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Inventory · head to head

ERPNext vs SOS Inventory

ERPNext logo

ERPNext

Inventory

Open-source ERP solution for SMEs and growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SOS Inventory logo

SOS Inventory

Inventory

Inventory management for QuickBooks Online

From
$69.95/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; SOS Inventory the Companion plan at $69.95 per month is limited to a single location and 1 custom field
  • They diverge on capability: ERPNext covers Accounting, SOS Inventory covers Lot tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ERPNext and SOS Inventory differ
AttributeERPNextSOS Inventory
Starting priceFree$69.95/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Cloud, WebWeb, Cloud-based
Founded20142011

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 ERPNext

  • Accounting
  • Inventory
  • CRM
  • Human Resources
  • Payment gateways
  • Email systems
  • Custom extensions
  • Third-party APIs

Only in SOS Inventory

  • Lot tracking
  • Serial numbers
  • Multi-location
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Shopify
  • BigCommerce
  • ShipStation
  • Cloud-based support

Both cover

  • Manufacturing
  • 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 SOS Inventory
  • Accounting and financial managementnot SOS Inventory
  • Inventory and stock managementnot SOS Inventory
  • Supply chain managementnot SOS Inventory

SOS Inventory

  • Inventory managementnot ERPNext
  • Job costingnot ERPNext
  • Manufacturing automationnot 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

SOS Inventory

  • The Companion plan at $69.95 per month is limited to a single location and 1 custom field
  • Serial and lot number tracking, barcoding and unlimited locations require the Plus plan at $139.95 per month
  • Phone support is excluded from the Companion plan
  • Job costing, advanced manufacturing and the customer portal require the Pro plan at $194.95 per month
  • Each plan includes only 2 to 5 users and additional users cost $25 each per month
  • The 2 months free discount requires paying a year up front

Pricing, plan by plan

ERPNext

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

SOS Inventory

$69.95/month
  • Companion$69.95/month
    • Basic inventory management
    • 2 included users
    • Additional users $25/month each
  • Plus$139.95/month
    • Labeled most popular
    • Unlimited locations
    • Serial and lot tracking
  • Pro$194.95/month
    • Advanced automation
    • Job costing
    • Advanced manufacturing

Which should you pick?

Choose ERPNext if

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

Choose SOS Inventory if

  • You need lot tracking.
  • You work on Web, Cloud-based.
  • You also want serial numbers.
SOS Inventory review

Questions people ask

Is ERPNext or SOS Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. ERPNext starts at Free and SOS Inventory at $69.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ERPNext or SOS Inventory?
ERPNext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ERPNext and $69.95/month for SOS Inventory.
Does ERPNext or SOS Inventory run on more platforms?
ERPNext runs on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web. SOS Inventory runs on Web, Cloud-based.
Can I use ERPNext for free?
Yes. ERPNext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SOS Inventory starts at $69.95/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 SOS Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can ERPNext do that SOS Inventory cannot?
ERPNext covers Accounting, Inventory, CRM, Human Resources. SOS Inventory covers Lot tracking, Serial numbers, Multi-location, QuickBooks Online. Both handle Manufacturing, Web support.

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
SOS Inventory: How much does SOS Inventory cost?

SOS Inventory offers monthly plans from $69.95 for Companion to $194.95 for Pro. Annual billing saves approximately two months of fees. Additional users cost $25/month, and external connections are $25/month each.

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
SOS Inventory: Does SOS Inventory offer a free trial?

Yes, SOS Inventory offers 14 days to explore its full range of features. Users can upgrade or downgrade plans easily through account settings.

Source
SOS Inventory: What is the difference between SOS Inventory plans?

Companion includes 2 users and basic management. Plus is marked most popular and adds unlimited locations and lot tracking with 3 users. Pro adds advanced automation and manufacturing with 5 users.

Source
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