ERPNext review: open-source ERP for accounting, inventory, manufacturing, and CRM. Compare Frappe Cloud pricing, features, and top alternatives like Odoo.
ERPNext is a free, open-source Enterprise Resource Planning system published by Frappe Technologies, a software company based in Mumbai, India. It brings accounting, inventory, manufacturing, purchasing, sales, CRM, HR and payroll, and project management together in a single connected application, so records flow between departments instead of living in separate disconnected tools.
The software is released under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3), meaning the full source code is publicly available on GitHub and can be self-hosted, inspected, and modified without license fees. Frappe Technologies also runs a managed hosting service, Frappe Cloud, for organizations that prefer not to operate the infrastructure themselves.
ERPNext is built on the Frappe framework, a Python and JavaScript based, metadata-driven web application framework that also powers sibling products like Frappe HR and Frappe CRM. Business objects are defined as 'DocTypes', which simultaneously generate a database table, a form, an API endpoint, and a permission model, allowing administrators to add custom fields and workflows without touching the core codebase.
The platform covers double-entry accounting and multi-currency ledgers, multi-warehouse inventory with batch and serial tracking, manufacturing with bills of materials and work orders, CRM and helpdesk pipelines, HR and payroll, project and timesheet billing, and point-of-sale, all accessible through a web interface, a REST API, and native mobile apps for iOS and Android.
ERPNext can be self-hosted for free under its GPLv3 license, with no per-user fees or module restrictions, provided the organization can operate its own servers. For teams that want managed hosting, Frappe Cloud prices by compute usage rather than by user seat, starting with a Sites plan from around $5 per month, a Servers/private bench plan from roughly $20 to $40 per month, and Premium Dedicated Servers from around $125 per month, with a 14-day free trial and discounts for education and nonprofit organizations.
Beyond hosting costs, organizations can also engage one of Frappe's 200-plus certified implementation partners for paid setup, customization, and migration services, which are priced separately from the software itself.
Yes. ERPNext is released under the GPLv3 open-source license, so the self-hosted software itself has no license fee. Costs apply if you choose Frappe Cloud managed hosting or hire an implementation partner.
ERPNext is developed by Frappe Technologies, a company founded in 2008 by Rushabh Mehta and headquartered in Mumbai, India, on top of its own open-source Frappe framework.
Frappe Cloud's entry-level Sites plan starts at around $5 per month, with Servers plans from roughly $20 to $40 per month and Premium Dedicated Servers from around $125 per month, billed by compute usage rather than per user, plus a 14-day free trial.
The Frappe framework is the underlying Python and JavaScript application platform, while ERPNext is the specific ERP application built on top of it; the same framework also powers other Frappe products like Frappe HR and Frappe CRM.
ERPNext and Odoo are the two most commonly compared open, modular ERP suites. ERPNext's self-hosted core remains fully free and unrestricted under GPLv3, while Odoo's free tier is limited to a single app and its full enterprise feature set uses per-user SaaS pricing.
Yes, Frappe Technologies publishes native ERPNext mobile apps for iOS and Android that allow users to check notifications, approvals, orders, and invoices while away from a desktop.