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E-Commerce · head to head

Medusa vs Squarespace Commerce

Medusa logo

Medusa

E-Commerce

Open source Shopify alternative

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Squarespace Commerce logo

Squarespace Commerce

E-Commerce

All-in-one website builder and ecommerce platform

From
On request
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; Squarespace Commerce the entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing
  • They diverge on capability: Medusa covers Open source, Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Medusa and Squarespace Commerce differ
AttributeMedusaSquarespace Commerce
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Founded20202003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Medusa

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

Only in Squarespace Commerce

  • Website builder
  • Ecommerce platform
  • Mobile optimization
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Domain registration
  • SSL certificate
  • Customer accounts

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

Squarespace Commerce

  • Website building and hostingnot Medusa
  • eCommerce and online store managementnot Medusa
  • Digital content and membership salesnot Medusa
  • Service booking and schedulingnot 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

Squarespace Commerce

  • The entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing
  • Digital content and membership sales carry their own fee, up to 7% on the lowest tier
  • The entry plan is limited to 2 contributors
  • Reaching a 0% transaction fee requires moving up from the entry plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

$29/month
  • Develop$29/month
    • Base cloud hosting
    • Commerce features included
    • No GMV-tax
  • Launch$99/month
    • Enhanced features
    • No GMV-tax
  • Scale$299/month
    • Advanced features
    • No GMV-tax
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom configuration

Squarespace Commerce

On request
  • Basic Plan$null/month
    • Designer templates included
    • Drag-and-drop editor
    • Free custom domain (annual plans only)
  • Standard Plan$null/month
    • All Basic features
    • Transaction fees: reduced rates
    • Gift cards and invoicing
  • Advanced Plan$null/month
    • All Standard features
    • Further reduced transaction fees
    • Point-of-sale capability
  • Premium Plan$null/month
    • All Advanced features
    • Lowest credit card processing rates (0% transaction fees for digital/memberships)
    • Dedicated Customer Success Manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Medusa if

  • You need open source.
  • You also want modular architecture.
Medusa review

Choose Squarespace Commerce if

  • You need website builder.
  • You also want ecommerce platform.
Squarespace Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or Squarespace Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at $29/month and Squarespace Commerce at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or Squarespace Commerce?
Medusa starts at $29/month and Squarespace Commerce at On request.
Does Medusa or Squarespace Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Squarespace Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that Squarespace Commerce cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system. Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, Ecommerce platform, Mobile optimization, Email marketing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Medusa: What does Medusa charge for additional team members?

Additional seats on the Medusa Cloud development platform cost $30 per seat per month. Unlimited users can access the Medusa Admin Dashboard at no additional cost for commerce operations.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: How much does Squarespace cost?

Squarespace does not publish specific plan prices on their pricing page. Four tiers (Basic, Standard, Advanced, Premium) are listed with descriptions of features and benefits. Annual subscriptions offer up to 36% savings compared to monthly billing.

Source
Medusa: Are there usage-based charges beyond the base Medusa plan price?

Yes. Beyond base plan costs, Medusa charges for edge request overages at $0.30 per 1M requests, email overages at $0.70 per 1,000 emails, data transfer at $0.125 per GB, and database storage at $0.50 per GB-month.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: Does Squarespace offer a free trial?

Yes, Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. You can upgrade to a paid plan at any time during or after your trial, and there are no long-term contracts required.

Source
Medusa: Can I cancel my Medusa subscription at any time?

Yes, users can cancel their Medusa subscription anytime. Plans are billed monthly in advance, with flex usage charges from the previous month added to the next invoice.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: What are Squarespace's transaction fees?

Transaction fees start at 2% on the Basic plan and decrease as you upgrade, reaching 0% for digital content and memberships on the Premium tier. Card processing rates also decrease by tier, reaching the lowest rates on Premium.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: How many AI credits does each Squarespace plan include?

AI credits range from 10 to 120 monthly depending on the plan tier, but specific allocations per plan are not detailed on the public pricing page.

Source
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