Spree Commerce
Open Source
Open Source Headless eCommerce-Plattform für B2B, Marketplace und Enterprise
E-Commerce & Business
7 curated tools in this category
Shop software and CRM are infrastructure decisions: you determine where customer data lives, how high the running costs get, and how expensive a later migration becomes. Open source shop systems like Medusa.js or Sylius put code and data in your hands but demand developer capacity. Hosted store builders take operations off your plate and tie you to their platform in return.
This category collects shop systems, CRM software, and business tools with a focus on open source and self-hosting. The selection is deliberately curated and still small, and it grows with every reviewed tool. What matters when comparing shop systems and when a dedicated CRM pays off is covered in the guide below the tools. Each detail page weighs strengths, weaknesses, and alternatives.
E-Commerce & Business
Moxie
Paid
All-in-One Business Management Software für Freelancer und Solopreneure
Twenty CRM
Open Source
Open-Source CRM für moderne Kundenbeziehungen – selbst gehostet und anpassbar
Sylius
Open Source
Open Source Headless eCommerce-Framework für B2C und B2B Online-Shops
Vendure
Open Source
Headless E-Commerce-Plattform für komplexe B2B- und Enterprise-Anforderungen
Medusa.js
Open Source
Open-Source Commerce-Plattform für Entwickler mit AI-Integration
What is shop and CRM software?
This category covers two classes of tools that interlock in daily business: shop software sells products, CRM software manages the relationships with the people who buy them. Among shop systems, the headless approach has established itself alongside the classic all-in-one packages. Systems like Medusa.js or Vendure deliver product management, cart, and checkout as an API, and you build the frontend with the framework of your choice. Classic open source shop systems like Sylius (PHP/Symfony) or Spree Commerce (Ruby on Rails) ship with more ready-made structure and can be customized deeply because the source code is open. A CRM like Twenty CRM documents contacts, companies, and deals in one place so sales knowledge does not stay scattered across inboxes and spreadsheets.
Typical use cases
A shop with custom requirements: Subscription models, B2B price lists, or configurable products break every store builder sooner or later. Headless systems like Medusa.js are built for these edge cases: the commerce logic comes from the API, and you implement the quirks of your business model in your own code.
A CRM for small teams: Once more contacts and offers are in motion than an inbox can keep track of, a system with a pipeline view and activity history pays off. Open source CRMs like Twenty CRM start without per-seat license fees and run on your own infrastructure.
Adding sales to an existing website: If the website already exists, you do not need a second all-in-one system. A headless backend attaches to the existing frontend via API, and order processing runs separately from the content.
What matters when choosing
Data sovereignty: Order histories, addresses, and payment data are personal data with direct business relevance. Self-hosted systems keep them on your server, which simplifies the GDPR assessment and makes you independent of a platform provider's terms.
Developer capacity: Headless commerce requires a team that owns the frontend, deployment, and updates. Without that capacity, the most flexible system turns into a permanent construction site, and a hosted package is the more honest choice.
Lock-in and switching costs: With open source, the database and the code belong to you; a migration takes work but stays feasible. Hosted platforms make starting easy and leaving hard, for example when order data and customizations can only be partially exported. Check the export path before you sign up, not when you want out.
Cost structure: Open source shop systems cost no license fees, but they do cost a server, maintenance, and developer time. Hosted services charge monthly fees and sometimes a commission per sale. Project both models over two to three years with realistic growth before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Which shop systems are open source?
Several established systems are available under open source licenses: Sylius and Spree Commerce as classic shop systems, Medusa.js and Vendure as headless platforms built on Node.js. The right choice depends mostly on your team's tech stack. PHP and Ruby teams reach for Sylius or Spree, TypeScript teams for Medusa.js or Vendure.
What does headless commerce mean?
Headless separates the shop logic from the frontend. Product data, cart, and checkout live in a backend and are delivered via API, while the interface is built as its own project. This gives you design freedom and lets you serve several channels (website, app, marketplace) from one system. The price is a higher development effort up front.
Does a small business need a CRM?
As long as you know every customer by name and inquiries stay manageable in your inbox, a well-kept spreadsheet is enough. A CRM pays off once several people are in contact with customers or offers run over weeks. At that point, the documented history decides whether inquiries go stale or turn into orders.
The selection above is small and keeps growing, and every listed tool has been reviewed by hand rather than collected automatically. With a developer team in house, start with Medusa.js or Vendure; for sales work, start with Twenty CRM.
