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ERP · head to head

Exact Online vs iDempiere

Exact Online logo

Exact Online

ERP

Dutch cloud business software for entrepreneurs and accountants

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
iDempiere logo

iDempiere

ERP

Community-governed open source ERP, CRM and supply chain built on Java, OSGi and PostgreSQL

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only iDempiere has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Exact Online no pricing published; visitors directed to contact sales directly; iDempiere there is no vendor, so there is no support contract, no service level agreement and nobody to escalate to; you either build the skills internally or you depend entirely on a local partner whose quality you must judge yourself.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Exact Online and iDempiere actually diverge.

Attributes where Exact Online and iDempiere differ
AttributeExact OnlineiDempiere
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, Windows

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (ERP).

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 Exact Online

Nothing recorded that iDempiere does not also cover.

Only in iDempiere

  • Application dictionary
  • OSGi plug-in architecture
  • Multi-organisation accounting
  • Materials management
  • Manufacturing
  • Workflow engine
  • Report and print engine
  • No paid edition

What people use each for

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

Exact Online

  • Automating bookkeeping with AI document processingnot iDempiere
  • Managing multi-company accounting in single interfacenot iDempiere
  • Calculating tax compliance for multiple jurisdictionsnot iDempiere
  • Reconciling bank accounts automatically across subsidiariesnot iDempiere

iDempiere

  • A distributor wants multi-organisation, multi-currency accounting and warehouse costing without a per-user ERP licence that scales with headcount.not Exact Online
  • An organisation that has been caught by an open core vendor moving features into a paid tier wants an ERP with no company that can make that decision.not Exact Online
  • A team needs heavy customisation of screens, fields and approval workflows that must survive version upgrades, which the application dictionary makes possible without forking.not Exact Online
  • A public sector or university body in Latin America or Indonesia needs a locally supportable ERP where the source and the implementation skills are both available in-country.not Exact Online

Where each one falls short

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

Exact Online

  • No pricing published; visitors directed to contact sales directly
  • Website content in Dutch suggests regional/European focus

iDempiere

  • There is no vendor, so there is no support contract, no service level agreement and nobody to escalate to; you either build the skills internally or you depend entirely on a local partner whose quality you must judge yourself.
  • It demands real Java, OSGi and PostgreSQL administration, so the running cost is a systems engineer rather than a subscription, and that engineer is harder to hire than a PHP developer.
  • The ZK-based interface is dense and dated, with a data-entry feel inherited from Compiere that staff used to modern software find hostile, which drives up training cost.
  • Localisation depends on community contribution, so tax, payroll and statutory reporting for your country may be absent, out of date or maintained by one person, and you may end up funding it yourself.
  • The documentation is a community wiki with gaps and stale pages, and much of the practical knowledge sits in forum threads and partner heads rather than in anything you can hand to a new administrator.

Pricing, plan by plan

Exact Online

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Exact Online review.

iDempiere

Free
  • iDempiereFree
    • Full ERP, CRM and supply chain source
    • Unlimited users and organisations
    • No enterprise edition and no feature gating
  • Implementation partner$undefined/year
    • Local partners provide installation, configuration, training and support
    • Priced per engagement, not published
    • Realistically the only viable route for a production deployment

Which should you pick?

Choose Exact Online if

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

Exact Online review

Choose iDempiere if

  • You need application dictionary.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, Windows.
  • You also want osgi plug-in architecture.
iDempiere review

Questions people ask

Is Exact Online or iDempiere better?
Neither clearly leads. Exact Online starts at On request and iDempiere at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Exact Online or iDempiere?
iDempiere has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Exact Online and Free for iDempiere.
Does Exact Online or iDempiere run on more platforms?
Exact Online runs on Web. iDempiere runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, Windows.
Can I use iDempiere for free?
Yes. iDempiere has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Exact Online starts at On request.
What is Exact Online best used for?
Exact Online is most often used for automating bookkeeping with ai document processing, managing multi-company accounting in single interface, calculating tax compliance for multiple jurisdictions, reconciling bank accounts automatically across subsidiaries. Of those, automating bookkeeping with ai document processing and managing multi-company accounting in single interface are not what iDempiere is typically brought in for.
What can Exact Online do that iDempiere cannot?
iDempiere covers Application dictionary, OSGi plug-in architecture, Multi-organisation accounting, Materials management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Exact Online: Does Exact Online publish pricing on its website?

No. Exact Online's website contains no pricing information, costs, subscription tiers, or fee structures. Interested parties must contact the company via phone or contact form for pricing details.

Source
iDempiere: Is iDempiere the same as ADempiere or Compiere?

It shares the lineage. iDempiere forked from ADempiere in 2011 to rebuild the platform on OSGi, and it is the branch that remains actively developed.

Exact Online: How can I get pricing information for Exact Online?

Exact Online directs visitors to contact sales directly. The website includes a phone number and contact form option for requesting pricing and product information.

Source
iDempiere: Is there a paid or enterprise edition?

No. There is no commercial owner and no feature gating. Money is spent on implementation partners and hosting, not on licences.

iDempiere: What does it actually cost to run?

Nothing in licence fees, and a great deal in skills: expect a partner implementation and ongoing Java and PostgreSQL administration, which for a mid-sized company is comparable to a commercial subscription.

iDempiere: Which database does it need?

PostgreSQL or Oracle. PostgreSQL is the mainstream community choice and the one most partners deploy.

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