InvenTree 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.
InvenTree
Open-source inventory and stock management system
VS
OpenBoxes
Open-source inventory and supply chain management
| Feature | InvenTree | OpenBoxes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Groovy |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,623 | ★ 900 |
| First released | 2017 | 2011 |
| Replaces | NetSuite, Fishbowl | SAP, NetSuite |
What are InvenTree and OpenBoxes?
InvenTree
InvenTree is an open-source inventory management system providing stock control and part tracking. It is designed for manufacturers and offers a powerful REST API.
- Stock and part tracking
- Bill of materials support
- Powerful REST API
- Plugin extensibility
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
InvenTree vs OpenBoxes: key differences
InvenTree is written in Python, while OpenBoxes is built with Groovy. Licensing differs — MIT for InvenTree versus MPL-2.0 for OpenBoxes. InvenTree is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OpenBoxes. OpenBoxes is the more established project (first released 2011), while InvenTree arrived in 2017. InvenTree has the considerably larger community, at 7,623 GitHub stars versus 900.
Why pick each one
Choose InvenTree if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 7.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Choose OpenBoxes if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Groovy
Frequently asked questions
Is InvenTree or OpenBoxes better?
InvenTree is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OpenBoxes if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are InvenTree and OpenBoxes free and open-source?
Yes. InvenTree is licensed under MIT and OpenBoxes under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run InvenTree and OpenBoxes with Docker?
InvenTree: yes. OpenBoxes: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, InvenTree or OpenBoxes?
InvenTree has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OpenBoxes. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.