Saleor vs Medusa: Comparing the Leading Open-Source Commerce Engines

Saleor and Medusa are leading open-source headless commerce platforms with distinct technical approaches. Saleor uses Python/Django with GraphQL, targeting enterprises with 22,215 GitHub stars and 2.1% monthly growth. Medusa leverages Node.js/Express with REST APIs, showing stronger momentum with 30,970 stars and 33.4% monthly growth. Key differences include architecture (Python vs JavaScript), API design (GraphQL vs REST), pricing models (Saleor Cloud starts at $159/month with GMV fees vs Medusa Cloud at $29/month with zero GMV fees), and extensibility approaches (external apps vs in-process plugins). Saleor suits established businesses with Python expertise requiring enterprise features, while Medusa appeals to JavaScript teams prioritizing rapid development and cost efficiency.