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ERP · head to head

Axelor vs GEP SMART

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
GEP SMART logo

GEP SMART

ERP

Enterprise source-to-pay from a vendor that also sells the consulting and the outsourced procurement team

From
On request
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.; GEP SMART gEP sells the software, the consulting and the outsourced procurement team, so the vendor measuring the savings is often the vendor delivering them, which makes independent verification difficult.
  • They diverge on capability: Axelor covers Axelor Studio, GEP SMART covers Unified source-to-pay.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Axelor and GEP SMART actually diverge.

Attributes where Axelor and GEP SMART differ
AttributeAxelorGEP SMART
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb, 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 Axelor

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

Only in GEP SMART

  • Unified source-to-pay
  • Spend and category analytics
  • Savings tracking
  • Supplier risk management
  • GEP QUANTUM
  • Managed services attachment

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

GEP SMART

  • An enterprise that needs category expertise as well as software and would otherwise run two procurement processesnot Axelor
  • A company outsourcing tactical sourcing while retaining strategic categories, using one platform across bothnot Axelor
  • A multinational consolidating regional procurement systems onto one spend taxonomynot Axelor
  • An organisation that needs savings tracked and reconciled against realised spend rather than claimed in a spreadsheetnot 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.

GEP SMART

  • GEP sells the software, the consulting and the outsourced procurement team, so the vendor measuring the savings is often the vendor delivering them, which makes independent verification difficult.
  • Nothing is published and reported entry points around half a million US dollars a year exclude implementation, which GEP typically delivers itself rather than through a competing integrator.
  • Implementation being delivered by the vendor limits the pool of independent consultants who can advise you during the project or take over afterwards.
  • Combined software and services engagements are difficult to unwind, because replacing the platform also means rebuilding procurement capability the outsourcer was providing.
  • The platform is scoped for very large enterprises, so mid-market organisations face both a price and a complexity floor that no module selection brings down.

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

GEP SMART

On request
  • GEP SMART$undefined/year
    • Scaled by managed spend volume, modules and user count
    • Third parties report deployments starting around 500,000 USD per year
    • Frequently bundled with GEP consulting or managed services

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 GEP SMART if

  • You need unified source-to-pay.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want spend and category analytics.
GEP SMART review

Questions people ask

Is Axelor or GEP SMART better?
Neither clearly leads. Axelor starts at Free and GEP SMART at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Axelor or GEP SMART?
Axelor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Axelor and On request for GEP SMART.
Does Axelor or GEP SMART run on more platforms?
Axelor runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. GEP SMART runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Axelor for free?
Yes. Axelor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GEP SMART starts at On request.
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 GEP SMART is typically brought in for.
What can Axelor do that GEP SMART cannot?
Axelor covers Axelor Studio, BPM engine, CRM and sales, Manufacturing. GEP SMART covers Unified source-to-pay, Spend and category analytics, Savings tracking, Supplier risk management.

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.

GEP SMART: Is GEP just a software company?

No. It sells procurement software, procurement consulting and outsourced procurement operations, and deals often combine all three.

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.

GEP SMART: What does GEP SMART cost?

Not published. Third parties report deployments from around 500,000 USD a year, scaled by managed spend, modules and users.

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.

GEP SMART: Who implements it?

GEP typically does, which shortens the project but reduces independent advice during and after it.

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.

GEP SMART: How does it compare with Ivalua?

Both are single-platform enterprise source-to-pay. GEP adds consulting and managed services; Ivalua is software only and stronger on direct materials.

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