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ERP · head to head

GEP SMART vs iDempiere

GEP SMART logo

GEP SMART

ERP

Enterprise source-to-pay from a vendor that also sells the consulting and the outsourced procurement team

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: GEP SMART gEP sells the software, the consulting and the outsourced procurement team, so the vendor measuring the savings is often the vendor delivering them, which makes independent verification difficult.; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: GEP SMART covers Unified source-to-pay, iDempiere covers Application dictionary.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GEP SMART and iDempiere actually diverge.

Attributes where GEP SMART and iDempiere differ
AttributeGEP SMARTiDempiere
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, 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 GEP SMART

  • Unified source-to-pay
  • Spend and category analytics
  • Savings tracking
  • Supplier risk management
  • GEP QUANTUM
  • Managed services attachment

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.

GEP SMART

  • An enterprise that needs category expertise as well as software and would otherwise run two procurement processesnot iDempiere
  • A company outsourcing tactical sourcing while retaining strategic categories, using one platform across bothnot iDempiere
  • A multinational consolidating regional procurement systems onto one spend taxonomynot iDempiere
  • An organisation that needs savings tracked and reconciled against realised spend rather than claimed in a spreadsheetnot iDempiere

iDempiere

  • A distributor wants multi-organisation, multi-currency accounting and warehouse costing without a per-user ERP licence that scales with headcount.not GEP SMART
  • 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 GEP SMART
  • 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 GEP SMART
  • 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 GEP SMART

Where each one falls short

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

GEP SMART

  • GEP sells the software, the consulting and the outsourced procurement team, so the vendor measuring the savings is often the vendor delivering them, which makes independent verification difficult.
  • Nothing is published and reported entry points around half a million US dollars a year exclude implementation, which GEP typically delivers itself rather than through a competing integrator.
  • Implementation being delivered by the vendor limits the pool of independent consultants who can advise you during the project or take over afterwards.
  • Combined software and services engagements are difficult to unwind, because replacing the platform also means rebuilding procurement capability the outsourcer was providing.
  • The platform is scoped for very large enterprises, so mid-market organisations face both a price and a complexity floor that no module selection brings down.

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

GEP SMART

On request
  • GEP SMART$undefined/year
    • Scaled by managed spend volume, modules and user count
    • Third parties report deployments starting around 500,000 USD per year
    • Frequently bundled with GEP consulting or managed services

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 GEP SMART if

  • You need unified source-to-pay.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want spend and category analytics.
GEP SMART 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 GEP SMART or iDempiere better?
Neither clearly leads. GEP SMART 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, GEP SMART or iDempiere?
iDempiere has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for GEP SMART and Free for iDempiere.
Does GEP SMART or iDempiere run on more platforms?
GEP SMART runs on Web, iOS, Android. 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. GEP SMART starts at On request.
What is GEP SMART best used for?
GEP SMART is most often used for an enterprise that needs category expertise as well as software and would otherwise run two procurement processes, a company outsourcing tactical sourcing while retaining strategic categories, using one platform across both, a multinational consolidating regional procurement systems onto one spend taxonomy, an organisation that needs savings tracked and reconciled against realised spend rather than claimed in a spreadsheet. Of those, an enterprise that needs category expertise as well as software and would otherwise run two procurement processes and a company outsourcing tactical sourcing while retaining strategic categories, using one platform across both are not what iDempiere is typically brought in for.
What can GEP SMART do that iDempiere cannot?
GEP SMART covers Unified source-to-pay, Spend and category analytics, Savings tracking, Supplier risk management. iDempiere covers Application dictionary, OSGi plug-in architecture, Multi-organisation accounting, Materials management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GEP SMART: Is GEP just a software company?

No. It sells procurement software, procurement consulting and outsourced procurement operations, and deals often combine all three.

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.

GEP SMART: What does GEP SMART cost?

Not published. Third parties report deployments from around 500,000 USD a year, scaled by managed spend, modules and users.

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.

GEP SMART: Who implements it?

GEP typically does, which shortens the project but reduces independent advice during and after it.

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.

GEP SMART: How does it compare with Ivalua?

Both are single-platform enterprise source-to-pay. GEP adds consulting and managed services; Ivalua is software only and stronger on direct materials.

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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