8 Best open source ecommerce platforms to build your online store

Several companies find themselves stuck with ecommerce solutions that are restrictive, costly, or require paying extra charges to unlock valuable features.

When full ownership of your storefront and data is necessary, open-source ecommerce solutions are preferable.

Open source solutions give you the freedom to customize, host on your preferred server, retain full data ownership, and implement required features independently.

Below is a list of 8 best open source ecommerce solutions. Whether you’re opening your first online shop or are looking for another alternative solution, this article is for you.

What is an open-source e-commerce platform?

An open source ecommerce platform is software that lets you build and manage an online store while giving you access to its source code.

You can view, modify, and expand the code based on your store’s needs, as long as you follow the platform’s software license.

Unlike hosted platforms, an open source store builder or platform usually gives you more control over your store’s design, checkout, features, data, and hosting.

Key Characteristics

Full Customization: It is possible to modify the code to create checkout processes, special product variations, and specific backend integrations that align with your business logic.

Self-hosted solution: There is no need to pay monthly fees to a single provider, since you can download and install the app on your preferred web server.

No Licensing Fees: You do not have to pay to download the software because the software itself is free, although hosting costs may be involved.

Why businesses choose open source over hosted platforms

Ecommerce websites usually start with hosted solutions because they are fast to deploy. However, as the store expands, there may come a time when it needs greater flexibility and control at reduced cost.

That’s why they switch to an open-source, flexible ecommerce platform.

Using an open-source platform means you are in control of your store without being dependent on a single service provider. You will be able to customize every aspect of your online shopping experience and even choose your own hosting and other requirements.

Here are some of the main reasons why businesses choose an open source platform;

• Zero Platform Lock-in
• Infinite Customization
• No Revenue-Based Fees
• Deep System Integrations
• Advanced SEO Control
• Better long-term value

While the software is free, open source requires you to handle web hosting, PCI data security compliance, software updates, and bug fixes independently or through a hired development team.

Open source ecommerce platforms: Quick comparison

Now here is a quick comparison guide before we dive deep into these best open-source online store platforms.

Platform	Core Tech Stack	Best Suited For	Key Strength	Architecture Type
WooCommerce	PHP / WordPress	Small to medium shops	Massive plugin ecosystem	Monolithic
Magento Open Source	PHP / MySQL	Large, complex enterprises	High scalability & multi-store	Monolithic / Hybrid
Medusa	Node.js / TypeScript	JavaScript-focused developers	Ultra-fast headless engine	Headless (API-first)
PrestaShop	PHP / Symfony	European & global mid-market	Excellent multi-language out-of-the-box	Monolithic
Bagisto	PHP / Laravel	Multi-vendor marketplaces	Clean, modern PHP framework	headless, API-first e-commerce
OpenCart	PHP / MySQL	Budget-conscious beginners	Lightweight & easy to launch	Monolithic
Shopware	PHP / Symfony / Vue.js	Mid-to-large B2B & B2C	Built-in workflow automated tools	Hybrid / Headless
Saleor	Python / GraphQL / React	Next-gen multichannel brands	Ultra-fast GraphQL API	Headless (API-first)

Best 8 open source ecommerce platforms

Compare top open source ecommerce platforms in terms of functionality, flexibility, scalability, usability, and price to choose the best solution for your store.

1. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a free, open-source e-commerce platform built for WordPress. It lets you turn an existing WordPress website into a complete online store without changing your content management system.

You can sell physical products, digital downloads, subscriptions, bookings, and many other product types by adding extensions. Store owners have control over their hosting, checkout, customer data, payment methods, and website design.

This is a highly effective ecommerce solution for small and expanding companies that use WordPress, but a large number of plugins can complicate store maintenance.

Key open-source features;

100% Code Ownership & Flexibility

Because it is open-source, the core software is entirely free to download. You have full access to modify the CSS, HTML, and PHP code, allowing for limitless design and feature customization.

Complete Data Control

You retain full ownership of all customer data, inventory metrics, and financial records, without restrictions on how the data is hosted.

Limitless Scalability

Virtually anything can be sold through this platform; from physical products to digital products, subscriptions, memberships, and even bookable services.

Massive Extension & Plugin Ecosystem

The open source concept drives the existence of marketplaces which offer thousands of free and paid extensions that work perfectly with all major shipping carriers, accounting software, and more than 50 payment gateways including Stripe and PayPal.

Pricing

The core WooCommerce plugin is free with no monthly platform fee. Most stores still pay for hosting, which WooCommerce estimates at around $25 to $350 per month.

2. Magento Open Source

Magento Open Source is a powerful self-hosted ecommerce platform maintained as part of Adobe’s commerce ecosystem. The platform offers deep customization and can support stores with large product catalogs and more advanced selling requirements.

It also works with APIs and third-party integrations, making it useful for businesses that need custom systems or storefronts.

