What is the top free pick among commerce tools?

Hydrogen leads the Stack Gems list for commerce tools. Verdict: The official path for Shopify headless—for better and worse.

How many commerce tools does Stack Gems review?

17: 16 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.

Which commerce tools can I self-host for free?

Hydrogen, Remix, Shopify CLI, Checkout UI Extensions, GraphQL Code Generator, Shopify App JS, Medusa, Spree Commerce and 8 more.

Which commerce tools have the most GitHub stars?

Medusa (36.8k), Remix (33.4k), Bagisto (28.3k), per GitHub on 2026-10-19. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.

What is the catch with Hydrogen?

You are locked into Shopify architectural choices.

Best of · Payments / Shopify

Best commerce tools (2026)

Stack Gems reviews 17 commerce tools: 16 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. These are the top 10, each with its verdict and the Catch we would want to know before installing it.

Order: free and open source first, then hosted products with a real free tier, then paid-led; catalog order inside each group, with quiet or archived repos last. Not a score, and no tool pays for its place.

17 reviewed · 10 shown in full

1.HydrogenShopify React framework for headless commerce
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 2.1k GitHub stars
VerdictThe official path for Shopify headless—for better and worse.
CatchYou are locked into Shopify architectural choices. Customization beyond their patterns requires deeper knowledge. Oxygen hosting limits deployment options.
2.RemixFull stack React that Shopify acquired
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 33.4k GitHub stars
VerdictWeb fundamentals meet React, now with Shopify backing.
CatchThe mental model shift from SPA patterns takes adjustment. Some React patterns do not translate directly. The ecosystem is smaller than Next.js.
3.Shopify CLIThe development tool every Shopify dev needs
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 757 GitHub stars
VerdictNot optional—just install it and move on.
CatchOccasional bugs with authentication flows. Resource usage can be heavy. Some advanced workflows still require manual setup.
4.Checkout UI ExtensionsCustomize Shopify checkout safely
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT
VerdictThe only way to customize checkout—work within the limits.
CatchThe sandboxed environment limits what is possible. Some desired customizations are not supported by extension points.
5.GraphQL Code GeneratorType-safe Shopify API without manual typing
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 11.3k GitHub stars
VerdictEssential infrastructure for typed Shopify GraphQL.
CatchConfiguration complexity for advanced setups. Build step adds friction to the workflow. Large schemas generate large type files.
6.Shopify App JSOfficial Node.js library for Shopify apps
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 542 GitHub stars
VerdictThe foundation every Node Shopify app needs.
CatchNode.js only. Some edge cases require diving into implementation details. Version updates can break existing apps.
7.MedusaMIT commerce OS you self-host; Cloud from $29/mo
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 36.8k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT commerce OS. Self-host is free; Cloud starts at $29/mo.
CatchCommerce OS, not invoices and not card rails. Cloud From $29/mo is not a $0 hobby hatch — self-host is the free path. Distinct from Polar/Hyperswitch (payments) and from Lago (metering).
8.Spree CommerceBSD-3-Clause Ruby commerce OS; Free Sandbox, no platform fees
Free / OSS · Freemium · 15.8k GitHub stars
VerdictBSD-3 Ruby commerce. Self-host free; Sandbox has no CC. Not Medusa.
CatchRuby commerce + REST/OpenAPI + Next.js storefront — not Medusa MIT Node OS. Solidus (BSD sibling) omitted: same Spree-fork slot. Distinct from Medusa.
9.SyliusMIT Symfony commerce; Plus is the commercial add-on
Free / OSS · Freemium · 8.6k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT PHP commerce on Symfony. Self-host is free; Plus is paid.
CatchSymfony + API Platform PHP headless — not Medusa MIT Node OS and not JS. Distinct from Medusa and Spree. Plus is commercial, priced on request.
10.BagistoMIT Laravel/Vue commerce with marketplace and B2B
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 28.3k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT Laravel commerce. Self-host free. Not Medusa Node.
CatchLaravel/Vue commerce + marketplace/B2B — PHP twin to Medusa, not Medusa MIT Node OS. Sylius and Spree already cover Symfony/Ruby in Wave 5. Distinct from Medusa.

Also reviewed (7)

PrestaShop — OSL-3.0 classic PHP cart; pitch the core, not the module store
Saleor — BSD-3 GraphQL headless commerce; self-host free, Cloud from $1599/mo
ShopifySharp — MIT .NET library for building Shopify apps
Enterprise Commerce — MIT Next.js Shopify storefront with Algolia
Shopify Vite — MIT Vite tooling for Shopify theme development
Next.js Commerce — MIT App Router storefront template for headless Shopify
Sanity — Headless CMS that developers actually like

FAQ

What is the top free pick among commerce tools?: Hydrogen leads the Stack Gems list for commerce tools. Verdict: The official path for Shopify headless—for better and worse.
How many commerce tools does Stack Gems review?: 17: 16 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.
Which commerce tools can I self-host for free?: Hydrogen, Remix, Shopify CLI, Checkout UI Extensions, GraphQL Code Generator, Shopify App JS, Medusa, Spree Commerce and 8 more.
Which commerce tools have the most GitHub stars?: Medusa (36.8k), Remix (33.4k), Bagisto (28.3k), per GitHub on 2026-10-19. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.
What is the catch with Hydrogen?: You are locked into Shopify architectural choices.

Alternatives

Tags in this list

Related lists

JSON: /api/gems?subcategory=commerce · MCP: best_for on /api/mcp