All three are open-source, self-hostable ecommerce platforms with a genuinely free core edition, but they target different teams and growth stages. EverShop…
Open Source / Freemium · From Free (self-hosted); managed Cloud plans from $10/month
Best for: JavaScript and TypeScript-fluent engineering teams who want a modern, headless-capable, self-hosted commerce engine built on Node.js, React, and GraphQL rather than a PHP-based legacy platform.
Open Source · From Free (self-hosted; hosting, development, and extensions cost extra)
Best for: Mid-size to large merchants with dedicated development resources who need deep extensibility today and a credible formal enterprise upgrade path to Adobe Commerce as they scale.
Open Source · From Free (self-hosted Classic download); Hosted plans from about $24-29/month
Best for: Small to mid-sized merchants and agencies, especially in Europe, who want the option of free self-hosting or an affordable official managed Hosted plan, backed by a large modules marketplace and certified partner network.
At a Glance
EverShop
Magento Open Source
PrestaShop
Primary category
Ecommerce
Ecommerce
Ecommerce
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Open Source / Freemium
Open Source
Open Source
Starting price
Free (self-hosted); managed Cloud plans from $10/month
Free (self-hosted; hosting, development, and extensions cost extra)
Free (self-hosted Classic download); Hosted plans from about $24-29/month
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
EverShop is the only JavaScript-native stack
EverShop is built entirely on Node.js, TypeScript, React, and GraphQL, while both Magento Open Source and PrestaShop are PHP-based platforms, making EverShop the natural fit for teams that want their commerce engine to match a modern JS toolchain.
EverShop
Managed hosting availability differs sharply
PrestaShop sells an official managed Hosted plan from about $24 to $29 per month today; EverShop has announced Cloud plans priced at $10 and $20 per month that were still listed as not yet available at time of research; Magento Open Source has no managed hosting tier of its own, only the far pricier Adobe Commerce upgrade.
PrestaShop, EverShop, Magento Open Source
Magento Open Source carries the highest total cost of ownership
Even though the Magento Open Source license is free, realistic full implementations are commonly estimated between $122,000 and $450,000 or more per year once hosting, custom development, and extensions are included, reflecting its enterprise and large-merchant target audience.
Magento Open Source
PrestaShop has the largest documented community and partner network
PrestaShop reports more than 250,000 active stores, over 1 million community members, and 150-plus certified agency partners, a materially larger ecosystem than EverShop's newer open-source community.
PrestaShop
Only Magento and PrestaShop document a formal enterprise upgrade tier
Magento Open Source can upgrade to Adobe Commerce, which adds B2B features, AI personalization, and a 99.99 percent uptime SLA, and PrestaShop offers a custom-priced Enterprise edition; EverShop does not document a comparable enterprise tier beyond its Cloud plans.
Magento Open Source, PrestaShop
Feature-by-Feature
Platform and Architecture
Feature
EverShop
Magento Open Source
PrestaShop
Free, self-hosted core edition
Available
Available
Available
Modern JavaScript and TypeScript stack
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
GraphQL API for headless storefronts
Available
Not documented
Not documented
Hosting and Enterprise Path
Feature
EverShop
Magento Open Source
PrestaShop
Official managed or hosted plan
Limited
Unavailable
Available
Formal enterprise upgrade tier
Not documented
Available
Available
Ecosystem and Extensibility
Feature
EverShop
Magento Open Source
PrestaShop
Named extension or module marketplace
Not documented
Available
Available
Certified agency or partner network
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Built-in VAT and GDPR compliance tooling
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
EverShop
Open Source (Self-Hosted) — Free N/A
Personal (Cloud) — $10/month monthly (20% discount annually)
Professional (Cloud) — $20/month monthly (20% discount annually)
Magento Open Source
Magento Open Source — Free (software license) N/A
Adobe Commerce (upgrade path) — From about $22000/year annual
PrestaShop
Classic (Self-Hosted) — Free N/A
Hosted — From $24-29/month Monthly or annual
Enterprise — Custom (contact sales) Annual, minimum term applies
Pros & Cons
EverShop
Pros
Free and unlimited for self-hosted deployments with no feature gating
Modern, type-safe JavaScript/TypeScript stack that matches many engineering teams' existing tooling
Modular architecture keeps the core upgradeable without heavy custom-code merge conflicts
Full control over data, infrastructure, and storefront customization
Cons
Requires development resources to install, host, and maintain; not suited to non-technical merchants
Smaller plugin/extension ecosystem and community than more established competitors like Medusa.js or WooCommerce
Managed cloud hosting tiers were still listed as 'not yet available' at time of research, limiting turnkey hosting options
Less enterprise track record and fewer public case studies than legacy commerce platforms
Magento Open Source
Pros
No license fee, giving merchants full source-code access and control at zero software cost.
