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Government · head to head

CKAN vs OpenGov

CKAN logo

CKAN

Government

Open Source Data Portal Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenGov logo

OpenGov

Government

Modern Cloud ERP for Government

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CKAN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CKAN the package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install; OpenGov custom pricing only, no transparent public pricing
  • They diverge on capability: CKAN covers Dataset Management, OpenGov covers Budgeting & Planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CKAN and OpenGov actually diverge.

Attributes where CKAN and OpenGov differ
AttributeCKANOpenGov
Starting priceFree$1000/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20062012

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Government).

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 CKAN

  • Dataset Management
  • Data Harvesting
  • API Access
  • Visualization
  • Extensions
  • DataPusher
  • Harvester
  • Third-party Tools

Only in OpenGov

  • Budgeting & Planning
  • Financial Reporting
  • Permitting & Licensing
  • Asset Management
  • Transparency Portal
  • Tyler Technologies
  • Munis
  • Microsoft Excel

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CKAN

  • Publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portalnot OpenGov
  • Self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an APInot OpenGov

OpenGov

  • Citizen Servicesnot CKAN
  • Records Managementnot CKAN
  • Public Safetynot CKAN
  • Civic Engagementnot CKAN

Where each one falls short

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

CKAN

  • The package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install
  • Only Solr 9 and Solr 8 are supported, and from CKAN 2.10 they are the only Solr versions supported at all
  • A working deployment requires PostgreSQL, Solr, Redis, nginx, supervisor and uWSGI to be installed and maintained separately
  • Python 3.10 or later is required

OpenGov

  • Custom pricing only, no transparent public pricing
  • No free tier available
  • Requires vendor contact for quotes

Pricing, plan by plan

CKAN

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Data Management
    • API Access
    • Visualization

OpenGov

$1000/month
  • Government Cloud$1000/month
    • Budgeting & Planning
    • Reporting & Transparency
    • Citizen Services

Which should you pick?

Choose CKAN if

  • You need dataset management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data harvesting.
CKAN review

Choose OpenGov if

  • You need budgeting & planning.
  • You also want financial reporting.
OpenGov review

Questions people ask

Is CKAN or OpenGov better?
Neither clearly leads. CKAN starts at Free and OpenGov at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CKAN or OpenGov?
CKAN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CKAN and $1000/month for OpenGov.
Does CKAN or OpenGov run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CKAN for free?
Yes. CKAN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OpenGov starts at $1000/month.
What is CKAN best used for?
CKAN is most often used for publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portal, self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an api. Of those, publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portal and self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an api are not what OpenGov is typically brought in for.
What can CKAN do that OpenGov cannot?
CKAN covers Dataset Management, Data Harvesting, API Access, Visualization. OpenGov covers Budgeting & Planning, Financial Reporting, Permitting & Licensing, Asset Management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CKAN: Is CKAN open-source and what license is it available under?

Yes, CKAN is an open-source data management system built on Python and available on GitHub. The license terms are available on their GitHub repository.

Source
OpenGov: What does OpenGov provide?

OpenGov is government budgeting and planning software for municipalities and public sector organizations. It helps with budget planning, financial management, and government transparency.

Source
CKAN: Does CKAN offer commercial support for organizations?

Yes, CKAN offers commercial support through certified providers including Link Digital and Datopian. Support includes advisory services, application development, integration, managed hosting, and web development.

Source
OpenGov: How much does OpenGov cost?

OpenGov pricing is custom and quote-based. There is no public pricing listed. Organizations need to contact OpenGov directly for a proposal based on their specific needs.

Source
CKAN: Who is responsible for hosting costs when running CKAN?

Organizations deploying CKAN are responsible for their own hosting infrastructure. Commercial providers like Datopian and Link Digital offer managed hosting services if organizations prefer not to self-host.

Source
OpenGov: Is there a free tier?

No. OpenGov does not offer a free plan. Pricing requires direct vendor contact and is procurement-led.

Source
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