SHSelfHostIndex

Axelor vs OpenBoxes

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted crm & business apps options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
AX Axelor Open-source ERP, CRM, and BPM platform VS OP OpenBoxes Open-source inventory and supply chain management
FeatureAxelorOpenBoxes
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score82 · Excellent82 · Excellent
CategoryCRM & Business AppsCRM & Business Apps
LicenseAGPL-3.0MPL-2.0
LanguageJavaGroovy
Setup difficultyHardHard
Min. RAM2,048 MB2,048 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 976★ 900
First released20142011
ReplacesSAP, OdooSAP, NetSuite

What are Axelor and OpenBoxes?

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

OpenBoxes

OpenBoxes is an open-source inventory and supply chain management system. It was designed to manage stock, track inventory, and support supply chains for healthcare facilities.

  • Inventory and stock tracking
  • Supply chain workflows
  • Shipment management
  • Reporting and analytics

Axelor vs OpenBoxes: key differences

Axelor is written in Java, while OpenBoxes is built with Groovy. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Axelor versus MPL-2.0 for OpenBoxes. OpenBoxes is the more established project (first released 2011), while Axelor arrived in 2014.

Why pick each one

Choose Axelor if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Java
Axelor details

Choose OpenBoxes if…

  • Released under the MPL-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Groovy
OpenBoxes details

Frequently asked questions

Is Axelor or OpenBoxes better?

Neither is universally better. Axelor has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Axelor and OpenBoxes free and open-source?

Yes. Axelor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OpenBoxes under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Axelor and OpenBoxes with Docker?

Axelor: yes. OpenBoxes: yes.

Related comparisons