ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a tight-budget, headless-first shop, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list, with Shopify as the “pay more, operate less” comparison point.

Why I'd evaluate Medusa first

Medusa is explicitly built as an open-source commerce engine, and its current managed Cloud pricing starts at $29/month, with no GMV/platform transaction fee. The platform supports products, pricing, regions/currencies, payments, shipping, carts and orders, while leaving the storefront to your stack. Medusa Medusa Documentation

That makes a relatively inexpensive architecture like:

Next.js storefront → Medusa → Postgres → Stripe/payment provider

quite practical. You can also self-host Medusa if minimizing recurring platform spend matters more than minimizing DevOps work. ShipGarden

The Shopify alternative

Shopify is worth evaluating even if you're specifically looking for headless. Its Storefront API is designed for custom storefronts and works with frameworks including Next.js, while Shopify retains the product, inventory, checkout and administrative infrastructure behind the API. Shopify Shopify

So the tradeoff is basically:

• Medusa: lower platform cost + more control + more engineering/operations responsibility.
• Shopify: higher ongoing platform dependence/cost + substantially less commerce infrastructure to build and maintain.
• Vendure: similar open-source philosophy to Medusa, particularly interesting if your team is strongly TypeScript/NestJS-oriented.
• Saleor: particularly worth testing if GraphQL/Python is already your team's strength, though its current managed Cloud pricing is far above a shoestring deployment. Saleor Commerce Kryeo

My evaluation shortlist would therefore be: Medusa + Shopify + Vendure. I'd only add Saleor if your team has a reason to favor its GraphQL/Python architecture.

If you tell me your expected monthly orders, catalog size, frontend stack, and whether you want to self-host, I can turn this into a concrete $/month architecture comparison.

Next.js storefront → Medusa → Postgres → Stripe/payment provider

quite practical. You can also self-host Medusa if minimizing recurring platform spend matters more than minimizing DevOps work. shipgarden.com

The Shopify alternative

Shopify is worth evaluating even if you're specifically looking for headless. Its Storefront API is designed for custom storefronts and works with frameworks including Next.js, while Shopify retains the product, inventory, checkout and administrative infrastructure behind the API.

So the tradeoff is basically:

For a tight-budget, headless-first shop, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

Shortlist

Medusa's current cloud plans start at $29/month and explicitly have 0% GMV platform fees, with a $99/month Launch tier adding things like autoscaling, backups, custom storefront domains and Redis-backed infrastructure. Medusa Medusa Docs

Vendure Core is free/open source and can be self-hosted, although its current commercial Platform offering is sold on an annual subscription with pricing quoted per project. Vendure Vendure

Saleor is also open source, but its managed Cloud pricing is dramatically higher: the current Select tier starts at $1,599/month, making it harder to justify for a genuinely budget-constrained launch. Saleor Commerce

Shopify supports custom/headless storefronts and currently lists headless storefront support across its plans, but you're still buying into its SaaS ecosystem rather than running the commerce engine yourself. Shopify

What I'd evaluate first

Medusa + Next.js is probably the stack I'd prototype first if your priorities are:

• low monthly infrastructure cost
• genuinely headless architecture
• TypeScript throughout
• ability to self-host later
• no platform GMV tax
• freedom to customize the storefront and commerce logic

The important caveat is that "free/self-hosted" doesn't mean zero cost: you'll still pay for hosting, database, email, storage, monitoring, and your engineering time. For a small shop, though, that can be quite inexpensive.

I'd run a small proof-of-concept with Medusa and Vendure before committing, using the same requirements: catalog, variants, cart, checkout/payment, discounts, shipping, tax, order management, and your intended CMS/front end. That will tell you much more about total cost than feature checklists. Vendure Medusa

If you tell me your expected monthly orders, catalog size, tech stack (e.g. Next.js), and whether you need B2B/multi-vendor, I can narrow this to a concrete low-cost architecture and estimated monthly bill.

Shopify supports custom/headless storefronts and currently lists headless storefront support across its plans, but you're still buying into its SaaS ecosystem rather than running the commerce engine yourself.

What I'd evaluate first

Medusa + Next.js is probably the stack I'd prototype first if your priorities are:

For a tight-budget, headless-first shop, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its core is open source/MIT, it is built around headless commerce, and its managed cloud currently starts around $29/month according to recent 2026 comparisons. Self-hosting is also possible, so you can keep infrastructure costs low if you're willing to operate it yourself. ShipGarden Pawel Owerczuk

For a Next.js/React storefront + TypeScript backend, the stack is particularly attractive because you don't introduce another programming language just for commerce.

Vendure is the other one I'd put through a serious POC. It's also TypeScript-based and headless, but its GPLv3 licensing deserves a legal check if you're planning to modify/distribute the core. Pawel Owerczuk

BigCommerce is worth considering if "low cost" means low engineering/DevOps cost rather than minimum software spend. Its current Core plan is $29/month when billed annually, but its pricing has GMV thresholds and additional fees depending on payment-provider setup. BigCommerce BigCommerce

What I'd actually evaluate

1. Medusa — first choice
2. Vendure — technical alternative
3. BigCommerce — managed/SaaS alternative

I would not start with Saleor for a very budget-sensitive project: its managed offering is aimed much higher financially, with current pricing reported from roughly $1,599/month, even though the software can be self-hosted. ShipGarden

If you tell me your expected monthly orders, catalog size, frontend stack (e.g. Next.js), and whether you want to self-host, I can narrow this to the cheapest architecture and give you a rough monthly TCO for Medusa vs Vendure vs BigCommerce.

For a tight-budget, headless-friendly shop, I’d start the evaluation with Medusa and compare it against Shopify headless and Saleor. The right choice depends on whether you want to minimize engineering cost or maximize control. Vendure Hunchbite

Shortlist

OSSAlt Vendure## My default recommendation for a low-cost headless build

1. Evaluate Medusa first

Good fit if:

• Your frontend is Next.js/React
• You have developers comfortable with TypeScript/Node
• You need custom product logic, checkout flows, marketplaces, or integrations
• You want to avoid large SaaS bills early

Why it stands out:

• Open-source commerce engine
• Headless by design
• Can run on inexpensive infrastructure
• Lets you build your own frontend without paying for a full storefront layer

The downside: it is not a turnkey store builder. You still need to assemble the frontend, payments, search, analytics, CMS, etc. ShipGarden

2. Keep Shopify headless as the “don’t overbuild” option

If the goal is getting revenue quickly, Shopify headless is worth evaluating.

Choose it when:

• Your catalog is fairly standard
• You want merchants to have a polished admin experience
• You do not want to maintain commerce infrastructure

Avoid it if:

• You expect unusual pricing logic
• You need deep backend ownership
• You are trying to minimize recurring platform dependency

Hunchbite### 3. Consider Saleor if your team is API-heavy

Saleor is compelling if:

• Your team prefers Python/Django
• You want GraphQL-first architecture
• You expect multi-channel or more complex commerce needs

It is powerful, but I would not make it the first pick for a very lean startup unless your team already fits the stack. Vendure

A practical low-budget stack I’d evaluate

• Frontend: Next.js
• Commerce backend: Medusa
• CMS: Sanity or Contentful
• Payments: Stripe
• Hosting: inexpensive managed hosting or a small cloud instance
• Search: start simple, add dedicated search later

This keeps the first version flexible without committing to enterprise commerce costs.

Evaluation checklist before committing

Build a small proof of concept that tests:

• Product variants and inventory
• Checkout flow
• Tax/shipping rules
• Promotions/discounts
• CMS integration
• Order management
• Webhooks
• Admin usability

For a tight budget + headless requirement, my ranking would be:

1. Medusa — best balance of cost, flexibility, and developer control
2. Shopify headless — best if speed and reliability matter more than ownership
3. Saleor — best if your team already lives in Python/GraphQL
4. Vendure — worth testing for TypeScript-heavy teams with custom needs

Vendure ShipGardenIf you share your expected catalog size, team stack (JS/Python/PHP/etc.), and whether you need B2B features, I can narrow this down further.

