Anthony McGrath

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shopify ecommerce · · 2 min read · By Anthony McGrath

Before Quitting Shopify: Open Source Commerce Options 2026

Shopify fees can weigh on small stores. Discover 10 open source e-commerce options and the true cost of switching in 2026.

Quick answer

Shopify’s Basic plan costs 4,850 yen monthly plus fees. Open source platforms remove Shopify fees but add hosting and labour costs. Savings depend on your sales and technical ability.

Key takeaways

  • Shopify Basic plan costs 4,850 yen plus transaction fees
  • OSS platforms require hosting, payment fees and labour time
  • Savings depend on sales volume and payment processing costs

Shopify’s Basic plan costs 4,850 yen a month plus extra fees if you use payment services outside Shopify Payments. For many small sellers, this feels expensive. Yet moving to an open-source (OSS) e-commerce platform doesn’t mean free either. You still pay for hosting, payment processing, and your time managing the site. This breakdown comes from a detailed October 2026 guide by Tech Athletes (source).

Top OSS platforms include Medusa, Bagisto, Saleor, Magento Open Source, and WooCommerce. Each needs different technical skills and hardware. If you’re on Shopify Basic, switching might save around 1,000 yen a month after you pay for servers and other costs. But the payment fees often balance that out, especially as sales grow. For bigger Shopify plans or if you use external payments, the savings can be clearer.

What are the real costs of replacing Shopify with OSS?

Running your own store requires at least 2GB of memory on your server for some platforms like Medusa. You also need to factor in your time or the cost of hiring someone to set things up and keep the store updated.

What it means for you

Check exactly what you pay monthly for Shopify and payment fees. Use profit margin or ROAS calculators to find your break-even point. I recommend trying my free site speed tool to check your store’s current performance (/tools/site-speed-checker/) and a profit margin calculator (/tools/profit-margin-calculator/) to understand your costs better.

If you decide on OSS, plan for technical support or training. If your sales are small, it might be better to optimise your existing Shopify setup rather than switch. For more tips on measuring your website’s readiness and ad budgets, see my posts on server-side tracking (/blog/server-side-tracking-small-business) and Google Ads budgeting (/tools/google-ads-budget-calculator/).

Remember, popularity or star ratings don’t tell the whole story. Licensing, required memory, and upkeep matter just as much when picking a platform.

Questions and answers

Is switching from Shopify to open source cheaper?

Not always. Open source e-commerce cuts Shopify fees but adds hosting, payment, and labour costs. Whether you save depends on your monthly sales and tech skills.

Which open source platforms are popular in 2026?

Medusa, Bagisto, Saleor, Magento Open Source, and WooCommerce are top choices. Each varies in technology and maintenance requirements.

How can I decide if switching from Shopify is right?

Calculate all costs including platform fees, hosting, payments, and management labour. Use profit or ROAS calculators to find if switching breaks even based on your sales.