Magento Open Source usually requires experienced developers, strong hosting, and regular technical maintenance, so it is better suited to established businesses than complete beginners.

Key open-source features;

Product Catalog & Management

Offers unlimited product attributes, various types of products (simple, bundle, grouped, configurable), and sophisticated pricing strategies.

Integrated Checkout, Payment & Shipping

Comes with built-in configurations for major payment gateways (like PayPal and Braintree) and shipping methods, alongside seamless guest and registered checkout flows.

Multistore & Global Selling Capability

Manage multiple websites, stores, and store views from a single admin panel, with localized support for multiple currencies and languages.

WYSIWYG Page Builder

Utilize drag-and-drop tools to easily create and schedule customized web pages, blog posts, and landing pages without needing coding expertise.

Pricing

Magento Open Source is free to download and use, with no software license fee. However, businesses must pay for hosting, development, security, maintenance, themes, and extensions, which can make the total cost higher than simpler platforms.

3. Medusa

Medusa is a free and open-source headless e-commerce framework written using Node.js and TypeScript. It is a highly customizable, developer-centric e-commerce alternative to existing frameworks like Shopify.

Being headless allows it to separate the commerce logic on the backend from the frontend logic. This gives freedom to create unique user experiences at all possible channels, including the website and mobile app.

The platform suits headless stores and unconventional business models but requires knowledge of JavaScript for setup and management.

Key open-source features;

Headless & Composable Architecture

Medusa decouples the backend logic from the frontend. This allows developers to build storefronts with any framework (like Next.js, Remix, or Nuxt.js) and easily integrate third-party services (such as CMS platforms like Strapi).

Developer Experience (DX)

Built by developers for developers, Medusa provides pre-built modules for carts, checkout, order management, and customer accounts, saving teams from rewriting foundational commerce logic.

Multi-region & Multi-currency Support

Enables you to sell your products easily worldwide. You can implement local taxes, set different prices, and provide language or configuration options by region.

Advanced Promotion Engine

Native support for campaigns, customer-specific and B2B pricing tiers, gift cards, free shipping rules, and fixed/percentage discounts.

Pricing

Medusa’s open source software is free when you host and manage it yourself. Medusa Cloud plans start at $29 per month for Develop, $99 per month for Launch, and $299 per month for Scale, and also has a custom enterprise pricing plan, according to Medusa pricing.

4. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is a free, open-source web commerce solution developed using the PHP programming language. You can download and install the software on your server.

Due to the openness of its source code, you have full ownership of your data and complete freedom to modify the design and functionality of your website.

It is simpler than many other enterprise software, although hosting costs, premium modules, updates, and tech support may raise the overall price.

Key open-source features;

Unlimited Product Listings

Create extensive catalogs with multi-image zoom functionality, variations, and physical/digital products.

Stock & Supplier Tracking

Gain automated inventory updates, custom out-of-stock triggers, and built-in supplier management tools.

SEO Control Panels

Rewrite URLs natively into search engine-friendly formats, alongside precise sitemap and meta tag edits.

Global Translation Readiness

Localize customer shopping pathways natively with default platform support for over 60 languages.

Pricing

The self-hosted PrestaShop software is free to download. Its hosted option costs €24 per month excluding VAT with annual billing or €29 per month excluding VAT without a long-term commitment.

5. Bagisto

Bagisto is a completely free eCommerce platform based on PHP and JavaScript frameworks such as Laravel and Vue.js.

It is a solution that helps companies create a flexible, scalable, and highly functional online store, covering single-vendor stores, multi-vendor marketplaces, and headless commerce.

Bagisto is a good option for companies dealing with Laravel programmers, but users without PHP or Laravel experience may need professional help.

Key open-source features;

Extensive Product Types

Out-of-the-box support for seven product types, including simple, configurable, grouped, and booking products

Headless Commerce

Decouple your frontend using GraphQL APIs, allowing you to use frameworks like React, Next.js, or Vue.js.

Global Sales & Multichannel

Built-in support for multi-currency, multi-lingual, and multi-warehouse inventory management from a single admin panel.

Generative AI & Search

AI-powered natural language processing for custom SQL reports, chatbot assistants, and image-based product searches.

Pricing

Bagisto’s main open source platform is free to download and use. You will still need to pay for hosting, setup, maintenance, paid extensions, or custom development.

6. OpenCart

OpenCart is a free, PHP-based open-source e-commerce platform that enables merchants to build, launch, and manage fully functional online stores.

It allows you to handle unlimited products, process payments, and manage orders through an intuitive central dashboard.

Since the software is open-source, the core platform is completely free to download with zero monthly hosting fees. Compared with Magento, OpenCart generally has a simpler setup and is more suitable for small or medium-sized stores with standard requirements.

Key open-source features;

Multi-Store Management

Operate and control multiple separate online shops from a single management console where you can have separate products, prices, and themes for each online store.

