The Medusa Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Medusa in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Medusa
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source commerce framework for developers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among online store builders, read from Medusa’s own pages.
Made by Medusa · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Medusa’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Medusa’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 15 of the 26 other online store builders we grade
Medusa is an open-source commerce platform with a built-in framework for customization, used to build B2B or DTC stores, marketplaces and other commerce apps in Node.js on PostgreSQL. You can self-host it for free or pay for Medusa Cloud, which hosts the backend, admin and storefront and charges for infrastructure instead of a share of sales.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Medusa, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is a developer framework, set up with code and a PostgreSQL database.
- 1
Best for custom stores built in JavaScript
Medusa is an open-source commerce framework in JavaScript, with a merchant admin, a starter storefront and optional hosting from $29 a month.
- 2
Paid plans start at $29 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $29 per month and up, billed monthly (Cloud Develop).
- 3
There is a free plan
The open-source software is free to self-host; the Cloud plans start at $29 a month.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Commerce building blocks
Products, carts, orders and payments are provided as primitives inside a framework, so developers customize behavior instead of working around a fixed storefront.
- 6
Sales channels and regions
Several sales channels with their own rules and products, plus multiple currencies, local tax rules and region-specific shipping and payment settings.
- 7
Inventory and promotions
Multi-warehouse inventory with order reservations, and a promotion engine for campaigns, free shipping and customer or B2B pricing.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 15 of 26
That is against the other online store builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Medusa you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Medusa at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $29 per month and up, billed monthly (Cloud Develop)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Medusa
- Category
- Online Store Builders
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for custom stores built in JavaScript
Medusa is an open-source commerce framework in JavaScript, with a merchant admin, a starter storefront and optional hosting from $29 a month. A store still takes engineering work to set up, hosting costs grow with usage, and the Cloud can't take cards from banks registered in India.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Cloud Develop is $29 a month, in the category's cheaper quarter, and the open-source version is free. Higher Cloud tiers are $99 and $299, and costs grow with usage. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The open-source software is free with no sales-volume fee, but you host it yourself. Cloud has no free plan or trial. |
| Features | C | Products, carts, orders, payments, regions, multi-warehouse stock and promotions as building blocks. A store takes engineering work to assemble. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. It is a developer framework, set up with code and a PostgreSQL database. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with an admin and a Cloud hosting service, an MCP server and a CLI. No phone or desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Medusa is for
- Fits if your team writes JavaScript and wants a custom or headless store
- Works for builders who don't want a platform fee on sales
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a store without developers, as setup takes engineering work
- Skip it if you can't host a server, because the free version means doing that yourself
- Watch out: Cloud costs grow with usage, with edge requests past the allowance at $0.30 per 1M
- Watch out: Medusa Cloud can't accept cards issued by banks registered in India
Good to know
Good for
- Developer teams building custom or headless stores in JavaScript
- Teams that want to avoid a platform fee on sales volume
- B2B and marketplace builds that need custom commerce logic
Worth knowing
- It is a developer framework: the admin and a starter storefront exist, but a store takes engineering work to set up.
- Cloud prices start at the listed figure and grow with infrastructure and usage; edge requests beyond the allowance cost $0.30 per 1M.
- Cloud development access is billed per seat, and log drains are a $50 per month add-on on some plans.
- Medusa Cloud cannot accept cards issued by banks registered in India.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$29
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Medusa has a free plan. Paid plans start at $29 per month and up, billed monthly (Cloud Develop).
The open-source software is free with no sales-volume fee, but you host it yourself.
Open source
$0
The open-source platform from GitHub, which you host and run yourself on your own PostgreSQL database.
Cloud Develop
$29
per month and up, billed monthly
Hosted backend, admin and storefront, GitHub deploys, previews on pull requests, Medusa Search and Emails, with 1M edge requests.
Cloud Launch
$99
per month and up, billed monthly
Adds autoscaling, custom storefront domains, automatic backups, webhook events, a Redis-backed store and 5M edge requests.
Cloud Scale
$299
per month and up, billed monthly
Adds background workers, priority support, semantic search, longer backup retention, a custom backend domain and 10M edge requests.
