🤝 no affiliate links · no paid placements · every entry lists honest trade-offs · updated 2026-08

Shopify Basic alternatives

Killing ~$29-39/mo (~$348/yr) — here are 3 verified escapes, honest trade-offs included.

the answer medium migration
WooCommerce · Free ⭐ 10.5K stars

Turns WordPress into a full store — the world's most-used cart.

you stop paying ~$29-39/mo → keep ~$348/yr

head-to-head

WooCommerce
price Free
self-hostable yes
license GPL-2.0-or-later
verified 2026-08
migration medium effort

free & open source (3)

WooCommerce oss ⭐ 10.5K self-host GPL-2.0-or-later
Free

Turns WordPress into a full store — the world's most-used cart.

trade-offs: Plugin maintenance on you · Hosting quality matters

github →
Medusa oss ⭐ 36.0K self-host MIT
Free

Composable commerce engine for custom storefronts (Next.js-friendly).

trade-offs: Developer-centric, no admin-first setup

github →
PrestaShop oss ⭐ 9.2K self-host OSL-3.0
Free

Mature self-hosted shop software with big module marketplace.

trade-offs: Many key modules are paid

github →
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faq

What is the best free alternative to Shopify Basic?

WooCommerce is the top free option — Turns WordPress into a full store — the world's most-used cart.

How much can I save by switching from Shopify Basic?

Shopify Basic costs ~$29-39/mo, so switching to a free alternative saves roughly $348/year per seat.

Can Shopify Basic be self-hosted?

Yes — WooCommerce and Medusa and PrestaShop can be self-hosted for free.