If low cost + headless flexibility are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Medusa's current Cloud pricing starts at $29/month, with no GMV/platform fee, unlimited products/orders/sales channels, and a $99/month Launch tier that adds things like autoscaling, backups and webhooks. Medusa Documentation Medusa

Vendure Core is free and self-hostable, but its commercial Platform offering is quoted as an annual subscription rather than having a cheap published SaaS tier. Vendure

Saleor is technically a great headless option, but its managed pricing is difficult to justify for a tight-budget project: the current Select tier starts at $1,599/month. Saleor Commerce

What I'd evaluate first

1. Medusa — default choice

Especially compelling if your storefront will be Next.js/React/TypeScript. You can start cheaply on Medusa Cloud, or self-host the open-source stack and keep infrastructure costs down. Its current pricing explicitly has 0% GMV platform fees. Medusa

2. Vendure — strongest alternative

I'd put this through a proof-of-concept if you expect complicated catalog/pricing/B2B requirements. It's also TypeScript-based and designed around a headless/API architecture. The catch is the GPLv3 licensing of the open-source core and the lack of a comparable low-cost managed tier. Vendure

3. Saleor — probably overkill for your constraint

Very capable, GraphQL-first and genuinely headless, but I'd only prioritize it if its particular capabilities justify the much higher managed cost or you're comfortable operating it yourself. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

Bottom line: I'd run a small Medusa POC first, with Vendure as the backup candidate. If you tell me your expected monthly orders/GMV, tech stack (e.g. Next.js), and whether you need B2B, I can narrow this down to the cheapest architecture and estimate the monthly total cost.

If low cost + genuinely headless are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

1. Medusa — my first evaluation

Medusa is open-source and designed around headless commerce. Its managed cloud currently starts at $29/month, with a $99/month production-oriented tier, and it advertises 0% GMV/platform fees. Medusa Medusa Docs

The particularly attractive part for a budget-conscious team is that you can self-host the open-source platform and use a React/Next.js storefront, keeping the architecture relatively simple and avoiding a SaaS revenue tax.

medusajs.com

2. WooCommerce — cheapest if you're already comfortable with WordPress

WooCommerce itself is free, has no platform revenue share, and lets you choose your hosting. WooCommerce estimates typical hosting at $25–$350/month, with extensions charged separately. It also has a Store API specifically intended for headless storefronts. WooCommerce WooCommerce

I'd choose this over Medusa if your site is content/SEO-heavy and WordPress is already part of your stack.

3. Saleor — technically excellent, but I'd be cautious on a tight budget

Saleor is arguably the strongest pure headless option here: open-source, GraphQL-native, and designed to work with essentially any frontend/BFF. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

You can self-host it, but its managed Cloud pricing is dramatically higher: the current production entry point shown is $1,599/month. Saleor Commerce So I wouldn't make it the first choice for a small-budget project unless its GraphQL/B2B capabilities solve an important requirement.

What I'd actually do

For a new, budget-sensitive store with a Next.js/React frontend, I'd evaluate:

Medusa → WooCommerce → Saleor

And I'd probably start with Medusa unless you have a strong WordPress requirement.

One important caveat: headless itself adds development and maintenance cost. If you don't actually need a custom frontend, a conventional hosted platform can end up substantially cheaper overall. But if headless is a requirement, Medusa is probably the first platform I'd POC. apps.teamzlab.com

If you tell me your expected monthly orders, product count, B2C vs. B2B, and frontend stack, I can narrow this down to the cheapest architecture and give you an estimated monthly TCO.

If low cost + headless-first are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

1. Medusa — best budget/headless fit

• Open-source and designed specifically as a headless commerce backend.
• You can self-host it and pay mainly for infrastructure, or use Medusa Cloud starting at $29/month.
• Its current cloud plans have 0% GMV platform fees, unlimited products/orders/sales channels, and API-driven storefronts. Medusa Docs Medusa
• Particularly attractive if your frontend team is already comfortable with Next.js/React/TypeScript.
• My pick for a tight-budget custom storefront.
• WooCommerce — cheapest if you already live in WordPress

• Very inexpensive to get started and has an enormous plugin ecosystem.
• Headless is possible, but you're adapting a traditionally WordPress-centric platform rather than starting with a headless architecture.
• I'd choose it over Medusa if minimizing development cost matters more than having a clean, modern commerce backend.
• Saleor — excellent technically, but probably overkill for your budget

• Open-source, API-first and GraphQL-native, with strong multi-channel/B2B capabilities. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce
• However, its current managed Cloud pricing starts substantially higher than Medusa, so it makes more sense when its enterprise capabilities justify the additional cost. Saleor Commerce
• Shopify + Hydrogen — easiest operationally

• Worth evaluating if you value managed infrastructure, payments, reliability and speed to launch more than minimizing platform spend.
• You get a much more mature SaaS ecosystem, but you're accepting Shopify's commercial model rather than owning the commerce layer outright.

What I'd do

For a small team with a tight budget, I'd prototype:

Next.js storefront → Medusa → Postgres → Stripe/payment provider → inexpensive managed hosting

That gives you a genuinely headless architecture without immediately taking on enterprise-commerce licensing or infrastructure costs. Medusa's current cloud offering also gives you an easy escape hatch from self-hosting if the store grows. Medusa Docs

Bottom line: start the evaluation with Medusa, then compare it against WooCommerce headless if WordPress is already part of your stack. I'd only put Saleor or enterprise-oriented platforms into the shortlist if you have requirements that justify them.

If you tell me roughly monthly orders, number of SKUs, B2C vs. B2B, and whether your team uses React/Next.js, I can narrow this to a specific stack and estimated monthly cost.

If headless + low cost is the priority, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

• Medusa — best budget/headless fit. Open-source, TypeScript/Node.js, API-first, and designed specifically for customizable headless commerce. You can self-host for essentially infrastructure cost, or Medusa Cloud starts at $29/month with 0% GMV/platform fee. Medusa Medusa
• Shopify + Hydrogen — best for minimizing engineering/ops. Shopify's Storefront API supports headless storefronts, and Hydrogen is its official React framework. You'll generally spend more on the commerce platform, but get a much more managed ecosystem. Shopify
• Saleor — worth evaluating if you're Python/GraphQL-heavy. It's strong technically and open-source, but its managed cloud is dramatically more expensive: currently starting at $1,599/month, making self-hosting the budget option. Saleor Commerce
• Vendure — good TypeScript alternative. Also open-source and headless, particularly attractive if your team already uses NestJS/TypeScript, but I'd put it behind Medusa for a tight-budget evaluation. Designodin

What I'd do

For a small team, I'd run a Medusa vs. Shopify Hydrogen proof of concept.

Choose Medusa if you have developer capacity and want to minimize recurring platform costs, retain control of the commerce backend, and customize checkout/catalog/business logic. Its current Cloud offering gives you a relatively inexpensive managed path without GMV fees. Medusa

Choose Shopify if developer/DevOps time is more expensive than the platform fees and you want the lowest operational risk.

For a genuinely tight budget, my initial architecture would be Medusa + Next.js storefront + PostgreSQL, with managed hosting initially and self-hosting as an option later. That gives you a headless architecture without committing to an enterprise commerce platform.

medusajs.com · shopify.dev · saleor.io

If headless is a hard requirement and budget is tight, I’d put medusajs.com at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its current Cloud pricing starts at $29/month, has 0% GMV/platform fees, and includes storefront + backend hosting. It's also open source, so you retain control of the code and can self-host if that makes sense later. Medusa Docs Medusa

medusajs.com

Saleor is the one I'd evaluate alongside it if your team is comfortable with Python/GraphQL. The OSS version is free to run yourself, and Saleor is explicitly GraphQL-native and headless. However, its managed Cloud pricing is currently $1,599/month and up, so it isn't my first choice for a tight-budget production deployment unless you're self-hosting. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

saleor.io

Shopify remains compelling if minimizing engineering/operations is more important than minimizing platform cost. Its Basic plan is currently $29/month when billed annually, and it supports headless storefronts, but you're buying into Shopify's ecosystem rather than getting an inexpensive, fully controllable commerce backend. Shopify

What I'd do

For a small team + custom React/Next.js frontend + tight budget, I'd prototype:

Next.js + Medusa + Stripe + inexpensive managed Postgres/hosting

Then compare that against Shopify headless on a 1–2 week proof of concept.

