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E-Commerce · head to head

Erply vs OpenCart

Erply logo

Erply

E-Commerce

Cloud point of sale and retail management

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenCart logo

OpenCart

E-Commerce

Self-hosted open source shopping cart written in PHP, released under the MIT licence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenCart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Erply priced per store per month rather than a flat company rate, starting at $49/store for the Giftshop & Grocery Chain plan with only 1 user account and 1 POS terminal included; OpenCart extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Erply and OpenCart actually diverge.

Attributes where Erply and OpenCart differ
AttributeErplyOpenCart
Starting price$59/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2009

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

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 Erply

Nothing recorded that OpenCart does not also cover.

Only in OpenCart

  • MIT licensed source
  • Self-hosted PHP and MySQL
  • No transaction fees
  • Multi-store
  • Extension marketplace
  • Multi-currency and multi-language
  • OCMod modification system
  • Full data access

What people use each for

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

Erply

  • Managing inventory across multiple retail locations in real-timenot OpenCart
  • Synchronizing online store orders with physical point-of-salenot OpenCart
  • Processing customer payments integrated with loyalty programsnot OpenCart
  • Generating multi-location sales and inventory reportsnot OpenCart

OpenCart

  • A merchant with volume high enough that a percentage transaction fee costs more than a developernot Erply
  • An agency building client stores where the client must own the code and the data outrightnot Erply
  • A store with unusual catalogue or pricing logic that a hosted platform will not permitnot Erply
  • Selling in a market where the local payment gateway is not supported by the mainstream SaaS platformsnot Erply

Where each one falls short

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

Erply

  • Priced per store per month rather than a flat company rate, starting at $49/store for the Giftshop & Grocery Chain plan with only 1 user account and 1 POS terminal included
  • Multichannel Chains plan is limited to 2 user accounts at $179/store per month
  • POS for NetSuite starts at $1,800 per month and Franchise & Chain starts at $3,500 per month, both quote-adjusted from there
  • Cancellation requires a written request 30 days prior to the end of the billing cycle

OpenCart

  • Extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • Major version upgrades have broken third party extension compatibility, so moving between them means re-purchasing or re-commissioning modules and effectively rebuilding parts of the store rather than clicking update.
  • Hosting, patching, backups and PCI scope are all your responsibility, so a security update you postpone is a breach you own, and there is no vendor obligation to notify or protect you.
  • Extension quality on the marketplace is uneven and modules are sold as one-off purchases with no guaranteed maintenance, so a module central to your store can simply stop being updated and leave you holding the code.
  • The core project is maintained by a very small team relative to the platforms it competes with, so security fixes, compatibility with new PHP versions and feature work all arrive at a pace you cannot influence or pay to accelerate.

Pricing, plan by plan

Erply

$59/month
  • Giftshop & Grocery Chain$59/month
    • 1 user account
    • 1 point of sale terminal
    • For net sales turnover up to $25,000 per month
  • Multichannel Chains$199/month
    • 2 user accounts
    • 1 warehouse license
  • POS for NetSuite$1800/month
    • 2 user accounts
    • Inventory licensing
  • Franchise & Chain$3500/month
    • For 50+ store retail chains or franchises
    • Franchise HQ Module
    • Chain HQ Module

OpenCart

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Free support
    • Extensions available

Which should you pick?

Choose Erply if

Nothing in the data separates Erply from OpenCart on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Erply review

Choose OpenCart if

  • You need mit licensed source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want self-hosted php and mysql.
OpenCart review

Questions people ask

Is Erply or OpenCart better?
Neither clearly leads. Erply starts at $59/month and OpenCart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Erply or OpenCart?
OpenCart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $59/month for Erply and Free for OpenCart.
Does Erply or OpenCart run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use OpenCart for free?
Yes. OpenCart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Erply starts at $59/month.
What is Erply best used for?
Erply is most often used for managing inventory across multiple retail locations in real-time, synchronizing online store orders with physical point-of-sale, processing customer payments integrated with loyalty programs, generating multi-location sales and inventory reports. Of those, managing inventory across multiple retail locations in real-time and synchronizing online store orders with physical point-of-sale are not what OpenCart is typically brought in for.
What can Erply do that OpenCart cannot?
OpenCart covers MIT licensed source, Self-hosted PHP and MySQL, No transaction fees, Multi-store.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Erply: What payment options does Erply offer?

Erply offers both monthly and annual billing contracts. Payment is due in advance at the start of each billing cycle. Annual contracts receive discounts compared to monthly rates. Changes to payment take effect within 48 hours.

Source
OpenCart: Is OpenCart really free?

The software is MIT licensed with no paid edition. The costs are hosting, extensions, and a developer, and for a low volume store those can exceed a SaaS subscription.

Erply: Is there a free trial for Erply?

Erply offers free account creation with no credit card required to explore the platform. Users can create an account and test the service before committing to a paid plan.

Source
OpenCart: Does it charge transaction fees?

No. There is no platform cut and no surcharge for using your own payment gateway, which is the main financial argument for self-hosting at volume.

Erply: Can I cancel my Erply subscription?

Erply subscriptions can be cancelled, but require a written request submitted at least 30 days prior to the desired cancellation date.

Source
OpenCart: How hard is customisation?

Theme changes are ordinary PHP templates and are approachable. Changing behaviour means the OCMod patching system, which conflicts between extensions and needs a developer.

OpenCart: What is the biggest hidden cost?

Upgrades. Version transitions have broken extension compatibility before, so budget for a partial rebuild rather than assuming updates are routine maintenance.

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