MedusaJS vs WooCommerce vs Shopify: a headless commerce comparison for developers
Short answer: pick Shopify for the fastest launch with little customization, WooCommerce if you already live in WordPress, and MedusaJS when you need a fully customizable, code-owned, API-first commerce backend with no vendor lock-in.
This is a placeholder starter article that proves the content pipeline (MDX → Astro → schema → JSON-LD). Replace it with the real launch-cluster pieces.
Architecture at a glance
| MedusaJS | WooCommerce | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Open-source headless | WordPress plugin | Hosted SaaS |
| Customization | Full (code) | High (PHP/plugins) | Limited (themes/apps) |
| Vendor lock-in | None | None | High |
| Hosting | Self / cloud | Self | Managed |
When MedusaJS wins
When you need custom commerce logic, a clean API for any frontend, and full ownership of your stack. These are exactly the cases we build for Swiss brands at Composalp, with Twint, the Swiss QR-bill and Swiss Post integrated.
FAQ
Is MedusaJS free?
Yes. Medusa is open-source (MIT) and free to self-host. You only pay for your own infrastructure.
Can MedusaJS handle Swiss payment methods like Twint?
Yes: through a payment provider such as Payrexx, Medusa can accept Twint, cards and PostFinance.