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ERP · head to head

Apache OFBiz vs Unanet

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
Unanet logo

Unanet

ERP

Project ERP and CRM built for government contractors and architecture and engineering firms

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.; Unanet no pricing is published for any Unanet product; every line is quoted per user per month with separate implementation fees, so a small contractor cannot budget the first year without a full sales cycle.
  • They diverge on capability: Apache OFBiz covers Entity engine, Unanet covers DCAA-oriented timekeeping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apache OFBiz and Unanet differ
AttributeApache OFBizUnanet
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hostedWeb, Cloud, iOS, Android

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

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 Unanet

  • DCAA-oriented timekeeping
  • Indirect rate management
  • Contract type support
  • Project accounting
  • Resource planning
  • Unanet CRM
  • Compliant invoicing
  • Unanet ERP AE

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

Unanet

  • A federal contractor moving from QuickBooks and spreadsheets because it has won its first cost-reimbursable contract and needs an accounting system that survives a DCAA adequacy reviewnot Apache OFBiz
  • A services firm that must calculate and true up provisional indirect rates each year and cannot do it credibly in Excel any longernot Apache OFBiz
  • An architecture and engineering practice tracking utilisation and project profitability across dozens of concurrent jobsnot Apache OFBiz
  • A government contractor consolidating a separate CRM, timekeeping tool and accounting package into one system so pipeline and backlog reconcilenot 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.

Unanet

  • No pricing is published for any Unanet product; every line is quoted per user per month with separate implementation fees, so a small contractor cannot budget the first year without a full sales cycle.
  • Implementation is a project rather than a signup, involving chart of accounts design, indirect pool structure and data migration, and third parties report implementation fees reaching five figures for mid-sized deployments, an amount easily missed when comparing per-user rates.
  • The interface is dated compared with modern SaaS finance products, which raises training time for staff who only touch it to enter a timesheet and increases the support burden on the finance team.
  • ERP and CRM are separate products with separate contracts, so a firm that wants pipeline, backlog and actuals in one place pays twice and still deals with an integration boundary between them.
  • Its value is concentrated in United States federal and state contracting compliance, so a firm that does no public-sector work is paying for indirect rate machinery and DCAA audit behaviour it will never use, and a non-US firm gets almost nothing from the product’s main differentiator.

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

Unanet

On request
  • Unanet ERP GovCon$undefined/year
    • Project accounting with indirect rate pools
    • DCAA-oriented daily timekeeping and audit trail
    • Cost-plus, T&M and fixed price contract billing
  • Unanet ERP AE$undefined/year
    • Project accounting configured for architecture and engineering firms
    • Resource planning and utilisation reporting
    • Priced per user per month, quoted
  • Unanet CRM$undefined/year
    • Pursuit and opportunity tracking
    • Proposal content library and reuse
    • Sold separately from ERP; quoted

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 Unanet if

  • You need dcaa-oriented timekeeping.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want indirect rate management.
Unanet review

Questions people ask

Is Apache OFBiz or Unanet better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache OFBiz starts at Free and Unanet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache OFBiz or Unanet?
Apache OFBiz has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apache OFBiz and On request for Unanet.
Does Apache OFBiz or Unanet run on more platforms?
Apache OFBiz runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted. Unanet runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
Can I use Apache OFBiz for free?
Yes. Apache OFBiz has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Unanet 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 Unanet is typically brought in for.
What can Apache OFBiz do that Unanet cannot?
Apache OFBiz covers Entity engine, Service engine, Accounting, Order management. Unanet covers DCAA-oriented timekeeping, Indirect rate management, Contract type support, Project accounting.

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.

Unanet: What does Unanet cost?

Nothing is published. Pricing is per user per month and quoted, with implementation fees charged separately on top of the subscription.

Apache OFBiz: What does it cost?

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

Unanet: Does Unanet make you DCAA compliant?

No software does. Unanet provides the timekeeping controls, audit trail and indirect rate accounting that an adequacy review looks for; the policies and their enforcement are still yours.

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.

Unanet: Is Unanet CRM included with the ERP?

No. Unanet CRM, built on the acquired Cosential platform, is a separate product with its own contract.

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.

Unanet: How does it compare with Deltek?

Unanet typically targets smaller contractors than Deltek Costpoint and is quicker to implement, but has less depth for very large multi-segment organisations.

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