GrandNode vs Medusa
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-commerce platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Medusa
Composable commerce engine for developers
| Feature | GrandNode | Medusa |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 70 · Good | 99 · Excellent |
| Category | E-commerce Platforms | E-commerce Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C# | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,329 | ★ 36,430 |
| First released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Shopify, Magento | Shopify, commercetools |
What are GrandNode and Medusa?
GrandNode
GrandNode is an open-source, multi-store e-commerce platform built with ASP.NET Core and MongoDB. It supports B2B and B2C scenarios with a flexible catalog, multi-language and multi-currency, and a plugin architecture.
- ASP.NET Core based
- MongoDB storage
- Multi-store support
- Plugin architecture
Medusa
Medusa is a headless, open-source commerce platform written in JavaScript. It provides modular building blocks for building custom online stores, marketplaces, and B2B commerce experiences with a powerful admin and API.
- Headless commerce architecture
- Modular plugin system
- Built-in admin dashboard
- Multi-region and multi-currency
GrandNode vs Medusa: key differences
GrandNode is written in C#, while Medusa is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for GrandNode versus MIT for Medusa. Medusa is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for GrandNode. GrandNode is the more established project (first released 2017), while Medusa arrived in 2021. Medusa has the considerably larger community, at 36,430 GitHub stars versus 1,329.
Why pick each one
Choose GrandNode if…
- Scalable architecture
- B2B and B2C ready
Watch out for
- .NET hosting knowledge needed
- Heavier resource footprint
Choose Medusa if…
- Highly customizable for developers
- Modern TypeScript codebase
Watch out for
- Requires development effort for storefront
- Less turnkey than hosted platforms
Frequently asked questions
Is GrandNode or Medusa better?
Medusa is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider GrandNode if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GrandNode and Medusa free and open-source?
Yes. GrandNode is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Medusa under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GrandNode and Medusa with Docker?
GrandNode: yes. Medusa: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, GrandNode or Medusa?
Medusa has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for GrandNode. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.