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ERP · head to head

iDempiere vs QAD Adaptive ERP

iDempiere logo

iDempiere

ERP

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QAD Adaptive ERP logo

QAD Adaptive ERP

ERP

ERP for regulated and supply-chain-heavy manufacturers, strongest in automotive and life sciences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only iDempiere has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; QAD Adaptive ERP no pricing is published and licensing splits across user types and separately sold modules, so first quotes routinely come in well above the number buyers had in their heads.
  • They diverge on capability: iDempiere covers Application dictionary, QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iDempiere and QAD Adaptive ERP actually diverge.

Attributes where iDempiere and QAD Adaptive ERP differ
AttributeiDempiereQAD Adaptive ERP
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, WindowsWeb, Windows, iOS, Android

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 iDempiere

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

Only in QAD Adaptive ERP

  • Automotive EDI
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Supply chain planning
  • Quality management
  • Global financials
  • Traceability and recall
  • Connected workforce
  • Adaptive UX

What people use each for

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

iDempiere

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

QAD Adaptive ERP

  • An automotive tier supplier that must accept OEM EDI releases and ship to AIAG or Odette labelling without building it themselvesnot iDempiere
  • A multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level ERPs onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per countrynot iDempiere
  • A food or pharmaceutical maker that needs lot genealogy fast enough to scope a recall in hoursnot iDempiere
  • A manufacturer replacing an ageing QAD MFG/PRO installation and wanting continuity of process rather than a rewritenot iDempiere

Where each one falls short

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

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP

  • No pricing is published and licensing splits across user types and separately sold modules, so first quotes routinely come in well above the number buyers had in their heads.
  • QAD has been owned by Thoma Bravo since the 2021 take-private, so roadmap and pricing decisions answer to an investment thesis rather than to public product commitments, and buyers should ask about contract terms at renewal.
  • The implementation partner network is small next to SAP, Oracle or Microsoft, which limits competitive tendering on services and makes regional coverage patchy.
  • Outside its target industries the vertical depth is dead weight, and a general distributor or services firm pays for automotive and life sciences function it will never switch on.
  • Long-standing QAD customers still run heavily customised MFG/PRO estates, and migrating those customisations to Adaptive ERP is a re-implementation, not an upgrade, which is why some sites have stayed on old versions for years.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

QAD Adaptive ERP

On request
  • QAD Adaptive ERP$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced by user type, modules and deployment
    • Cloud or on-premise deployment
    • Implementation delivered by QAD or a partner and billed separately

Which should you pick?

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

Choose QAD Adaptive ERP if

  • You need automotive edi.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want manufacturing execution.
QAD Adaptive ERP review

Questions people ask

Is iDempiere or QAD Adaptive ERP better?
Neither clearly leads. iDempiere starts at Free and QAD Adaptive ERP at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iDempiere or QAD Adaptive ERP?
iDempiere has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for iDempiere and On request for QAD Adaptive ERP.
Does iDempiere or QAD Adaptive ERP run on more platforms?
iDempiere runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, Windows. QAD Adaptive ERP runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use iDempiere for free?
Yes. iDempiere has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. QAD Adaptive ERP starts at On request.
What is iDempiere best used for?
iDempiere is most often used for a distributor wants multi-organisation, multi-currency accounting and warehouse costing without a per-user erp licence that scales with headcount., 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., a team needs heavy customisation of screens, fields and approval workflows that must survive version upgrades, which the application dictionary makes possible without forking., 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.. Of those, a distributor wants multi-organisation, multi-currency accounting and warehouse costing without a per-user erp licence that scales with headcount. and 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. are not what QAD Adaptive ERP is typically brought in for.
What can iDempiere do that QAD Adaptive ERP cannot?
iDempiere covers Application dictionary, OSGi plug-in architecture, Multi-organisation accounting, Materials management. QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain planning, Quality management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Who owns QAD?

Thoma Bravo, which took the company private in 2021. It is no longer publicly listed, so financials and roadmap commitments are not disclosed the way they once were.

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Is QAD only for automotive?

No, but automotive supplier compliance is its deepest area, alongside life sciences, food and beverage and industrial manufacturing. Non-manufacturers are not the target.

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Can it run on-premise?

Yes, both cloud and on-premise deployments are supported, which matters to manufacturers with plant-floor systems that cannot tolerate a WAN dependency.

iDempiere: Which database does it need?

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

QAD Adaptive ERP: Is Adaptive ERP an upgrade from MFG/PRO?

Not in practice for a customised site. Moving heavily modified MFG/PRO installations is a re-implementation project, and that cost should be in the business case from the start.

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