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Manufacturing · head to head

AMFG vs ERPNext

AMFG logo

AMFG

Manufacturing

Automated quoting and production workflow software for machine shops and additive bureaus

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ERPNext logo

ERPNext

Inventory

Open-source ERP solution for SMEs and growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ERPNext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AMFG no pricing is published in any form, and the product is sold by module and site, so total cost is invisible until you are several sales calls in.; ERPNext the software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it
  • They diverge on capability: AMFG covers Geometric auto-quoting, ERPNext covers Accounting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AMFG and ERPNext actually diverge.

Attributes where AMFG and ERPNext differ
AttributeAMFGERPNext
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudSelf-hosted, Cloud, Web
CategoryManufacturingInventory
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AMFG

  • Geometric auto-quoting
  • 2D drawing analysis
  • Production planning and scheduling
  • Shop-floor control
  • Quality tracking
  • Customer portal
  • CAD and CAM plugins

Only in ERPNext

  • Accounting
  • Inventory
  • Manufacturing
  • CRM
  • Human Resources
  • Payment gateways
  • Email systems
  • Custom extensions

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AMFG

  • A machine shop losing work because quoting takes three days and competitors answer in three hoursnot ERPNext
  • An additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machinesnot ERPNext
  • A manufacturer running AM and CNC in the same facility and wanting one production record across bothnot ERPNext
  • Replacing an email and spreadsheet ordering process with a customer portal that produces priced quotes automaticallynot ERPNext

ERPNext

  • Enterprise resource planning for small to medium businessesnot AMFG
  • Accounting and financial managementnot AMFG
  • Inventory and stock managementnot AMFG
  • Supply chain managementnot AMFG

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AMFG

  • No pricing is published in any form, and the product is sold by module and site, so total cost is invisible until you are several sales calls in.
  • Automated quoting only becomes accurate once your cost model, machine rates and material data are properly loaded, so the value arrives months after go-live and early quotes need human checking.
  • The product started in additive manufacturing and has pivoted its marketing towards CNC machine shops, which means some CNC-specific depth is newer than the additive lineage and worth testing against your actual process mix.
  • It overlaps heavily with ERP and MES scope, so shops with an existing ERP face an ownership decision over scheduling and customer records that is a political problem, not a technical one.
  • It is a comparatively small vendor against established shop-floor systems, so integration work into an incumbent ERP will fall largely on you or a partner rather than on a pre-built certified connector.

ERPNext

  • The software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it
  • Managed hosting is priced per site and per server rather than per user, so a small team running several sites pays more than a large team on one
  • Dedicated server isolation and stronger reliability guarantees start at $125 a month
  • Self hosting is free but places upgrades, backups and availability entirely on the operator

Pricing, plan by plan

AMFG

On request
  • AMFG$undefined/year
    • Automated quoting and estimating
    • Production planning and scheduling
    • Shop-floor control and quality tracking

ERPNext

Free
  • Community EditionFree
  • Frappe Cloud Starter$14/month
  • Frappe Cloud Standard$50/month
  • Frappe Cloud Professional$100/month

Which should you pick?

Choose AMFG if

  • You need geometric auto-quoting.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want 2d drawing analysis.
AMFG review

Choose ERPNext if

  • You need accounting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want inventory.
ERPNext review

Questions people ask

Is AMFG or ERPNext better?
Neither clearly leads. AMFG starts at On request and ERPNext at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AMFG or ERPNext?
ERPNext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AMFG and Free for ERPNext.
Does AMFG or ERPNext run on more platforms?
AMFG runs on Web, Cloud. ERPNext runs on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
Can I use ERPNext for free?
Yes. ERPNext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AMFG starts at On request.
What is AMFG best used for?
AMFG is most often used for a machine shop losing work because quoting takes three days and competitors answer in three hours, an additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machines, a manufacturer running am and cnc in the same facility and wanting one production record across both, replacing an email and spreadsheet ordering process with a customer portal that produces priced quotes automatically. Of those, a machine shop losing work because quoting takes three days and competitors answer in three hours and an additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machines are not what ERPNext is typically brought in for.
What can AMFG do that ERPNext cannot?
AMFG covers Geometric auto-quoting, 2D drawing analysis, Production planning and scheduling, Shop-floor control. ERPNext covers Accounting, Inventory, Manufacturing, CRM.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AMFG: Does AMFG replace my ERP?

No. It covers quoting through shop-floor execution and quality. Finance, purchasing and inventory usually stay in the ERP, and you must decide which system owns scheduling.

ERPNext: Is ERPNext free?

Yes, ERPNext Community Edition is completely free and open source with no hidden paywalls. Everything is available to use, modify, or resell at no cost. Users can also access professional hosting through Frappe Cloud starting at USD$14 per month.

Source
AMFG: Is it only for 3D printing?

No, though that is where it started. It now targets CNC machine shops as well and markets quoting for machining, sheet metal and additive.

ERPNext: What is Frappe Cloud pricing based on?

Frappe Cloud pricing is compute-based rather than per-user licensing. Costs range from USD$14 to USD$108 per month depending on resource needs. The pricing advantage is that hosting costs do not scale linearly with the number of users, unlike traditional per-seat SaaS models.

Source
AMFG: How accurate is automated quoting out of the box?

Not accurate until your machine rates, materials and cost model are configured. Treat the first months of quotes as assisted rather than automatic.

AMFG: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by number of users, sites and selected modules.

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