Medusa JS vs. Saleor vs. Vendure – capabilities compared in 2025

Why Medusa JS, Saleor, and Vendure?

Three platforms, three paths to the same goal – a scalable headless store:

• Medusa JS (Node.js/JavaScript) focuses on a lightweight core, straightforward plugin-based extensibility, and fast iterations. It’s often chosen by JS teams building DTC and projects that require agility.
• Saleor (Python/Django + GraphQL) is a “batteries-included” solution with a rich core, localization, and sales channels. It performs well in larger organizations and enterprise projects with mature operational backgrounds.
• Vendure (Node.js/TypeScript + NestJS + GraphQL) targets teams that want strong typing and clean architecture in TypeScript, with deep extensibility through plugins.

If you have a JS team and care about time-to-market, Medusa and Vendure will be the natural choice. When the priority is a rich business layer with localization “out of the box” and GraphQL front and center, Saleor is remarkably solid.

Tech stack and architecture: REST vs GraphQL, modular monolith vs modular headless

Choosing the technology is not just a developer preference. It’s the skeleton for costs, iteration speed, and scaling options.

Medusa JS – lightweight server and REST API

Stack: Node.js, Express, Postgres, Redis (events/queue) API: REST (stable, cacheable; simpler onboarding and debugging) Architecture: modular server with in-process plugins; easy integrations and overrides Consequence: low startup overhead and fast JS extensions

Saleor – Django + GraphQL by design

Stack: Python, Django ORM, Postgres, GraphQL API: GraphQL only (precise data fetching, single-request complex views) Architecture: Django core + plugins + external apps via webhooks Consequence: rich features at the cost of higher complexity; ideal for multi-locale setups

Vendure – NestJS/TypeScript and plugins everywhere

Stack: Node.js, TypeScript, NestJS, Postgres, GraphQL API: GraphQL with optional REST modules Architecture: plugin-first with a separate Worker for heavy tasks Consequence: clean separation of concerns and strong typing

Conclusion

If your team prefers simplicity and fast progress, REST in Medusa lowers entry barriers. For frontends requiring precise payloads and many combined views, GraphQL in Saleor/Vendure may be more convenient, though more ceremonial.

Catalog model, i18n, and multi-market: content, pricing, channels

Stores grow across markets. It’s important not only what you store, but how.

Products, variants, attributes

• Medusa: simple models; best paired with a PIM/CMS for rich content
• Saleor: advanced product types, attributes, categories; admin-driven configuration
• Vendure: customizable models using TS-based Custom Fields and facets

Localization and currencies

i18n:

• Saleor & Vendure: native translation fields
• Medusa: usually paired with CMS (Contentful/Sanity/Strapi)

Multi-currency / regions:

• Medusa: Regions (prices, taxes, shipping, payments)
• Saleor/Vendure: Channels (currencies, availability)

What to choose?

If you need multilingual and multichannel support immediately, Saleor/Vendure shorten the path. If you aim for a composable stack with maximum flexibility, Medusa fits better.

Checkout, payments, orders, RMA: how deep is the core?

Payments and shipping

• Medusa: Stripe, PayPal, Klarna, Adyen; easy to add providers
• Saleor: Stripe/Adyen/Authorize.net; plugins and webhooks
• Vendure: plugins for all major providers, easy extensibility

Orders, returns, exchanges (RMA)

• Medusa: full RMA (returns/exchanges/gift cards) in the core
• Saleor: standard returns/refunds
• Vendure: flexible workflows; advanced RMA via plugins

Promotions and coupons

• Medusa: discounts, product rules, gift cards
• Saleor: vouchers and sales
• Vendure: promotional conditions + actions

Conclusion

Demanding post-purchase flows → Medusa Complex multi-channel promo logic → Saleor Highly customizable workflows → Vendure

Performance and scaling: what grows and how

Medusa

Lightweight REST server, natural horizontal scaling, ISR/SSG on frontend, async events for checkout. Excellent for fast DTC.

Saleor

GraphQL + Django; efficient but heavier. Requires well-structured caching and deployment discipline.

Vendure

GraphQL + Worker model; strong performance with appropriate indexing/search tools.

In practice: Use Algolia/Meilisearch/Elastic for filtering; isolate critical paths for spikes.

Extensibility and integrations: plugins, apps, webhooks

Medusa

NPM plugins (in-process), service overrides, custom endpoints.

Saleor

Two modes: Python plugins (in-process) and external apps via webhooks.

Vendure

Nearly everything is a plugin; extend schemas, resolvers, background jobs with strong typing.

Ecosystems (sample)

• Search: Algolia, Meilisearch, Elasticsearch
• CMS: Contentful, Sanity, Strapi
• CDP/analytics: Segment, GA4
• Taxes: Avalara (+ @u11d/medusa-avalara)
• Logistics: Shippo, InPost

Developer experience (DX), admin, and starter storefronts

Medusa

React/TS admin, Next/Gatsby starters. Friendly for JS developers.

Saleor

React admin, official Next storefront, strong for multichannel back-office.

Vendure

Angular-based admin, multiple starters, excellent TS consistency.

CI/CD & operations

• All support containerized deployments
• Medusa/Vendure: shorter release cycles
• Saleor: mature enterprise processes

TCO and deployment models: costs don’t end with servers

• Medusa: lowest TCO for growing DTC/B2C, fast JS development
• Saleor: more features but higher Python/GraphQL requirements; Cloud simplifies ops
• Vendure: strong TS architecture leads to predictable costs

Rule of thumb:

• Fast MVP and rapid changes → Medusa
• Multichannel, i18n, enterprise needs → Saleor
• TS-heavy teams, plugin-first → Vendure

When to choose Medusa JS, when Saleor, and when Vendure?

Medusa JS – when speed and flexibility matter

• JS/TS team, fast iteration culture
• DTC, subscriptions, returns/exchanges
• Composable architecture
• Need to control TCO and scale specific components

Saleor – when you need a complete core and multi-market model

• Multilingual and multichannel from day one
• Python/Django/GraphQL team
• Enterprise governance and permissions
• Rich admin and product/content management

Vendure – when architecture and typing are the priority

• TypeScript team valuing NestJS and DI
• Deep plugins and background processes
• GraphQL for both shop and admin
• Long-term maintainability and clarity

Three good choices, three different paths

All three platforms support modern headless commerce.

• Medusa: agility and low implementation cost with strong RMA/promo core
• Saleor: out-of-the-box multichannel/multilingual capabilities
• Vendure: strongly typed, long-term maintainable architecture

The key is matching the platform to the team, business processes, and roadmap.

Let’s talk about your headless project

The u11d team designs and implements architectures on Medusa JS, Saleor, and Vendure – from MVP to production scale. We build composable stacks (CMS/PIM/Search), implement CI/CD, autoscalers, observability, and tax integrations (incl. @u11d/medusa-avalara).

Want to pick a platform based on real KPIs and budget? Reach out – we’ll prepare a recommendation and an implementation plan.