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Django vs Frappe

Django logo

Django

Web Development

The web framework for perfectionists with deadlines

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Frappe logo

Frappe

Developer Tools

The Python web framework behind ERPNext, sold as managed hosting through Frappe Cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Django does not fully support asynchronous database access; Frappe the framework is strongly opinionated: its own ORM, templating and job queue mean general Python and Django experience transfers only partly, and onboarding a new developer takes weeks rather than days.
  • They diverge on capability: Django covers Model-View-Template (MVT), Frappe covers DocType modelling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Django and Frappe actually diverge.

Attributes where Django and Frappe differ
AttributeDjangoFrappe
Pricing modelfreePer month by site or server
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb, Linux, Docker
CategoryWeb DevelopmentDeveloper Tools
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Django

  • Model-View-Template (MVT)
  • Object-relational mapping
  • Automatic admin interface
  • URL routing
  • Template engine
  • Form handling
  • Authentication system
  • Internationalization

Only in Frappe

  • DocType modelling
  • Role and field permissions
  • Built-in REST API
  • Background jobs
  • Bench CLI
  • Frappe Cloud hosting
  • App marketplace
  • Multi-tenancy

What people use each for

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

Django

  • Web application developmentnot Frappe
  • Content management systemsnot Frappe
  • E-commerce platformsnot Frappe
  • API developmentnot Frappe
  • News websitesnot Frappe
  • Social networksnot Frappe

Frappe

  • A team building an internal business application that needs permissions, audit trail and an API on day one rather than in month threenot Django
  • An ERPNext user who wants managed hosting, automatic updates and offsite backups without hiring a systems administratornot Django
  • An Indian or emerging-market business that wants to pay for application hosting in local currency at local price pointsnot Django
  • A consultancy shipping custom vertical apps to clients on a shared framework with per-client site isolationnot Django

Where each one falls short

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

Django

  • Does not fully support asynchronous database access
  • Monolithic design can feel restrictive for small-scale or lightweight applications
  • Batteries-included approach adds overhead if features are not needed
  • Slower framework evolution due to backward compatibility requirements

Frappe

  • The framework is strongly opinionated: its own ORM, templating and job queue mean general Python and Django experience transfers only partly, and onboarding a new developer takes weeks rather than days.
  • The developer pool is small and heavily concentrated in India, so hiring Frappe experience elsewhere is slow and expensive relative to mainstream stacks.
  • Documentation is uneven in depth and lags behind releases in places, so real answers often come from reading the source or the community forum.
  • Major version upgrades of the framework have historically broken custom apps that reach past the DocType layer, so bespoke code carries a recurring maintenance cost at each upgrade.
  • Frappe Cloud recommends against its cheapest Hetzner-backed option for mission-critical production, so the headline $5 entry price is not the price of a production-grade deployment.

Pricing, plan by plan

Django

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full web framework
    • Admin interface
    • ORM system

Frappe

Free
  • Framework, self-hostedFree
    • MIT licensed, no licence fee
    • Install with bench on your own Linux servers
    • You carry updates, backups and security patching
  • Frappe Cloud Sites$5/month
    • Also listed at ₹410 per month
    • Shared servers with 150+ installable apps
    • Automatic updates and offsite backups
  • Frappe Cloud Servers$40/month
    • Also listed at ₹3,600 per month
    • Dedicated or shared virtual machines
    • Unlimited sites on your server

Which should you pick?

Choose Django if

  • You need model-view-template (mvt).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want object-relational mapping.
Django review

Choose Frappe if

  • You need doctype modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Docker.
  • You also want role and field permissions.
Frappe review

Questions people ask

Is Django or Frappe better?
Neither clearly leads. Django starts at Free and Frappe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Django or Frappe?
Django starts at Free and Frappe at Free.
Does Django or Frappe run on more platforms?
Django runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Frappe runs on Web, Linux, Docker.
Can I use Django for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Django best used for?
Django is most often used for web application development, content management systems, e-commerce platforms, api development. Of those, web application development and content management systems are not what Frappe is typically brought in for.
What can Django do that Frappe cannot?
Django covers Model-View-Template (MVT), Object-relational mapping, Automatic admin interface, URL routing. Frappe covers DocType modelling, Role and field permissions, Built-in REST API, Background jobs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Django: What databases does Django support?

Django natively supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite3, and Oracle databases through its ORM, allowing developers to switch databases without rewriting code.

Source
Frappe: Is Frappe the same as ERPNext?

No. Frappe is the framework; ERPNext is the ERP application written on it. You can run Frappe without ERPNext to build your own applications.

Django: How does Django handle database schema changes?

Django includes a built-in migration system. Developers use makemigrations to create migration files and migrate to apply changes to the database schema.

Source
Frappe: What licence is the framework under?

MIT, which is permissive and imposes no obligation to publish your changes, unlike the AGPL used by several open source ERP rivals.

Django: Does Django support asynchronous programming?

Django added basic async/await support, but full asynchronous database access remains limited. The framework does not fully support asynchronous programming, which can be a limitation for real-time applications.

Source
Frappe: Can I pay in rupees?

Yes. Frappe Cloud publishes the same plans in Indian rupees, ₹410 a month for sites and ₹3,600 for servers, rather than converting a dollar price at checkout.

Django: Is Django free and open source?

Yes, Django is free and open-source software maintained by the Django Software Foundation, founded in June 2008.

Source
Frappe: Do I have to use Frappe Cloud?

No, self-hosting with bench or Docker is fully supported and free. Frappe Cloud is a convenience purchase, and it funds the open source work.

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