Softwr

E-commerce & Retail · head to head

Medusa vs Shopware

Medusa logo

Medusa

E-commerce & Retail

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopware logo

Shopware

E-commerce & Retail

Explore the open-source commerce platform, backed by our global community

From
On request
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; Shopware rise tier starts at 600 euro per month and Evolve at 2,400 euro per month, both excluding VAT, so pricing is published in euros only and not converted for other regions

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medusa and Shopware actually diverge.

Attributes where Medusa and Shopware differ
AttributeMedusaShopware
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-commerce & Retail).

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 Shopware

Nothing recorded that Medusa does not also cover.

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

Shopware

No use cases recorded yet. See the Shopware 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

Shopware

  • Rise tier starts at 600 euro per month and Evolve at 2,400 euro per month, both excluding VAT, so pricing is published in euros only and not converted for other regions
  • Beyond, the top tier with digital sales rooms, multi-inventory and customer-specific pricing, is custom priced and requires contacting sales
  • The Shopware Intelligence+ AI add-on is billed separately at 29 euro per month on Community Edition or 19 euro per month on paid tiers, on top of the plan price

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

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

Shopware

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Shopware 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 Shopware if

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

Shopware review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or Shopware better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at Free and Shopware at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or Shopware?
Medusa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medusa and On request for Shopware.
Does Medusa or Shopware 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. Shopware starts at On request.
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 Shopware is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that Shopware cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system.
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