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ERP · head to head

IFS Cloud vs OpenBravo

IFS Cloud logo

IFS Cloud

ERP

Single-codebase ERP, EAM and field service for asset-heavy industries

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenBravo logo

OpenBravo

ERP

Open-source-derived ERP that has narrowed its focus to retail commerce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBravo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IFS Cloud the partner ecosystem is a fraction of the size of SAP or Microsoft, so day rates for experienced IFS consultants are high and availability is genuinely constrained; a failing implementation is hard to rescue because there are few alternative firms to bring in.; OpenBravo the commercial product is a paid subscription despite the open source lineage, so buyers who assume open source means low cost find the licence conversation no different from any other vendor's.
  • They diverge on capability: IFS Cloud covers Single codebase, OpenBravo covers Retail point of sale.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IFS Cloud and OpenBravo actually diverge.

Attributes where IFS Cloud and OpenBravo differ
AttributeIFS CloudOpenBravo
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsSelf-hosted, Web
FoundedUnknown2000

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 IFS Cloud

  • Single codebase
  • Aviation MRO
  • Field service management
  • Enterprise asset management
  • Copperleaf decision analytics
  • Composable deployment
  • Twice-yearly release train
  • Project-driven manufacturing

Only in OpenBravo

  • Retail point of sale
  • Omnichannel order management
  • Inventory and warehouse
  • Procurement
  • Financials
  • Modular architecture
  • Web-based interface
  • Open source lineage

What people use each for

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

IFS Cloud

  • An airline or defence operator that needs airworthiness-compliant maintenance records tied to the same system that runs procurement and financenot OpenBravo
  • A utility that must justify capital asset spend to a regulator and wants the investment case and the work orders in one placenot OpenBravo
  • A contract manufacturer running engineer-to-order projects where project accounting, shop floor and service revenue need to reconcilenot OpenBravo
  • An industrial services firm replacing a separate ERP, CMMS and field scheduling tool with one vendor contractnot OpenBravo

OpenBravo

  • A retail chain replacing separate point of sale and back office systems with one platform across storesnot IFS Cloud
  • A retailer needing a single view of stock across shops, warehouse and online fulfilmentnot IFS Cloud
  • An organisation that requires source code access for auditability or long term control of its own extensionsnot IFS Cloud
  • A business in Europe or Latin America where Openbravo's partner presence is establishednot IFS Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

IFS Cloud

  • The partner ecosystem is a fraction of the size of SAP or Microsoft, so day rates for experienced IFS consultants are high and availability is genuinely constrained; a failing implementation is hard to rescue because there are few alternative firms to bring in.
  • Financial accounting and consolidation are the weakest part of the suite relative to the asset and service modules, and finance teams at group level often end up keeping a separate consolidation tool, which undermines the single-system business case.
  • Licensing is per capability area on top of user counts, so a scope change during implementation can produce a licence uplift that was not in the original business case, and the price is only discoverable through sales.
  • Upgrades between major releases still require regression testing of customisations, and organisations that have extended the product heavily report multi-month upgrade projects rather than the low-effort updates the cloud positioning implies.
  • IFS is private-equity owned and has acquired several companies in quick succession, so the portfolio and the roadmap have shifted more than once; a capability you buy on a roadmap promise may be delivered by an acquired product with a different data model.

OpenBravo

  • The commercial product is a paid subscription despite the open source lineage, so buyers who assume open source means low cost find the licence conversation no different from any other vendor's.
  • Development focus has narrowed towards retail commerce, so a buyer wanting a general purpose ERP for manufacturing or services is choosing a product whose investment is going somewhere else.
  • The community around the horizontal ERP is much quieter than it once was, so independent documentation, forum answers and third party modules are sparse and you are dependent on the vendor and its partners in practice.
  • The partner network is small and concentrated in particular regions, which limits your choice of implementer and leaves you exposed if the one available partner in your country is unavailable or underperforms.
  • Extending the platform requires Java and SQL skills specific to its framework, so customisation means hiring or contracting developers for a niche stack, and a heavily modified installation becomes yours to maintain across upgrades.

Pricing, plan by plan

IFS Cloud

On request
  • IFS Cloud$undefined/year
    • Named and concurrent user licensing
    • Capability areas licensed separately
    • Cloud, customer-cloud or on-premises deployment

OpenBravo

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Open-source
    • Core functionality
    • Community support
  • Enterprise Support$200/month
    • Professional support
    • Updates
    • Consulting

Which should you pick?

Choose IFS Cloud if

  • You need single codebase.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want aviation mro.
IFS Cloud review

Choose OpenBravo if

  • You need retail point of sale.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Web.
  • You also want omnichannel order management.
OpenBravo review

Questions people ask

Is IFS Cloud or OpenBravo better?
Neither clearly leads. IFS Cloud starts at On request and OpenBravo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IFS Cloud or OpenBravo?
OpenBravo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for IFS Cloud and Free for OpenBravo.
Does IFS Cloud or OpenBravo run on more platforms?
IFS Cloud runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. OpenBravo runs on Self-hosted, Web.
Can I use OpenBravo for free?
Yes. OpenBravo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IFS Cloud starts at On request.
What is IFS Cloud best used for?
IFS Cloud is most often used for an airline or defence operator that needs airworthiness-compliant maintenance records tied to the same system that runs procurement and finance, a utility that must justify capital asset spend to a regulator and wants the investment case and the work orders in one place, a contract manufacturer running engineer-to-order projects where project accounting, shop floor and service revenue need to reconcile, an industrial services firm replacing a separate erp, cmms and field scheduling tool with one vendor contract. Of those, an airline or defence operator that needs airworthiness-compliant maintenance records tied to the same system that runs procurement and finance and a utility that must justify capital asset spend to a regulator and wants the investment case and the work orders in one place are not what OpenBravo is typically brought in for.
What can IFS Cloud do that OpenBravo cannot?
IFS Cloud covers Single codebase, Aviation MRO, Field service management, Enterprise asset management. OpenBravo covers Retail point of sale, Omnichannel order management, Inventory and warehouse, Procurement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IFS Cloud: Is IFS Cloud one product or a suite of separate ones?

One product on one codebase. You licence capability areas within it rather than buying separate applications, though acquired products such as Copperleaf are still being folded in.

OpenBravo: Is Openbravo free?

The lineage is open source and source code is available, but the commercial retail product is sold as a subscription. Treat it as commercial software with an open codebase rather than as free software with paid support.

IFS Cloud: How much does IFS Cloud cost?

IFS does not publish pricing. Cost depends on user counts and which capability areas you licence, and implementation is usually the larger line item.

OpenBravo: Can I still use it as a general ERP?

The horizontal capability exists in the architecture, but the commercial attention is on retail. If you are not a retailer, you would be relying on parts of the product that are not where investment is going.

IFS Cloud: Is IFS a credible replacement for SAP S/4HANA?

In asset-heavy and service-heavy industries, yes. For a finance-first, multi-country group with complex statutory consolidation, SAP remains stronger.

OpenBravo: What skills do I need in-house?

Java and SQL for anything beyond configuration, plus familiarity with the module framework. If you have no development capacity and no intention to acquire any, the open codebase gives you nothing you will use.

IFS Cloud: Who owns IFS?

It is privately held, majority owned by EQT and Hg. That funds acquisitions but also means the portfolio changes shape.

OpenBravo: How do I judge the implementation risk?

By the partner, and specifically by whether there is more than one credible partner in your country. A single available implementer is a concentration risk that should be reflected in your contract terms.

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