Best Headless Commerce Platforms (2026): 11 Options

A standard online store bundles the shop front and the commerce engine together. That's quick to launch, but it gets frustrating when you want a faster site, a custom design, an app, or the same products sold in several places. Headless commerce separates the two, so the front end can change without touching orders and stock.

The eleven headless platforms below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're still weighing up whether you need headless at all, my guide to choosing an ecommerce platform is the place to start.

Headless commerce platforms at a glance

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free allowance or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the vendor's page before you rely on it.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
BigCommerce	Ecommerce platform with headless options	Brands moving to headless from a familiar platform	Not stated
Commerce Layer	API-first commerce infrastructure	Selling everywhere through one API	Not stated
commercetools	Digital commerce platform	Large B2C and B2B retailers	Trial only
Crystallize	Headless commerce and PIM on GraphQL	Rich product content plus subscriptions	Not stated
Elastic Path	Composable ecommerce solutions	Enterprises wanting a composable approach	Trial only
Medusa	Open source agentic commerce platform	Developers who want to own the code	Yes
Saleor	Composable, open source headless ecommerce	GraphQL-first stores with full control	Yes
Shopify Hydrogen	Shopify toolkit for custom storefronts	Custom front ends on top of Shopify	Yes
Spryker	Composable commerce for B2B enterprises	Complex B2B portals and marketplaces	Not stated
Swell	Commerce platform with backend and frontend APIs	Small teams wanting flexible APIs	Not stated
Vendure	Open source B2B ecommerce platform	B2B selling with complex accounts	Yes

Eleven headless commerce platforms to compare

BigCommerce

Best for: Growing brands that want headless commerce solutions from a well-known ecommerce platform while they build their own front end.

Commerce Layer

Best for: Developers who want API infrastructure for checkout and orders that works across websites, apps and AI agents buying on someone's behalf.

commercetools

Best for: Large retailers and manufacturers running hybrid B2C and B2B models that want an enterprise commerce platform they can explore in a free trial.

Crystallize

Best for: Brands with rich product stories that want headless commerce, subscription commerce and product information management powered by GraphQL.

Elastic Path

Best for: Enterprise commerce teams that want composable ecommerce solutions, with a demo library and a free trial before they commit.

Medusa

Best for: Development teams who want an open source commerce framework they can build on and host themselves or on its own cloud platform.

Saleor

Best for: Engineering teams who want an open source, composable headless ecommerce platform with a GraphQL API and full control over the stack.

Shopify Hydrogen

Best for: Shopify merchants and agencies who want to build a custom storefront in their own framework, using an open source toolkit from Shopify.

Spryker

Best for: B2B enterprises in manufacturing and wholesale that want composable commerce for self-service portals and spare-parts selling.

Swell

Best for: Smaller teams who want a modern commerce backend with separate backend and frontend APIs, plus storefront guides to get started.

Vendure

Best for: B2B sellers with complex accounts, approvals and contract terms who want an open source core and APIs to connect their ERP.

Where to start for your store

• A brand moving to headless from a familiar platform: BigCommerce.
• A custom storefront on top of Shopify: Shopify Hydrogen.
• Developers who want open source code: Medusa or Saleor.
• B2B selling with complex accounts: Vendure or Spryker.
• Large B2C and B2B retailers: commercetools or Elastic Path.
• Rich product content and subscriptions: Crystallize.
• Checkout everywhere through one API: Commerce Layer.
• Smaller teams wanting flexible APIs: Swell.

Speed is the real test of a headless store

Google's web.dev guide names three Core Web Vitals: Largest Contentful Paint for loading, Cumulative Layout Shift for visual stability and Interaction to Next Paint for responsiveness. It says they apply to all web pages and should be measured by all site owners.

Headless gives your developers the freedom to make a store very fast, but it doesn't guarantee it. A heavy front end can be slower than the template you left behind, so agree targets for those three measures before the build starts and check them after every release.

Open source frameworks versus hosted platforms

Open source frameworks give you the code. You can change anything, host it where you like and avoid lock-in, but your team's responsible for updates, security and scaling, and that's ongoing work.

Hosted platforms run the commerce engine for you. You still build your own front end, but uptime, upgrades and checkout security are the vendor's job, which suits teams that would rather spend developer time on the customer experience.

Product data gets messy fast, and our PIM software roundup covers tools that tame it.

Questions to ask before you go headless

1. Do we have developers to build and maintain a front end?
2. Which channels do we sell through now, and which next?
3. Do we need B2B features such as accounts and approvals?
4. How will we move products, customers and orders across?
5. Which content tool will sit alongside it?
6. What happens to our search rankings during the switch?

Selling to businesses rather than shoppers? Read our ecommerce platform roundup for business sales.

Signs your store is ready for headless

• Your theme limits the design. Build your own front end.
• You sell in several channels. Serve them from one engine.
• Pages load slowly. Rebuild the front end for speed.
• B2B buyers need special terms. Choose B2B features.

Do you make a headless or API-first commerce platform? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing a headless commerce platform

Go headless when your current platform is holding back something specific, such as speed, a custom design or selling in several channels. If your store works and your team is small, a well-built standard store is often the better choice.

If you do switch, plan the migration as carefully as the build, because redirects and product data are where most problems happen. My guide to an ecommerce migration covers the steps.

Frequently asked questions

What is headless commerce?

Headless commerce separates the shop front from the commerce engine, so products, carts and orders run through APIs and the front end can be built any way you like.

Is headless commerce good for small businesses?

It can be, but it needs developers. Many small stores are better served by a standard platform until they outgrow it.

Is there open source headless commerce?

Yes. Several platforms are open source, and the free plan column above shows what each vendor's site says.

Does headless commerce help SEO?

It can help speed and flexibility, but only if the front end is built well. Plan redirects carefully when you switch.

Can I use headless commerce for B2B?

Yes. Some platforms are built for B2B, with company accounts, approvals and contract terms.

What do I need besides a headless commerce platform?

Usually a front end, hosting for it and a content management system for pages and product stories.