can i fork it?
πŸ›’ commerce

Magento costs $15/mo.
These cost $0.

10 free alternatives to Magento, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

⚑ Quick Verdict · 2027 Guide

The top-rated free, open-source replacement for Magento is Medusa (Open Source Open Source). Across this category, 7 self-hostable tools are available (including Medusa and Bagisto). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $900/year compared to Magento's $15/mo subscription.

The catch: Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.

Magento vs Free Alternatives

Quick side-by-side comparison Β· $0/mo vs $15/mo

AlternativeTypeLicenseWhere It RunsStarsHead-to-Head
Medusaopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 37.1kMagento vs Medusa β†’
Bagistoopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 28.3kMagento vs Bagisto β†’
Saleoropen sourceOpen SourceLocalβ˜… 23.5kMagento vs Saleor β†’
Spree Commerceopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 15.8kMagento vs Spree Commerce β†’
WooCommerceopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 10.6kMagento vs WooCommerce β†’
Alokaiopen sourceOpen SourceLocalβ˜… 11kMagento vs Alokai β†’
Vendureopen sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 8.6kMagento vs Vendure β†’
Your Next Store (YNS)open sourceOpen SourceSelf-hostβ˜… 5.5kMagento vs Your Next Store (YNS) β†’
Solidusopen sourceOpen SourceLocalβ˜… 5.3kMagento vs Solidus β†’
Shopwareopen sourceMITSelf-hostβ˜… 3.5kMagento vs Shopware β†’

The picks

10 open source Β· ranked by fit

  1. 01

    Medusa

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    37.1knov 2026

    Flexible, customizable e-commerce platform with headless architecture, built-in features, and extensive plugin ecosystem for scalable online stores.

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/medusajs/medusa or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  2. 02

    Bagisto

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    28.3knov 2026

    A flexible eCommerce platform built on Laravel that enables businesses to create marketplaces, mobile apps, and headless commerce solutions

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/bagisto/bagisto or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  3. 03

    Saleor

    open sourceOpen SourceLocal
    23.5knov 2026

    Headless, API-first e-commerce solution with powerful features for customization, scalability, and seamless integration across channels.

    The catch vs Magento

    Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    desktopcross-platformone-click install
    install
    Clone https://github.com/saleor/saleor or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
    your data
    All application data lives locally on your own machine.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  4. 04

    Spree Commerce

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    15.8knov 2026

    Headless eCommerce platform with REST API, TypeScript SDK, and Next.js storefront. Handle B2B, multi-vendor marketplaces, and cross-border commerce. Self-hosted, open source, zero fees.

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/spree/spree or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  5. 05

    WooCommerce

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    10.6knov 2026

    Build and manage online stores with customizable features, extensions, and themes for businesses of all sizes.

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hostedself-host, real ops
    install
    Clone https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  6. 06

    Alokai

    open sourceOpen SourceLocal
    11knov 2026

    A comprehensive Frontend as a Service solution that helps developers create, deploy and manage enterprise ecommerce storefronts with ready integrations and cloud infrastructure.

    The catch vs Magento

    Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    desktopcross-platformone-click install
    install
    Clone https://github.com/vuestorefront/vue-storefront or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
    your data
    All application data lives locally on your own machine.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  7. 07

    Vendure

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    8.6knov 2026

    A headless, API-first e-commerce framework built on Node.js with TypeScript, offering customization and scalability for online stores.

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Ecwid.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/vendure-ecommerce/vendure or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  8. 08

    Your Next Store (YNS)

    open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
    5.5knov 2026

    Fast, modern e-commerce with instant setup and full customization. Powered by Stripe for seamless transactions.

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/yournextstore/yournextstore or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  9. 09

    Solidus

    open sourceOpen SourceLocal
    5.3knov 2026

    Open-source eCommerce platform offering customization, scalability and enterprise-grade features for brands of all sizes

    The catch vs Magento

    Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    desktopcross-platformone-click install
    install
    Clone https://github.com/solidusio/solidus or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
    your data
    All application data lives locally on your own machine.
    checked
    2026-11-07
  10. 10

    Shopware

    open sourceMITSelf-host
    3.5knov 2026

    A flexible and customizable ecommerce solution that enables businesses to build responsive online stores with advanced features and automation capabilities.

    The catch vs Magento

    Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Ecwid.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hosteddocker to self-host
    install
    Clone https://github.com/shopware/platform or deploy with Docker Compose
    setup
    Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
    your data
    All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
    checked
    2026-11-07

Magento Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)

Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns Β· 10 free alternatives

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers Β· Magento open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to Magento?+

The top free alternative to Magento is Medusa (open source, Open Source). Flexible, customizable e-commerce platform with headless architecture, built-in features, and extensive plugin ecosystem for scalable online stores. Other popular Magento replacements include Bagisto, Saleor, Spree Commerce.

Can I self-host a free replacement for Magento?+

Yes. Of the 10 free alternatives to Magento, 7 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Medusa (Open Source), Bagisto (Open Source), Spree Commerce (Open Source), WooCommerce (Open Source), Vendure (Open Source), Your Next Store (YNS) (Open Source), Shopware (MIT).

How much does switching from Magento to a free alternative save?+

Magento starts at $15/month per seat ($180/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Medusa saves $900 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own Magento clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for Magento is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for Magento or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 10 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Medusa.

What is the catch when switching from Magento to Medusa?+

Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Magento.