Medusa vs Shopware
Compare Medusa and Shopware on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
Medusa
Headless JS commerce — MIT OSS free; Cloud Develop $29, Launch $99 highlighted, Scale $299, Enterprise custom. No GMV tax.
Best for
- • JS teams building headless storefronts
- • SMBs to mid-market brands that will self-host or buy Cloud Launch
- • Buyers comparing Saleor’s higher Cloud floors
Starting from $0.00/user/mo
Free plan available
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between Medusa and Shopware. Choose Medusa when JS teams building headless storefronts. Choose Shopware when Mid-market EU/global merchants wanting modern open-source commerce. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Choose Medusa if: JS teams building headless storefronts
Choose Shopware if: Mid-market EU/global merchants wanting modern open-source commerce
Shopware
Symfony open-source commerce — Community Edition free (Fair Usage ~€1M GMV); Rise from ~$660/mo; Evolve from €2400/mo; Beyond quote.
Best for
- • Mid-market EU/global merchants wanting modern open-source commerce
- • Teams with Symfony/PHP capacity or a Shopware partner
- • Catalogs that outgrew Woo simplicity but do not want Magento TCO
Starting from $0.00/user/mo
Free plan available
Feature comparison
Grouped feature support from verified product research for Medusa and Shopware.
Platform
| Feature | Medusa | Shopware | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI assistance | Strong | Moderate | Medusa |
Additional capabilities
| Feature | Medusa | Shopware | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online storefront | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Product catalog | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Checkout & payments | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Order management | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Inventory management | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Shipping & fulfillment | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| POS & omnichannel | Moderate | Moderate | Tie |
| Marketplace & sales channels | Moderate | Moderate | Tie |
| B2B / wholesale | Moderate | Strong | Shopware |
| Marketing automation | Moderate | Moderate | Tie |
| Analytics & reporting | Strong | Strong | Tie |
| Dropshipping sourcing | Moderate | Moderate | Tie |
| App / extension ecosystem | Strong | Strong | Tie |
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