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E-Commerce · head to head

Saleor vs Vendure

Saleor logo

Saleor

E-Commerce

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vendure logo

Vendure

E-Commerce

Modern headless GraphQL commerce framework

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Saleor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Vendure pricing is custom-quoted per project with no published tiers or starting price
  • They diverge on capability: Saleor covers Admin dashboard, Vendure covers TypeScript native.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Saleor and Vendure actually diverge.

Attributes where Saleor and Vendure differ
AttributeSaleorVendure
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, apiSelf-hosted, Vendure Cloud

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce), founded (2019).

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

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

Only in Vendure

  • TypeScript native
  • Plugin architecture
  • Admin UI
  • Multi-channel
  • Asset management
  • Order workflow
  • Faceted search

Both cover

  • GraphQL API

What people use each for

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

Saleor

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

Vendure

  • B2B complex commerce workflowsnot Saleor
  • Multi-brand and multi-currency operationsnot Saleor
  • Custom pricing and contract managementnot 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.

Vendure

  • Pricing is custom-quoted per project with no published tiers or starting price
  • Requires implementation partner or in-house development; no low-code or no-code option
  • GPLv3 free tier (Vendure Core) has different licensing than commercial product

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

Vendure

On request
  • Platform (Self-hosted)$null/annual
    • Flat annual subscription
    • No GMV, order, user, or capability-based charges
    • Complete Platform feature set
  • Vendure Cloud$null/annual
    • Managed platform option
    • Same Platform feature set as self-hosted
    • Pricing not specified on website

Which should you pick?

Choose Saleor if

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

Choose Vendure if

  • You need typescript native.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Vendure Cloud.
  • You also want plugin architecture.
Vendure review

Questions people ask

Is Saleor or Vendure better?
Neither clearly leads. Saleor starts at Free and Vendure at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Saleor or Vendure?
Saleor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Saleor and On request for Vendure.
Does Saleor or Vendure run on more platforms?
Saleor runs on web, api. Vendure runs on Self-hosted, Vendure Cloud.
Can I use Saleor for free?
Yes. Saleor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Vendure starts at On request.
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 Vendure is typically brought in for.
What can Saleor do that Vendure cannot?
Saleor covers Admin dashboard, Webhooks and apps, Omnichannel order processing, Configurator CLI. Vendure covers TypeScript native, Plugin architecture, Admin UI, Multi-channel. Both handle GraphQL API.

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
Vendure: How is Vendure priced?

Vendure uses flat annual pricing with no charges based on GMV, order volume, user count, or specific capabilities. Pricing is quoted individually per project based on business requirements.

Source
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
Vendure: Does Vendure charge for the runtime?

No additional fee is required for the Vendure runtime. Organizations can deploy it on their own infrastructure at no extra cost beyond the platform subscription.

Source
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
Vendure: What is included in Vendure's subscription?

The annual platform subscription includes B2B storefront capabilities, pricing engines, catalogs, search, integrations, operations, brands/markets management, platform support, security updates, quarterly roadmap calls, and commercial licensing with IP indemnification.

Source
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