If you tell me your approximate monthly orders/revenue, B2C vs B2B, and preferred frontend (Next.js, Nuxt, etc.), I can narrow this to the cheapest architecture and estimate the monthly cost.

For a headless shop on a tight budget, I’d put medusajs.com at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa stands out: its core is open source, you can self-host, and there is no GMV/platform transaction fee. If you want managed infrastructure, Medusa Cloud currently starts at $29/month, with a $99/month Launch tier. Medusa Docs Medusa

For a small team comfortable with development, I'd evaluate this stack:

Next.js storefront → Medusa → Postgres → Stripe → inexpensive hosting/CDN

That gives you a genuinely headless architecture without committing to an expensive enterprise commerce platform.

When I'd choose something else

• Shopify Hydrogen if developer/DevOps time is more expensive than the platform bill and you want checkout, payments, apps, and operations largely handled for you.
• Saleor if you're specifically GraphQL-first, have Python expertise, or anticipate sophisticated B2B/multi-region requirements. Its managed Cloud pricing is substantially higher, though its core is open source. Saleor Commerce
• WooCommerce if WordPress is already central to the business and minimizing infrastructure spend matters more than having a clean modern commerce backend.
• Vendure if your team strongly prefers TypeScript/NestJS and wants a highly extensible commerce engine.

Bottom line: for “headless + low cost + modern developer stack + room to customize,” I'd prototype Medusa first, then compare it against Shopify Hydrogen as the “pay more, operate less” alternative. Independent 2026 comparisons similarly put Medusa among the strongest low-cost open-source headless choices. ribbsaetersystems.com shipgarden.com

If you tell me roughly monthly orders/GMV, number of SKUs, and whether you need B2B, I can narrow this to the cheapest architecture I'd actually deploy.

Next.js storefront → Medusa → Postgres → Stripe → inexpensive hosting/CDN

That gives you a genuinely headless architecture without committing to an expensive enterprise commerce platform.

When I'd choose something else

For a tight budget, I’d evaluate platforms that keep the headless benefits (custom frontend, APIs, omnichannel potential) without forcing enterprise-level spend. The best fit depends on whether you want to minimize monthly fees or minimize engineering effort. Ribbsaeter Systems Vendure

Shortlist to evaluate

Ribbsaeter Systems AskAnTech## My recommendation for a low-cost evaluation

1. Start with Medusa if you have engineering capacity

For a lean team building a custom storefront (for example Next.js + a CMS + custom UX), Medusa is probably the first platform I’d test. It is headless-first, open source, and avoids a large platform subscription, though you should budget for hosting, maintenance, and development time. Hunchbite Designodin

A typical low-budget stack might look like:

• Frontend: Next.js
• Commerce backend: Medusa
• Database: managed Postgres
• Payments: Stripe
• CMS: Sanity, Contentful, or similar
• Hosting: a low-cost cloud provider

2. Choose Shopify Hydrogen if speed matters more than ownership

If the goal is “launch quickly with a small team,” Shopify’s headless approach can be cheaper overall because you avoid building and maintaining commerce fundamentals like checkout, taxes, fraud tooling, and admin workflows. The downside is ongoing platform/app costs and less freedom inside the commerce backend. Ribbsaeter Systems

3. Consider Saleor only if you already know you need complexity

Saleor is attractive for sophisticated catalogs, B2B pricing, multiple channels, and GraphQL-heavy architectures, but it is usually not the first choice for a small-budget MVP. Vendure

What I would avoid on a tight budget

• Enterprise composable platforms (commercetools, Adobe Commerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud): excellent, but usually mismatched for a cost-sensitive build.
• Building a fully custom commerce backend: headless does not mean “write your own cart/order system.”
• Self-hosting everything without DevOps capability: the software may be free, but operations become the cost.

A practical evaluation path

1. Prototype with Medusa + Next.js for maximum flexibility.
2. Compare the same storefront build against Shopify Hydrogen.
3. Measure: - Time to first sale
4. Developer hours
5. Checkout customization needs
6. Hosting/maintenance burden
7. Required integrations (ERP, PIM, fulfillment, subscriptions)

If you have 1–3 developers and a product that needs custom UX, I’d put Medusa first. If you have little engineering capacity and need revenue quickly, I’d put Shopify headless first. Ribbsaeter Systems Hunchbite

I can also help narrow this down if you share your expected SKU count, order volume, team size, and whether you need B2B features.

If headless + very low operating cost are the priorities, I’d put medusajs.com at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

1. Medusa — my budget pick.
Medusa's Cloud currently starts at $29/month, with a $99/month Launch tier, and advertises 0% GMV platform fees. You can also self-host because the commerce engine is open source. Its Cloud offering can host the storefront as well, supporting frameworks such as Next.js. Medusa Medusa Docs

2. Shopify + Hydrogen — my "pay a little more to reduce engineering" pick.
Shopify's Basic plan is currently $29/month when billed annually ($39 monthly), while Hydrogen itself is free and Oxygen hosting is included at no additional cost. Shopify Shopify App Store The big advantage is the mature Shopify ecosystem, checkout, payments, apps, and operational tooling. For a small team, that can make its total cost lower even if the platform isn't the cheapest technically.

3. BigCommerce — worth a comparison, but probably not my first choice on a tight budget.
Its current Core plan is $29/month annually ($39 monthly), but plan/GMV thresholds and open-payment-provider fees can change the economics as you grow. BigCommerce

4. Saleor — technically attractive, but I'd avoid it for a shoestring launch.
It's a strong open-source, GraphQL-first option, but you'll generally get more operational complexity than you need for a small low-cost shop.

What I'd actually evaluate

I'd do a Medusa vs. Shopify/Hydrogen bake-off.

• Choose Medusa if you have developers comfortable with TypeScript/Node and want maximum control and the lowest potential platform cost.
• Choose Shopify/Hydrogen if developer/ops time is scarce and getting the store live reliably matters more than squeezing every dollar out of infrastructure.
• Don't choose based on monthly platform price alone—developer hours, payments, search, CMS, tax, email, hosting, monitoring, and maintenance can dominate TCO. ribbsaetersystems.com

For a genuinely tight-budget headless build, my default architecture would be Medusa + Next.js + a lightweight CMS + Stripe, starting on the $29/month Medusa Cloud tier and only adding infrastructure as traffic requires it. Medusa

2. Shopify + Hydrogen — my "pay a little more to reduce engineering" pick.
Shopify's Basic plan is currently $29/month when billed annually ($39 monthly), while Hydrogen itself is free and Oxygen hosting is included at no additional cost. Shopify Shopify App Store The big advantage is the mature Shopify ecosystem, checkout, payments, apps, and operational tooling. For a small team, that can make its total cost lower even if the platform isn't the cheapest technically.

3. BigCommerce — worth a comparison, but probably not my first choice on a tight budget.
Its current Core plan is $29/month annually ($39 monthly), but plan/GMV thresholds and open-payment-provider fees can change the economics as you grow. bigcommerce.com

4. Saleor — technically attractive, but I'd avoid it for a shoestring launch.
It's a strong open-source, GraphQL-first option, but you'll generally get more operational complexity than you need for a small low-cost shop.

What I'd actually evaluate

I'd do a Medusa vs. Shopify/Hydrogen bake-off.

If headless is a requirement but budget is tight, I’d put medusajs.com at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

• Medusa — best budget/headless fit. It’s open-source, headless-first, Node.js-based, and has 0% GMV/platform fees. Its managed Cloud starts at $29/month, while self-hosting can reduce platform costs further. Medusa Docs Medusa
• shopify.com + Hydrogen — best if minimizing engineering risk matters more than minimizing platform cost. You get Shopify's mature checkout, payments, admin and app ecosystem, while the storefront can be fully custom. The tradeoff is Shopify's ongoing platform/payment costs.
• saleor.io — technically excellent, but probably overkill for a tight-budget launch. The core is open source and GraphQL-native, but its current managed Cloud pricing starts much higher than Medusa. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce
• WooCommerce headless is worth considering if you're already invested in WordPress/content publishing. Otherwise, I'd favor Medusa for a clean API-first architecture.

