Softwr

Software · head to head

Authorize.net vs Medusa

A

Authorize.net

Software

We help make it easy to get paid

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Medusa logo

Medusa

Software

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medusa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it; Medusa the managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authorize.net and Medusa actually diverge.

Attributes where Authorize.net and Medusa differ
AttributeAuthorize.netMedusa
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authorize.net

Nothing recorded that Medusa does not also cover.

Only in Medusa

  • Open source
  • Modular architecture
  • Multi-region support
  • Plugin system
  • Admin dashboard
  • Order management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Payment integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authorize.net

No use cases recorded yet. See the Authorize.net review.

Medusa

  • Building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platformnot Authorize.net
  • Running a self hosted or managed commerce API with a custom storefrontnot Authorize.net

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authorize.net

  • All-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it
  • eCheck processing carries its own $10 monthly minimum fee separate from the card processing charges

Medusa

  • The managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage
  • The Develop plan at $29 a month applies a hard limit of 1,000 emails, so it stops rather than bills
  • Compute hours are capped at 600 on Develop and 800 on Launch
  • Edge request overage is $0.3 per million and storage $0.5 per GB month above the plan allowance
  • Background workers and priority support require the Scale plan at $299 a month

Pricing, plan by plan

Authorize.net

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Authorize.net review.

Medusa

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full source code
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • Cloud$50/month
    • Managed hosting
    • Automatic updates
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Authorize.net if

Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from Medusa on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Authorize.net review

Choose Medusa if

  • You need open source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want modular architecture.
Medusa review

Questions people ask

Is Authorize.net or Medusa better?
Neither clearly leads. Authorize.net starts at On request and Medusa at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authorize.net or Medusa?
Medusa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Authorize.net and Free for Medusa.
Does Authorize.net or Medusa run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Medusa for free?
Yes. Medusa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Authorize.net starts at On request.
What can Authorize.net do that Medusa cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system.
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