Softwr

ERP · head to head

Axelor vs DEAR Systems

Axelor logo

Axelor

ERP

French open source ERP and CRM with a low-code studio for changing the data model without forking

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DEAR Systems logo

DEAR Systems

ERP

Cloud inventory management for growing businesses

From
$349/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Axelor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Axelor pro requires at least ten users and Enterprise at least twenty, so a six-person company either stays on unsupported Community or pays for seats it does not have.; DEAR Systems dEAR Systems is sold as Cin7 Core and priced on the Cin7 pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Axelor covers Axelor Studio, DEAR Systems covers Inventory control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Axelor and DEAR Systems actually diverge.

Attributes where Axelor and DEAR Systems differ
AttributeAxelorDEAR Systems
Starting priceFree$349/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidCloud, Web, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2012

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 Axelor

  • Axelor Studio
  • BPM engine
  • CRM and sales
  • Accounting
  • E-invoicing
  • Stock and logistics
  • REST API

Only in DEAR Systems

  • Inventory control
  • Purchase orders
  • Sales orders
  • Accounting integration
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce

Both cover

  • Manufacturing

What people use each for

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

Axelor

  • A European SME that wants ERP on its own servers for data sovereignty rather than in a US cloudnot DEAR Systems
  • A company whose processes do not fit a standard ERP and that wants to model them in BPMN instead of paying for custom codenot DEAR Systems
  • A francophone business needing a French chart of accounts and local statutory reporting out of the boxnot DEAR Systems
  • A team validating an open source ERP on the free Community edition with the option to move the same database onto a commercial licence laternot DEAR Systems

DEAR Systems

  • Inventory and order management for wholesale and e-commerce sellersnot Axelor
  • Manufacturing with bills of materials and material requirements planningnot Axelor
  • Syncing stock and orders with Xero or QuickBooks Onlinenot Axelor
  • Multi warehouse stock control across unlimited locationsnot Axelor

Where each one falls short

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

Axelor

  • Pro requires at least ten users and Enterprise at least twenty, so a six-person company either stays on unsupported Community or pays for seats it does not have.
  • Documentation, community answers and partner material are substantially richer in French than English, which slows adoption for anglophone teams and makes hiring implementers outside Europe difficult.
  • The AGPL licence on Community obliges you to publish modifications if you offer the software as a network service, which is a genuine blocker for anyone planning to resell a hosted version.
  • The implementation partner network is concentrated in France and neighbouring markets, so buyers elsewhere have few local firms to tender against and limited support timezone coverage.
  • It is a smaller ecosystem than Odoo or ERPNext, so there is no large third-party app marketplace, and functionality the suite lacks has to be built rather than bought.

DEAR Systems

  • DEAR Systems is sold as Cin7 Core and priced on the Cin7 pricing page
  • The $349 per month Standard plan caps sales orders at 6,000 per year, includes 5 users and 2 e-commerce integrations
  • Material requirements planning requires the Pro plan at $599 per month
  • Advanced warehouse management requires the Advanced plan at $1,199 per month
  • Additional users, extra integrations, API access, forecasting and advanced automations all cost extra and are priced by the sales team
  • The Omni enterprise plan is custom priced with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Axelor

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • AGPL licensed, self-hosted
    • Essential ERP and CRM modules
    • Forum and documentation support only
  • Pro$35/month
    • Minimum ten users
    • Commercial licence covering all business modules
    • E-invoicing included
  • Enterprise$55/month
    • Minimum twenty users
    • Advanced BI and dedicated AI agents
    • SSO and CAS authentication

DEAR Systems

$349/month
  • Standard$349/month
    • 5 users
    • 6000 annual sale orders
    • 2 e-commerce integrations
  • Pro$599/month
    • 10 users
    • 24000 annual sale orders
    • 4 e-commerce integrations
  • Advanced$1199/month
    • 15 users
    • 120000 annual sale orders
    • 6 e-commerce integrations
  • Omni$null/month
    • 8 users
    • Flexible annual sale orders
    • 5 e-commerce integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Axelor if

  • You need axelor studio.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android.
  • You also want bpm engine.
Axelor review

Choose DEAR Systems if

  • You need inventory control.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want purchase orders.
DEAR Systems review

Questions people ask

Is Axelor or DEAR Systems better?
Neither clearly leads. Axelor starts at Free and DEAR Systems at $349/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Axelor or DEAR Systems?
Axelor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Axelor and $349/month for DEAR Systems.
Does Axelor or DEAR Systems run on more platforms?
Axelor runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. DEAR Systems runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
Can I use Axelor for free?
Yes. Axelor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DEAR Systems starts at $349/month.
What is Axelor best used for?
Axelor is most often used for a european sme that wants erp on its own servers for data sovereignty rather than in a us cloud, a company whose processes do not fit a standard erp and that wants to model them in bpmn instead of paying for custom code, a francophone business needing a french chart of accounts and local statutory reporting out of the box, a team validating an open source erp on the free community edition with the option to move the same database onto a commercial licence later. Of those, a european sme that wants erp on its own servers for data sovereignty rather than in a us cloud and a company whose processes do not fit a standard erp and that wants to model them in bpmn instead of paying for custom code are not what DEAR Systems is typically brought in for.
What can Axelor do that DEAR Systems cannot?
Axelor covers Axelor Studio, BPM engine, CRM and sales, Accounting. DEAR Systems covers Inventory control, Purchase orders, Sales orders, Accounting integration. Both handle Manufacturing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Axelor: Is Axelor really free?

The Community edition is genuinely AGPL open source with no licence fee, but it lacks several business modules and has no vendor support, and you carry all hosting and upgrade work.

DEAR Systems: How much does Dear Systems (Cin7) cost?

Dear Systems pricing starts at $349/month for the Standard tier, $599/month for the Pro tier (most popular), $1199/month for Advanced, and custom pricing for the Omni enterprise solution.

Source
Axelor: Can I upgrade from Community without losing data?

Yes, Axelor states that a Community deployment can move to Pro or Enterprise keeping its database and configuration, which is unusual among open core vendors.

DEAR Systems: What features does each Dear Systems plan include?

Standard includes 5 users and 6000 annual orders. Pro (most popular) adds 10 users, 24000 orders, and MRP. Advanced provides 15 users, 120000 orders, and advanced warehouse management. Omni offers enterprise customization with flexible user and order limits.

Source
Axelor: Do I need Java developers?

Not for most changes. Studio handles entities, views and workflows as configuration. Deep integrations and new module logic still need Java skills.

DEAR Systems: How many users and integrations are included in Dear Systems plans?

Standard tier includes 5 users and 2 e-commerce integrations. Pro tier includes 10 users and 4 integrations. Advanced tier includes 15 users and 6 integrations. Additional users and integrations are available as paid add-ons.

Source
Axelor: Does it handle EU e-invoicing mandates?

E-invoicing is included on the paid editions, which is the main reason French customers move off Community as mandates come into force.

Share

Related pages

More on Axelor

More on DEAR Systems

Keep looking

Other head to heads