Shopify vs Vendure (2026): Which Pays Better?
Both are popular e-commerce & print-on-demand platforms. Here is how Shopify and Vendure stack up on requirements, what you keep, payout terms, strengths and weaknesses, and which one we would pick.
Shopify
The hosted store platform for merch, print on demand and physical products, from $29 a month plus a tiered card fee.
8.8 /10
Pricing: Paid from $39/mo
Pros
- Checkout, hosting, shipping and tax handled out of the box, with a huge app ecosystem
- Print-on-demand apps (Printful, Printify) integrate in minutes
- Transaction fee drops as you move up plans, and a 400-day cookie affiliate program pads awareness
Cons
- Monthly fee plus app costs add up fast for a small store
- 2% (or more) surcharge if you skip Shopify Payments for another gateway
Vendure
Popular open-source headless commerce platform built with TypeScript, NestJS, and GraphQL
8.4 /10
Pricing: Open source
Pros
- Actively maintained with a large, engaged community (8,000+ GitHub stars)
- Modern, extensible plugin architecture and GraphQL API well suited to custom storefronts
- Strong documentation relative to most open-source commerce platforms
Cons
- Headless-only — you must build or integrate a separate storefront frontend
- Requires Node.js/TypeScript development skills to deploy and customize
Shopify vs Vendure at a glance
| Shopify | Vendure | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8.8 / 10 | 8.4 / 10 |
| Pricing model | Paid | Open source |
| Starting price | $39/mo | Free |
| Web rank | #176 | – |
| Minimum traffic | None | None |
| Revenue share / fee | Basic $29/mo (billed annually) / $39 month-to-month, Grow $79/$105, Advanced $299/$399, Plus from ~$2,300/mo; Shopify Payments 2.9%+30c (Basic) down to 2.5%+30c (Advanced); +2%/1%/0.6% surcharge on external gateways | – |
| Commission | – | – |
| Payout | Rolling payout to your bank, typically 2-3 business days after a sale | – |
| Methods served | ecommerce merch, digital products, memberships subscriptions | ecommerce merch |
| Niches accepted | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail | General |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | ecommerce, merch, print on demand | ecommerce, open-source, headless |
Our pick
Shopify edges it with a score of 8.8 versus 8.4. Shopify is the better fit if you value: checkout, hosting, shipping and tax handled out of the box, with a huge app ecosystem, print-on-demand apps (printful, printify) integrate in minutes. Choose Vendure instead if you need: actively maintained with a large, engaged community (8,000+ github stars), modern, extensible plugin architecture and graphql api well suited to custom storefronts.
Other e-commerce & print-on-demand platforms to consider
Full ranking →PrestaShop 🧰 PlatformOpen source
One of the world's most established open-source e-commerce platforms, especially strong in Europe
nopCommerce 🧰 PlatformOpen source
Free, open-source ASP.NET Core e-commerce platform you install and host yourself
Printful 🧰 PlatformFree
Print-on-demand fulfilment: you design, they print and ship each order; no inventory, margin is the difference.
WooCommerce 🧰 PlatformOpen source
Open-source e-commerce for WordPress: physical and digital products, subscriptions and memberships with extensions.