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MedusaGet Paid & Manage Money

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Free, open-source headless commerce platform. Modular building blocks for products, orders, payments — customize however you need. Works with any frontend. Zero platform fees or GMV cuts. MIT-licensed. Free to use. Self-hosted.

Weaknesses

Requires developer expertise to set up and maintain
Self-hosting means you handle infrastructure and security
Smaller plugin ecosystem than Shopify or WooCommerce
No built-in storefront — must build or find a frontend

Key features

Open-source with no platform fees, GMV charges, or vendor lock-in
Modular architecture — pick only the commerce features you need
Supports B2B, B2C, marketplaces, multi-currency, and regional tax
API-first and headless — use any frontend framework

STOA verdict

Medusa is best for small businesses that have a developer on staff and want full control over their online store without paying platform fees or revenue cuts. The biggest win is that it's completely free and you own everything — no surprise charges as you grow. The catch is that it's not plug-and-play; you'll need technical help to set it up and maintain it, which can cost more than just paying for Shopify.