Novu
Saleor
| Feature | Novu | Saleor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0.0025/mo | Free / from $300/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | saas-developers, product-teams, startups, notification-heavy-apps | developer-teams, enterprise-ecommerce, multi-channel-retailers, graphql-enthusiasts |
| Founded | 2021 | 2018 |
| Multi Channel Notifications | ✓ | ✗ |
| Notification Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Subscriber Preferences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Digest | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hostable | ✓ | ✗ |
| Graphql Api | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Channel | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dashboard | ✗ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Apps System | ✗ | ✓ |
| Warehouse Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Promotions Engine | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Novu Pros
- Single API for all notification channels
- Open-source with self-hosting option
- Built-in notification center UI component
- Subscriber preference management included
✗ Novu Cons
- Complex setup for advanced use cases
- Documentation has gaps for edge cases
- Self-hosted version requires maintenance
✓ Saleor Pros
- GraphQL API-first architecture for modern frontends
- Enterprise features in free open-source edition
- Strong multi-channel commerce capabilities
- Built-in dashboard with excellent UX
✗ Saleor Cons
- Cloud hosting is expensive for startups
- Smaller community than Shopify/WooCommerce
- Self-hosting requires Python/Django expertise
The Verdict
Novu is built for saas developers and product teams, with a focus on multi-channel-notifications and notification-center. Saleor targets developer teams and enterprise ecommerce and leads with graphql-api and multi-channel.
On pricing, Novu is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0.0025/mo compared to $300/mo for Saleor. That $299.9975/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.