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Medusa vs Spree Commerce

Medusa logo

Medusa

Software

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spree Commerce logo

Spree Commerce

Software

Complete open source ecommerce solution

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; Spree Commerce multi-vendor marketplace, B2B commerce and multi-tenant white label modules are Enterprise Edition only and licensed separately from the open source core
  • They diverge on capability: Medusa covers Open source, Spree Commerce covers Multi-store support.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medusa and Spree Commerce actually diverge.

Attributes where Medusa and Spree Commerce differ
AttributeMedusaSpree Commerce
Founded20202007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Spree Commerce

  • Multi-store support
  • Multi-currency
  • Multi-language
  • REST API
  • GraphQL support
  • Mobile-ready
  • SEO optimization
  • Flexible taxonomy

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

Spree Commerce

  • Self hosting an open source Rails ecommerce storefront and APInot Medusa
  • Building a headless commerce backend behind a custom frontendnot Medusa
  • Running a multi vendor marketplace or B2B store on the Enterprise modulesnot 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

Spree Commerce

  • Multi-vendor marketplace, B2B commerce and multi-tenant white label modules are Enterprise Edition only and licensed separately from the open source core
  • Enterprise Edition pricing is quoted per customer depending on modules and scale, with no published rate
  • Support with guaranteed response times and a success manager comes only with Enterprise Edition
  • The free Community Edition is self hosted, so hosting, upgrades and Ruby on Rails maintenance are the operator's responsibility

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

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

Spree Commerce

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full platform access
    • Community support
    • All core features
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Premium support
    • Custom development
    • SLA guarantees

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 Spree Commerce if

  • You need multi-store support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want multi-currency.
Spree Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or Spree Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at Free and Spree Commerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or Spree Commerce?
Medusa starts at Free and Spree Commerce at Free.
Does Medusa or Spree Commerce 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 Spree Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that Spree Commerce cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system. Spree Commerce covers Multi-store support, Multi-currency, Multi-language, REST API.
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