Medusa vs Saleor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-commerce platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Medusa | Saleor |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 97 · Excellent |
| Category | E-commerce Platforms | E-commerce Platforms |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, kubernetes, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 36,440 | ★ 23,369 |
| First released | 2021 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Shopify, commercetools | Shopify, commercetools |
What are Medusa and Saleor?
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
Saleor
Saleor is a high-performance, GraphQL-first e-commerce platform built with Python and Django. It is designed for headless storefronts and offers a comprehensive dashboard, multichannel support, and a powerful API.
- GraphQL API throughout
- Multichannel commerce
- React-based dashboard
- Strong B2B and B2C support
Medusa vs Saleor: key differences
Medusa is written in TypeScript, while Saleor is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Medusa versus BSD-3-Clause for Saleor. Medusa is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Saleor. Saleor is the more established project (first released 2016), while Medusa arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose Medusa if…
- Highly customizable for developers
- Modern TypeScript codebase
Watch out for
- Requires development effort for storefront
- Less turnkey than hosted platforms
Choose Saleor if…
- Modern API-driven architecture
- Scalable for large catalogs
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Requires significant infrastructure
Frequently asked questions
Is Medusa or Saleor better?
Medusa is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Saleor if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Medusa and Saleor free and open-source?
Yes. Medusa is licensed under MIT and Saleor under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Medusa and Saleor with Docker?
Medusa: yes. Saleor: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Medusa or Saleor?
Medusa has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Saleor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.