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ERP · head to head

Dolibarr vs shadcn/ui

Dolibarr logo

Dolibarr

ERP

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
shadcn/ui logo

shadcn/ui

Web Development

Copy-paste React components you own, not a dependency

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; shadcn/ui no upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • They diverge on capability: Dolibarr covers Module toggles, shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dolibarr and shadcn/ui actually diverge.

Attributes where Dolibarr and shadcn/ui differ
AttributeDolibarrshadcn/ui
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, AndroidWeb
CategoryERPWeb Development

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 shadcn/ui

  • Copy, not install
  • Radix primitives
  • Tailwind styling
  • Themeable

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 shadcn/ui
  • 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 shadcn/ui
  • An association or nonprofit needs membership, subscription and donation tracking alongside ordinary invoicing without paying per member.not shadcn/ui
  • 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 shadcn/ui

shadcn/ui

  • Projects already using Tailwind that need accessible components without a theming fightnot Dolibarr
  • Design systems that will diverge from any library’s defaults anywaynot Dolibarr
  • Teams who have been burned by breaking changes in component library upgradesnot 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.

shadcn/ui

  • No upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • Requires Tailwind and React, so it is not an option outside that stack
  • Component code lives in your repository, which grows it and puts maintenance on your team
  • Its popularity has made the default look recognisable, which undercuts the customisation argument

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

shadcn/ui

Free
  • shadcn/uiFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

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.
Dolibarr review

Choose shadcn/ui if

  • You need copy, not install.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want radix primitives.
shadcn/ui review

Questions people ask

Is Dolibarr or shadcn/ui better?
Neither clearly leads. Dolibarr starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dolibarr or shadcn/ui?
Dolibarr starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free.
Does Dolibarr or shadcn/ui run on more platforms?
Dolibarr runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android. shadcn/ui runs on Web.
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 shadcn/ui is typically brought in for.
What can Dolibarr do that shadcn/ui cannot?
Dolibarr covers Module toggles, Third-party management, Quotes to invoices, Stock and warehouses. shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install, Radix primitives, Tailwind styling, Themeable.

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.

shadcn/ui: Is shadcn/ui free?

Yes, open source and free for commercial use.

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.

shadcn/ui: Why is it not an npm package?

So you own the code. Components are copied into your project, which makes customisation trivial — at the cost of receiving no automatic updates.

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.

shadcn/ui: Do I need Tailwind?

Yes. Components are styled with Tailwind utility classes and built on Radix primitives, so both are required.

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.

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