Staxly

Medusa vs Strapi

Open-source commerce engine — build custom storefronts with Next.js + Node
vs. Leading open-source Node.js headless CMS — self-host or Cloud

Medusa websiteStrapi website

Pricing tiers

Medusa

OSS (self-host)
$0. MIT license. Run Medusa backend + admin on your infra.
$0 base (usage-based)
Medusa Cloud Free
$0. Hobby projects. Shared infra. Community support.
Free
Medusa Cloud Pro
$99/mo. Production support. Dedicated DB. Priority.
$99/mo
Enterprise
Custom. SSO, SLA, dedicated cluster, PCI.
Custom
Medusa website

Strapi

Self-Hosted (OSS)
MIT-licensed Node.js CMS. Run free on any infra. Full admin + plugin ecosystem.
$0 base (usage-based)
Cloud Free (trial)
14-day free trial of Strapi Cloud.
Free
Cloud Essential
$18/month ($15 annual). 500k API requests, 50 GB asset bandwidth, 50 GB storage. Transparent overages.
$18/mo
Cloud Pro
$90/month. Higher quotas, faster support.
$90/mo
Cloud Scale
$450/month. Enterprise-grade infra, priority support.
$450/mo
Enterprise Edition (self-host)
Self-host + Enterprise license. SSO/SAML, audit logs, review workflows, content releases.
Custom
Strapi website

Free-tier quotas head-to-head

Comparing oss on Medusa vs self-hosted on Strapi.

MetricMedusaStrapi
No overlapping quota metrics for these tiers.

Features

Medusa · 16 features

  • Admin DashboardReact-based admin UI.
  • AuthCustomer + admin auth with JWT.
  • CartMulti-region carts with tax/pricing logic.
  • CheckoutMulti-step checkout flow.
  • Customers + GroupsCustomer records + B2B groups.
  • Dynamic PricingPrice lists, rules, customer-specific.
  • Event BusAsync events via Redis / RabbitMQ.
  • File ServicePluggable storage (S3, local).
  • Gift CardsNative gift-card support.
  • Inventory + Multi-warehouseStock tracking across locations.
  • Next.js StarterProduction-ready Next.js storefront.
  • Orders + FulfillmentFull order lifecycle (edits, returns, exchanges).
  • Products + VariantsProducts with options, variants, images.
  • Promotions + DiscountsRule-based promos, campaigns.
  • Tax ProvidersPluggable tax calculation.
  • Workflows EngineDurable saga-style business logic.

Strapi · 16 features

  • Audit Logs (EE)Track every admin action.
  • ComponentsReusable field groups shared across content types.
  • Content Types BuilderVisual schema builder — fields, relations, components, dynamic zones.
  • Custom FieldsPlugin-based custom field types (color picker, markdown, etc.).
  • Draft & PublishTwo-phase publishing workflow.
  • Dynamic ZonesFlexible page builder — authors pick components to add.
  • GraphQL API (plugin)Optional GraphQL layer via official plugin.
  • InternationalizationMulti-locale content out of the box.
  • Media LibraryUpload + organize media. Providers: local, S3, Cloudinary, DO Spaces.
  • Releases (EE)Bundle content changes and publish atomically.
  • REST API (auto-gen)Auto-generated REST endpoints per content type. Full CRUD + filters.
  • Review Workflows (EE)Approval-based content workflows.
  • Role-Based Access ControlPer-role permissions at content type + field level.
  • SSO / SAML (EE)Enterprise identity for admin users.
  • Strapi CloudFully-managed hosting of Strapi instances.
  • WebhooksBuilt-in webhooks on content lifecycle events.

Developer interfaces

KindMedusaStrapi
CLImedusa CLIStrapi CLI
SDK@medusajs/js-sdk@strapi/client (JS)
RESTMedusa Admin API, Medusa Store APIAdmin REST API, Strapi Content REST API
GRAPHQLGraphQL API (plugin)
MCPMedusa MCP
OTHERMedusa Admin UI, Next.js StarterWebhooks
Staxly is an independent catalog of developer platforms. Outbound links to Medusa and Strapi are plain references to their official websites. Pricing is verified against vendor pages at publication time — reconfirm before buying.

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