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Medusa vs Sellfy

Medusa logo

Medusa

Software

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sellfy logo

Sellfy

Software

Ecommerce platform for creators and entrepreneurs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Medusa the managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage; Sellfy every plan caps annual sales volume: $10k on Starter, $50k on Business and $200k on Premium
  • They diverge on capability: Medusa covers Open source, Sellfy covers Physical & digital products.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medusa and Sellfy actually diverge.

Attributes where Medusa and Sellfy differ
AttributeMedusaSellfy
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Founded20202013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Medusa

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

Only in Sellfy

  • Physical & digital products
  • Membership/subscription sales
  • Email marketing
  • Marketing automation
  • Affiliate program
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • Multi-currency support

What people use each for

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

Medusa

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

Sellfy

  • Selling digital downloads, subscriptions or print on demand goods from a hosted storefrontnot Medusa
  • Running a small creator store without building a sitenot Medusa

Where each one falls short

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

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

Sellfy

  • Every plan caps annual sales volume: $10k on Starter, $50k on Business and $200k on Premium
  • Exceeding the cap forces a plan upgrade rather than an overage charge, so growth is a step change in cost
  • Maximum file size per digital product is tied to the plan, at 10 GB, 15 GB and 20 GB
  • Email marketing credits are metered per plan, from 2,000 to 50,000
  • Cart abandonment, upselling and the affiliate programme all require the Business plan
  • Payment processing fees from PayPal or Stripe are charged on top of the subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

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

Sellfy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited products
    • Basic store
    • Email support
  • Pro$29/month
    • All Free features
    • Custom domain
    • Email marketing

Which should you pick?

Choose Medusa if

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

Choose Sellfy if

  • You need physical & digital products.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want membership/subscription sales.
Sellfy review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or Sellfy better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at Free and Sellfy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or Sellfy?
Medusa starts at Free and Sellfy at Free.
Does Medusa or Sellfy run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Medusa for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Medusa best used for?
Medusa is most often used for building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platform, running a self hosted or managed commerce api with a custom storefront. Of those, building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platform and running a self hosted or managed commerce api with a custom storefront are not what Sellfy is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that Sellfy cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system. Sellfy covers Physical & digital products, Membership/subscription sales, Email marketing, Marketing automation.
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