What is CartQL used for?

CartQL is a hosted GraphQL shopping cart API with an MCP server, so developers can add carts to any site, app or AI agent. It is a good fit for headless storefronts that need a cart service and AI shopping agents managing carts.

Is CartQL open source?

No. CartQL is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the E-commerce category, open-source options include Saleor, Vendure and Reaction Commerce.

What are some alternatives to CartQL?

CartQL competes with Snipcart, Commerce Layer and Foxy.

CartQL: features, pricing and alternatives

About CartQL

CartQL is a developer API that provides shopping cart functionality over GraphQL. Instead of building cart storage and totals logic themselves, teams call CartQL from any frontend framework with any GraphQL client over HTTP, and bring their own product inventory without migrating it to another platform.

Cart operations include adding, updating, incrementing and removing items. Totals for subtotal, tax and shipping are computed for the developer, currency formatting covers more than 100 currencies, and carts and items can hold custom JSON metadata. Carts persist for 14 days after the last activity, and webhooks report events such as a cart being created or abandoned. An MCP server allows AI agents to add items and manage carts through natural-language requests.

CartQL is a proprietary hosted service rather than software you run yourself. Its website offers a free way to start, developer documentation, a pricing section and an FAQ, and positions the service for teams that want cart features without replacing their existing commerce stack.

Key features

GraphQL cart mutations over HTTP
Bring-your-own product inventory
Automatic subtotal, tax and shipping totals
Multi-currency formatting for 100+ currencies
Custom JSON metadata on carts and items
Webhooks for cart events
MCP server for AI agents

Good fit for

→Headless storefronts that need a cart service
→AI shopping agents managing carts

Tags: graphql; shopping-cart; api; e-commerce; mcp; headless-commerce

CartQL: questions and answers

What is CartQL used for?: CartQL is a hosted GraphQL shopping cart API with an MCP server, so developers can add carts to any site, app or AI agent. It is a good fit for headless storefronts that need a cart service and AI shopping agents managing carts.
Is CartQL free?: Yes. CartQL has a free plan.
Is CartQL open source?: No. CartQL is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the E-commerce category, open-source options include Saleor, Vendure and Reaction Commerce.
What are some alternatives to CartQL?: CartQL competes with Snipcart, Commerce Layer and Foxy.