Saleor vs WooCommerce
Self-host pick — both replace Shopify (Ecommerce platform).
Both Saleor and WooCommerce self-host as a replacement for Shopify (Ecommerce platform). Pick Saleor if you want a BSD-licensed codebase (BSD-3-Clause); pick WooCommerce for GPL (GPL-3.0). Both run in roughly the same cost bracket — $15-25 vps — python + graphql + postgres + redis vs $5-10 vps for low-volume stores; litespeed or nginx + php-fpm is fine to mid-traffic.
| Saleoropen-source | WooCommerceopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | BSD-3-Clause | GPL-3.0 |
| Setup time | 30min docker-compose | 20min (WordPress install + plugin) |
| Monthly cost | $15-25 VPS — Python + GraphQL + Postgres + Redis. | $5-10 VPS for low-volume stores; LiteSpeed or NGINX + PHP-FPM is fine to mid-traffic. |
| GitHub | saleor/saleor | woocommerce/woocommerce |
| Replaces | Shopify | Shopify |
Good fit for
Saleor
Teams that want a GraphQL-first headless commerce stack with channel-based multi-store.
Weak at:Heavier ops (Python + Celery + Postgres + Redis); learning curve is steeper.
WooCommerce
Stores already on the WordPress stack or that need a content-marketing site + storefront in one CMS.
Weak at:Plugin sprawl; checkout performance and security depend on which payment + tax plugins you stack.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli shopify prints Shopify's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Saleor or WooCommerce?
Saleor: 30min docker-compose. WooCommerce: 20min (WordPress install + plugin).
What does each cost to run?
Saleor: $15-25 VPS — Python + GraphQL + Postgres + Redis.. WooCommerce: $5-10 VPS for low-volume stores; LiteSpeed or NGINX + PHP-FPM is fine to mid-traffic.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Saleor and WooCommerce replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Shopify.