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Frappe vs Kotlin Multiplatform

Frappe logo

Frappe

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kotlin Multiplatform logo

Kotlin Multiplatform

Mobile Development

JetBrains-funded technology for sharing Kotlin business logic across iOS, Android, web, desktop and server

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Kotlin Multiplatform it shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
  • They diverge on capability: Frappe covers DocType modelling, Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Frappe and Kotlin Multiplatform actually diverge.

Attributes where Frappe and Kotlin Multiplatform differ
AttributeFrappeKotlin Multiplatform
Pricing modelPer month by site or serverOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Linux, DockeriOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web
CategoryDeveloper ToolsMobile Development

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 Frappe

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

Only in Kotlin Multiplatform

  • Shared Kotlin logic
  • Native UI retained
  • Compose Multiplatform (optional)
  • IDE tooling
  • Gradle-based builds
  • Incremental adoption

What people use each for

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

Frappe

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

Kotlin Multiplatform

  • A company with existing separate native iOS and Android codebases wanting to stop duplicating business logic and networking codenot Frappe
  • A team that wants shared logic but is not willing to compromise on fully native UI per platformnot Frappe
  • An organisation already using Kotlin on the backend that wants to reuse the same models and validation on mobile clientsnot Frappe
  • A team evaluating Compose Multiplatform for UI sharing but wanting the option to fall back to native UI per screennot Frappe

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform

  • It shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
  • iOS interop relies on Kotlin/Native compiling to a framework consumed from Swift, and debugging across that boundary is more friction than debugging pure Swift or pure Kotlin.
  • Because logic-sharing is the whole premise, teams still need genuine iOS and Android UI expertise on staff; it does not reduce the native skills bar the way a full cross-platform UI framework aims to.
  • Build times and tooling maturity for multiplatform Gradle projects lag behind single-platform Kotlin or Swift projects, and multiplatform-specific build errors are less well documented.
  • JetBrains funds it as part of the broader Kotlin investment, so its roadmap priority competes internally with IntelliJ, Android Studio and other JetBrains commitments rather than having dedicated headcount the way Flutter has at Google.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Kotlin Multiplatform

Free
  • Kotlin MultiplatformFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed, unlimited apps
    • IDE tooling in the free Android Studio and free-tier IntelliJ IDEA Community
    • No paid Kotlin Multiplatform edition exists

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Kotlin Multiplatform if

  • You need shared kotlin logic.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want native ui retained.
Kotlin Multiplatform review

Questions people ask

Is Frappe or Kotlin Multiplatform better?
Neither clearly leads. Frappe starts at Free and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Frappe or Kotlin Multiplatform?
Frappe starts at Free and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free.
Does Frappe or Kotlin Multiplatform run on more platforms?
Frappe runs on Web, Linux, Docker. Kotlin Multiplatform runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Frappe for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Frappe best used for?
Frappe is most often used for a team building an internal business application that needs permissions, audit trail and an api on day one rather than in month three, an erpnext user who wants managed hosting, automatic updates and offsite backups without hiring a systems administrator, an indian or emerging-market business that wants to pay for application hosting in local currency at local price points, a consultancy shipping custom vertical apps to clients on a shared framework with per-client site isolation. Of those, a team building an internal business application that needs permissions, audit trail and an api on day one rather than in month three and an erpnext user who wants managed hosting, automatic updates and offsite backups without hiring a systems administrator are not what Kotlin Multiplatform is typically brought in for.
What can Frappe do that Kotlin Multiplatform cannot?
Frappe covers DocType modelling, Role and field permissions, Built-in REST API, Background jobs. Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic, Native UI retained, Compose Multiplatform (optional), IDE tooling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Does Kotlin Multiplatform replace my native UI code?

Not by default. It shares business logic and data layers; UI stays native per platform unless you separately adopt Compose Multiplatform.

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Is there a paid version?

No. It is Apache 2.0 licensed and free, funded by JetBrains as part of the Kotlin project.

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Do I need Compose Multiplatform to use it?

No, they are separate. You can share only logic and keep fully native UI on each platform indefinitely.

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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