Open-source headless e-commerce platforms give developers a commerce backend (catalog, cart, orders, payments integrations) exposed through APIs, while the storefront is built separately. For teams that want to avoid a hosted, closed platform like Shopify, the main options in this catalog are Saleor, Vendure, Medusa and InnoShop. They differ mainly in their API style, their language stack and how far they go in multi-market and AI-driven use cases.

This comparison covers the criteria that matter most when replacing a hosted store, then looks at each option, and ends with guidance on which one fits which team.

Criteria for choosing a headless commerce backend

Before comparing products, it helps to fix the questions you need answered:

  • API model. Is the backend GraphQL-first or REST-based, and how well does it fit your storefront framework?
  • Language and framework. Does your team know the stack the platform is built on, and can they extend it?
  • Market coverage. Do you need multiple currencies, multiple warehouses or multiple sales channels from day one?
  • Customization depth. Will you change the data model and business logic, or mostly consume the API?
  • Automation and AI. Do you need native support for agents or the Model Context Protocol?
  • License and community. Check the license field and the project's activity before committing.

Saleor

Saleor is described as a GraphQL-native headless commerce API for scalable platforms, with multichannel, multi-currency and multi-warehouse support. It is published under the BSD-3-Clause license by its publisher and is one of the most starred options in this group.

Strengths:

  • GraphQL is the primary interface, which suits teams building modern JavaScript storefronts.
  • Built-in support for multiple channels, currencies and warehouses matches international catalogs.
  • A permissive BSD-3-Clause license makes commercial use straightforward.

Trade-offs:

  • GraphQL means your team needs to be comfortable with schema-driven development.
  • Its scope is centred on the commerce API, so you assemble the storefront yourself.

Vendure

Vendure is an open-source headless platform built with TypeScript, NestJS and GraphQL. It targets B2B, D2C and marketplace stores that need deep customization. Its catalog entry lists no license, so verify the license in the repository before adopting it.

Strengths:

  • TypeScript end to end suits teams already working in the Node.js ecosystem.
  • The description emphasises deep customization, which is relevant when your business rules do not fit a standard store.
  • B2B and marketplace use cases are named explicitly.

Trade-offs:

  • Customization depth means more code to own and maintain.
  • Teams without NestJS experience will face a learning curve.

Medusa

Medusa is a headless commerce platform and framework for building custom applications, storefronts and what it calls agent-ready commerce backends. It is the most starred project in this list, with a license not stated in the catalog entry, and is published by medusajs.

Strengths:

  • Positioned as both a platform and a framework, so it fits teams that want to build on top of commerce primitives.
  • Explicit focus on agent-ready backends, which is relevant if you plan to let AI tools interact with your store.
  • Large community interest, indicated by its star count.

Trade-offs:

  • As a framework, it asks more architectural decisions from your team.
  • Confirm the license before commercial deployment.

InnoShop

InnoShop is an AI-powered open-source e-commerce system built on Laravel 13. It supports multiple AI models and native Model Context Protocol (MCP) for automation, and offers multi-language and multi-currency out of the box, with a modular architecture and a plugin and theme system. It is listed in the MCP servers category, is published by innocommerce, and has a smaller star count than the others.

Strengths:

  • Built on PHP and Laravel, a good fit for teams with PHP skills.
  • Native MCP support is the clearest match in this group for AI-driven automation.
  • Multi-language, multi-currency and a plugin and theme system are available from the start.

Trade-offs:

  • Its community is smaller by star count, so evaluate maturity and support more carefully.
  • The license is not listed in the catalog entry.

Who should pick what

  • Choose Saleor if you want a GraphQL commerce API with multichannel and multi-warehouse support and a permissive license.
  • Choose Vendure if your team works in TypeScript and NestJS and needs deep customization for B2B or marketplace rules.
  • Choose Medusa if you want a framework for custom commerce applications and are interested in agent-ready backends, after confirming the license.
  • Choose InnoShop if your team runs PHP and Laravel and wants native MCP integration for AI automation.

For most teams replacing a hosted store, start with the API model and language stack your developers already know, then check the license and market requirements. Browse the wider developer tools and self-hosted web apps catalogs to find supporting components such as storefronts and admin tools.