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Inventory · head to head

ERPNext vs Metasfresh

ERPNext logo

ERPNext

Inventory

Open-source ERP solution for SMEs and growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Metasfresh logo

Metasfresh

ERP

Open-source ERP for mid-sized wholesale and manufacturing

From
€99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ERPNext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ERPNext the software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it; Metasfresh cloud hosting is charged separately from user licences at EUR 299 per month on monthly billing or EUR 249 per month on annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: ERPNext covers CRM, Metasfresh covers Supply chain.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ERPNext and Metasfresh actually diverge.

Attributes where ERPNext and Metasfresh differ
AttributeERPNextMetasfresh
Starting priceFree€99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryInventoryERP
Founded20142015

Identical on both: platforms (Self-hosted, Cloud, Web), 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 ERPNext

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

Only in Metasfresh

  • Supply chain
  • Purchasing
  • Wholesale management
  • Custom modules
  • EDI systems
  • Business analytics
  • User roles
  • Audit trails

Both cover

  • Accounting
  • Inventory
  • Manufacturing
  • Data encryption
  • Self-hosted support
  • Cloud support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ERPNext

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

Metasfresh

  • Open source ERP for procurement, sales, warehouse and accountingnot ERPNext
  • Hosting an ERP in a German data centre on a dedicated servernot ERPNext
  • Self hosting an ERP where the source code must be inspectablenot ERPNext

Where each one falls short

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

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

Metasfresh

  • Cloud hosting is charged separately from user licences at EUR 299 per month on monthly billing or EUR 249 per month on annual billing
  • The EUR 79 per user per month annual rate requires minimum user quantities that depend on company size; monthly billing costs EUR 99 per user per month
  • The mandatory starter package covering setup, customisation, project management and training is priced individually on request
  • Standard support is email only during business hours; a 24/7 SLA is a separate contract on request
  • All published prices exclude VAT
  • Projects larger than the L size starter package require an individual quote

Pricing, plan by plan

ERPNext

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

Metasfresh

€99/month
  • Starter Package$null/custom
    • Initial system setup
    • Customization of windows and documents
    • Project management
  • User Fee$99/month
    • Monthly billing
    • Access to all developments
    • Support and integration
  • User Fee (annual)$79/month
    • Annual billing minimum
    • Access to all developments
    • Support and integration
  • Cloud Hosting$299/month
    • Monthly billing
    • Secure data transfer
    • Real-time backup

Which should you pick?

Choose ERPNext if

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

Choose Metasfresh if

  • You need supply chain.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want purchasing.
Metasfresh review

Questions people ask

Is ERPNext or Metasfresh better?
Neither clearly leads. ERPNext starts at Free and Metasfresh at €99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ERPNext or Metasfresh?
ERPNext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ERPNext and €99/month for Metasfresh.
Does ERPNext or Metasfresh run on more platforms?
Both run on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use ERPNext for free?
Yes. ERPNext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Metasfresh starts at €99/month.
What is ERPNext best used for?
ERPNext is most often used for enterprise resource planning for small to medium businesses, accounting and financial management, inventory and stock management, supply chain management. Of those, enterprise resource planning for small to medium businesses and accounting and financial management are not what Metasfresh is typically brought in for.
What can ERPNext do that Metasfresh cannot?
ERPNext covers CRM, Human Resources, Payment gateways, Email systems. Metasfresh covers Supply chain, Purchasing, Wholesale management, Custom modules. Both handle Accounting, Inventory, Manufacturing, Data encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Metasfresh: What is metasfresh's monthly user fee?

metasfresh charges per-user monthly fees starting at 99 euros per user with monthly billing or 79 euros per user with annual billing (minimum user quantity required based on company size). This includes access to all ERP developments, support, integration, and custom configuration.

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
Metasfresh: How much does metasfresh cloud hosting cost?

metasfresh Cloud Hosting costs 299 euros per month with monthly billing or 249 euros per month with annual billing. This includes secure data transfer, real-time backup, dedicated German server infrastructure, and comprehensive support.

Source
Metasfresh: Is there a one-time setup fee for metasfresh?

Yes, metasfresh includes a Starter Package with one-time costs for initial system setup, customization, project management, and multiplier training with online meeting room access. Exact pricing is available upon request based on company size and requirements.

Source
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