What I'd evaluate

For a small team, I'd run a Medusa vs. Shopify/Hydrogen proof of concept. Build the same small slice in each:

product listing → PDP → cart → checkout → order confirmation → CMS content

Then compare 12-month total cost, not just hosting: development time, payment fees, integrations, maintenance, and operational burden.

My default pick: Medusa if you have competent developers and genuinely want headless. Shopify + Hydrogen if "low cost" means lowest risk and maintenance, rather than the lowest monthly platform bill. ribbsaetersystems.com

For a tight-budget, headless-first build, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

medusajs.com is open-source, headless by design, and its current managed Cloud pricing starts at $29/month, with no GMV/platform fee. The $99/month Launch tier adds things like autoscaling, custom storefront domains, backups, and webhooks. Medusa Medusa

My shortlist

Why Medusa: if your storefront is likely to be Next.js/React and you have developers comfortable with TypeScript, it keeps the stack relatively simple and gives you substantial control. It also supports self-hosting later, so you aren't locked into its Cloud pricing. Medusa Designodin

Saleor is the other one I'd actually prototype. It's GraphQL-native and genuinely headless, but its managed Cloud offering is dramatically more expensive—the current paid tier starts at $1,599/month. Self-hosting can make Saleor much cheaper, but then you're taking on more infrastructure responsibility. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

Bottom line: I'd run a small proof-of-concept with Medusa first, and compare it against Saleor if GraphQL/multi-channel/B2B requirements are important. For a constrained budget, I wouldn't start with enterprise composable platforms.

If you tell me your approximate monthly orders/GMV, tech stack, and whether you need B2B, I can narrow this to a specific architecture and estimated monthly cost.

If low cost + headless flexibility are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its managed cloud currently starts at $29/month, with 0% GMV platform fees, unlimited products/orders/sales channels, and you can also self-host the open-source platform. Medusa Docs Medusa That makes it particularly attractive when you're trying to keep the initial infrastructure bill down without giving up an API-first/headless architecture.

medusajs.com

Vendure is the one I'd evaluate alongside it if you expect meaningful B2B requirements. Its Core is open source and TypeScript/NestJS/GraphQL, and it has particularly strong support for things like customer-specific pricing and complex workflows. Vendure GitHub

vendure.io

I wouldn't prioritize Saleor for a tight-budget launch unless there's a strong reason to use it: its current managed Cloud starting tier is $1,599/month, substantially above Medusa's entry point. Saleor Commerce

Bottom line: start the proof-of-concept with Medusa, and benchmark Vendure as the alternative. If your frontend team is already heavily invested in Next.js/TypeScript, Medusa becomes an especially compelling choice.

If headless is a requirement but budget is tight, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

• Medusa — best fit for low-cost, headless-first

• Open-source and built specifically around a headless architecture.
• Cloud currently starts at $29/month, with 0% GMV platform fee; you can also self-host. Medusa Docs Medusa
• Node.js/TypeScript ecosystem makes it attractive if your team is already React/Next.js-oriented.
• Good choice when you want control over the storefront, checkout, catalog, pricing, and integrations without paying enterprise-commerce licensing costs.
• Shopify — best if minimizing engineering risk matters more than minimizing platform cost

• Shopify's Storefront API is explicitly designed for custom/headless storefronts, and you can use your own frontend stack. Shopify Shopify
• Much more mature operationally: admin, payments, apps, inventory, checkout, etc.
• The tradeoff is recurring Shopify costs and less backend freedom than Medusa.
• WooCommerce — worth considering if you're already a WordPress shop

• Potentially very cheap and has a huge plugin ecosystem.
• But it wasn't designed headless-first, so I'd be reluctant to choose it for a new, deliberately headless architecture unless WordPress/content is already central.
• Saleor — strong technically, but probably more than you need

• Excellent API-first/GraphQL architecture and strong B2B/multi-region capabilities.
• I'd evaluate it if your requirements are sophisticated enough to justify the additional engineering complexity.

What I'd do

For a small team trying to keep total cost down, I'd run a proof-of-concept with:

Next.js storefront → Medusa → PostgreSQL → Stripe/payment provider

Medusa's current entry-level Cloud plan is $29/month, with no GMV platform fee, which makes the economics particularly attractive for an early-stage store. Medusa Docs Medusa

The important caveat: don't compare only monthly platform pricing. Headless shifts more cost into development and maintenance. If you have limited engineering capacity, Shopify can actually be cheaper overall despite the higher platform bill.

Bottom line:
Medusa first if engineering ownership + low recurring cost are priorities.
Shopify second if operational simplicity and ecosystem are priorities.
Saleor if you're anticipating genuinely complex commerce requirements.

medusajs.com · shopify.dev

For a tight-budget, headless shop, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its Cloud plan currently starts at $29/month, with a $99/month Launch tier, and there are no GMV/platform fees. Its commerce features—products, orders, sales channels, regions/currencies, etc.—don't carry separate charges. Medusa Documentation Medusa

It is also open-source and TypeScript/Node-based, making it particularly attractive if your headless frontend is Next.js/React and you want one primary ecosystem. Vendure

Vendure is the other one I'd seriously prototype. Its Core is free/open-source and TypeScript/NestJS/GraphQL-based, and you can self-host it. Its commercial Platform offering has no GMV, order, or user-based charges, although pricing is quote-based. Vendure

I'd not start with Saleor if "tight budget" is a hard constraint. You can self-host its open-source core, but its managed Cloud offering starts at $1,599/month, making it a very different proposition from Medusa's $29/month entry point. Saleor Commerce

What I'd do

If this is a new/small shop, I'd evaluate:

1. Medusa + Next.js — primary candidate.
2. Vendure + Next.js — technical comparison/backup.
3. Shopify headless — benchmark against the cost of simply buying managed infrastructure.
4. Saleor — only if its GraphQL/Python architecture gives you a compelling reason.

The important comparison isn't just license price. For a small team, engineering/DevOps time can easily outweigh hosting costs. I'd therefore prototype the same product → cart → checkout → payment → fulfillment flow on Medusa and Vendure before committing.

Why Medusa: its Cloud plan currently starts at $29/month, with a $99/month Launch tier, and there are no GMV/platform fees. Its commerce features—products, orders, sales channels, regions/currencies, etc.—don't carry separate charges. docs.medusajs.com medusajs.com

It is also open-source and TypeScript/Node-based, making it particularly attractive if your headless frontend is Next.js/React and you want one primary ecosystem. vendure.io

Vendure is the other one I'd seriously prototype. Its Core is free/open-source and TypeScript/NestJS/GraphQL-based, and you can self-host it. Its commercial Platform offering has no GMV, order, or user-based charges, although pricing is quote-based.

If headless is a requirement and budget is tight, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

1. Medusa — my first choice for your constraint.
It's open source, headless-first, Node.js-based, and its hosted plans currently start at $29/month, with 0% GMV fees and unlimited products/orders/sales channels. medusajs.com

That makes it particularly interesting if you have a developer who can own the stack. You can use a Next.js/React storefront and keep the commerce backend relatively inexpensive.

2. Shopify — evaluate as the "pay more, worry less" alternative.
Shopify's Headless sales channel is free, and its Storefront API can power a custom frontend; Shopify also provides Hydrogen and Oxygen for its own headless stack. apps.shopify.com
I'd choose this if checkout reliability, apps, payments, and minimizing infrastructure work matter more than keeping platform costs to an absolute minimum.

3. Saleor — technically excellent, but probably not my budget pick.
Saleor is genuinely headless and GraphQL-native, with an open-source edition you can self-host. saleor.io But its current managed Cloud pricing starts much higher, so you'd primarily consider it if you have a strong reason to use its GraphQL/B2B capabilities or are comfortable self-hosting. saleor.io

Bottom line

For a low-cost headless shop, I'd evaluate in this order:

Medusa → Shopify Headless → Saleor

If you tell me roughly monthly revenue, number of SKUs, expected traffic, and whether you have developers in-house, I can narrow this down to the cheapest realistic stack (including hosting, payments, search, CMS, and frontend).

