metasfresh vs PartKeepr
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted crm & business apps options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | metasfresh | PartKeepr |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 68 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,431 | ★ 1,531 |
| First released | 2015 | 2012 |
| Replaces | SAP, NetSuite | NetSuite |
What are metasfresh and PartKeepr?
metasfresh
metasfresh is an open-source ERP system for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides sales, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and accounting functions.
- Full ERP feature set
- Responsive web UI
- Frequent releases
- Sales and procurement workflows
PartKeepr
PartKeepr is an open-source inventory management solution focused on electronic components. It tracks parts, stock levels, storage locations, and distributors.
- Electronic parts inventory
- Storage location tracking
- Distributor and pricing data
- Datasheet attachments
metasfresh vs PartKeepr: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: PartKeepr's repository is archived and no longer developed, while metasfresh is actively maintained. Metasfresh is written in Java, while PartKeepr is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for metasfresh versus GPL-3.0 for PartKeepr. PartKeepr is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for metasfresh. PartKeepr is the more established project (first released 2012), while metasfresh arrived in 2015.
Why pick each one
Choose metasfresh if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Choose PartKeepr if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is metasfresh or PartKeepr better?
Neither is universally better. metasfresh has the larger community, while PartKeepr is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are metasfresh and PartKeepr free and open-source?
Yes. metasfresh is licensed under GPL-2.0 and PartKeepr under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run metasfresh and PartKeepr with Docker?
metasfresh: yes. PartKeepr: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, metasfresh or PartKeepr?
PartKeepr has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for metasfresh. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.