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ERP · head to head

Axelor vs Dolibarr

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
Dolibarr logo

Dolibarr

ERP

Modular open source ERP and CRM for very small businesses, installable on shared hosting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Dolibarr the core is deliberately shallow, so a serious requirement such as advanced manufacturing, EDI or a specific payment gateway usually means buying a DoliStore module from a third-party author, and the quality and maintenance of those modules varies widely.
  • They diverge on capability: Axelor covers Axelor Studio, Dolibarr covers Module toggles.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Axelor and Dolibarr actually diverge.

Attributes where Axelor and Dolibarr differ
AttributeAxelorDolibarr
Pricing modelPer user per monthOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Manufacturing
  • Accounting
  • E-invoicing
  • Stock and logistics
  • REST API

Only in Dolibarr

  • Module toggles
  • Third-party management
  • Quotes to invoices
  • Stock and warehouses
  • Double-entry accounting
  • Projects and time
  • Point of sale
  • DoliStore

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 Dolibarr
  • A company whose processes do not fit a standard ERP and that wants to model them in BPMN instead of paying for custom codenot Dolibarr
  • A francophone business needing a French chart of accounts and local statutory reporting out of the boxnot Dolibarr
  • 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 Dolibarr

Dolibarr

  • A two-person consultancy wants quotes, invoices and basic accounting self-hosted on an existing five euro a month shared hosting account with no server administration.not Axelor
  • A French or Spanish small business needs VAT handling and accounting exports that match local practice out of the box rather than after configuration.not Axelor
  • An association or nonprofit needs membership, subscription and donation tracking alongside ordinary invoicing without paying per member.not Axelor
  • A small distributor wants stock, purchase orders and sales orders in one system and is willing to buy a DoliStore module rather than commission bespoke development.not 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.

Dolibarr

  • The core is deliberately shallow, so a serious requirement such as advanced manufacturing, EDI or a specific payment gateway usually means buying a DoliStore module from a third-party author, and the quality and maintenance of those modules varies widely.
  • Accounting was designed around French practice, and the chart of accounts, VAT model and fiscal exports need real work to satisfy accountants in the United States, the UK or Australia.
  • The interface is functional rather than designed and shows its age against Odoo, which makes internal adoption harder when staff are comparing it to consumer-grade software.
  • Upgrades between major versions can break paid third-party modules, because module authors update on their own schedules and there is no guarantee your combination will work on version 24 the day it ships.
  • Support is community forums unless you buy a partner contract, and the documentation is a wiki of uneven quality with substantial parts written in French, so English-only teams hit dead ends.

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

Dolibarr

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full GPL source, all core modules
    • Unlimited users
    • You provide PHP and MySQL hosting
  • Partner cloud hosting$14/month
    • Managed hosting from DoliCloud or a certified partner
    • Backups, updates and support included
    • Typically 10 to 30 euros per user per month

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 Dolibarr if

  • You need module toggles.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
  • You also want third-party management.
Dolibarr review

Questions people ask

Is Axelor or Dolibarr better?
Neither clearly leads. Axelor starts at Free and Dolibarr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Axelor or Dolibarr?
Axelor starts at Free and Dolibarr at Free.
Does Axelor or Dolibarr run on more platforms?
Axelor runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. Dolibarr runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
Can I use Axelor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Dolibarr is typically brought in for.
What can Axelor do that Dolibarr cannot?
Axelor covers Axelor Studio, BPM engine, CRM and sales, Manufacturing. Dolibarr covers Module toggles, Third-party management, Quotes to invoices, Stock and warehouses.

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.

Dolibarr: Is Dolibarr genuinely free?

Yes. The full application is GPL with no user limit and no paid edition of the core. You pay only for hosting, optional DoliStore modules and optional partner support.

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.

Dolibarr: Can it run on shared hosting?

Yes, that is its main practical advantage. It needs only PHP and MySQL or MariaDB, so an ordinary cPanel account is enough.

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.

Dolibarr: How does it compare to Odoo?

Odoo is deeper and better presented but its useful modules are in the paid Enterprise edition and it needs a proper deployment. Dolibarr is thinner but free end to end and far easier to host.

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.

Dolibarr: Does it handle UK or US accounting?

Not comfortably out of the box. The accounting module reflects French conventions and needs configuration and often a local module to satisfy an accountant elsewhere.

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