My first platform to evaluate: Medusa

For a headless shop on a tight budget, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

• Low-cost managed start: Medusa Cloud currently starts at $29/month, with a $99/month Launch tier. There’s no GMV/revenue fee. Medusa Docs Medusa
• Actually headless: Your storefront can be Next.js/React or another frontend, while Medusa handles products, carts, orders, pricing, inventory, payments, etc. Medusa
• TypeScript/Node.js: Particularly attractive if your team is already in the JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystem.
• Open source/self-hostable: If the $29/month is still too much, you can self-host and mainly pay for infrastructure.
• Good fit for experimentation: You avoid committing to an expensive enterprise commerce platform before you know what your store actually needs.

What I'd compare it against

Vendure is worth a POC if you want another TypeScript-native option. Its commercial platform uses flat annual pricing without GMV/order/user fees, although pricing is quote-based. Vendure

Saleor is technically compelling and very API/GraphQL-oriented, but its managed Cloud pricing currently starts at $1,599/month, making it hard to justify for a genuinely budget-conscious launch. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

Bottom line: If your priorities are headless + inexpensive + developer-friendly + no percentage-of-sales platform fee, I'd prototype the shop on Medusa first, with Vendure as the main alternative.

If you tell me your expected monthly orders/revenue, frontend stack, and whether you want managed hosting or are willing to self-host, I can narrow this to the cheapest realistic architecture.

If low cost + headless are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its core is open source and has 0% GMV/platform fees. Its managed cloud currently starts at $29/month, with $99/month for the first production-oriented tier; alternatively, you can self-host it and pay primarily for infrastructure. Medusa MedusaJS Documentation

It is also designed as a headless commerce engine rather than adapting a traditional storefront into headless. That makes it a particularly good fit if you're planning a Next.js/React storefront and want control over the frontend.

Saleor is the other one I'd seriously evaluate. It's open source, GraphQL-native, and explicitly designed for headless/composable commerce. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce The catch is that Saleor Cloud is not a tight-budget option: its paid tier starts at $1,599/month. Self-hosting changes that equation considerably. Saleor Commerce

What I'd do

For a small team trying to keep the initial stack around $50–150/month in infrastructure, I'd evaluate:

1. Medusa — first choice.
2. WooCommerce headless — budget/ecosystem alternative.
3. Saleor self-hosted — if GraphQL and a more sophisticated commerce model matter.
4. Shopify Hydrogen — only if paying more to avoid infrastructure/operations is worth it.

One important caveat: headless isn't automatically cheaper. The software can be inexpensive while frontend development, hosting, search, CMS, payments, deployment, and maintenance make the overall project substantially more expensive. For a genuinely lean launch, Medusa is attractive because it gives you the headless architecture without imposing a platform/GMV fee. Medusa

If you tell me your expected monthly orders/revenue, product count, and whether you need subscriptions/B2B/multiple countries, I can narrow this to the cheapest sensible stack.

Saleor is the other one I'd seriously evaluate. It's open source, GraphQL-native, and explicitly designed for headless/composable commerce. The catch is that Saleor Cloud is not a tight-budget option: its paid tier starts at $1,599/month. Self-hosting changes that equation considerably.

What I'd do

For a small team trying to keep the initial stack around $50–150/month in infrastructure, I'd evaluate:

For a headless shop on a tight budget, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its core is open source, self-hostable, and its current managed cloud starts at $29/month, with no GMV/platform fee. The next tier is $99/month. Medusa Medusa Documentation

That makes it particularly attractive if you're pairing it with something like Next.js and want:

• A completely custom frontend
• API-first/headless architecture
• TypeScript/Node.js throughout the stack
• The option to self-host and drive infrastructure costs very low
• No percentage-of-revenue platform charge
• The ability to extend the commerce backend rather than fighting a SaaS platform's limitations

medusajs.com

Where the others fit

Vendure is probably my second evaluation. It's also TypeScript/NestJS and self-hostable, with no runtime fee when self-hosted. Its commercial platform uses a flat annual subscription rather than GMV/order fees, but pricing is quote-based, so it's less attractive for a very small-budget launch. Vendure

Saleor is technically excellent—GraphQL-native and genuinely headless—but I'd rule it out for a tight-budget project unless you have a specific reason to want its capabilities. Its managed Cloud pricing currently starts at $1,599/month, although the software itself can be self-hosted. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

Shopify headless is worth considering if minimizing engineering/operations is more important than minimizing platform cost. You get a mature hosted commerce backend and huge app ecosystem, but you're still paying Shopify and accepting a proprietary backend. Vendure

What I'd actually do

For a small team, I'd prototype:

Next.js storefront → Medusa → PostgreSQL → Stripe → inexpensive managed hosting

I'd budget roughly $30–100/month for the commerce infrastructure initially, before payment processing and other services, depending on whether you self-host or use Medusa Cloud. Medusa's current Cloud tiers make it possible to start at $29 and move up only when the store actually needs more infrastructure. Medusa

Bottom line: evaluate Medusa first, Vendure second, and Shopify headless as the “buy instead of build” control case. I wouldn't spend much time on Saleor unless its GraphQL/B2B/multi-channel capabilities are requirements.

For a low-cost, headless-first shop, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Medusa is the one I'd prototype first. Its current Cloud entry point is $29/month, with 0% GMV/platform fee, unlimited products/orders, and you can also self-host it. Medusa Docs Medusa

It is particularly attractive if you're comfortable with a modern JS/TypeScript stack and want a Next.js/custom frontend + API-driven commerce backend. Medusa explicitly supports custom storefronts, custom checkout/payment logic, bundles, subscriptions, multiple currencies, and other non-standard workflows. Medusa

Why I wouldn't start with Saleor

Saleor is technically excellent and very headless-native—its APIs cover both storefront and admin—but its managed Cloud pricing is currently $1,599/month starting tier, making it a poor fit for a genuinely tight budget unless you're self-hosting. Saleor Commerce Saleor Commerce

The budget architecture I'd evaluate

Next.js storefront → Medusa API → Postgres → Stripe/payment provider

Start self-hosted or on the inexpensive Medusa Cloud tier, then move pieces to managed infrastructure as traffic grows. The important advantage is that Medusa doesn't impose a GMV/platform fee, so you're not increasing your commerce-platform bill simply because sales increase. Medusa Docs

Bottom line: if "headless + inexpensive + developer-friendly" are the three requirements, evaluate Medusa first, WooCommerce second, and Shopify third. Shopify wins if minimizing engineering/ops work matters more than minimizing platform cost; Medusa wins if you want to own the architecture. ribbsaetersystems.com

For a tight-budget, headless-friendly shop, I’d start by evaluating Medusa first, then compare it against Shopify headless if you value lower operational burden over maximum cost control. hunchbite.com

A practical shortlist:

ossalt.com

My evaluation order for a low-cost build

1. Medusa + Next.js storefront

• Likely the best value if you already have frontend/backend talent.
• Open-source core means you avoid a large SaaS license.
• Good fit for custom storefronts, unusual workflows, and owning your stack. hunchbite.com
• A realistic lean setup:
  • Next.js frontend
  • Medusa backend
  • PostgreSQL
  • Stripe payments
  • Managed hosting/VPS

2. Shopify headless

• Evaluate if your priority is "launch fast and don't maintain commerce infrastructure."
• You get inventory, orders, checkout, admin, payments, and a huge app ecosystem.
• The tradeoff is recurring SaaS/app costs and less backend freedom. hunchbite.com

3. Saleor

• Worth a look if your team is already strong in Python/Django or you need GraphQL-native commerce.
• It can be powerful, but it is usually not my first recommendation for the cheapest MVP path. hunchbite.com

What I would avoid on a tight budget

• Enterprise composable platforms (commercetools, Elastic Path, etc.) — great technology, but usually not aligned with a cost-sensitive launch.
• Building a fully custom commerce backend — headless does not mean you need to rebuild carts, inventory, orders, tax, and payments yourself.

My default recommendation

• Small team + developers: Medusa + Next.js.
• Non-technical commerce team: Shopify headless.
• Complex B2B/catalog requirements: Saleor or Medusa.

