Shuup vs Thelia
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-commerce platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Shuup | Thelia |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 18 · At risk | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | E-commerce Platforms | E-commerce Platforms |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | LGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,401 | ★ 879 |
| First released | 2016 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Shopify, Magento | Shopify, PrestaShop |
What are Shuup and Thelia?
Shuup
Shuup is an open-source e-commerce platform built with Python and Django. It supports single and multi-vendor marketplaces with a modular addon system.
- Single and multi-vendor modes
- Django-based architecture
- Addon system
- Theming support
Thelia
Thelia is a free, open-source e-commerce and content management solution built on Symfony components. It is popular in France and offers a template-based theming system and module marketplace.
- Symfony-based core
- Smarty template engine
- Module marketplace
- Multi-domain support
Shuup vs Thelia: key differences
Shuup is written in Python, while Thelia is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Shuup versus LGPL-3.0 for Thelia. Thelia is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Shuup. Thelia is the more established project (first released 2013), while Shuup arrived in 2016. Shuup has the considerably larger community, at 2,401 GitHub stars versus 879. Shuup lists first-class Docker deployment; Thelia does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Shuup if…
- Good for marketplace builds
- Pythonic codebase
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Less active development
Choose Thelia if…
- Good documentation in French
- Flexible theming
Watch out for
- Limited adoption outside France
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Shuup or Thelia better?
Neither is universally better. Shuup has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Shuup and Thelia free and open-source?
Yes. Shuup is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Thelia under LGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Shuup and Thelia with Docker?
Shuup: yes. Thelia: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Shuup or Thelia?
Thelia has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Shuup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.