Softwr

ERP · head to head

Apache OFBiz vs ProShop ERP

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
ProShop ERP logo

ProShop ERP

Manufacturing

Web based ERP, MES and quality system written inside a working CNC machine shop

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.; ProShop ERP it runs on a Microsoft stack with Internet Information Services and SQL Server, so a shop choosing on premises deployment needs a Windows server and someone to maintain it, which is not what buyers expect when they hear browser based.
  • They diverge on capability: Apache OFBiz covers Entity engine, ProShop ERP covers Integrated quality management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache OFBiz and ProShop ERP actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache OFBiz and ProShop ERP differ
AttributeApache OFBizProShop ERP
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hostedWeb, Windows
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 ProShop ERP

  • Integrated quality management
  • Digital travellers
  • Job costing
  • Capacity scheduling
  • Tool crib and gauge control
  • Purchasing and inventory

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 ProShop ERP
  • An organisation with strong Java capability that needs an order and inventory data model it can extend rather than configurenot ProShop ERP
  • A business that requires a permissive Apache 2.0 licence because GPL copyleft is unacceptable to its legal teamnot ProShop ERP
  • A team replacing a bespoke in-house order management system that wants an entity model rather than a finished applicationnot ProShop ERP

ProShop ERP

  • A machine shop pursuing or holding AS9100 registration that currently maintains quality records separately from its ERPnot Apache OFBiz
  • A high mix low volume shop where every job has different routings and paper travellers keep going missingnot Apache OFBiz
  • A contract manufacturer needing material certification and lot traceability from receipt through to shipped partnot Apache OFBiz
  • A shop with 1990s machines that wants shop floor data capture through operator kiosks because the controllers cannot be readnot 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.

ProShop ERP

  • It runs on a Microsoft stack with Internet Information Services and SQL Server, so a shop choosing on premises deployment needs a Windows server and someone to maintain it, which is not what buyers expect when they hear browser based.
  • The software is opinionated and expects the shop to adopt its processes, so a shop determined to keep its existing habits gets a poor result and blames the tool.
  • Everything depends on operators entering time and status at each operation, and a shop that cannot enforce that discipline ends up with costing and scheduling data that nobody trusts.
  • It is not a machine monitoring product and does not read controllers, so spindle utilisation and automatic cycle counting require a separate product such as a monitoring platform.
  • The partner ecosystem is very small, so implementation, training and any customisation come from the vendor, and there is no market of independent consultants to fall back on or to price against.

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

ProShop ERP

On request
  • ProShop ERP$undefined/year
    • ERP, MES and quality management
    • On premises or vendor hosted deployment
    • Implementation and training services

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 ProShop ERP if

  • You need integrated quality management.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want digital travellers.
ProShop ERP review

Questions people ask

Is Apache OFBiz or ProShop ERP better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache OFBiz starts at Free and ProShop ERP at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache OFBiz or ProShop ERP?
Apache OFBiz has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apache OFBiz and On request for ProShop ERP.
Does Apache OFBiz or ProShop ERP run on more platforms?
Apache OFBiz runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted. ProShop ERP runs on Web, Windows.
Can I use Apache OFBiz for free?
Yes. Apache OFBiz has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ProShop ERP 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 ProShop ERP is typically brought in for.
What can Apache OFBiz do that ProShop ERP cannot?
Apache OFBiz covers Entity engine, Service engine, Accounting, Order management. ProShop ERP covers Integrated quality management, Digital travellers, Job costing, Capacity scheduling.

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.

ProShop ERP: Is it cloud software?

It is browser based and can be vendor hosted, but many customers run it on their own Windows server, which carries the usual infrastructure obligations.

Apache OFBiz: What does it cost?

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

ProShop ERP: Does it replace my accounting system?

No. It handles costing and purchasing and integrates with QuickBooks or similar for the general ledger.

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.

ProShop ERP: Will it work with old CNC machines?

Yes, because it takes operator input at kiosks rather than reading machine controllers. That is a strength for shops with older equipment.

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.

ProShop ERP: Is it suitable for process or batch manufacturing?

No. It is built for discrete machining and fabrication with routings and travellers.

Share

Related pages

More on Apache OFBiz

More on ProShop ERP

Keep looking

Other head to heads