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Developer Tools · head to head

Frappe vs Mendix

Frappe logo

Frappe

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Mendix logo

Mendix

No-Code

Siemens-owned low-code platform priced by app count, with cloud infrastructure billed separately

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
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.; Mendix the platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • They diverge on capability: Frappe covers DocType modelling, Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Frappe and Mendix actually diverge.

Attributes where Frappe and Mendix differ
AttributeFrappeMendix
Pricing modelPer month by site or serverPer application tier (One App vs Unlimited Apps), cloud infrastructure billed separately
PlatformsWeb, Linux, DockerWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsNo-Code

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 Mendix

  • Visual app and process modelling
  • Free tier
  • Multi-cloud deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Native mobile builder
  • Marketplace connectors

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 Mendix
  • An ERPNext user who wants managed hosting, automatic updates and offsite backups without hiring a systems administratornot Mendix
  • An Indian or emerging-market business that wants to pay for application hosting in local currency at local price pointsnot Mendix
  • A consultancy shipping custom vertical apps to clients on a shared framework with per-client site isolationnot Mendix

Mendix

  • A Siemens industrial software customer extending into application development on a platform already inside its vendor ecosystemnot Frappe
  • A company building exactly one production app that wants the lower One App tier rather than paying for unlimited apps it does not neednot Frappe
  • An enterprise standardising on Mendix across many departments where the Unlimited Apps tier amortises wellnot Frappe
  • A team wanting to evaluate low-code at zero cost before committing to a paid production tiernot 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.

Mendix

  • The platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • The jump from a free or One App tier to Unlimited Apps is a large discrete price step (roughly 918 to 2,295 euros a month at published starting rates), not a gradual scale-up, which punishes a team that grows from one app to two.
  • Being a Siemens business unit means Mendix roadmap priorities can be shaped by Siemens' broader industrial software strategy rather than purely by low-code market demand.
  • Deployment flexibility across Mendix Cloud, Azure, Kubernetes and SAP BTP is a strength on paper but means the actual infrastructure cost and complexity vary significantly by choice, complicating like-for-like vendor comparisons.
  • Premium-tier features and enterprise governance capabilities are quote-only, so a buyer cannot fully compare Mendix's top tier against OutSystems or Appian without entering a sales process.

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

Mendix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited users on one deployment environment
    • No commitment or credit card required
    • Suitable for evaluation and small-scale use
  • Standard, One App$undefined/month
    • Licenses a single application in production
    • Cloud deployment and standard support options
    • Compute and infrastructure costs billed separately
  • Standard, Unlimited Apps$undefined/month
    • Licenses unlimited applications under one subscription
    • Per-user cost declines as user volume grows
    • Discounted external (B2B/B2C) user rates available
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Custom quote
    • Enterprise-grade governance and 24/7 support
    • Advanced deployment and compliance options

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 Mendix if

  • You need visual app and process modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want free tier.
Mendix review

Questions people ask

Is Frappe or Mendix better?
Neither clearly leads. Frappe starts at Free and Mendix at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Frappe or Mendix?
Frappe starts at Free and Mendix at Free.
Does Frappe or Mendix run on more platforms?
Frappe runs on Web, Linux, Docker. Mendix runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Mendix is typically brought in for.
What can Frappe do that Mendix cannot?
Frappe covers DocType modelling, Role and field permissions, Built-in REST API, Background jobs. Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling, Free tier, Multi-cloud deployment, AI-assisted development.

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.

Mendix: What is the difference between One App and Unlimited Apps?

One App licenses a single application in production; Unlimited Apps covers any number of apps under one subscription, at a materially higher starting price.

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.

Mendix: Does the licence include hosting?

No. Mendix states explicitly that compute and infrastructure resources are billed separately from the platform licence, regardless of deployment target.

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.

Mendix: Who owns Mendix?

Siemens, which acquired Mendix in 2018 and runs it as part of its industrial software portfolio.

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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