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ERP · head to head

Dolibarr vs Kylas

Dolibarr logo

Dolibarr

ERP

Modular open source ERP and CRM for very small businesses, installable on shared hosting

From
Free
Rated
-
Kylas logo

Kylas

CRM

Indian sales CRM sold at a flat monthly rate with unlimited users instead of per seat

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dolibarr the core is deliberately shallow, so a serious requirement such as advanced manufacturing, EDI or a specific payment gateway usually means buying a DoliStore module from a third-party author, and the quality and maintenance of those modules varies widely.; Kylas unlimited users only moves the meter rather than removing it: records are capped, and expanding beyond one hundred thousand costs 500 INR per twenty thousand, which becomes the real cost driver for any business with a large lead database.
  • They diverge on capability: Dolibarr covers Module toggles, Kylas covers Unlimited users on every plan.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dolibarr and Kylas actually diverge.

Attributes where Dolibarr and Kylas differ
AttributeDolibarrKylas
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeFlat rate per month, unlimited users
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryERPCRM

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Dolibarr

  • Module toggles
  • Third-party management
  • Quotes to invoices
  • Stock and warehouses
  • Double-entry accounting
  • Projects and time
  • Point of sale
  • DoliStore

Only in Kylas

  • Unlimited users on every plan
  • Lead and deal management
  • Record based limits
  • Workflow automation
  • Quotation management
  • Telephony integrations
  • WhatsApp and SMS
  • BI analytics add-on

What people use each for

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

Dolibarr

  • A two-person consultancy wants quotes, invoices and basic accounting self-hosted on an existing five euro a month shared hosting account with no server administration.not Kylas
  • A French or Spanish small business needs VAT handling and accounting exports that match local practice out of the box rather than after configuration.not Kylas
  • An association or nonprofit needs membership, subscription and donation tracking alongside ordinary invoicing without paying per member.not Kylas
  • A small distributor wants stock, purchase orders and sales orders in one system and is willing to buy a DoliStore module rather than commission bespoke development.not Kylas

Kylas

  • A twenty five person Indian inside sales team where per seat CRM pricing would cost several times a flat monthly ratenot Dolibarr
  • A company that wants every employee including support and delivery staff to see customer records without buying them seatsnot Dolibarr
  • A business with high sales headcount turnover that does not want to renegotiate licence counts every quarternot Dolibarr
  • An Indian SME needing native WhatsApp, IndiaMART and local telephony connections rather than a Western CRM with adaptersnot Dolibarr

Where each one falls short

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

Dolibarr

  • The core is deliberately shallow, so a serious requirement such as advanced manufacturing, EDI or a specific payment gateway usually means buying a DoliStore module from a third-party author, and the quality and maintenance of those modules varies widely.
  • Accounting was designed around French practice, and the chart of accounts, VAT model and fiscal exports need real work to satisfy accountants in the United States, the UK or Australia.
  • The interface is functional rather than designed and shows its age against Odoo, which makes internal adoption harder when staff are comparing it to consumer-grade software.
  • Upgrades between major versions can break paid third-party modules, because module authors update on their own schedules and there is no guarantee your combination will work on version 24 the day it ships.
  • Support is community forums unless you buy a partner contract, and the documentation is a wiki of uneven quality with substantial parts written in French, so English-only teams hit dead ends.

Kylas

  • Unlimited users only moves the meter rather than removing it: records are capped, and expanding beyond one hundred thousand costs 500 INR per twenty thousand, which becomes the real cost driver for any business with a large lead database.
  • Core functionality such as workflows, email templates and email tracking is sold as separate add-ons from 500 to 800 INR a month, so the advertised flat rate is not what an automated sales operation actually pays.
  • The free Embark plan caps records at ten thousand and explicitly cannot be expanded, so it is a trial with no upgrade path in place rather than a workable long term free tier.
  • Kylas is built around Indian sales practice and its integration marketplace is dominated by Indian telephony, payments and lead sources, which makes it a poor fit for companies selling primarily into Europe or North America.
  • Onboarding is charged at 25,000 INR one-off with training at 5,000 INR per three hour session, so first year cost is meaningfully above twelve months of subscription.

