Open source headless ecommerce with Medusa.js
Open source headless commerce is not free. You gain control over code, data and roadmap, and you pay for the team, the integrations and the responsibility for keeping the store running. In headless that is often a good trade, as long as the business really needs that control.
Open source still has costs
Medusa.js reduces vendor lock-in, but it doesn't automatically reduce TCO. You still pay for implementation, maintenance, monitoring, integrations and people who understand commerce. The licence goes away; the responsibility stays.
If someone presents open source headless commerce as a cheap replacement for SaaS, ask about the operating model. That is usually where the cost sits.
Open-source headless commerce platforms compared
Five open-source platforms come up in almost every shortlist. All of them can run headless. The useful differences are language, licence and how much of the commerce domain you get before writing custom code.
| Platform | Stack | Licence | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medusa.js | TypeScript, Node.js, PostgreSQL | MIT | Custom DTC and B2B logic, JavaScript teams, modular commerce |
| Saleor | Python, Django, GraphQL | BSD-3-Clause | Python teams, GraphQL-first storefronts |
| Vendure | TypeScript, NestJS, GraphQL | GPLv3 or commercial licence | TypeScript teams that accept the licence model |
| Sylius | PHP, Symfony | MIT | PHP teams, highly customised B2B on Symfony |
| Shopware 6 | PHP, Symfony, Store API | MIT (Community Edition) | DACH market, teams already in the Shopware ecosystem |
How to choose between them
Choose the language your team can maintain for five years before you choose features. A Node.js team will move faster on Medusa.js or Vendure; a PHP team on Sylius or Shopware; a Python team on Saleor.
Then check the licence against your business model, the depth of B2B primitives you need, and whether a partner in your region has shipped the platform in production. We build on Medusa.js because its modules and workflows let us express B2B pricing and ERP integration as plain TypeScript, but the others are legitimate choices.
When it beats SaaS
Medusa.js is a commerce framework built on Node.js and TypeScript. It makes sense when you need custom pricing logic, control over checkout, ERP integration, or a roadmap that can't wait for a vendor's backlog. In those cases open source gives you room that SaaS usually doesn't.
The same goes for 'future proof headless commerce'. No technology is future-proof by itself. What lasts is a system you can maintain, change and connect to new channels without rewriting the whole store.
Migrating from Shopify without losing SEO
If you are planning a headless migration from Shopify, start with a 301 map, content parity and keeping existing URLs wherever possible. You are migrating a system that Google has indexed, so SEO, redirects and Search Console checks belong in the plan from day one, alongside the frontend work.
In practice this means moving data and processes first and the storefront second. The worst outcome is rebuilding the UI and only then finding out that the data model can't support your existing organic traffic.
When to walk away
If your store works well on standard SaaS, you don't need open source just because it sounds more ambitious. If nobody owns operations, integrations and technical development, open source headless commerce simply becomes a more expensive version of the same problem.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best open-source headless ecommerce platform?
There is no single best one. Medusa.js fits TypeScript teams that need custom DTC or B2B logic; Saleor fits Python teams; Sylius and Shopware fit PHP teams; Vendure fits TypeScript teams that accept GPLv3 or a commercial licence. Choose by team language, licence and B2B requirements.
Is open-source headless ecommerce cheaper than SaaS?
Not automatically. You remove licence and revenue fees but pay for implementation, hosting, monitoring and maintenance. It wins when platform fees, apps and workarounds already cost more than owning the stack.
Is Medusa.js production-ready for B2B?
Yes, when the B2B rules are designed up front. Medusa.js provides customer groups, price lists, sales channels and inventory; company accounts, approvals and quotes are built as modules on top.
Can I move from Shopify to open-source headless without losing SEO?
Yes, with a 1:1 redirect map from Search Console data, content parity and 30 days of indexation monitoring after cutover.
- Open source removes licence cost, not operating cost
- Medusa.js makes sense when you need your own logic and lock-in is a real problem
- A Shopify migration has to protect SEO and the data model from day one