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E-Commerce · head to head

KORONA POS vs OpenCart

KORONA POS logo

KORONA POS

E-Commerce

Cloud-based retail POS system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenCart logo

OpenCart

E-Commerce

Self-hosted open source shopping cart written in PHP, released under the MIT licence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: KORONA POS inventory counts and stock management require the $79 Retail plan, so the $59 Core plan is checkout without stock control; OpenCart extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • They diverge on capability: KORONA POS covers Point of sale, OpenCart covers MIT licensed source.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KORONA POS and OpenCart actually diverge.

Attributes where KORONA POS and OpenCart differ
AttributeKORONA POSOpenCart
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Founded20042009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

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 KORONA POS

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Employee management
  • Customer database
  • Sales analytics
  • Loyalty programs
  • Multi-location support
  • Mobile POS

Only in OpenCart

  • MIT licensed source
  • Self-hosted PHP and MySQL
  • No transaction fees
  • Multi-store
  • Extension marketplace
  • Multi-currency and multi-language
  • OCMod modification system
  • Full data access

What people use each for

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

KORONA POS

  • Point of sale and inventory management for retail storesnot OpenCart
  • Multi location retail with stock control and reportingnot OpenCart

OpenCart

  • A merchant with volume high enough that a percentage transaction fee costs more than a developernot KORONA POS
  • An agency building client stores where the client must own the code and the data outrightnot KORONA POS
  • A store with unusual catalogue or pricing logic that a hosted platform will not permitnot KORONA POS
  • Selling in a market where the local payment gateway is not supported by the mainstream SaaS platformsnot KORONA POS

Where each one falls short

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

KORONA POS

  • Inventory counts and stock management require the $79 Retail plan, so the $59 Core plan is checkout without stock control
  • Five separate modules are charged on top of the plan, at $10 per terminal for food service, $10 per terminal for invoicing, $50 per gate for ticketing, $30 per franchise and $45 per token for custom API integrations
  • Integration pricing is per token rather than per account, so several integrations multiply the cost
  • Advanced stock management and movement reporting require the $99 Plus plan

OpenCart

  • Extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • Major version upgrades have broken third party extension compatibility, so moving between them means re-purchasing or re-commissioning modules and effectively rebuilding parts of the store rather than clicking update.
  • Hosting, patching, backups and PCI scope are all your responsibility, so a security update you postpone is a breach you own, and there is no vendor obligation to notify or protect you.
  • Extension quality on the marketplace is uneven and modules are sold as one-off purchases with no guaranteed maintenance, so a module central to your store can simply stop being updated and leave you holding the code.
  • The core project is maintained by a very small team relative to the platforms it competes with, so security fixes, compatibility with new PHP versions and feature work all arrive at a pace you cannot influence or pay to accelerate.

Pricing, plan by plan

KORONA POS

Free
  • Core$59/month
    • Basic checkout
    • Product database
    • Sales reports
  • Retail$79/month
    • Inventory management
    • Real-time stock tracking
    • Customer management
  • Plus$99/month
    • ABC analysis
    • Multi-location tools
    • Assortment optimization

OpenCart

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Free support
    • Extensions available

Which should you pick?

Choose KORONA POS if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want inventory management.
KORONA POS review

Choose OpenCart if

  • You need mit licensed source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want self-hosted php and mysql.
OpenCart review

Questions people ask

Is KORONA POS or OpenCart better?
Neither clearly leads. KORONA POS starts at Free and OpenCart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KORONA POS or OpenCart?
KORONA POS starts at Free and OpenCart at Free.
Does KORONA POS or OpenCart run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use KORONA POS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is KORONA POS best used for?
KORONA POS is most often used for point of sale and inventory management for retail stores, multi location retail with stock control and reporting. Of those, point of sale and inventory management for retail stores and multi location retail with stock control and reporting are not what OpenCart is typically brought in for.
What can KORONA POS do that OpenCart cannot?
KORONA POS covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Employee management, Customer database. OpenCart covers MIT licensed source, Self-hosted PHP and MySQL, No transaction fees, Multi-store.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

KORONA POS: What does KORONA POS cost?

KORONA POS plans start at $59/month per terminal for Core, $79/month for Retail, and $99/month for Plus. All plans include 24/7 in-house support, unlimited users and sales, and open API access.

Source
OpenCart: Is OpenCart really free?

The software is MIT licensed with no paid edition. The costs are hosting, extensions, and a developer, and for a low volume store those can exceed a SaaS subscription.

KORONA POS: Does KORONA POS offer a free trial?

Yes, an unlimited free trial is available with no credit card required for signup.

Source
OpenCart: Does it charge transaction fees?

No. There is no platform cut and no surcharge for using your own payment gateway, which is the main financial argument for self-hosting at volume.

KORONA POS: What add-on modules are available?

Optional modules include KORONA Food ($10/register/month), KORONA Invoicing ($10/register/month), KORONA Ticketing ($50/entry gate/month), KORONA Franchise ($30/franchisee/month), and KORONA Integration ($45/token/month).

Source
OpenCart: How hard is customisation?

Theme changes are ordinary PHP templates and are approachable. Changing behaviour means the OCMod patching system, which conflicts between extensions and needs a developer.

KORONA POS: Is there a contract commitment for KORONA POS?

No, KORONA POS offers month-to-month subscriptions with no contracts. Annual plans receive discounts.

Source
OpenCart: What is the biggest hidden cost?

Upgrades. Version transitions have broken extension compatibility before, so budget for a partial rebuild rather than assuming updates are routine maintenance.

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