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Medusa

Open-source Shopify alternative for commerce

Self-Hosted BackendsFree Tier AvailableE-commerce developers
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Overview

Medusa is an open-source headless commerce platform that provides a complete e-commerce backend with APIs for managing products, orders, customers, and fulfillment. Built with Node.js and TypeScript, it offers a modular architecture where everything is a plugin, making it highly customizable. What sets Medusa apart from traditional e-commerce platforms is its developer-first approach - you get full control over your commerce logic while Medusa handles the complex parts like inventory management, payment processing, and order workflows. The platform includes a beautiful admin dashboard, REST and GraphQL APIs, and integrations with payment providers like Stripe and PayPal. Medusa supports multi-currency, multi-region setups out of the box, making it perfect for global commerce. With features like discount engines, gift cards, and customer groups, it rivals Shopify's capabilities while remaining completely open-source and self-hostable. Ideal for custom e-commerce builds, subscription services, and marketplace platforms where flexibility is critical.

Features

Database: PostgreSQL
Authentication
File Storage
Cloud Functions
Realtime
GraphQL
REST API
Self-Hosted

Tech Stack

Node.jsTypeScriptPostgreSQL

Best For

E-commerceMarketplacesSubscription commerceCustom stores

Pricing

Free Tier:Yes
Starting Price:$0
Model:Free (self-hosted) or cloud plans

Details

Deployment:Self-hosted or Managed
Founded:2021
Backed By:Y Combinator

Compliance

PCI DSS readyGDPR

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Frequently Asked Questions about Medusa

What is Medusa?

Medusa is an open-source headless commerce platform that provides a complete e-commerce backend with APIs for managing products, orders, customers, and fulfillment. Built with Node.js and TypeScript, it offers a modular architecture where everything is a plugin, making it highly customizable. What sets Medusa apart from traditional e-commerce platforms is its developer-first approach - you get full control over your commerce logic while Medusa handles the complex parts like inventory management, payment processing, and order workflows. The platform includes a beautiful admin dashboard, REST and GraphQL APIs, and integrations with payment providers like Stripe and PayPal. Medusa supports multi-currency, multi-region setups out of the box, making it perfect for global commerce. With features like discount engines, gift cards, and customer groups, it rivals Shopify's capabilities while remaining completely open-source and self-hostable. Ideal for custom e-commerce builds, subscription services, and marketplace platforms where flexibility is critical.

Is Medusa free to use?

Yes, Medusa offers a free tier. Free (self-hosted) or cloud plans

What features does Medusa offer?

Medusa offers PostgreSQL database, authentication, file storage, cloud functions, GraphQL API, REST API, and more.

Can I self-host Medusa?

Yes, Medusa can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your infrastructure and data.

What is Medusa best for?

Medusa is particularly well-suited for e-commerce, marketplaces, subscription commerce, custom stores.