SHSelfHostIndex

Shopizer vs Solidus

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?
SH Shopizer Java-based open-source e-commerce and shopping cart software VS SO Solidus Free open-source Rails commerce platform
FeatureShopizerSolidus
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score20 · At risk90 · Excellent
CategoryE-commerce PlatformsE-commerce Platforms
LicenseApache-2.0BSD-3-Clause
LanguageJavaRuby
Setup difficultyMediumHard
Min. RAM1,024 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentdocker, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 3,941★ 5,333
First released20102015
ReplacesMagento, Broadleaf CommerceShopify, Magento

What are Shopizer and Solidus?

Shopizer

Shopizer is an open-source e-commerce platform written in Java that provides a REST API for catalogs, orders, payments, and shipping. It can power both headless storefronts and a bundled reference shop.

  • REST-first architecture
  • Multi-store support
  • Pluggable payment modules
  • Headless or bundled UI

Solidus

Solidus is a free, open-source e-commerce platform built with Ruby on Rails. It is a community-maintained fork of Spree focused on stability, security, and customization for high-volume stores.

  • Stable Rails engine architecture
  • Strong upgrade path
  • Highly customizable
  • Active community governance

Read the full Solidus guide →

Shopizer vs Solidus: key differences

Shopizer is written in Java, while Solidus is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Shopizer versus BSD-3-Clause for Solidus. Shopizer is the more established project (first released 2010), while Solidus arrived in 2015.

Why pick each one

Choose Shopizer if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (3.9k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Java
Shopizer details

Choose Solidus if…

  • Reliable for high-volume stores
  • Good security focus

Watch out for

  • Rails knowledge required
  • No managed hosting option
Solidus details

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopizer or Solidus better?

Neither is universally better. Solidus has the larger community, while Shopizer is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Shopizer and Solidus free and open-source?

Yes. Shopizer is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Solidus under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Shopizer and Solidus with Docker?

Shopizer: yes. Solidus: yes.

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