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ERP · head to head

iDempiere vs Ivalua

iDempiere logo

iDempiere

ERP

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ivalua logo

Ivalua

ERP

Source-to-pay on one codebase and one data model, sold to large enterprises by module

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.; Ivalua entry deployments are reported around 150,000 US dollars a year before implementation, which puts it entirely out of reach for mid-market procurement teams.
  • They diverge on capability: iDempiere covers Application dictionary, Ivalua covers Single data model.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iDempiere and Ivalua actually diverge.

Attributes where iDempiere and Ivalua differ
AttributeiDempiereIvalua
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, WindowsWeb, 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 Ivalua

  • Single data model
  • Supplier risk and onboarding
  • Contract lifecycle management
  • Direct materials procurement
  • Invoice matching and payment
  • Configurable workflow engine

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 Ivalua
  • 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 Ivalua
  • 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 Ivalua
  • 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 Ivalua

Ivalua

  • A manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spendnot iDempiere
  • An enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modulesnot iDempiere
  • A regulated organisation needing third-party risk screening enforced before a supplier can receive a purchase ordernot iDempiere
  • Replacing separate sourcing, contract and invoice systems where each holds a different version of the supplier recordnot 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.

Ivalua

  • Entry deployments are reported around 150,000 US dollars a year before implementation, which puts it entirely out of reach for mid-market procurement teams.
  • Configurability requires an internal product owner and usually a systems integrator, so the total programme cost is a multiple of the licence and the failure modes are those of an ERP project.
  • Module-based licensing means capability you assumed was included, such as contract lifecycle management or supplier risk, is frequently a separate line item discovered late in the negotiation.
  • Supplier network pricing scales with active supplier count, so an organisation with a long tail of small suppliers pays for records that generate little spend.
  • The user interface prioritises configurability over ease, and casual requisitioners across the business need more guidance than a consumer-style intake tool would require.

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

Ivalua

On request
  • Ivalua Source-to-Pay$undefined/year
    • Module-based licensing rather than per seat
    • User counts tiered by role category
    • Supplier network pricing driven by active supplier count

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 Ivalua if

  • You need single data model.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want supplier risk and onboarding.
Ivalua review

Questions people ask

Is iDempiere or Ivalua better?
Neither clearly leads. iDempiere starts at Free and Ivalua at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iDempiere or Ivalua?
iDempiere has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for iDempiere and On request for Ivalua.
Does iDempiere or Ivalua run on more platforms?
iDempiere runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, Windows. Ivalua runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use iDempiere for free?
Yes. iDempiere has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ivalua 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 Ivalua is typically brought in for.
What can iDempiere do that Ivalua cannot?
iDempiere covers Application dictionary, OSGi plug-in architecture, Multi-organisation accounting, Materials management. Ivalua covers Single data model, Supplier risk and onboarding, Contract lifecycle management, Direct materials procurement.

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.

Ivalua: What does the single codebase actually buy me?

One supplier and contract record used across every module, so there is no synchronisation layer to reconcile and no data drift between sourcing and invoicing.

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.

Ivalua: What does Ivalua cost?

It is not published. Third parties report entry deployments around 150,000 USD a year and full-platform deployments above 400,000, plus implementation.

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.

Ivalua: Does it handle direct materials?

Yes, which distinguishes it from suites built primarily for indirect spend.

iDempiere: Which database does it need?

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

Ivalua: Is Ivalua still independent?

Yes. It is one of the few large source-to-pay vendors not owned by a bigger enterprise software group.

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