The key question is whether your "tight budget" constraint is mostly monthly platform spend or engineering time. If you tell me your expected SKU count, order volume, frontend stack (Next.js? React? something else), and whether you need B2B features, I can narrow this to a top 1–2 choices.

If low cost + headless flexibility are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its core is open source, and its current managed hosting starts at $29/month, with 0% GMV/platform fee. The $99/month Launch tier adds things like autoscaling, backups, custom storefront domains, and zero-downtime deployments. medusajs.com

That makes it particularly attractive if your frontend is something like Next.js and you want to keep the commerce backend inexpensive. You can also self-host it if you want to squeeze infrastructure costs further. vendure.io

What I'd evaluate

1. Medusa — first choice
TypeScript/Node, API-first, modular, open source. I'd start here for a small team that wants maximum control without a big SaaS bill. medusajs.com

2. Vendure — strong alternative
Also TypeScript-based and headless, with a particularly good fit if you expect more sophisticated catalog, B2B, or multi-channel requirements. Its core can be self-hosted for free, though its licensing/commercial model deserves review before committing. vendure.io

3. Shopify Hydrogen — evaluate if engineering/ops time is more expensive than platform fees
You get a very capable headless frontend with Shopify remaining the managed commerce backend. It's less attractive if your primary goal is minimizing recurring platform costs and owning the backend. vendure.io

4. Saleor — probably overkill for a tight budget
Technically excellent and very headless/GraphQL-native, but its managed offering currently starts at $1,599/month, making it hard to justify for a cost-sensitive small shop. saleor.io

Bottom line: I'd prototype Medusa + Next.js first. If the requirements turn out to be more enterprise/B2B-heavy, compare it directly with Vendure; if minimizing DevOps is more important than minimizing platform cost, add Shopify Hydrogen to the bake-off.

For a headless shop on a tight budget, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My recommendation: Medusa

Medusa is particularly attractive if your storefront will be Next.js/React. Its Cloud offering starts at $29/month, with $99/month for the next tier, and it currently advertises 0% GMV/platform fees. You can also self-host the open-source platform if minimizing infrastructure costs is more important than minimizing DevOps work. docs.medusajs.com

That gives you a nice progression:

Prototype → ~$29/mo managed → ~$99/mo production → self-host if/when economics justify it.

It also has the commerce primitives you'd expect—products, variants, pricing, promotions, payments, shipping, returns, etc.—while keeping the storefront decoupled. medusajs.com

Runner-up: Vendure

Vendure is worth evaluating alongside Medusa if you have a strong TypeScript/NestJS team. Its self-hosted runtime has no additional runtime fee, and its commercial platform uses a flat annual subscription rather than GMV/order-based charges. vendure.io

I'd skip Saleor for this particular constraint

Saleor is a very capable headless platform, but its current managed pricing starts at $1,599/month, versus Medusa's $29/month starting point. Saleor's free sandbox is useful for experimentation, but it's not the budget production option you're looking for. saleor.io

Bottom line: I'd run a small proof-of-concept with Medusa + Next.js + your preferred CMS + Stripe/payment provider, and keep Vendure as the second candidate. If the goal is lowest total cost without building the entire commerce backend yourself, Medusa is the strongest starting point.

For a tight budget + headless-friendly shop, I’d evaluate these in roughly this order:

vendure.iohunchbite.com

My shortlist for a budget-conscious team

1. Medusa — probably the first one I’d prototype

• Good match if your frontend team is already using Next.js/TypeScript.
• Open source, API-first, and designed to be customized.
• You can run it cheaply on your own infrastructure instead of paying a large commerce SaaS bill. hunchbite.com
• Good for:
  • DTC brands
  • custom UX
  • marketplaces
  • unusual checkout/business rules

Watch out: it is more of a commerce engine than a complete “set up a store in an afternoon” product. You’ll still need to build the storefront, integrations, and operational workflows. designodin.com

2. Shopify headless — if speed matters more than ownership

• If your goal is “sell products soon,” Shopify is hard to beat.
• Use Shopify as the commerce backend and build your own frontend.
• You avoid running inventory, payments, orders, and security infrastructure yourself.

The downside is that you’re paying for Shopify and accepting platform constraints. ribbsaetersystems.com

3. Vendure — if your team is strongly TypeScript-oriented

• Similar philosophy to Medusa: API-first, customizable, self-hostable.
• Worth evaluating if you want a more structured backend architecture and are comfortable operating it yourself. vendure.io

What I would avoid on a tight budget

• Enterprise composable platforms (commercetools, Elastic Path, etc.) — excellent products, but usually aimed at teams with large implementation budgets. designodin.com
• Building a completely custom commerce backend — headless does not mean you should rebuild carts, inventory, tax, payments, and fulfillment from scratch.

A practical low-cost stack I’d test

Option A: lowest engineering cost

• Shopify backend
• Next.js storefront
• Headless CMS only if needed

Option B: lowest platform cost

• Medusa backend
• Next.js storefront
• PostgreSQL
• Stripe payments
• Managed hosting/VPS

Option C: content-heavy storefront

• Medusa or Shopify
• Sanity / Contentful as CMS
• Next.js frontend

If you tell me your expected scale (e.g., <100 SKUs vs thousands, B2C vs B2B, and whether your team is JS/TS, PHP, or Python), I can narrow this to 1–2 realistic choices.

For a tight-budget, headless-friendly shop, I’d evaluate these in roughly this order:

vendure.io

My shortlist for a budget-conscious build

1. Medusa — probably the first one I’d prototype

• Good match if your frontend team is already using React/Next.js + TypeScript.
• API-first, modular architecture.
• Can be self-hosted to minimize recurring costs, or use managed hosting if you want less DevOps. vendure.io
• Good for: custom UX, marketplaces, unusual checkout flows, content-heavy storefronts.

2. Shopify headless — evaluate if you value launch speed

• A common mistake is assuming headless automatically means open source. Shopify can provide the commerce backend while you build a custom frontend.
• Strong admin experience, payments, apps, and operational tooling.
• Better if your team is small and you want to avoid maintaining carts, inventory, tax, orders, etc. vendure.io

3. Saleor — good if your team is GraphQL/Python-oriented

• Strong API model and good fit for complex catalogs or multi-channel commerce.
• Less attractive if your stack is mostly JavaScript/TypeScript. contracollective.com

What I would avoid on a tight budget

• Enterprise composable platforms like commercetools/Elastic Path: powerful, but usually aimed at organizations with larger budgets and dedicated commerce teams. vendure.io
• Building a fully custom commerce backend from scratch: the storefront is usually the easy part; promotions, inventory, refunds, taxes, and fulfillment become expensive.

A practical low-cost stack to test

• Frontend: Next.js
• Commerce backend: Medusa
• CMS: a lightweight headless CMS (or even Markdown/content files initially)
• Payments: Stripe
• Hosting: managed frontend hosting + low-cost backend hosting

If you have one or two developers, I’d probably start with Medusa vs Shopify headless as a bake-off:

• “Do we need maximum control?” → Medusa
• “Do we need to sell reliably with minimal engineering?” → Shopify headless

The deciding factors are your catalog size, B2B vs DTC, and whether you already have a frontend stack.

For a low-cost, headless-first shop, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

1. Medusa — my first evaluation.
Medusa Cloud currently starts at $29/month, with 0% GMV platform fees, unlimited products/orders/sales channels, and hosting for the backend, admin and storefront. You can also self-host the open-source platform if minimizing recurring costs is more important than minimizing DevOps. docs.medusajs.com

That combination makes it particularly interesting for a tight-budget headless build: Next.js/SvelteKit/etc. on the front, Medusa as the commerce engine, and relatively little platform lock-in. Its Cloud service supports Next.js, SvelteKit and TanStack Start storefronts. docs.medusajs.com

Medusa Cloud pricing

2. Shopify + Hydrogen — evaluate if operational simplicity matters more.
Shopify's Hydrogen storefront framework is free, and Shopify says Hydrogen storefronts can be deployed on Oxygen at no additional hosting cost. You can also use Shopify's Storefront API with your own frontend rather than Hydrogen. apps.shopify.com

It's probably the safer business choice if you want payments, merchandising, apps, admin tooling and operational maturity without building much yourself. The tradeoff is that your commerce backend remains Shopify.

