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E-Commerce · head to head

Saleor vs Scribus

Saleor logo

Saleor

E-Commerce

Open-source, headless e-commerce platform with a GraphQL API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Scribus logo

Scribus

Publishing

Open-source desktop publishing and page layout

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Saleor saleor requires development resources to build a storefront, since it ships as an API-only backend without a front-end store out of the box.; Scribus the interface is dated and the learning curve steep even for people who know InDesign
  • They diverge on capability: Saleor covers GraphQL API, Scribus covers CMYK and spot colour.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Saleor and Scribus actually diverge.

Attributes where Saleor and Scribus differ
AttributeSaleorScribus
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, no licence fee
Platformsweb, apiWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryE-CommercePublishing
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Saleor

  • GraphQL API
  • Admin dashboard
  • Webhooks and apps
  • Omnichannel order processing
  • Configurator CLI
  • OpenTelemetry tracing
  • OpenID Connect support

Only in Scribus

  • CMYK and spot colour
  • PDF/X export
  • ICC colour management
  • Master pages and styles

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Saleor

  • Custom headless storefrontsnot Scribus
  • Composable commerce architecturesnot Scribus
  • Omnichannel retail and B2B commercenot Scribus
  • Developer-built e-commerce requiring deep API accessnot Scribus

Scribus

  • Newsletters, brochures and books produced without a licence budgetnot Saleor
  • Nonprofits and community groups needing press-ready outputnot Saleor
  • Anyone who needs PDF/X and CMYK rather than screen-only PDFnot Saleor

Where each one falls short

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

Saleor

  • Saleor requires development resources to build a storefront, since it ships as an API-only backend without a front-end store out of the box.
  • Self-hosting requires managing infrastructure, scaling, and updates, which adds operational overhead compared to fully managed platforms.
  • Saleor Cloud's paid tiers start at $1,599/month, making the managed offering costly for small merchants compared to typical SaaS store builders.
  • The GraphQL-first, code-driven approach has a steeper learning curve for non-technical users than drag-and-drop e-commerce builders.

Scribus

  • The interface is dated and the learning curve steep even for people who know InDesign
  • No native support for InDesign files, so migrating existing layouts means rebuilding them
  • Typography controls and text handling are weaker than the commercial alternatives
  • Development is slow, and long gaps between stable releases are normal

Pricing, plan by plan

Saleor

Free
  • Sandboxes (Cloud)Free
    • Free forever tier for prototyping and development
  • Select (Cloud)$1599/month
    • Up to $200,000 GMV monthly
    • 0.8% fee on orders exceeding GMV limit
    • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Volume (Cloud)$3999/month
    • Up to $1,000,000 GMV monthly
    • 0.4% fee on orders exceeding GMV limit
    • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Enterprise (Cloud)$undefined/mo
    • Custom GMV limits
    • Fees negotiable as low as 0.2%
    • Project delivery lead

Scribus

Free
  • ScribusFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Saleor if

  • You need graphql api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want admin dashboard.
Saleor review

Choose Scribus if

  • You need cmyk and spot colour.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want pdf/x export.
Scribus review

Questions people ask

Is Saleor or Scribus better?
Neither clearly leads. Saleor starts at Free and Scribus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Saleor or Scribus?
Saleor starts at Free and Scribus at Free.
Does Saleor or Scribus run on more platforms?
Saleor runs on web, api. Scribus runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Saleor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Saleor best used for?
Saleor is most often used for custom headless storefronts, composable commerce architectures, omnichannel retail and b2b commerce, developer-built e-commerce requiring deep api access. Of those, custom headless storefronts and composable commerce architectures are not what Scribus is typically brought in for.
What can Saleor do that Scribus cannot?
Saleor covers GraphQL API, Admin dashboard, Webhooks and apps, Omnichannel order processing. Scribus covers CMYK and spot colour, PDF/X export, ICC colour management, Master pages and styles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Saleor: Is Saleor free to use?

Yes. Saleor is open source under the BSD-3-Clause license and can be self-hosted for free. Saleor Cloud also offers a free Sandboxes tier for prototyping and development.

Source
Scribus: Is Scribus free?

Yes, open source under the GPL, free for commercial work.

Saleor: How much does Saleor Cloud cost?

Saleor Cloud paid plans start at $1,599/month for the Select plan (up to $200,000 monthly GMV), with Volume at $3,999/month and custom Enterprise pricing for larger merchants.

Source
Scribus: Can Scribus open InDesign files?

No. There is no native INDD support, so existing layouts have to be rebuilt.

Saleor: Does Saleor provide a storefront out of the box?

No. Saleor is an API-only, headless commerce backend built on GraphQL; storefronts must be built separately using the API and are not bundled with the platform.

Source
Scribus: Is it good enough for commercial printing?

Yes. CMYK, spot colours, ICC profiles and PDF/X export cover what commercial printers require.

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