Top Headless Ecommerce Platforms for Modern Websites
The headless commerce revolution is transforming how businesses approach online retail. By the end of 2024, the global market is expected to grow to about $6.9 trillion, reflecting the rapid expansion of this industry. According to Digital Commerce 360, almost half of the major online stores are expected to adopt headless commerce in the next two years. Furthermore, over six in ten retail companies plan to migrate to headless commerce platforms by 2024, while over 20 percent already use them.
The numbers speak volumes: according to Forbes, headless commerce platforms raised over $1.65 billion in funding in 2020 and 2021, while headless commerce startups experienced a 50% increase in venture capital investments compared to the same period in 2023. The headless ecommerce system market size is forecasted to be worth USD 1.47 billion in 2025, expected to achieve USD 3.32 billion by 2033, a CAGR of 10.8%.
What is Headless Ecommerce?
Headless ecommerce represents a fundamental shift in how online stores are built and operated. This architecture separates the frontend presentation layer (the "head") from the backend commerce engine, creating a decoupled system where these components communicate through APIs.
Traditional vs. Headless Architecture
In traditional monolithic ecommerce platforms, the frontend and backend are tightly coupled. When a customer browses your store, the backend processes the request, retrieves data from the database, and generates the complete HTML page before sending it to the user's browser. This approach works but creates limitations in terms of customization, performance, and flexibility.
Headless architecture breaks this coupling. The backend commerce engine manages core functions like inventory, orders, payments, and customer data, while the frontend becomes a separate layer that can be built with any technology stack. These components communicate through APIs, allowing for unprecedented flexibility in how content and commerce functionality are delivered.
How Headless Ecommerce Works
The headless approach operates on three key principles:
API-First Design: All commerce functionality is exposed through APIs, making it accessible to any frontend application or third-party service. This includes product catalogs, shopping carts, checkout processes, and order management.
Frontend Freedom: Developers can choose any frontend technology—React, Vue.js, Angular, or even mobile frameworks like React Native or Flutter. This flexibility enables creating unique user experiences tailored to specific business needs.
Multi-Channel Delivery: A single backend can power multiple touchpoints simultaneously. Your product catalog can feed a website, mobile app, in-store kiosks, voice assistants, and social media platforms, all from one source of truth.
The Technical Foundation
Headless ecommerce relies on several key technologies:
RESTful APIs: Enable communication between frontend and backend systems
GraphQL: Provides more efficient data fetching with precise queries
CDNs: Distribute content globally for faster loading times
Static Site Generators: Tools like Next.js, Gatsby, or Nuxt.js create fast, SEO-friendly websites
Microservices: Break down backend functionality into smaller, manageable services
Benefits of Headless Ecommerce
Performance Excellence
Headless sites consistently outperform traditional platforms in speed metrics. By separating concerns, frontend developers can implement advanced optimization techniques like static site generation, progressive web app features, and intelligent caching strategies. This results in faster page loads, better Core Web Vitals scores, and improved conversion rates.
Development Flexibility
Teams gain the freedom to use modern development tools and frameworks. Frontend developers can work with familiar technologies like React or Vue.js, while backend developers can focus on API optimization and business logic. This separation allows for faster development cycles and easier maintenance.
Omnichannel Excellence
A single backend can power multiple customer touchpoints. Whether customers interact with your brand through a website, mobile app, smart TV, or voice assistant, they receive consistent product information and can complete purchases seamlessly across all channels.
Future-Ready Architecture
As new technologies emerge—from augmented reality shopping to voice commerce—headless platforms can adapt quickly. Instead of rebuilding entire systems, businesses can simply create new frontend experiences that connect to existing backend APIs.
Enhanced Developer Experience
Frontend and backend teams can work independently, using their preferred tools and deployment schedules. This parallel development approach reduces bottlenecks and accelerates project timelines.
Top Headless Ecommerce Platforms in 2024
1. Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level eCommerce platform designed for high-growth and large-scale businesses. It offers advanced features, greater customization, and dedicated support compared to the standard Shopify plans.
Businesses can automate processes using Shopify Flow for task management and Launchpad for scheduling sales and theme updates. Shopify Plus also provides exclusive access to enterprise-grade apps and seamless integrations with ERP and CRM systems like SAP and Salesforce.
