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E-Commerce · head to head

OpenCart vs Spree Commerce

OpenCart logo

OpenCart

E-Commerce

Self-hosted open source shopping cart written in PHP, released under the MIT licence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spree Commerce logo

Spree Commerce

E-Commerce

Complete open source ecommerce solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenCart extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.; 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: OpenCart covers MIT licensed source, Spree Commerce covers Multi-store support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where OpenCart and Spree Commerce differ
AttributeOpenCartSpree Commerce
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
Founded20092007

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

  • MIT licensed source
  • Self-hosted PHP and MySQL
  • No transaction fees
  • Multi-store
  • Extension marketplace
  • Multi-currency and multi-language
  • OCMod modification system
  • Full data access

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.

OpenCart

  • A merchant with volume high enough that a percentage transaction fee costs more than a developernot Spree Commerce
  • An agency building client stores where the client must own the code and the data outrightnot Spree Commerce
  • A store with unusual catalogue or pricing logic that a hosted platform will not permitnot Spree Commerce
  • Selling in a market where the local payment gateway is not supported by the mainstream SaaS platformsnot Spree Commerce

Spree Commerce

  • E-commerce platforms with zero platform fees and no vendor lock-innot OpenCart
  • Self-hosted shopping experiences on AWS, GCP, Azure, or on-premise infrastructurenot OpenCart
  • Deployments requiring predictable costs that don't scale with revenuenot OpenCart

Where each one falls short

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

OpenCart

  • Extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • Major version upgrades have broken third party extension compatibility, so moving between them means re-purchasing or re-commissioning modules and effectively rebuilding parts of the store rather than clicking update.
  • Hosting, patching, backups and PCI scope are all your responsibility, so a security update you postpone is a breach you own, and there is no vendor obligation to notify or protect you.
  • Extension quality on the marketplace is uneven and modules are sold as one-off purchases with no guaranteed maintenance, so a module central to your store can simply stop being updated and leave you holding the code.
  • The core project is maintained by a very small team relative to the platforms it competes with, so security fixes, compatibility with new PHP versions and feature work all arrive at a pace you cannot influence or pay to accelerate.

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

OpenCart

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Free support
    • Extensions available

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 OpenCart if

  • You need mit licensed source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want self-hosted php and mysql.
OpenCart 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 OpenCart or Spree Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenCart 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, OpenCart or Spree Commerce?
OpenCart starts at Free and Spree Commerce at Free.
Does OpenCart or Spree Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use OpenCart for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is OpenCart best used for?
OpenCart is most often used for a merchant with volume high enough that a percentage transaction fee costs more than a developer, an agency building client stores where the client must own the code and the data outright, a store with unusual catalogue or pricing logic that a hosted platform will not permit, selling in a market where the local payment gateway is not supported by the mainstream saas platforms. Of those, a merchant with volume high enough that a percentage transaction fee costs more than a developer and an agency building client stores where the client must own the code and the data outright are not what Spree Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can OpenCart do that Spree Commerce cannot?
OpenCart covers MIT licensed source, Self-hosted PHP and MySQL, No transaction fees, Multi-store. Spree Commerce covers Multi-store support, Multi-currency, Multi-language, REST API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenCart: Is OpenCart really free?

The software is MIT licensed with no paid edition. The costs are hosting, extensions, and a developer, and for a low volume store those can exceed a SaaS subscription.

Spree Commerce: Is Spree Commerce free?

Yes, Spree Commerce is free and open source under a BSD 3-Clause license. The core platform has zero platform fees and no GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) cuts or transaction fees, and sandbox access is free without requiring a credit card.

Source
OpenCart: Does it charge transaction fees?

No. There is no platform cut and no surcharge for using your own payment gateway, which is the main financial argument for self-hosting at volume.

Spree Commerce: What is Spree Commerce's pricing model?

Spree Commerce operates as free open-source software. Users self-host on their choice of infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure, or on-premise), so costs are based on the hosting infrastructure selected rather than platform subscription fees. An Enterprise Edition is available with optional dedicated support, but specific pricing is not published.

Source
OpenCart: How hard is customisation?

Theme changes are ordinary PHP templates and are approachable. Changing behaviour means the OCMod patching system, which conflicts between extensions and needs a developer.

Spree Commerce: Are there transaction fees with Spree Commerce?

No, Spree Commerce charges zero transaction fees. Unlike SaaS e-commerce platforms that take a percentage of sales, Spree offers predictable costs that don't scale with revenue, giving merchants full control over their margins.

Source
OpenCart: What is the biggest hidden cost?

Upgrades. Version transitions have broken extension compatibility before, so budget for a partial rebuild rather than assuming updates are routine maintenance.

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