unsubbed.co
Categories / ecommerce

Medusa

Open-source headless commerce engine built for developers who need full control over their storefront

MIT Medusa GitHub stars Medusa latest release Medusa last commit Website ↗

Overview

Medusa is an open-source headless commerce engine that gives you the backend power of Shopify with none of the lock-in. Built with Node.js and TypeScript, Medusa provides a modular commerce API that you can extend with plugins for payments (Stripe, PayPal), fulfillment, notifications, and more.

Unlike Shopify, you own your data, pay zero transaction fees, and can build any storefront experience using your preferred frontend framework. The trade-off: you need developer resources to build and maintain your store.

Key Features

  • Headless Commerce API — RESTful and fully documented
  • Multi-currency — Sell in any currency with automatic conversion
  • Plugin System — Payments, fulfillment, notifications, and custom plugins
  • Product Variants — Complex product configurations with pricing rules
  • Order Management — Full order lifecycle with returns and exchanges
  • Admin Dashboard — Built-in admin panel for managing products and orders

Pricing: Self-Hosted vs Shopify

Users Shopify Medusa (self-hosted) Savings
$10K/mo revenue $79/mo + 2.9% fees $10/mo (VPS) $359/mo
$50K/mo revenue $79/mo + 2.9% fees $20/mo (VPS) $1,509/mo
$100K/mo revenue $299/mo + 2.6% fees $20/mo (VPS) $2,879/mo
$500K/mo revenue $299/mo + 2.6% fees $40/mo (VPS) $13,259/mo

Pros

  • + Zero transaction fees on self-hosted
  • + Headless architecture — any frontend framework
  • + Rich plugin ecosystem with payment and fulfillment integrations
  • + Multi-region and multi-currency built-in
  • + Active open-source community with frequent releases

Cons

  • - Requires developer skills — not a drag-and-drop builder
  • - Needs separate frontend build (Next.js, Gatsby, etc.)
  • - Docker deployment requires 4GB+ RAM
  • - No built-in storefront theme — you build your own

Deployment Options for Medusa

🐳

Docker

Self-host with Docker Compose

🚀

Coolify

One-click via Coolify panel

☁️

Elestio

Managed hosting from $9/mo

🫛

PikaPods

Simple managed hosting

Need help deploying Medusa? We offer turnkey deployment and migration services. Learn more at upready.dev →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Medusa replace Shopify?
For developer-led teams, yes. Medusa covers products, orders, payments, fulfillment, and multi-currency. You lose Shopify's drag-and-drop theme builder and app store, but gain full control and zero transaction fees.
What payment providers does Medusa support?
Stripe, PayPal, Klarna, and manual payments out of the box. Additional providers available via community plugins.
Is there a Shopify migration path?
Yes. Medusa has a Shopify import plugin that migrates products, variants, collections, and images. Customer and order history requires custom migration scripts.
What frontend should I use with Medusa?
Medusa provides a Next.js starter storefront. You can also use Gatsby, Remix, or any framework that can consume a REST API.

Our Verdict

Medusa is an open-source headless commerce engine that gives you the backend power of Shopify with none of the lock-in. Built with Node.js and TypeScript, Medusa provides a modular commerce API that y...

Best for: Developer-led e-commerce teams who want full control over their storefront and zero transaction fees

Compare Medusa

Saleor vs Medusa

Medusa for Node.js/TypeScript teams wanting a simpler plugin ecosystem. Saleor for Python/Django teams needing strong multi-channel and multi-currency support out of the box.
Shopify vs Medusa

Medusa wins for developer-led teams who want zero transaction fees and full customization. Shopify is better for non-technical merchants who need a complete, managed solution with a theme store.