Best Boilerplates for E-Commerce Stores in 2026
RoyceE-Commerce Is a Different Category E-commerce and SaaS share authentication and payments —...
E-Commerce Is a Different Category
E-commerce and SaaS share authentication and payments — but the similarities end there. E-commerce needs product catalogs, inventory management, shopping cart, shipping calculation, tax handling, order management, and returns. Standard SaaS boilerplates don't cover any of this.
Quick Comparison
| Starter | Price | Headless | Inventory | Admin | Payments | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medusa.js | Free | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Stripe + PayPal | Custom e-commerce |
| Next.js Commerce | Free | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Shopify/BigCommerce | Headless Shopify frontend |
| Vendure | Free | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Stripe | Enterprise e-commerce |
| WooCommerce | Free | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | Many | WordPress-based store |
The Starters
Medusa.js — Best Custom E-Commerce
Price: Free (MIT) | Creator: Medusa team
The open source Shopify alternative. Backend (Node.js API): product catalog, variants, inventory, orders, customers, shipping providers, payment providers (Stripe, PayPal, Klarna), discounts, gift cards, regions, and tax calculation.
Frontend: bring your own (Next.js, Remix, etc.) or use the Medusa Next.js storefront template.
# Start Medusa backend
npx create-medusa-app@latest my-store
# The backend exposes REST API + admin GraphQL
# Frontend is separate — use Next.js storefront template
Admin dashboard: Medusa includes a full admin UI for product management, order processing, customer management, and fulfillment.
Choose if: You need a complete, self-hosted e-commerce platform with full control.
Next.js Commerce — Best Headless Frontend
Price: Free | Creator: Vercel
A Next.js 14 e-commerce storefront starter. Connects to Shopify, BigCommerce, Saleor, or a custom backend. Product listings, product detail pages, cart, and checkout. Excellent performance (uses Next.js App Router with server components).
Choose if: You're using Shopify as the backend and want a custom Next.js storefront.
Vendure — Best Enterprise
Price: Free | Creator: Michael Bromley
TypeScript-first, plugin-based e-commerce framework. Excellent for complex requirements: B2B pricing, multi-vendor, custom tax rules, and complex fulfillment workflows. Less beginner-friendly than Medusa but more flexible.
E-Commerce vs SaaS Boilerplates
| Requirement | SaaS Boilerplate | E-Commerce Boilerplate |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | ✅ | ✅ |
| Subscription billing | ✅ | ❌ |
| Product catalog | ❌ | ✅ |
| Inventory management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Shopping cart | ❌ | ✅ |
| Order management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Shipping integration | ❌ | ✅ |
| Tax calculation | ❌ | ✅ |
If you're building a subscription SaaS that sells digital products, use a SaaS boilerplate + Stripe. If you're building a store that sells physical products, use Medusa or Shopify.
The Shopify Decision
For most e-commerce businesses:
- < $1M/year revenue: Shopify ($29-$299/month) is almost always correct — payment processing, hosting, CDN, admin, and analytics included
- $1M-$10M/year revenue: Shopify Plus ($2k/month) or custom
- Complex requirements: Custom backend (Medusa, Vendure) with headless frontend
Building custom e-commerce from a boilerplate makes sense when Shopify's limitations (custom checkout, special pricing, B2B features) are blocking your business.
Compare e-commerce and SaaS boilerplates on StarterPick.