Deep extensibility and customization through a modular architecture and large extension marketplace.
Large, established global ecosystem of Magento developers and specialized agencies.
Clear upgrade path to Adobe Commerce for merchants that later need enterprise features or managed hosting.
Backed by Adobe, giving the platform long-term corporate stability compared to smaller open-source e-commerce projects.
Cons
Requires merchants to source, secure, and manage their own hosting, unlike managed platforms such as Shopify.
Total cost of ownership, including hosting, development, extensions, and maintenance, can be substantial despite the free license.
Lacks Adobe Commerce's built-in B2B features, AI personalization, and enterprise SLA.
Steeper technical learning curve than hosted platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce.
Requires ongoing developer resources for updates, security patches, and performance optimization.
PrestaShop
Pros
No mandatory revenue-share or per-transaction fee on self-hosted installs
Full source-code control and deep customization potential
Large modules and themes marketplace
Strong community and partner presence, especially in Europe
Scales from small shops to large enterprise retailers
Cons
Self-hosting requires managing your own server, security, and updates
Many useful modules and themes cost extra on top of the free core
Steeper technical learning curve than fully-hosted SaaS platforms like Shopify
Enterprise pricing requires a minimum contract commitment
Support and documentation quality can vary by third-party module vendor
Use Cases
Choose EverShop: JavaScript and TypeScript-fluent engineering teams who want a modern, headless-capable, self-hosted commerce engine built on Node.js, React, and GraphQL rather than a PHP-based legacy platform.
Choose Magento Open Source: Mid-size to large merchants with dedicated development resources who need deep extensibility today and a credible formal enterprise upgrade path to Adobe Commerce as they scale.
Choose PrestaShop: Small to mid-sized merchants and agencies, especially in Europe, who want the option of free self-hosting or an affordable official managed Hosted plan, backed by a large modules marketplace and certified partner network.
EverShop
Custom developer-built storefronts — Engineering teams use EverShop's GraphQL API and modular architecture to build a fully bespoke shopping experience rather than customizing a no-code template.
Agency-built ecommerce projects — Digital agencies self-host EverShop for clients who need a modern, maintainable open source store without recurring SaaS platform fees.
Headless commerce integrations — Teams already running a separate frontend framework connect it to EverShop's GraphQL backend to power product, cart, and checkout functionality headlessly.
Magento Open Source
Custom mid-market e-commerce — Mid-sized merchants with in-house or agency development resources use Magento Open Source to build highly customized storefronts.
Multi-store international retail — Merchants selling across multiple countries and currencies use Magento Open Source's multi-store architecture to manage several storefronts from one installation.
Agency-built e-commerce projects — Development agencies build and maintain client stores on Magento Open Source, leveraging its large extension ecosystem and developer talent pool.
PrestaShop
Self-hosted store for developers and agencies — Full control over code, hosting, and customization for teams comfortable managing their own infrastructure.
Managed hosted store for non-technical merchants — PrestaShop Hosted removes server management while retaining most customization options.
Enterprise retail deployment — Large retailers use PrestaShop Enterprise for dedicated infrastructure and deep customization at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these three is free to self-host?
All three. EverShop, Magento Open Source, and PrestaShop each offer a genuinely free, self-hosted core edition with no license fee, though the operator must supply their own hosting, database, and technical maintenance.
Which one uses a modern JavaScript stack instead of PHP?
EverShop, built entirely on Node.js, TypeScript, React, and GraphQL. Magento Open Source and PrestaShop are both PHP-based platforms.
Is there an official managed hosting option for any of these?
PrestaShop sells PrestaShop Hosted from about $24 to $29 per month. EverShop has announced Cloud plans at $10 and $20 per month that were still listed as not yet available at time of research. Magento Open Source has no managed hosting tier of its own, only the separately priced Adobe Commerce upgrade.
Which platform has the largest community and partner ecosystem?
PrestaShop, with more than 250,000 active stores, over 1 million community members, and 150-plus certified agency partners documented.
Which is the most expensive to run at scale?
Magento Open Source. Even with a free software license, realistic full implementations are commonly estimated between $122,000 and $450,000 or more per year once hosting, custom development, and extensions are included.
Is there an enterprise upgrade path if we outgrow the free edition?
Magento Open Source can upgrade to Adobe Commerce, starting from about $22,000 per year, and PrestaShop offers a custom-priced Enterprise edition. EverShop does not document a separate enterprise tier beyond its Cloud plans.