Medusa vs Saleor
Self-host pick — both replace Shopify (Ecommerce platform).
Both Medusa and Saleor self-host as a replacement for Shopify (Ecommerce platform). Pick Medusa if you want a MIT-licensed codebase (MIT); pick Saleor for BSD (BSD-3-Clause). Both run in roughly the same cost bracket — $10-20 vps for early-stage stores; pricing scales with payment-provider fees, not platform vs $15-25 vps — python + graphql + postgres + redis.
| Medusaopen-source | Saleoropen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Setup time | 20min (Node.js + Postgres + Redis) | 30min docker-compose |
| Monthly cost | $10-20 VPS for early-stage stores; pricing scales with payment-provider fees, not platform. | $15-25 VPS — Python + GraphQL + Postgres + Redis. |
| GitHub | medusajs/medusa | saleor/saleor |
| Replaces | Shopify | Shopify |
Good fit for
Medusa
Devs building custom storefronts who want headless commerce with a JS/TS stack.
Weak at:App ecosystem is much smaller than Shopify; you build / glue features Shopify gives free.
Saleor
Teams that want a GraphQL-first headless commerce stack with channel-based multi-store.
Weak at:Heavier ops (Python + Celery + Postgres + Redis); learning curve is steeper.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli shopify prints Shopify's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Medusa or Saleor?
Medusa: 20min (Node.js + Postgres + Redis). Saleor: 30min docker-compose.
What does each cost to run?
Medusa: $10-20 VPS for early-stage stores; pricing scales with payment-provider fees, not platform.. Saleor: $15-25 VPS — Python + GraphQL + Postgres + Redis.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Medusa and Saleor replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Shopify.