphQL API that supports headless storefronts. Adobe Commerce is the paid edition. A long-established option with a large extension ecosystem, and a heavier one to host and maintain.
What Headless Commerce Costs
The licence for every platform above can be $0. The cost is everything else:
- Hosting. Self-hosting means running the application, a database, a cache, file storage and backups. Managed hosting moves that work to the vendor for a monthly fee, and on some platforms a share of GMV.
- The storefront. Headless platforms don’t give you a finished customer-facing site. Starter storefronts exist, but a custom design is a separate build.
- Integrations. ERP, PIM, tax, shipping, search, reviews and email each add development work.
- Custom commerce logic. The pricing, checkout and fulfilment rules that made you consider headless are built as code.
- Upkeep. Security patches, dependency updates, major version upgrades and new features need developer time for as long as the store runs.
The build is usually the largest line, and it is set by your scope rather than by the platform. For a worked breakdown of one platform, see our guide to Medusa implementation cost.
When You Don’t Need Headless
Headless solves specific problems: commerce logic a standard platform can’t express, several frontends on one backend, or a storefront that has to be fully custom. If your store sells a standard catalog through a standard checkout, a hosted or plugin-based platform will usually cost less to build and run.
For those stores, a well-built Shopify store from our Shopify agency or a custom WooCommerce development project is often the better choice. WooCommerce can also run headless when you want its plugins and WordPress content with a custom frontend, as covered in headless WooCommerce explained. If you’re weighing the two directly, see Medusa vs WooCommerce.
How to Choose
- Start with your team’s language. TypeScript points to Medusa or Vendure, Python to Saleor, and PHP to Bagisto, Shopware, Sylius or Magento Open Source. The platform your developers know will be cheaper to build and maintain.
- Decide on managed or self-hosted. If no one on the team runs infrastructure, check what each platform’s managed option includes and how it is priced, flat or GMV-based.
- Read the licence. Permissive (MIT, BSD) or copyleft (GPL, OSL) changes what you can do with modified code. Check whether you need a commercial licence.
- List your custom logic. Write down the pricing, checkout and fulfilment rules you need, and check how each platform would handle them: built in, through a plugin, or as custom code.
- Check the API style. REST or GraphQL matters to the team building the storefront more than to anyone else. Ask them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best open source headless ecommerce platform?
There isn’t one best platform, only the best fit for your team and requirements. Medusa is a strong choice for TypeScript teams with custom commerce logic, Saleor for GraphQL-first Python teams, and Vendure for teams that want a strictly typed NestJS framework. PHP teams have Bagisto, Shopware, Sylius and Magento Open Source.
Is Medusa.js really free?
Yes, the software is. The repository is MIT-licensed, apart from separately identified Enterprise Edition materials, and self-hosting carries no licence fee. You still pay for hosting, the storefront build, integrations and ongoing development. Medusa Cloud is optional and starts at $29/month as of October 2026.
Are Saleor and Vendure open source?
Yes. Saleor is licensed under BSD-3-Clause. Vendure’s core is licensed under GPLv3, and Vendure also sells a commercial licence. Both also offer managed hosting: Saleor Cloud and Vendure Cloud.
Can I run open source headless commerce without DevOps?
Yes, through a managed option. Medusa Cloud, Saleor Cloud and Vendure Cloud host the backend for you. You still need hosting for the storefront and developers for changes, but you don’t have to run servers, databases or backups yourself.
Does headless ecommerce cost more than Shopify?
Usually, for a standard store. The platform licence may be free, but the storefront, integrations and upkeep are development work. Headless tends to pay off when it replaces expensive workarounds, app stacks or limits on how you sell.