Medusa
A headless commerce platform for developers who want to build a custom online store.
37.0k GitHub stars · Mixed or custom · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Open-source and self-hosted alternatives to Shopify
Online stores you own. WooCommerce plugs into WordPress; Medusa and Saleor are headless engines that need a developer to build the storefront.
Category: E-commerce · GitHub data as of Oct 29, 2026 · FAQ · Cost & self-hosting
| Project | What it is | License | GitHub stars | Last release | Runs as | Hosted plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medusa Active Mixed or custom | A headless commerce platform for developers who want to build a custom online store. | Mixed or custom | 37.0k | Oct 23, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Yes, from the project |
| Saleor Active BSD-3-Clause | A headless e-commerce platform with a GraphQL API. | BSD-3-Clause | 23.5k | Oct 28, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Yes, from the project |
| WooCommerce Active GPL-2.0 | A customizable, open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress. Build any commerce solution you can imagine. | GPL-2.0 | 10.6k | Oct 29, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
| PrestaShop Active Mixed or custom | PrestaShop is the universal open-source software platform to build your e-commerce solution. | Mixed or custom | 9.2k | Sep 30, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
Are they still maintained?
4 of 4 Shopify alternatives here had a code push or release in the last 180 days (checked Oct 29, 2026).
- Medusa: active, last activity Oct 29, 2026 (0 days ago)
- Saleor: active, last activity Oct 29, 2026 (0 days ago)
- WooCommerce: active, last activity Oct 29, 2026 (0 days ago)
- PrestaShop: active, last activity Oct 29, 2026 (0 days ago)
See every project in the "Is it still maintained?" tracker →
What switching from Shopify costs
Shopify: current plans and prices are on Shopify's pricing page.
| Alternative | How you run it | Software cost | What you pay for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medusa | Your server, or the project's hosted plan | $0 (Mixed or custom, check terms) | A server you rent (or own), or the project's paid hosted plan. |
| Saleor | Your server, or the project's hosted plan | $0 (BSD-3-Clause) | A server you rent (or own), or the project's paid hosted plan. |
| WooCommerce | Your server | $0 (GPL-2.0) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
| PrestaShop | Your server | $0 (Mixed or custom, check terms) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
Self-hosting basics: Medusa, Saleor, WooCommerce and PrestaShop need a server, which can be a small cloud server or a spare machine at home. For a sense of scale, DigitalOcean's price list shows a 1 GiB server at $6/month and 2 GiB at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size, and budget time for updates and backups.
Don't want to run a server? Medusa and Saleor offer a hosted plan run by the project itself. Prices change, so check each project's site.
License check: Medusa and PrestaShop do not use a single standard open-source license that GitHub can detect. Read the license before using them in a business.
The options in more detail
Saleor
A headless e-commerce platform with a GraphQL API.
23.5k GitHub stars · BSD-3-Clause · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
WooCommerce
A customizable, open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress. Build any commerce solution you can imagine.
10.6k GitHub stars · GPL-2.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
PrestaShop
PrestaShop is the universal open-source software platform to build your e-commerce solution.
9.2k GitHub stars · Mixed or custom · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Shopify alternatives: common questions
What is the best open-source alternative to Shopify?
It depends on how you use Shopify. Of the 4 options here, Medusa is the most followed on GitHub (37.0k stars) and is actively maintained, with its latest release on Oct 23, 2026.
Is there a self-hosted Shopify alternative?
Yes. Medusa, Saleor, WooCommerce and PrestaShop run on a server you control, so your data stays with you. If you'd rather not run a server, Medusa and Saleor also offer a hosted plan from the people who make them.
Is there a free alternative to Shopify?
Yes. Every project on this page can be downloaded and used at no cost from its public repository. Server apps are free software, but you pay for the server they run on. Check the license of Medusa and PrestaShop before using them in a business.
Are these Shopify alternatives still maintained?
As of Oct 29, 2026, 4 of 4 had a code push or release in the last 180 days. None are flagged as inactive or archived. We re-check every project weekly.
How much does it cost to switch from Shopify?
The software itself is free. For server apps, the main cost is hosting: as a reference point, DigitalOcean lists a 1 GiB server at $6/month and a 2 GiB server at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size. The hidden cost is time: moving your data and, for self-hosted apps, keeping up with updates and backups.
Are all of these really open source?
Not all under a standard license. Medusa: GitHub could not identify a single standard license for this repository (often a mix of open-source and commercial parts). Read the LICENSE file before using it. PrestaShop: GitHub could not identify a single standard license for this repository (often a mix of open-source and commercial parts). Read the LICENSE file before using it. The others use OSI-approved open-source licenses.
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