Softwr

ERP · head to head

Apache OFBiz vs Ignition

Apache OFBiz logo

Apache OFBiz

ERP

Java ERP and e-commerce framework from the Apache Foundation, sold as a toolkit not a product

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ignition logo

Ignition

Manufacturing

Industrial automation platform for SCADA, HMI and MES

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apache OFBiz has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apache OFBiz oFBiz has disclosed repeated critical vulnerabilities including pre-authentication remote code execution and authentication bypass chains, several exploited in the wild, so an internet-facing instance that is not patched promptly is a genuine breach risk rather than a theoretical one.; Ignition requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application
  • They diverge on capability: Apache OFBiz covers Entity engine, Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache OFBiz and Ignition actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache OFBiz and Ignition differ
AttributeApache OFBizIgnition
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer-server licensing with published module pricing; unlimited clients and tags
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hostedWindows, Linux, macOS, Web
CategoryERPManufacturing

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 Apache OFBiz

  • Entity engine
  • Service engine
  • Accounting
  • Order management
  • E-commerce storefront
  • Warehouse management
  • Manufacturing and MRP
  • Party model

Only in Ignition

  • Unlimited-client licensing
  • SCADA and HMI
  • Historian
  • MES modules
  • Web-based clients
  • Wide PLC support

What people use each for

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

Apache OFBiz

  • A systems integrator building a vertical industry product on a permissively licensed ERP core it can redistribute commerciallynot Ignition
  • An organisation with strong Java capability that needs an order and inventory data model it can extend rather than configurenot Ignition
  • A business that requires a permissive Apache 2.0 licence because GPL copyleft is unacceptable to its legal teamnot Ignition
  • A team replacing a bespoke in-house order management system that wants an entity model rather than a finished applicationnot Ignition

Ignition

  • Plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversationnot Apache OFBiz
  • Replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clientsnot Apache OFBiz
  • Connecting plant floor data to SQL and business systemsnot Apache OFBiz

Where each one falls short

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

Apache OFBiz

  • OFBiz has disclosed repeated critical vulnerabilities including pre-authentication remote code execution and authentication bypass chains, several exploited in the wild, so an internet-facing instance that is not patched promptly is a genuine breach risk rather than a theoretical one.
  • There is no vendor, no support contract and no hosted edition, so every deployment depends on either in-house Java skill or an integrator you find and vet yourself.
  • The screens and default workflows look and behave like enterprise software from the 2000s, and user acceptance in a finance or warehouse team is frequently the reason projects stall.
  • It is a framework rather than a configurable product, so meaningful deployments require Java, XML widget and entity engine development, which puts the real cost in developer months rather than licence fees.
  • Localisation for tax, statutory reporting and payroll is largely absent, so any country-specific compliance requirement has to be built, and that build has to be maintained against upstream releases.

Ignition

  • Requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application
  • Steep learning curve, and Inductive Automation runs its own training programme because of it
  • Self-hosted and self-supported by default, so plant IT carries the availability burden
  • Module-based pricing means the entry figure is rarely the final one

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache OFBiz

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Apache License 2.0, permissive and commercially redistributable
    • Accounting, order management, warehousing and manufacturing included
    • E-commerce storefront included

Ignition

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ignition review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache OFBiz if

  • You need entity engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted.
  • You also want service engine.
Apache OFBiz review

Choose Ignition if

  • You need unlimited-client licensing.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
  • You also want scada and hmi.
Ignition review

Questions people ask

Is Apache OFBiz or Ignition better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache OFBiz starts at Free and Ignition at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache OFBiz or Ignition?
Apache OFBiz has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apache OFBiz and On request for Ignition.
Does Apache OFBiz or Ignition run on more platforms?
Apache OFBiz runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted. Ignition runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
Can I use Apache OFBiz for free?
Yes. Apache OFBiz has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ignition starts at On request.
What is Apache OFBiz best used for?
Apache OFBiz is most often used for a systems integrator building a vertical industry product on a permissively licensed erp core it can redistribute commercially, an organisation with strong java capability that needs an order and inventory data model it can extend rather than configure, a business that requires a permissive apache 2.0 licence because gpl copyleft is unacceptable to its legal team, a team replacing a bespoke in-house order management system that wants an entity model rather than a finished application. Of those, a systems integrator building a vertical industry product on a permissively licensed erp core it can redistribute commercially and an organisation with strong java capability that needs an order and inventory data model it can extend rather than configure are not what Ignition is typically brought in for.
What can Apache OFBiz do that Ignition cannot?
Apache OFBiz covers Entity engine, Service engine, Accounting, Order management. Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, SCADA and HMI, Historian, MES modules.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache OFBiz: Is Apache OFBiz safe to run on the public internet?

Only with disciplined patching. It has shipped fixes for pre-authentication remote code execution and authentication bypass flaws, with CVEs continuing into 2026, and some have been exploited in the wild.

Ignition: What does Ignition cost?

It publishes per-server module pricing with unlimited clients, tags and connections, so cost does not scale with how many people use it.

Apache OFBiz: What does it cost?

Nothing to licence. It is Apache 2.0. The cost is Java development, hosting and ongoing security maintenance.

Ignition: Why does unlimited-client licensing matter?

Traditional SCADA is licensed per tag or per screen, which turns adding an operator terminal into a purchase. Ignition removes that ceiling.

Apache OFBiz: Can I use it as a finished ERP?

Not realistically. It is a framework with reference applications, and most production deployments are custom builds on top of it.

Ignition: Is it a finished application?

No, it is a platform. Screens, tags and logic are built for the specific plant, which is real engineering work.

Apache OFBiz: Why choose it over a GPL ERP?

The Apache 2.0 licence is permissive, so an integrator can build and sell a derived commercial product without copyleft obligations.

Share

Related pages

More on Apache OFBiz

More on Ignition

Keep looking

Other head to heads