It supports multi-channel and international selling through Shopify Markets, allowing brands to manage multiple currencies, languages, and localized content effortlessly.
Best For: Mid to large-sized businesses seeking reliability and ease of use with extensive customization options.
Pricing: Starts at $2,000/month for Shopify Plus, with additional costs for custom development and hosting.
Pros:
- Robust API-first infrastructure
- Extensive app ecosystem
- Scalable for enterprise-level businesses
- Built-in international commerce features
Key Features:
- GraphQL Storefront API
- Flexible checkout customization
- Comprehensive developer tools
- Seamless omnichannel integration
2. CommerceTools
CommerceTools is a cloud-native, headless commerce platform designed for enterprises seeking flexibility, scalability, and advanced customization in their digital commerce operations. Built on a MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) architecture, it allows businesses to decouple the front-end from the back-end, enabling seamless omnichannel experiences across web, mobile, voice, and IoT devices.
With its API-first approach, CommerceTools provides developers with the freedom to integrate and extend functionalities without platform limitations. It supports complex product catalogs, dynamic pricing, and personalized customer experiences while ensuring high performance and scalability.
Best For: Large enterprises requiring maximum flexibility and scalability for complex, multi-brand operations.
Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing starting around $489/month, with costs varying based on transaction volume and feature requirements.
Pros:
- Truly API-first platform
- Microservices architecture
- Extreme flexibility
- Enterprise-grade scalability
Key Features:
- Modular commerce components
- Advanced pricing and inventory management
- Multi-region and multi-language support
- Extensive customization options
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a flexible and scalable eCommerce platform designed for businesses of all sizes, offering a comprehensive set of features to support growth and customization.
Known for its open SaaS approach, BigCommerce provides a balance between ease of use and advanced functionality, allowing merchants to create fully customized online stores without the limitations of traditional SaaS platforms.
It supports headless commerce, enabling seamless integration with various front-end frameworks and CMS solutions while maintaining robust back-end capabilities. With built-in SEO tools, multi-channel selling across marketplaces and social media, and advanced product management features, BigCommerce helps businesses optimize their online presence.
Key Features:
- Extensive REST and GraphQL APIs
- Built-in payment processing with multiple gateways
- Advanced product management with unlimited SKUs
- Multi-storefront capabilities
- Strong B2B features including custom pricing
- Enterprise-level scalability
- Built-in SEO optimization tools
Best For: Mid to large-sized businesses that need enterprise features with headless flexibility.
Pricing: Plans start at $29/month for standard features, with Enterprise plans for headless implementations.
4. Saleor
Saleor is a high-performance, open-source headless ecommerce platform built with Python and Django. It offers GraphQL APIs and is designed for scalability and performance. Saleor is an advanced, open‑source, API‑first e‑commerce platform built on Python and Django, with GraphQL as its core API layer. It delivers composable, headless commerce capabilities that are highly flexible, scalable, and developer‑focused
Trusted by global brands such as Lush, Breitling, and others, Saleor provides robust multi‑currency, multi‑language, and multi‑channel support out of the box By design, the frontend is decoupled from the backend. You can use React, Vue, Next.js, or any frontend framework with your custom UI, while Saleor handles backend logic and commerce operations
Key Features:
- GraphQL API for efficient data fetching
- Multi-tenant architecture
- Advanced product catalog management
- Built-in SEO optimization
- Extensive plugin ecosystem
- Strong B2B capabilities
- Modern React-based admin interface
Best For: Businesses requiring high performance and scalability, particularly those with complex product catalogs or B2B requirements.
Pricing: Open-source version is free, with Saleor Cloud starting at $99/month.
5. Medusa
Medusa is an open-source headless commerce platform built with Node.js, offering complete control over your ecommerce infrastructure. It's designed for developers who want maximum flexibility and customization capabilities. Medusa is an open‑source, Node.js‑based headless commerce engine designed as a developer-first alternative to platforms like Shopify or Commercetools.
