{"id":378672,"date":"2023-04-27T11:29:56","date_gmt":"2023-04-27T11:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webkul.com\/blog\/?p=378672"},"modified":"2026-10-05T06:21:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T06:21:11","slug":"top-5-open-source-headless-ecommerce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webkul.com\/blog\/top-5-open-source-headless-ecommerce\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best Open Source Headless eCommerce Platforms in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A headless eCommerce platform runs your catalog, cart, and orders in the backend, while your team builds the storefront with any frontend it likes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing an open source option means you own the code and the data, so you are never locked into one vendor’s roadmap or pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide compares seven open source headless eCommerce platforms<\/a> by tech stack, API type, license, and the kind of team each one suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want the short answer, Bagisto is our top pick because it pairs a free Laravel backend with a ready Next.js storefront and GraphQL APIs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We last updated this guide in September 2026, so that each version number and price matches the official sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Open Source Headless Commerce Platforms Compared (2026)<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Use this table to build a quick shortlist, then read the detailed review of each platform further down the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Platform<\/th>Best For<\/th>Tech Stack<\/th>API<\/th>License<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Bagisto<\/a><\/strong> (Best Overall)<\/td>B2C, B2B, and marketplace stores that want a ready Next.js storefront and AI tools<\/td>PHP (Laravel) + Next.js<\/td>GraphQL + REST<\/td>MIT<\/td><\/tr>
Saleor<\/a><\/strong><\/td>Python teams that want a GraphQL-only API<\/td>Python (Django)<\/td>GraphQL<\/td>BSD-3-Clause<\/td><\/tr>
Medusa<\/a><\/strong><\/td>Node.js teams building custom commerce logic<\/td>TypeScript (Node.js)<\/td>REST<\/td>MIT (Enterprise parts excluded)<\/td><\/tr>
Vendure<\/a><\/strong><\/td>TypeScript teams and B2B projects<\/td>TypeScript (NestJS)<\/td>GraphQL<\/td>GPLv3 or commercial<\/td><\/tr>
Shopware 6<\/a><\/strong><\/td>Mid-market brands, especially in Europe<\/td>PHP (Symfony) + Vue.js<\/td>REST (Store API, Admin API)<\/td>MIT (Community Edition)<\/td><\/tr>
Magento Open Source<\/a><\/strong><\/td>Existing Magento stores moving to headless<\/td>PHP (Laminas)<\/td>GraphQL + REST<\/td>OSL-3.0<\/td><\/tr>
Sylius<\/a><\/strong><\/td>Symfony teams with custom workflows<\/td>PHP (Symfony)<\/td>REST (API Platform)<\/td>MIT<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All seven platforms are free to download and self-host, and paid plans only apply when you want managed hosting or extra enterprise features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Is Headless eCommerce?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Headless eCommerce is an API-first architecture where the storefront is separated from the backend, and the two talk only through APIs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Diagram<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Because the frontend is decoupled, a design team can rebuild the storefront without touching the checkout logic in the backend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same backend can then feed a website, a mobile app, a POS terminal, or a kiosk, which keeps prices and stock consistent on every channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headless vs Traditional eCommerce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a traditional platform, the theme and the backend ship as one unit, so a storefront change often means editing backend code as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Key<\/figure>\n\n\n\n