Shopify headless commerce

3. BigCommerce — good SaaS alternative.
Its current Core plan is $29/month when billed annually, with higher tiers as sales grow. It's worth testing if you want a managed commerce backend but don't want to build as much infrastructure around an open-source platform. www.bigcommerce.com

I would skip Saleor for a genuinely tight budget. Its open-source version is attractive, but the current managed Cloud offering starts at $1,599/month, so it's difficult to justify for a small shop unless you specifically need Saleor's architecture. saleor.io

What I'd actually prototype

Medusa + Next.js + inexpensive hosting would be my first POC.

Then build the same small slice—product → cart → checkout → order—on Shopify/Hydrogen. Compare total engineering time, not just monthly SaaS cost. If Medusa saves $100/month but costs you weeks of engineering, Shopify can easily be cheaper overall.

If you tell me roughly monthly orders, number of SKUs, B2C vs B2B, and your preferred frontend (Next.js/Astro/etc.), I can narrow this to a recommended stack and estimated monthly cost.

For a tight-budget, headless-friendly shop, I would evaluate these in roughly this order:

hunchbite.com

My shortlist for a low-cost headless build

1. Medusa — probably the first platform I’d prototype

• Good fit if your frontend is already something like Next.js/React.
• API-first architecture, TypeScript-based, and you avoid a large SaaS platform fee.
• You can run it cheaply on common cloud hosting and add only the services you need.
• The trade-off: you need engineering ownership for integrations, upgrades, and operations. hunchbite.com

2. Shopify + custom frontend — evaluate if speed matters more than cost

• Keep Shopify for products, inventory, payments, checkout, and admin.
• Build a custom frontend using Shopify’s APIs.
• This is attractive if your team is small and you do not want to operate commerce infrastructure. hunchbite.com
• The downside: you may pay Shopify fees while still paying developers to build the headless layer.

3. Saleor — worth a look for more sophisticated needs

• Strong choice if you have Python expertise or need GraphQL-first commerce.
• Better suited when you anticipate multiple storefronts, regions, or complex catalog rules. hunchbite.com

A budget-conscious stack I’d consider

• Frontend: Next.js
• Commerce backend: Medusa
• CMS: Sanity or Payload CMS
• Payments: Stripe
• Hosting: inexpensive managed hosting + managed database

Avoid overbuilding if:

• You have fewer than a few thousand SKUs
• You mostly need standard checkout/cart/inventory
• Your differentiator is marketing/content, not commerce logic

In that case, a headless Shopify frontend may actually be cheaper overall because engineering time dominates infrastructure cost. www.buildwithmatija.com

A useful rule of thumb:

• 1–2 developers + custom UX needs → Medusa
• No dedicated backend engineers → Shopify headless
• Complex catalog/multi-region/B2B → Saleor

If you share your approximate monthly order volume, SKU count, frontend stack (Next.js? mobile app?), and whether you need B2B features, I can narrow it down.

If low cost + headless flexibility are the priorities, I’d evaluate Medusa first, with Vendure as the second option.

Why Medusa: it's MIT-licensed, Node.js/TypeScript, headless-first, and can be self-hosted. That makes the software cost essentially $0; your main expenses become hosting, payments, and engineering time. Current comparisons put it among the strongest open-source choices for JS/TS teams. vendure.io

Vendure is worth a serious bake-off if you're already TypeScript-heavy or expect B2B requirements. Its plugin architecture and GraphQL API are particularly strong. vendure.io

I'd put Saleor behind those for a tight-budget project. It's excellent technically and has a free self-hosted core, but its current managed Cloud production pricing starts at $1,599/month, so it isn't the obvious low-cost route unless you're comfortable operating it yourself. saleor.io

Shopify Hydrogen is the wildcard: probably the cheapest option in engineering time if you want a polished store quickly, but not the cheapest if your goal is to minimize recurring platform costs and own the backend. vendure.io

My shortlist

1. Medusa — best starting point for a genuinely low-cost headless build.
2. Vendure — evaluate alongside it if B2B/complex workflows matter.
3. Shopify + Hydrogen — benchmark against these to see whether paying for managed infrastructure saves enough engineering time.
4. Saleor — consider if GraphQL/Python and more sophisticated commerce requirements justify it.

For a small store with a React/Next.js frontend, I'd probably prototype Medusa + Next.js + Postgres + Stripe first and see how far you can get before committing to a more expensive commerce platform.

For a tight-budget, headless shop, I’d evaluate these in this order:

1. Medusa — my first evaluation

Medusa is probably the one I'd prototype first. It's designed as a headless commerce engine, so you can run your own Next.js/Astro/etc. storefront and keep the commerce backend separate. Its modular architecture gives you catalog, pricing, regions/currencies, promotions, etc., without forcing you into a monolithic frontend. docs.medusajs.com

The big advantage for a budget-conscious team is self-hosting: you can keep infrastructure relatively small and scale it as needed rather than starting with a costly managed-commerce subscription.

Good fit if: you have developer capacity and want maximum control for minimum platform spend.

2. Shopify + Hydrogen — best "cheap to operate"

Shopify is worth serious consideration even though it isn't open source. Hydrogen is free, and Shopify says Oxygen hosting for Hydrogen is included with Shopify plans. apps.shopify.com

That means you can have:

Shopify backend → Storefront API → Hydrogen/React frontend → Oxygen

without having to operate the commerce backend, checkout infrastructure, payments, inventory, etc. Shopify's current plans also support headless storefronts, with the number depending on the plan. www.shopify.com

Good fit if: your real goal is lowest total engineering/operations cost, rather than lowest software license cost.

3. Saleor — technically excellent, but I'd defer it

Saleor is arguably the most compelling pure headless/composable architecture here: open source, GraphQL-native, and explicitly designed to work with arbitrary frontend stacks. saleor.io

However, its current managed Cloud pricing starts at $1,599/month, which makes it hard to justify for a genuinely shoestring launch. saleor.io You can self-host the open-source version, but then you're taking on more infrastructure responsibility.

Good fit if: you anticipate complex catalogs, multi-market commerce, or sophisticated composable architecture and have the engineering team to support it.

My recommendation

If you're developer-heavy and cash-light: Medusa.

If you're developer-light and want the cheapest path to a reliable production store: Shopify + Hydrogen.

If you're building something complex from day one: evaluate Saleor, but don't choose its managed offering unless the budget supports it.

One important caveat: headless itself can be the expensive part. You're taking on storefront development, deployment, caching, search, CMS integration, analytics, and potentially checkout complexity. So I'd compare total cost to launch + maintain, not just monthly platform fees. A conventional Shopify storefront can easily beat a "free" headless platform on total cost. apps.teamzlab.com

If you tell me roughly monthly orders, number of SKUs, B2C vs B2B, and your preferred frontend (Next.js/Astro/etc.), I can narrow this to a specific stack and estimated monthly cost.

If low cost + headless + minimal platform lock-in are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa: its core is open source with no license or GMV fee, and its managed cloud currently starts at $29/month. That gives you a relatively inexpensive way to start without committing to a proprietary commerce backend. medusajs.com

If you're comfortable operating infrastructure, self-hosting Medusa can reduce the software bill further—you'd mainly be paying for hosting, database, search, email, payments, etc. The tradeoff is that you become responsible for operations and maintenance.

Shopify is the alternative I'd evaluate alongside it. Its current plans start at $29/month when billed annually, and Shopify supports headless storefronts. It's likely to win on operational simplicity and ecosystem, but you give up more backend control and incur Shopify's commerce/payment economics. www.shopify.com

I would not start with Saleor for a tight-budget project: its current managed production offering starts at $1,599/month, despite the open-source core. saleor.io Vendure is worth testing if your team is strongly TypeScript/NestJS-oriented, but its commercial platform starts at €40,000/year, so its inexpensive path is primarily the self-hosted open-source route. vendure.io

What I'd evaluate first

1. Medusa → best budget/headless candidate
2. Shopify → benchmark for how much you're paying to avoid infrastructure work
3. Vendure → if TypeScript + GraphQL + extensibility are especially important

If you tell me your expected monthly orders/GMV, tech stack, and whether you want to self-host, I can narrow this to the cheapest realistic architecture and estimate the monthly TCO.