It offers full back-end commerce functionality—including product and order management, multi-region pricing and shipping—while giving you flexibility for custom storefronts, workflows, and integrations Starter projects available using Next.js or Gatsby, with built-in features like customer auth, checkout flow, payment gateways, and search integration
Key Features:
- Open-source with MIT license
- Modular architecture with extensive plugin system
- Advanced order management and fulfillment
- Multi-region support with localized pricing
- Built-in admin dashboard
- Developer-friendly documentation
- Active community support
Best For: Developers and businesses that need complete control over their commerce infrastructure and have strong technical expertise.
Pricing: Free open-source version, with paid cloud hosting options starting around $20/month.
6. Elastic Path
Elastic Path is an enterprise-focused headless commerce platform designed for complex, multi-brand, and multi-region implementations. It offers powerful APIs and extensive customization capabilities.
Elastic Path is a headless, API-first e‑commerce platform designed specifically for enterprise-scale digital commerce. It decouples frontend presentation from backend commerce logic, enabling developers to build customized and high-performance commerce experiences across any touchpoint—websites, apps, kiosks, IoT devices, and more.
Built with modern developer-friendly APIs (REST/GraphQL), Elastic Path allows integration via multiple languages including JavaScript, Python, Java, Go, and SDKs/React Hooks. You can also extend functionality with webhooks and low-/no‑code tools
Key Features:
- Microservices architecture
- Advanced catalog management
- Multi-brand and multi-region support
- Flexible pricing and promotion engine
- Strong B2B capabilities
- Enterprise-grade security
- Comprehensive developer tools
Best For: Large enterprises with complex requirements and multiple brands or regions.
Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing based on specific requirements.
7. Contentful Commerce
Contentful Commerce combines powerful content management with ecommerce capabilities, making it ideal for content-rich shopping experiences. Contentful doesn’t replace an e‑commerce engine. Instead, it serves as the central content hub in a composable commerce setup—connecting with specialized commerce platforms like Commerce Layer, commercetools, Shopify, or SAP Commerce Cloud via marketplace integrations. This enables seamless content and commerce orchestration across multiple channels.
Contentful’s headless CMS provides content creators and marketers with flexibility to manage campaign messaging, product-rich editorial, landing pages, localization, and personalization—all from a single interface.
Key Features:
- Content-first approach with flexible content modeling
- GraphQL and REST APIs
- Multi-language and localization support
- Advanced content delivery network
- Integration with major ecommerce platforms
- Visual content editor
- Developer-friendly tools
Best For: Businesses that prioritize content marketing and storytelling alongside commerce.
Pricing: Plans start at $300/month for basic features, with enterprise pricing available.
8. Vendure
Vendure is a modern, TypeScript-based headless commerce framework that emphasizes developer experience and extensibility. It's built on Node.js and offers both REST and GraphQL APIs. Vendure is a headless, GraphQL-first commerce framework written in TypeScript and built on Node.js with NestJS backend and an extendable Admin UI plugin.
It exposes both Shop API and Admin API via GraphQL, giving developers and merchants complete control over functionality and presentation Vendure is organized around plugins—for payments, taxes, shipping, order exports, marketplace functionalities, and more. You can override core logic via strategy patterns.
Key Features:
- TypeScript-first development
- Flexible plugin architecture
- Multi-vendor marketplace support
- Advanced promotion engine
- Comprehensive admin interface
- Strong customization capabilities
- Built-in internationalization
Best For: Developers comfortable with TypeScript who need a highly customizable platform with strong developer tooling.
Pricing: Free open-source version, with paid support and hosting options available.
9. Spree Commerce
Spree Commerce is an open-source headless ecommerce platform built with Ruby on Rails. It offers a modular architecture and extensive customization options. Spree Commerce is a comprehensive open-source e‑commerce framework (Ruby on Rails) with an API-first mindset, enabling headless and composable commerce architectures and full backend control via REST/JSON APIs
Originating in 2007, it has seen more than 2.3 million RubyGems downloads, 850+ contributors, and 5K+ GitHub stars Built with modular architecture—extensions and plugins make customization easier (e.g. subscriptions, gift cards, marketplace features, shipping rules)
Key Features:
- Open-source with active community
- Modular, extensible architecture
- Multi-store capabilities
- Advanced inventory management
- Flexible tax and shipping options
- Strong internationalization support
- RESTful API with comprehensive documentation
Best For: Businesses familiar with Ruby on Rails who need a highly customizable platform.
