Medusa Next.js Starter vs OpenCart
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-commerce platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Medusa Next.js Starter
Production-ready storefront template for Medusa
VS
OpenCart
Free PHP-based shopping cart system
| Feature | Medusa Next.js Starter | OpenCart |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-commerce Platforms | E-commerce Platforms |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,796 | ★ 8,174 |
| First released | 2022 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Shopify themes, Saleor Storefront | Shopify, Wix Stores |
Why pick each one
Choose Medusa Next.js Starter if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Medusa Next.js Starter or OpenCart better?
OpenCart is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Medusa Next.js Starter if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Medusa Next.js Starter and OpenCart free and open-source?
Yes. Medusa Next.js Starter is licensed under MIT and OpenCart under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Medusa Next.js Starter and OpenCart with Docker?
Medusa Next.js Starter: yes. OpenCart: yes.