Cloud Enterprise
Custom
Adds SLA-backed support, RBAC, SSO and audit logs, a dedicated support engineer and a 99.99% uptime guarantee. Sold through sales.
The free plan
The open-source software is free to self-host; the Cloud plans start at $29 a month.
Read from medusajs.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source commerce framework for developers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, AI features, online store.
Products, carts, orders, payments, regions, multi-warehouse stock and promotions as building blocks.
- Commerce building blocks
- Products, carts, orders and payments are provided as primitives inside a framework, so developers customize behavior instead of working around a fixed storefront.
- Sales channels and regions
- Several sales channels with their own rules and products, plus multiple currencies, local tax rules and region-specific shipping and payment settings.
- Inventory and promotions
- Multi-warehouse inventory with order reservations, and a promotion engine for campaigns, free shipping and customer or B2B pricing.
- Medusa Admin
- A merchant dashboard for daily operations. The Cloud FAQ says Admin users are free and unlimited, and only development seats are billed.
- Cloud hosting
- Medusa Cloud deploys from GitHub and hosts the backend, admin and storefront on a CDN, with previews, logs, backups and autoscaling on higher plans.
- AI tooling
- A Medusa MCP server, a development agent and a Cloud CLI are included on every Cloud plan; custom workflow agents are Enterprise only.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- GitHub
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
Medusa is made by Medusa.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
15/26
Other online store builders it is graded above
Medusa's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 15 of the 26 other online store builders we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 22 of 26) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $29 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 5 of the 18 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 27 online store builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. Medusa’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 22 of 26
- BFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 26
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 26
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 26
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 26
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 21 online store builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Medusa is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Medusa you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $348 a year. Medusa is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, PostgreSQL and Redis among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Medusa’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Saleor, Vendure, commercetools, Shopware and BigCommerce
The 5 tools Medusa is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.6GPA
Saleor
Free plan · from $1599/mo
- 1.8GPA
Vendure
Free plan · from €199/mo
Open-source B2B commerce framework with paid plans.
- Vendure also covers quotes and estimates.
- 2.0GPA
commercetools
Free trial
API-first headless commerce platform for large retailers.
- Medusa has a free plan. commercetools does not, though it has a free trial.
- Medusa is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
Shopware
Free plan · from €600/mo
- 2.6GPA
BigCommerce
Free trial · from $29/mo
Hosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales.
- Medusa has a free plan. BigCommerce does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BigCommerce lists iOS and Android apps.
- Medusa is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Medusa free?
Medusa has a free plan. The open-source software is free to self-host; the Cloud plans start at $29 a month.
How much does Medusa cost?
Medusa lists 5 plans. Open source: $0.
What platforms does Medusa work on?
Medusa is available on Web.
Does Medusa have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Medusa is listed for Web.
Does Medusa have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Medusa is listed for Web.
Is Medusa open source?
Yes. Medusa is open source, according to its own site.
Does Medusa have an API?
Yes. Medusa offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Medusa integrate with?
Medusa's listing names GitHub, PostgreSQL and Redis. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Medusa?
Medusa is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Medusa?
The closest alternatives to Medusa in our directory are Saleor, Vendure, commercetools, Shopware and BigCommerce.
How does Medusa compare with other online store builders?
Medusa's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 15 of the 26 other online store builders we grade, and level with 5.
Is Medusa good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Medusa B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $29 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 5 of the 18 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Medusa?
To replace Medusa you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Medusa’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Medusa's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Medusa. Prices change, so check medusajs.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Medusa, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/medusa
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Medusa: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/medusa
Know someone choosing between online store builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/medusa/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded online store builders after Medusa, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Online Store Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 30 online store builders we grade, compared
- Big Cartel Insider's GuideSimple online store for artists, makers and independent sellers2.8 GPA
- Shopify Insider's GuideHosted commerce platform for online, in-person and social selling2.8 GPA
- BigCommerce Insider's GuideHosted ecommerce platform with plans set by yearly sales2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Medusa’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Medusa is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Medusa. Prices and plans change: check medusajs.com before you buy.