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Inventory · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs ERPNext

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ERPNext logo

ERPNext

Inventory

Open-source ERP solution for SMEs and growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ERPNext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DEAR Inventory starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses; ERPNext the software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it
  • They diverge on capability: DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, ERPNext covers Inventory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DEAR Inventory and ERPNext actually diverge.

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and ERPNext differ
AttributeDEAR InventoryERPNext
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedSelf-hosted, Cloud, Web
Founded20132014

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

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 DEAR Inventory

  • Inventory management
  • Purchase orders
  • Sales orders
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify
  • Amazon
  • eBay

Only in ERPNext

  • Inventory
  • CRM
  • Human Resources
  • Payment gateways
  • Email systems
  • Custom extensions
  • Third-party APIs
  • User role management

Both cover

  • Manufacturing
  • Accounting
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

DEAR Inventory

  • Inventory management and trackingnot ERPNext
  • E-commerce integration and synchronizationnot ERPNext
  • Multi-channel order managementnot ERPNext
  • Stock and supply chain managementnot ERPNext

ERPNext

  • Enterprise resource planning for small to medium businessesnot DEAR Inventory
  • Accounting and financial managementnot DEAR Inventory
  • Inventory and stock managementnot DEAR Inventory
  • Supply chain managementnot DEAR Inventory

Where each one falls short

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

DEAR Inventory

  • Starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses
  • Base plan limited to 6 integrations; additional integrations require separate purchase
  • No published details on integration add-on costs
  • Redirects to Cin7.com, indicating product has been acquired or rebranded

ERPNext

  • The software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it
  • Managed hosting is priced per site and per server rather than per user, so a small team running several sites pays more than a large team on one
  • Dedicated server isolation and stronger reliability guarantees start at $125 a month
  • Self hosting is free but places upgrades, backups and availability entirely on the operator

Pricing, plan by plan

DEAR Inventory

On request
  • Standard$249/month
    • Core features
    • 5 users
    • Standard support
  • Professional$449/month
    • Advanced manufacturing
    • 10 users
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$849/month
    • Full features
    • Unlimited users
    • Dedicated support

ERPNext

Free
  • Community EditionFree
  • Frappe Cloud Starter$14/month
  • Frappe Cloud Standard$50/month
  • Frappe Cloud Professional$100/month

Which should you pick?

Choose DEAR Inventory if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based.
  • You also want purchase orders.
DEAR Inventory review

Choose ERPNext if

  • You need inventory.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want crm.
ERPNext review

Questions people ask

Is DEAR Inventory or ERPNext better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and ERPNext at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or ERPNext?
ERPNext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DEAR Inventory and Free for ERPNext.
Does DEAR Inventory or ERPNext run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. ERPNext runs on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
Can I use ERPNext for free?
Yes. ERPNext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DEAR Inventory starts at On request.
What is DEAR Inventory best used for?
DEAR Inventory is most often used for inventory management and tracking, e-commerce integration and synchronization, multi-channel order management, stock and supply chain management. Of those, inventory management and tracking and e-commerce integration and synchronization are not what ERPNext is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that ERPNext cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Purchase orders, Sales orders, Xero. ERPNext covers Inventory, CRM, Human Resources, Payment gateways. Both handle Manufacturing, Accounting, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DEAR Inventory: How much does DEAR Inventory cost?

DEAR Inventory (now Cin7) pricing starts at $349 per month for plans that accommodate up to 6 e-commerce and app integrations. Additional integrations are available for purchase.

Source
ERPNext: Is ERPNext free?

Yes, ERPNext Community Edition is completely free and open source with no hidden paywalls. Everything is available to use, modify, or resell at no cost. Users can also access professional hosting through Frappe Cloud starting at USD$14 per month.

Source
DEAR Inventory: Is there a free trial for DEAR Inventory?

Yes, Cin7 (formerly DEAR Inventory) offers a free trial option. Contact the vendor directly or visit their website to start a free trial.

Source
ERPNext: What is Frappe Cloud pricing based on?

Frappe Cloud pricing is compute-based rather than per-user licensing. Costs range from USD$14 to USD$108 per month depending on resource needs. The pricing advantage is that hosting costs do not scale linearly with the number of users, unlike traditional per-seat SaaS models.

Source
DEAR Inventory: What integrations does DEAR Inventory support?

DEAR Inventory base plans include up to 6 e-commerce and app integrations. Additional integrations beyond the base 6 are available but require separate purchase.

Source
DEAR Inventory: Is DEAR Inventory still available?

DEAR Inventory has been rebranded as Cin7. The Cin7 platform continues to provide inventory management with e-commerce integrations at $349/month starting price.

Source
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