Softwr

ERP · head to head

Axelor vs JobBOSS²

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
JobBOSS² logo

JobBOSS²

Manufacturing

ECI shop control system formed by merging JobBOSS and E2 Shop System into one product line

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.; JobBOSS² the product is a merger of two legacy systems, so existing JobBOSS and E2 customers face a migration and retraining project whose cost is negotiated case by case and is easy to underestimate.
  • They diverge on capability: Axelor covers Axelor Studio, JobBOSS² covers Estimating and quoting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Axelor and JobBOSS² actually diverge.

Attributes where Axelor and JobBOSS² differ
AttributeAxelorJobBOSS²
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWindows, Web
CategoryERPManufacturing

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

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 JobBOSS²

  • Estimating and quoting
  • Order and job management
  • Shop floor data collection
  • Scheduling
  • Job costing
  • Integrated accounting

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 JobBOSS²
  • A company whose processes do not fit a standard ERP and that wants to model them in BPMN instead of paying for custom codenot JobBOSS²
  • A francophone business needing a French chart of accounts and local statutory reporting out of the boxnot JobBOSS²
  • 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 JobBOSS²

JobBOSS²

  • A job shop quoting from spreadsheets that wants estimating, routing and costing in one systemnot Axelor
  • An existing JobBOSS or E2 Shop System customer evaluating whether to migrate or replacenot Axelor
  • A make to order fabricator that needs accounting inside the manufacturing system rather than alongside itnot Axelor
  • A shop that wants operator time capture at work centres to make job costing reflect what actually happenednot 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.

JobBOSS²

  • The product is a merger of two legacy systems, so existing JobBOSS and E2 customers face a migration and retraining project whose cost is negotiated case by case and is easy to underestimate.
  • ECI is a private equity owned portfolio company with many vertical products, and buyers should read renewal, uplift and support tier terms carefully because the commercial model is built around long term contracted revenue.
  • Machine connectivity is limited, so shop floor data comes from operators clocking in and out rather than from controllers, and any automatic utilisation measurement needs a separate monitoring product.
  • Reporting is rigid compared with a modern system and most shops end up exporting to Excel for anything beyond the supplied reports, which reintroduces the spreadsheets the system was bought to eliminate.
  • The user interface carries its lineage and takes longer to learn than a current generation web application, which matters most for occasional users such as estimators and purchasing staff.

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

JobBOSS²

On request
  • JobBOSS²$undefined/year
    • Quoting through invoicing for job shops
    • Shop floor data collection and scheduling
    • Hosted or on premises deployment

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 JobBOSS² if

  • You need estimating and quoting.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want order and job management.
JobBOSS² review

Questions people ask

Is Axelor or JobBOSS² better?
Neither clearly leads. Axelor starts at Free and JobBOSS² at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Axelor or JobBOSS²?
Axelor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Axelor and On request for JobBOSS².
Does Axelor or JobBOSS² run on more platforms?
Axelor runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. JobBOSS² runs on Windows, Web.
Can I use Axelor for free?
Yes. Axelor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. JobBOSS² 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 JobBOSS² is typically brought in for.
What can Axelor do that JobBOSS² cannot?
Axelor covers Axelor Studio, BPM engine, CRM and sales, Manufacturing. JobBOSS² covers Estimating and quoting, Order and job management, Shop floor data collection, Scheduling.

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.

JobBOSS²: What happened to E2 Shop System?

ECI acquired it and merged it with JobBOSS into the combined JobBOSS² line. Legacy customers are directed towards migration.

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.

JobBOSS²: Is it cloud based?

It is offered hosted and on premises. Hosted is not the same as a cloud native architecture, and performance expectations should be set accordingly.

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.

JobBOSS²: Does it include accounting?

Yes, accounting is part of the product, which is one of the main reasons small shops choose it over an ERP plus separate finance package.

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.

JobBOSS²: Can it read data from my CNC machines?

Not natively in any meaningful way. Data collection is operator driven, so shops wanting spindle level data buy a monitoring platform alongside it.

Share

Related pages

More on Axelor

More on JobBOSS²

Keep looking

Other head to heads