Pricing: Free open-source version, with paid support and hosting options.
10. Commerce.js
Commerce.js is a developer-focused headless ecommerce platform that emphasizes simplicity and speed. It provides a clean API and comprehensive dashboard for managing products, orders, and customers.
Commerce.js is a fully headless, managed e-commerce backend offering RESTful APIs (and SDKs) for managing products, carts, orders, payments, and discounts—all through a polished dashboard and JavaScript client library.Provides JS SDK (@chec/commerce.js) that simplifies interactions with products, cart, checkout, and payments. SDK works well with frameworks like React and Next.js
It was launched in 2016 and is aimed at developers looking to build unique storefronts, complete control included—without reinventing the backend logic
Key Features:
- RESTful API with extensive documentation
- Real-time inventory management
- Built-in payment processing
- Advanced shipping calculations
- Multi-currency support
- Developer-friendly tools and SDKs
- Webhook support for real-time updates
Best For: Developers and agencies building custom ecommerce solutions for clients who prioritize speed and simplicity.
Pricing: Free tier available, paid plans start at $99/month.
11. Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Powered by Salesforce, Commerce Cloud offers enterprise-grade headless capabilities with integrated CRM and marketing automation features. Salesforce Commerce Cloud began as Demandware, acquired by Salesforce in 2016.
Today it’s a fully managed, SaaS-based e-commerce platform tailored for global enterprise brands and tightly integrated with the rest of Salesforce’s CRM ecosystem
Key Features:
- Integrated CRM and marketing automation
- AI-powered personalization
- Multi-cloud architecture
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- B2B and B2C capabilities
- Global scalability
- Extensive integration ecosystem
Best For: Large enterprises seeking integrated commerce, marketing, and customer service solutions.
Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing based on requirements and transaction volume.
12. Strapi Commerce
Strapi is a leading open-source headless CMS that can be extended with commerce functionality, offering maximum flexibility for content-driven ecommerce experiences. Strapi itself is a headless content management system (CMS), not an e‑commerce engine.
However, it can serve as the product/content layer in a commerce setup by pairing with other commerce backends or services. A popular Jamstack approach combines Strapi as product/content CMS with Snipcart for checkout/cart functionality. A typical tutorial shows how Strapi (with REST or GraphQL) feeds a Nuxt.js frontend, while Snipcart handles store logic and payments
Key Features:
- Open-source headless CMS
- Customizable admin panel
- RESTful and GraphQL APIs
- Multi-database support
- Role-based access control
- Plugin ecosystem
- Self-hosted or cloud options
Best For: Businesses that need maximum control over both content and commerce functionality.
Pricing: Free open-source version, with paid cloud hosting starting at $9/month.
Key Criteria for Choosing a Headless Ecommerce Platform
Technical Requirements Assessment
API Quality and Documentation The foundation of any headless platform lies in its APIs. Evaluate the completeness, performance, and documentation quality of both REST and GraphQL endpoints. Look for platforms that offer comprehensive API coverage, including product management, order processing, inventory, and customer data.
Development Team Expertise Consider your team's technical skills and preferred programming languages. Platforms like Medusa (Node.js), Saleor (Python), and Spree (Ruby) require specific expertise, while others like Shopify Plus offer more abstraction for teams with varied skill levels.
Performance and Scalability Assess the platform's ability to handle your expected traffic and transaction volumes. Consider factors like API response times, concurrent user limits, and infrastructure scalability. Enterprise platforms like Commercetools and Elastic Path excel in high-traffic scenarios.
Integration Capabilities Evaluate how well the platform integrates with your existing tech stack, including payment processors, marketing tools, analytics platforms, and third-party services. Look for platforms with extensive integration libraries and webhook support.
Business Considerations
Total Cost of Ownership Consider not just platform licensing costs but also development, hosting, maintenance, and ongoing support expenses. Open-source platforms may seem cost-effective initially but require more technical resources and expertise.
Time to Market Assess how quickly you can launch with each platform. Consider factors like documentation quality, available templates, community support, and development tool availability. Platforms with better developer experiences can significantly reduce launch timelines.
