Axelor vs Dolibarr
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted crm & business apps options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Dolibarr
Open-source ERP and CRM for small businesses
| Feature | Axelor | Dolibarr |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 976 | ★ 7,652 |
| First released | 2014 | 2003 |
| Replaces | SAP, Odoo | SAP, Salesforce |
What are Axelor and Dolibarr?
Axelor
Axelor Open Suite is an open-source ERP, CRM, and business process management platform. It includes a low-code studio for customizing apps and workflows.
- ERP, CRM, and BPM modules
- Low-code studio
- Configurable business workflows
- Modern web interface
Dolibarr
Dolibarr is an open-source ERP and CRM suite for small and medium businesses, covering invoicing, inventory, and contacts. It targets small companies wanting an easy all-in-one tool. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- Combined ERP and CRM
- Invoicing and inventory
- Module-based activation
- Easy installation
Axelor vs Dolibarr: key differences
Axelor is written in Java, while Dolibarr is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Axelor versus GPL-3.0 for Dolibarr. Dolibarr is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Axelor. Dolibarr is the more established project (first released 2003), while Axelor arrived in 2014. Dolibarr has the considerably larger community, at 7,652 GitHub stars versus 976.
Why pick each one
Choose Axelor if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Choose Dolibarr if…
- Easy for small businesses
- Modular features
- Mature project
Watch out for
- Interface looks dated
- Less polished than Odoo
Frequently asked questions
Is Axelor or Dolibarr better?
Dolibarr is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Axelor if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Axelor and Dolibarr free and open-source?
Yes. Axelor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Dolibarr under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Axelor and Dolibarr with Docker?
Axelor: yes. Dolibarr: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Axelor or Dolibarr?
Dolibarr has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Axelor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.