ERPNext 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.
| Feature | ERPNext | OpenBoxes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Groovy |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 39,502 | ★ 900 |
| First released | 2010 | 2011 |
| Replaces | SAP, NetSuite, Salesforce | SAP, NetSuite |
What are ERPNext and OpenBoxes?
ERPNext
ERPNext is a comprehensive open-source ERP covering accounting, inventory, manufacturing, HR, CRM, and more. It targets small and mid-sized businesses wanting an all-in-one system. It is deployed via Docker or the Frappe bench tool.
- Full ERP modules in one suite
- Accounting and inventory
- Manufacturing and HR
- Built on the Frappe framework
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
ERPNext vs OpenBoxes: key differences
ERPNext is written in Python, while OpenBoxes is built with Groovy. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for ERPNext versus MPL-2.0 for OpenBoxes. OpenBoxes is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for ERPNext. ERPNext has the considerably larger community, at 39,502 GitHub stars versus 900.
Why pick each one
Choose ERPNext if…
- Very comprehensive
- Active community
- Fully open source
Watch out for
- Complex to deploy and learn
- Resource heavy
Choose OpenBoxes if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Groovy
Frequently asked questions
Is ERPNext or OpenBoxes better?
Neither is universally better. ERPNext has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ERPNext and OpenBoxes free and open-source?
Yes. ERPNext is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenBoxes under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ERPNext and OpenBoxes with Docker?
ERPNext: yes. OpenBoxes: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, ERPNext or OpenBoxes?
OpenBoxes has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for ERPNext. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.