E-Commerce Platforms for Developers: Headless, SaaS and Open Source
Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Medusa and Saleor compared from a dev perspective. API quality, customization depth and total cost of ownership.
At MG Software we build custom e-commerce solutions using Medusa as a headless commerce backend combined with a Next.js frontend. This approach offers maximum flexibility without vendor lock-in. For clients who want to launch quickly without development costs we recommend Shopify for its ease of use and extensive app store.
Choosing the right e-commerce platform is one of the most important decisions for your online business. The platform determines how quickly you can launch, how flexibly you can grow, and what customer experience you can offer. In 2026 options range from user-friendly hosted platforms to powerful headless commerce solutions. In this guide we compare six popular e-commerce platforms based on flexibility, scalability, cost, and developer experience to help you make an informed decision.
How did we select these tools?
We built the same product catalog and checkout flow on each platform and measured time-to-market, customizability, payment integrations, and page speed. Pricing models were compared based on a webshop with 500 products and 2,000 monthly orders.
How do we evaluate these tools?
- Flexibility and storefront customization
- Scalability for growing product catalogs and traffic volumes
- Developer experience: API quality, documentation, and extensibility
- Total cost of ownership including hosting, plugins, and transaction fees
- Headless and composable commerce capabilities
1. Shopify
The most popular hosted e-commerce platform in the world powering over four million stores. Shopify provides everything to start a store, from hosting and payments to marketing tools. With Shopify Plus and Hydrogen it also offers enterprise and headless options.
Pros
- +All-in-one platform: hosting, payments, and marketing
- +Extensive app store with 8,000+ apps
- +Shopify Hydrogen for headless commerce
Cons
- -Transaction fees with external payment providers
- -Limited customization outside the Liquid template system
- -Monthly costs add up with apps and premium themes
2. WooCommerce
Open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress powering over 35% of all online stores worldwide. WooCommerce offers unlimited customization through the vast WordPress ecosystem of themes and plugins. Ideal for teams with WordPress experience.
Pros
- +Fully open-source and free to install
- +Unlimited customization via the WordPress ecosystem
- +No transaction fees, full freedom in payment providers
Cons
- -Responsible for your own hosting and security
- -Performance depends on hosting and plugin choices
- -Can become complex with many plugins
3. Magento (Adobe Commerce)
Powerful open-source e-commerce platform aimed at enterprise stores with complex catalogs and multi-store setups. Magento offers deep customization and scalability but requires significant technical expertise and investment.
Pros
- +Excellent for complex enterprise stores
- +Multi-store and multi-currency out of the box
- +Highly scalable for large product catalogs
Cons
- -High technical complexity and maintenance costs
- -Slow performance without optimization
- -Adobe Commerce license is very expensive
4. BigCommerce
SaaS e-commerce platform that balances ease of use with extensibility. BigCommerce includes built-in features that require paid apps on other platforms, such as multi-channel selling and advanced SEO tools with no transaction fees.
Pros
- +Many built-in features without needing extra apps
- +No transaction fees on any plan
- +Strong headless commerce options via API
Cons
- -Fewer themes available than Shopify
- -Annual revenue limits per plan
- -Smaller community than Shopify or WooCommerce
5. Medusa
Open-source headless commerce platform built with Node.js giving developers full control over commerce logic. Medusa offers a modular architecture allowing you to choose exactly the functionality you need without vendor lock-in.
Pros
- +Fully open-source and self-hosted
- +Modular architecture with maximum developer freedom
- +No license fees or transaction costs
Cons
- -No visual storefront, requires frontend development
- -Smaller ecosystem than established platforms
- -More development effort required for launch
6. Saleor
Open-source headless commerce platform with a GraphQL-first API built in Python and React. Saleor offers a cloud-hosted option and a powerful dashboard for product management. Designed for developers who want fast customizable commerce experiences.
Pros
- +GraphQL-first API for flexible data querying
- +Modern dashboard for product management
- +Cloud-hosted option available alongside self-hosting
Cons
- -Smaller community than Medusa or Shopify
- -Python backend may be a drawback for JavaScript teams
Which tool does MG Software recommend?
At MG Software we build custom e-commerce solutions using Medusa as a headless commerce backend combined with a Next.js frontend. This approach offers maximum flexibility without vendor lock-in. For clients who want to launch quickly without development costs we recommend Shopify for its ease of use and extensive app store.
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