Pricing, plan by plan

Dolibarr

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full GPL source, all core modules
    • Unlimited users
    • You provide PHP and MySQL hosting
  • Partner cloud hosting$14/month
    • Managed hosting from DoliCloud or a certified partner
    • Backups, updates and support included
    • Typically 10 to 30 euros per user per month

Kylas

Free
  • EmbarkFree
    • Free for life
    • Unlimited users
    • Ten thousand records, not expandable
  • Elevate$12999/month
    • Flat rate for unlimited users, not per seat
    • One hundred thousand records, expandable
    • Quarterly, half-yearly and annual billing terms
  • Exceed$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Around 1.1 million records, adjustable

Which should you pick?

Choose Dolibarr if

  • You need module toggles.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
  • You also want third-party management.

Choose Kylas if

  • You need unlimited users on every plan.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want lead and deal management.

Questions people ask

Is Dolibarr or Kylas better?
Neither clearly leads. Dolibarr starts at Free and Kylas at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dolibarr or Kylas?
Dolibarr starts at Free and Kylas at Free.
Does Dolibarr or Kylas run on more platforms?
Dolibarr runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android. Kylas runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Dolibarr for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dolibarr best used for?
Dolibarr is most often used for a two-person consultancy wants quotes, invoices and basic accounting self-hosted on an existing five euro a month shared hosting account with no server administration., a french or spanish small business needs vat handling and accounting exports that match local practice out of the box rather than after configuration., an association or nonprofit needs membership, subscription and donation tracking alongside ordinary invoicing without paying per member., a small distributor wants stock, purchase orders and sales orders in one system and is willing to buy a dolistore module rather than commission bespoke development.. Of those, a two-person consultancy wants quotes, invoices and basic accounting self-hosted on an existing five euro a month shared hosting account with no server administration. and a french or spanish small business needs vat handling and accounting exports that match local practice out of the box rather than after configuration. are not what Kylas is typically brought in for.
What can Dolibarr do that Kylas cannot?
Dolibarr covers Module toggles, Third-party management, Quotes to invoices, Stock and warehouses. Kylas covers Unlimited users on every plan, Lead and deal management, Record based limits, Workflow automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dolibarr: Is Dolibarr genuinely free?

Yes. The full application is GPL with no user limit and no paid edition of the core. You pay only for hosting, optional DoliStore modules and optional partner support.

Kylas: What does Kylas cost?

The Elevate plan is a flat rate of about 12,999 INR per month for unlimited users, with quarterly, half-yearly and annual terms. There is a free Embark plan and a custom Exceed tier.

Dolibarr: Can it run on shared hosting?

Yes, that is its main practical advantage. It needs only PHP and MySQL or MariaDB, so an ordinary cPanel account is enough.

Kylas: Does unlimited users really mean unlimited?

Yes for seats. The limit is on records: ten thousand on the free plan, one hundred thousand on Elevate, expandable at 500 INR per twenty thousand.

Dolibarr: How does it compare to Odoo?

Odoo is deeper and better presented but its useful modules are in the paid Enterprise edition and it needs a proper deployment. Dolibarr is thinner but free end to end and far easier to host.

Kylas: What is not included in the flat rate?

Workflows, email templates, email tracking, the security module and BI analytics are add-ons from 500 to 5,000 INR per month. Onboarding is 25,000 INR one-off.

Dolibarr: Does it handle UK or US accounting?

Not comfortably out of the box. The accounting module reflects French conventions and needs configuration and often a local module to satisfy an accountant elsewhere.

Kylas: Is it usable outside India?

It works, but the integration marketplace and sales workflows are built for the Indian market and the pricing is quoted in rupees.

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