For a tight-budget, headless storefront, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

Shortlist

Why Medusa: its current Cloud Develop plan starts at $29/month, has no GMV fee, and includes backend/storefront hosting, GitHub deployment, previews, and its commerce features without additional platform fees. docs.medusajs.com

It also makes sense architecturally if you're building a custom frontend: Medusa is modular, supports multiple regions/currencies, and lets you own the storefront rather than forcing a particular frontend. docs.medusajs.com

Vendure is my second evaluation. Its Core is open source and can be self-hosted, making it potentially extremely cheap if you already have DevOps capability. Its managed Cloud Core currently starts at €199/month, though, so I'd favor self-hosting if cost is the overriding constraint. vendure.io

Saleor is technically compelling—GraphQL-native and genuinely headless—but its managed Cloud starts at $1,599/month, which makes it difficult to justify for a budget-conscious launch. saleor.io

My recommendation

Evaluate Medusa first → Vendure second → Saleor only if you have specific GraphQL/catalog requirements.

If you're comfortable managing a small Node/Postgres deployment yourself, I'd also compare self-hosted Medusa vs self-hosted Vendure. That could get your commerce backend down to infrastructure costs rather than a platform subscription.

If you tell me your expected monthly orders/GMV, frontend stack (Next.js, Nuxt, etc.), and whether you can self-host, I can narrow this to the cheapest realistic architecture.

If headless is a hard requirement and you're trying to keep the platform bill low, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

My shortlist

Why Medusa first: its current managed Cloud entry point is $29/month, with 0% GMV platform fee, unlimited products/orders/sales channels, and the ability to self-host the open-source platform if you want to squeeze infrastructure costs further. docs.medusajs.com

It is also TypeScript/Node-oriented and deliberately modular, which makes it particularly attractive if your storefront/BFF is already in the modern JS ecosystem. docs.medusajs.com

The important caveat

Don't assume "open source = cheapest." Headless shifts cost from licensing to engineering. You'll be responsible for the storefront, deployment, integrations, checkout UX, monitoring, and potentially more custom maintenance.

That's why I'd evaluate Medusa vs. Shopify Hydrogen rather than simply choosing the cheapest software. Shopify is more expensive as a backend, but its mature commerce infrastructure and app ecosystem can make the total cost lower if you don't have much engineering capacity. vendure.io

I would not put Saleor first for a tight-budget project if you're planning to use their managed cloud: its current published plans start at $1,599/month, despite the core being open source and self-hostable. saleor.io

My evaluation order:
1. Medusa → 2. Vendure → 3. Shopify Hydrogen → 4. Saleor

If you tell me your expected monthly orders/GMV, tech stack (Next.js/etc.), and whether you have 1–2 developers or a larger team, I can narrow that to the cheapest stack that is realistically production-worthy.

If low cost + headless + minimal vendor lock-in are the priorities, I’d put Medusa at the top of the evaluation list.

Why Medusa: its core is open-source/MIT, it is built specifically as a headless commerce backend, and its modular TypeScript architecture is a good fit if your storefront is Next.js/React. Current comparisons also put its managed-cloud option at the low end compared with enterprise headless platforms. contracollective.com

Vendure is the other one I'd actually prototype. It's TypeScript/GraphQL and has a particularly strong plugin architecture, but its commercial licensing becomes more relevant if you need the advanced platform features. Its free Core can still be self-hosted. vendure.io

I would not start with Saleor for a tight-budget project unless you specifically need its GraphQL-first architecture, complex catalog, or multi-region capabilities. Its managed cloud currently starts at $1,599/month, which makes it a very different proposition from a shoestring self-hosted build. saleor.io

My shortlist

1. Medusa → prototype this first
2. Vendure → evaluate alongside it if B2B/custom workflows are important
3. Saleor → only if its particular architecture solves a requirement you have
4. Shopify/Hydrogen → consider if minimizing engineering/DevOps is more important than minimizing platform cost

One important caveat: “open source = cheap” isn't automatically true. With Medusa/Vendure/Saleor, you trade license fees for hosting, maintenance, upgrades, monitoring, backups, and engineering time. For a genuinely small team, a managed service can actually be cheaper overall. contracollective.com

If you tell me roughly monthly orders, number of SKUs, B2C vs B2B, and your frontend stack, I can narrow this to the cheapest sensible architecture.

For a tight budget + headless requirement, I’d evaluate these first:

hunchbite.comwww.wpbundle.com

My shortlist for a budget-conscious headless build:

1. Medusa — probably the first platform I’d prototype

Good choice if you have developers comfortable with TypeScript/Node.js and want:

• Next.js/React storefront
• Full API ownership
• Custom checkout, pricing, bundles, workflows
• Low infrastructure cost

It is designed as an API-first commerce engine rather than a traditional storefront platform. powergatesoftware.com

A typical lean stack:

• Frontend: Next.js
• Commerce: Medusa
• CMS: Sanity or Contentful
• Payments: Stripe
• Hosting: inexpensive managed hosting or cloud VM

2. Shopify headless — if your team is small and wants fewer headaches

Use Shopify as the commerce backend and build your own frontend.

Best when:

• Merchants need a polished admin
• You need inventory/orders/payments to "just work"
• The storefront is where you want differentiation

You pay more for the platform, but you save engineering time. Shopify’s headless approach is usually the fastest path to production. www.askantech.com

3. Saleor — if you have Python expertise

Worth evaluating for:

• B2B
• Multi-channel catalogs
• Complex permissions
• GraphQL-first architecture

It is powerful, but I would hesitate for a very small team because the operational burden is higher. hunchbite.comwww.wpbundle.com

My recommendation by scenario

• <$5k/month budget, strong dev team: Medusa
• Small team, need launch quickly: Shopify headless
• B2B or complex catalog: Saleor or Medusa
• Existing WordPress business: WooCommerce headless (carefully)

Before choosing, I’d answer three questions:

1. Do you need a custom checkout/business logic, or just a custom frontend?
2. Who will operate the store day-to-day (developers or non-technical merchandisers)?
3. What is your expected scale: hundreds, thousands, or millions of SKUs/orders?

Those answers usually narrow the choice to one or two platforms quickly.

If headless is a requirement and budget is tight, I’d evaluate Medusa first.

My shortlist

1. Medusa — my first evaluation

Medusa

Medusa is open-source and built around a modular commerce backend, so you can run the commerce API yourself and pair it with whatever frontend you want. Its current stack is particularly attractive if your team is comfortable with TypeScript/Node. docs.medusajs.com

For a tight-budget build, the important advantage is that you're not immediately committing to a pricey managed-commerce tier. You can keep hosting relatively lean and spend money on the parts that actually differentiate the shop.

2. Saleor — strong alternative

Saleor

Saleor is arguably the more polished choice if you need sophisticated catalog, internationalization, multi-channel, or composable-commerce capabilities. It's genuinely headless and open source. saleor.io

However, I wouldn't choose Saleor Cloud for a tight-budget project: its current paid Cloud plans start at $1,599/month, although self-hosting the open-source platform is possible. saleor.io

3. Shopify + Hydrogen — evaluate if engineering time is more expensive than hosting

Shopify

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $29/month when billed annually, and Shopify supports headless storefronts. www.shopify.com The tradeoff is that you're buying into Shopify's ecosystem rather than minimizing platform dependence.

What I'd do

For a low-cost MVP, I'd test:

Next.js storefront → Medusa → PostgreSQL → Stripe → inexpensive managed hosting

Then compare that against:

Next.js/Hydrogen → Shopify

I'd only put Saleor ahead of Medusa if you already know you'll need its more sophisticated commerce model or your team strongly prefers Python/GraphQL.

One important caveat: headless isn't automatically cheaper. You're taking on frontend, deployment, caching, checkout integration, and ongoing maintenance that a conventional Shopify storefront handles for you. If the shop is relatively simple, Shopify's $29/month entry point can actually produce a lower total cost once developer time is included. www.shopify.com

Bottom line: start the evaluation with Medusa, keep Shopify as the "less engineering" benchmark, and consider Saleor if your requirements are more complex.