Vibrant Extension Marketplace

Expand capabilities by installing thousands of free and paid extensions, payments processors (PayPal, Stripe), and shipping services.

Extensive Catalog Management

Support for an unlimited number of products, variants (size, color, length), ratings/reviews, and downloadable products.

Built-In Marketing & Promotions

In-built tools for coupon code generation, discounts, reward points, and an in-built affiliate program for the management of promoters.

Pricing

OpenCart is free to download and has no monthly platform fee. Store owners must pay separately for hosting, a domain, premium themes, extensions, security, and developer help when needed.

7. Shopware

This is an exceptionally flexible API first platform developed with PHP (Symfony) and Vue.js, making it suitable for both general use and headless commerce.

Originally from Germany, it is very popular around the world as an online store for both B2C and B2B commerce that enables users to customize their shopfronts and scale their business without paying any licensing fees.

Shopware is a great choice for expanding brands, especially those operating in Europe, but some advanced business features and support services are available only through paid plans.

Key open-source features;

API-First & Headless Commerce

Shopware 6 is built around deep, dedicated APIs (Store, Admin, and Sync APIs). This allows for headless setups, connecting seamlessly with mobile apps, IoT devices, social commerce, and local POS systems.

Rule & Flow Builder

No-code Workflow Automation that helps you create rules regarding pricing, shipping, customer-specific settings, and many more without changing anything in the code.

Built-in CMS (“Shopping Experiences”)

Drag & Drop page builder which handles your marketing needs and landing pages as well without using any other platform like WordPress.

3D & Interactive Media

Native support for rendering and animating 3D product models directly in the storefront.

Pricing

Shopware Community Edition is free to download and self-host. Paid plans start at €600 per month for Rise and €2,400 per month for Evolve, while the Beyond plan uses custom pricing, per Shopware pricing.

8. Saleor

Saleor is an open source, GraphQL-native, headless ecommerce platform that mainly uses Python and Django.

Saleor handles essential functions including products, checkout, orders, payments, shipping, customers, and multichannel sales. The backend and frontend of Saleor are independent of each other, giving development teams greater freedom over design and technology choices.

Saleor is best for businesses with an experienced development team, while smaller merchants looking for a ready-made website may find it difficult to set up and maintain.

Key open-source features;

GraphQL API-First & Headless

Decouples the frontend and backend entirely. The GraphQL API allows the developer to retrieve all the information in one request using GraphQL and supports W3C Trace Context.

Multichannel & Multi-location Inventory

Centralized management for multiple storefronts, brands, and sales channels. It includes native multi-warehouse support to split stock and manage global fulfillment.

Extensibility & Webhook Architecture

Features a technology-agnostic extension system powered by asynchronous webhooks. This allows developers to add custom business logic and apps without altering the core platform code.

Enterprise-Grade Catalog Engine

Supports an extensive range of product types, variants, collections, and tiered digital inventories.

Pricing

Saleor Cloud offers a free sandbox for non-commercial testing, while production plans start at $1,599 per month for Select and $3,999 per month for Volume, per Saleor pricing.

Which open-source ecommerce platform fits your business needs?

The right fit depends on the compatibility of your business model, technical capabilities, and plans for growth to the distinct advantages offered by each of these platforms.

The enterprise & B2B giants

• Magento Open Source: Best if you manage massive catalogs (100k+ products), run multiple international storefronts from one dashboard, and have an experienced development team.
• Shopware: Best for businesses requiring complex B2B workflows (like custom customer pricing and quote management) combined with modern, automated marketing tools.

The developer-first & headless innovators

• Medusa: Works well for companies which want an up-to-date and flexible technology architecture, using JavaScript/Node.js and making it possible to integrate any frontend design easily.
• Saleor: Works well for international and multichannel companies looking for fast loading pages, a neat Python backend, and fast-performing GraphQL API.

The fast-start & mid-market solvers

• WooCommerce: Best for brands, blogs, or small business users of WordPress who have lots of content and need a quick launch with hundreds of plug-and-play extensions.
• PrestaShop: Best for mid-sized European retailers who require tax and multi-currency support due to complex international tax laws, currency conversions, and localized payment options.
• OpenCart: Best choice for business owners who require an economical and straightforward traditional online store that works well on low-end, cost-effective hosting servers.
• Bagisto: Best option for entrepreneurs planning to create a multi-vendor marketplace such as Amazon or Etsy using the current PHP Laravel framework.

Wrap up

Choosing the right open source ecommerce platform depends on your business goals, technical skills, and future growth plans.

Some platforms are perfect for beginners who want a simple setup, while others offer the flexibility and power needed for large or highly customized stores.

Take time to compare the features, pricing, and customization options before making your decision.

Once your store is live, focus on creating a great shopping experience, building customer trust, and collecting reviews to help turn more visitors into loyal customers.