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Software · head to head

Medusa vs Shopkeep

Medusa logo

Medusa

Software

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopkeep logo

Shopkeep

Software

Cloud-based POS for small businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medusa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Medusa the managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage; Shopkeep unreliable inventory control across multiple locations
  • They diverge on capability: Medusa covers Open source, Shopkeep covers Point of sale.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medusa and Shopkeep actually diverge.

Attributes where Medusa and Shopkeep differ
AttributeMedusaShopkeep
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebiPad, Web
Founded20202008

Identical on both: 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 Shopkeep

  • Point of sale
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Customer profiles
  • Sales analytics
  • Employee management
  • Mobile POS
  • Reporting

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 Shopkeep
  • Running a self hosted or managed commerce API with a custom storefrontnot Shopkeep

Shopkeep

No use cases recorded yet. See the Shopkeep review.

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

Shopkeep

  • Unreliable inventory control across multiple locations
  • Cloud-dependent with no offline transaction processing capability
  • Dropped Bluetooth connections cause lost sales and payment processing failures

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

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

Shopkeep

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Shopkeep review.

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 Shopkeep if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on iPad, Web.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopkeep review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or Shopkeep better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at Free and Shopkeep at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or Shopkeep?
Medusa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medusa and $49/month for Shopkeep.
Does Medusa or Shopkeep run on more platforms?
Medusa runs on Web. Shopkeep runs on iPad, Web.
Can I use Medusa for free?
Yes. Medusa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopkeep starts at $49/month.
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 Shopkeep is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that Shopkeep cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system. Shopkeep covers Point of sale, Payment processing, Inventory management, Customer profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Shopkeep: How much does Shopkeep cost?

Shopkeep by Lightspeed pricing varies by plan. Customers must request quotes for current pricing, which has shifted since the Lightspeed acquisition.

Source
Shopkeep: What hardware does Shopkeep require?

Shopkeep operates on iPad tablets, cloud-based systems, and traditional cash register setups, requiring third-party hardware integration.

Source
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Related pages

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