Open-Source Shopify Alternative for AI

Hosted convenience or open-source control

Notice

86d is under active development and not yet recommended for production commerce. Check versioning and maturity and each capability you enable before relying on it.

Introduction

Shopify is a hosted service that supports production checkout, payments, in-person sales, and several sales channels today.

86d is MIT-licensed software that you can run yourself. You control its source code and store data, and you do not need an 86d.app account to use it.

The pricing models also differ. Shopify charges for a hosted plan and may charge payment-related fees. Self-hosting 86d has no software fee. Planned 86d Cloud charges a management fee, hosting usage, and managed services separately.

The bigger difference is ownership. Shopify runs the system for you. 86d gives you source code you can inspect, change, and run on infrastructure you choose.

At a glance

Dimension	86d	Shopify
License	86d uses the MIT license; 86d.app is closed source	Shopify is a closed-source hosted service
Hosting model	Self-host it today, or use 86d Cloud when managed signup opens	Shopify hosts and operates the service
Plan pricing	Planned Launch is $1 per active store each month for 12 months for one qualifying store; Premium is $20 per active store each month	US monthly prices: Basic $39, Grow $105, Advanced $399; yearly billing lowers them to $29, $79, and $299; Plus starts at $2,300 per month on a three-year term
Card processing	At launch, bring a supported provider and pay its processing fees directly	US online card rates with Shopify Payments start at 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow, and 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced
Outside payment provider fee	No added 86d checkout fee with a supported outside provider at launch	2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, and 0.6% on Advanced
Ways to extend it	You can change the open-source code; there is no public extension marketplace	Shopify offers an app marketplace and APIs; its core service is closed source
Store setup	One store per installation, with its own database	Shopify operates the hosted service for you
Assisted store changes	In development, with review and approval before changes go live	Shopify includes Sidekick in its hosted admin
Readiness	Available for early evaluation	Established production service

Pricing figures as of August 2026. Confirm on each vendor's official pricing page before you buy.

Where the money goes

This example uses $10,000 in monthly sales across 200 orders at a $50 average order value. It uses the same card-processing assumption for both options.

Shopify

Shopify Basic with Shopify Payments

$9,461

minus costs shown

Sales minus costs shown$9,461
Card processing$350
Platform and tooling$189

Card processing assumption (2.9% + 30¢ per order)$350
Basic plan$39
App subscriptions (modeled estimate)$150

86d

86d Cloud Premium, using your own payment service

$9,605

minus costs shown

Sales minus costs shown$9,605
Card processing$350
Platform and tooling$45

Card processing assumption (2.9% + 30¢ per order)$350
86d Cloud management fee (planned)$20
Infrastructure and managed usage (modeled estimate)$25

In this example, the listed monthly costs for Shopify are $144 higher. Card processing is the same on both sides, so the difference comes from the other costs listed below each chart.

This is an estimate, not a quote or profit calculation. It does not include product costs, tax, shipping, labor, refunds, chargebacks, or other business expenses. Published plan and percentage fees come from each company's pricing page. Hosting, app, and extension amounts are assumptions. 86d Cloud is not open for paid signup, so its management fee is also a planned price.

Where Shopify shines

You can open and operate a production store today.
Shopify manages hosting, updates, and the checkout service.
It supports online sales, in-person sales, and several sales channels.
Shopify Payments and Shop Pay are built into the service where available.
Its app marketplace and partner network offer additional help and features.
The hosted admin does not require you to operate servers.

What to weigh with Shopify

You cannot self-host Shopify's core service.
The core source code is not available for you to inspect or change.
Your total cost may include the plan, card processing, outside-provider fees, and paid apps.
Using an outside payment provider adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, or 0.6% on Advanced in the US.
Paid apps have their own charges, permissions, and update schedules.
Moving to another service may require replacing themes, apps, and custom work.

Where 86d feels different

86d is MIT-licensed and can run without an 86d.app account.
You control the source code and the database for a self-hosted store.
The software is designed for one store per installation.
You can inspect and change the open-source features in the repository.
Planned Cloud pricing separates the management fee, hosting usage, and managed services.
At launch, bringing your own payment service adds no 86d checkout fee.
You can test the software without moving your current store.

What to weigh with 86d

Migration is manual today. An automated importer is not yet available.
The first release is planned for PostgreSQL, US stores, and US dollars.
There is no public app marketplace. Outside code requires an extra opt-in.
Agent-assisted store changes are still in development.
International commerce is outside the current launch target.

Who each option fits

Choose Shopify if you need a production store that can accept orders and payments now.

It is also a practical choice when you want managed hosting, in-person sales, or access to its app and partner network.

Choose 86d if owning the source code and database matters, and you want a voice in how the managed service takes shape. You can begin with the open-source project today.

Conclusion

Shopify offers a mature hosted service. 86d offers a different bargain: open-source store software, control of the database, and the freedom to run it yourself.

If that ownership model matters to your business, 86d is worth evaluating early.

FAQ

Is 86d a Shopify alternative?

Yes, for merchants evaluating open-source store software and a different ownership model. Managed hosting and live commerce are still being prepared, so the place to start today is the open-source project.

Evaluate a Shopify migration

Can I migrate from Shopify to 86d?

Begin with a manual catalog and content move into a test store. Automated migration tools are still being prepared.

Evaluate a Shopify migration

How does Shopify pricing compare to 86d?

In the US, Shopify charges a plan fee, card-processing fees, and an extra 2% to 0.6% on Basic through Advanced when an outside payment provider processes the order. Self-hosting 86d has no software fee. 86d Cloud uses planned store-based management pricing, and bringing your own payment service will add no 86d checkout fee.

FAQ

What does 86d offer instead of the Shopify App Store?

86d takes a repository-first approach. You can inspect and change its open-source features and integrations, but there is no comparable public marketplace today and readiness varies by feature.

How 86d is organized

Shopify has Sidekick. What does 86d offer?

86d is being built around reviewed store changes. You describe the outcome, inspect what will happen, and approve it before it goes live. That experience is still in development.

Planned assisted store changes

How does the 86d hosting model differ?

86d is designed for one store per installation, with its own database. The managed service is being built around the same boundary.

Store isolation