Softwr

ERP · head to head

Axelor vs IQMS

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
IQMS logo

IQMS

ERP

Single database manufacturing ERP and MES, now sold by Dassault as DELMIAworks

From
$1200/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.; IQMS dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.
  • They diverge on capability: Axelor covers Axelor Studio, IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Axelor and IQMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Axelor and IQMS differ
AttributeAxelorIQMS
Starting priceFree$1200/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidCloud, On-premise, Web
FoundedUnknown1994

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 IQMS

  • Single database ERP and MES
  • Real time machine monitoring
  • Production scheduling
  • Quality management
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Inventory and lot traceability
  • EDI
  • Financials

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

IQMS

  • An injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accuratelynot Axelor
  • A repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availabilitynot Axelor
  • An automotive component supplier that must meet EDI release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer auditnot Axelor
  • A plant currently reconciling an ERP against a separate MES and finding the two never agreenot 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.

IQMS

  • Dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.
  • This is a discrete and repetitive manufacturing system, not a process one, so a batch producer needing formulation, potency, catch weight or co-product handling will hit capability gaps that configuration cannot close.
  • The product has an on premise heritage with an underlying commercial database, so a deployment carries database licensing and administration skills as costs that sit outside the ERP quote.
  • Its depth is on the shop floor rather than in the office, so organisations with complex multi-entity consolidation, international statutory reporting or sophisticated financial planning needs generally find the finance side thinner than the manufacturing side.
  • The knowledge base is split across two product names and two eras, so searching for help returns a mixture of IQMS-era community material and current DELMIAworks documentation, and it is not always obvious which applies to your version.

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

IQMS

$1200/month
  • Standard$1200/month
    • Quality management
    • MES
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$2500/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • AI capabilities
    • Priority support

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 IQMS if

  • You need single database erp and mes.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want real time machine monitoring.
IQMS review

Questions people ask

Is Axelor or IQMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Axelor starts at Free and IQMS at $1200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Axelor or IQMS?
Axelor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Axelor and $1200/month for IQMS.
Does Axelor or IQMS run on more platforms?
Axelor runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. IQMS runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
Can I use Axelor for free?
Yes. Axelor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IQMS starts at $1200/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 IQMS is typically brought in for.
What can Axelor do that IQMS cannot?
Axelor covers Axelor Studio, BPM engine, CRM and sales, Manufacturing. IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Real time machine monitoring, Production scheduling, Quality 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.

IQMS: Is IQMS the same as DELMIAworks?

Yes. Dassault Systemes acquired IQMS in 2018 and markets the product as DELMIAworks. The underlying application, EnterpriseIQ, is the same lineage, but contracts, support and the sales channel are now Dassault's.

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.

IQMS: Why choose this over an ERP plus a separate MES?

Because the interface between them is the usual failure point. One database means production status, scrap and costing agree by construction. The cost of that is a narrower product that suits a specific kind of manufacturer rather than any manufacturer.

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.

IQMS: Does it suit process or batch manufacturing?

No. It was built around discrete and repetitive production. Formulation, potency adjustment and co-product handling are the domain of process ERP and you should look at a specialist for that.

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.

IQMS: What should I check before buying under the current ownership?

Ask for the published release history since the acquisition, the support escalation path, who implements it in your region and whether they are Dassault staff or a partner, and what integration with the rest of the Dassault portfolio is assumed in the roadmap.

Share

Related pages

More on Axelor

More on IQMS

Keep looking

Other head to heads