Vendor Lock-in Risk Evaluate how easily you can migrate away from a platform if needed. Open-source solutions like Medusa and Saleor offer more flexibility, while proprietary platforms may create dependencies that are harder to escape.
Support and Community Consider the level of support available, whether through official channels, community forums, or third-party developers. Active communities can provide valuable resources and reduce development challenges.
Future-Proofing Considerations
Technology Stack Alignment Choose platforms that align with modern development practices and technologies. Look for platforms that support current frameworks, deployment methods, and architectural patterns your team prefers.
Roadmap and Innovation Assess each platform's development roadmap and commitment to innovation. Platforms backed by strong financial resources and active development teams are more likely to evolve with changing market needs.
Compliance and Security Ensure the platform meets your industry's compliance requirements (PCI DSS, GDPR, etc.) and offers enterprise-grade security features. This is particularly important for businesses in regulated industries.
Implementation Best Practices
Performance Optimization Strategies
Frontend Optimization Implement static site generation where possible, use efficient bundling strategies, and optimize images and assets. Consider using Next.js or Gatsby for optimal performance with built-in optimization features.
Caching Implementation Develop comprehensive caching strategies at multiple levels—browser cache, CDN cache, and API cache. Use tools like Redis for session management and implement intelligent cache invalidation strategies.
Database Optimization Optimize database queries, implement proper indexing, and consider read replicas for high-traffic scenarios. Monitor query performance and implement caching at the database level where appropriate.
Security Best Practices
API Security Implement proper authentication and authorization, use HTTPS for all communications, and implement rate limiting to prevent abuse. Consider using JWT tokens for stateless authentication.
Data Protection Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit, implement proper access controls, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
Regular Security Audits Conduct regular security assessments, keep all dependencies updated, and implement automated security scanning in your development pipeline.
SEO and Marketing Optimization
Technical SEO Implement proper server-side rendering for search engines, ensure proper meta tag management, and implement structured data markup. Use tools like Next.js or Nuxt.js for optimal SEO handling.
Content Strategy Develop a content strategy that leverages the flexibility of headless architecture, implement proper URL structure, and ensure content is optimized for search engines.
Analytics Implementation Implement comprehensive analytics tracking, including ecommerce events, user behavior, and conversion tracking. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 and implement custom event tracking for business insights.
Future Trends in Headless Ecommerce
AI-Powered Personalization: Enhanced customer experiences through intelligent recommendation systems
Increased Multichannel Support: Seamless shopping experiences across web, mobile, IoT devices
Improved Performance Optimization: Faster loading times and more responsive interfaces
Advanced Customization: Greater flexibility in design and functionality
Conclusion
The headless ecommerce revolution is reshaping online retail, offering businesses unprecedented flexibility, performance, and scalability. The platforms covered in this guide represent the best options available in 2025, each with unique strengths and ideal use cases.
The choice between platforms ultimately depends on your specific requirements, technical expertise, and business goals. Enterprise businesses with complex requirements may benefit from platforms like Commercetools or Elastic Path, while growing businesses might find Shopify Plus or BigCommerce more suitable. Developers seeking maximum control and customization may prefer open-source solutions like Medusa, Saleor, or Vendure.
Success with headless ecommerce requires more than just selecting the right platform. It demands careful planning, skilled development resources, and a commitment to ongoing optimization and maintenance. The benefits—superior performance, enhanced user experiences, and future-ready architecture—make this investment worthwhile for businesses ready to embrace the next generation of ecommerce technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Headless architecture excels at mobile commerce by enabling the creation of native mobile apps, progressive web apps, and optimized mobile websites that all connect to the same backend. This approach provides better mobile performance and user experience compared to traditional responsive websites.
Teams need frontend development skills (React, Vue.js, Angular), backend API development, database management, and DevOps capabilities. Understanding of modern deployment practices, version control, and testing frameworks is also important. The specific skills required depend on the chosen platform and implementation approach.
Security requires attention at multiple levels: API security (authentication, authorization, rate limiting), data encryption (at rest and in transit), secure communication protocols, regular security audits, and compliance with industry standards. Implement proper access controls, keep dependencies updated, and consider using security scanning tools in your development pipeline.
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