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Manufacturing · head to head

Maintenance Connection vs OpenBOM

Maintenance Connection logo

Maintenance Connection

Manufacturing

Enterprise CMMS from Accruent for multi-site asset management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenBOM logo

OpenBOM

Manufacturing

Cloud bill of materials and part catalogue management priced per seat, with free read-only users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBOM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Maintenance Connection implementation is a project measured in months, and the cost of that work frequently exceeds the first year of licensing; OpenBOM pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • They diverge on capability: Maintenance Connection covers Deep asset hierarchies, OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Maintenance Connection and OpenBOM actually diverge.

Attributes where Maintenance Connection and OpenBOM differ
AttributeMaintenance ConnectionOpenBOM
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, macOS, API

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

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 Maintenance Connection

  • Deep asset hierarchies
  • Labour and cost tracking
  • Multi-storeroom inventory
  • Preventive and predictive
  • Compliance reporting
  • Enterprise integration

Only in OpenBOM

  • Multi-level BOMs
  • Part catalogue
  • CAD add-ins
  • Change management
  • Free read-only users
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Maintenance Connection

  • Multi-site manufacturing or healthcare estates with large asset registersnot OpenBOM
  • Organisations that must evidence a maintenance regime to a regulatornot OpenBOM
  • Operations replacing an ageing enterprise CMMS rather than papernot OpenBOM
  • Estates needing maintenance integrated with ERP and financenot OpenBOM

OpenBOM

  • A hardware startup replacing a shared BOM spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing runnot Maintenance Connection
  • A contract manufacturer sharing structured BOMs with customers who should see but not edit themnot Maintenance Connection
  • An electronics team pulling BOMs straight out of Altium and mechanical CAD instead of retyping themnot Maintenance Connection
  • A small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a PLM projectnot Maintenance Connection

Where each one falls short

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

Maintenance Connection

  • Implementation is a project measured in months, and the cost of that work frequently exceeds the first year of licensing
  • Pricing is entirely quote-based with no published entry point, so early comparison is impossible
  • The interface reflects its age and is a common objection from technicians used to consumer-grade mobile apps
  • Overpowered for single-site operations, where the configuration burden buys capability that will not be used
  • Accruent sells a broad portfolio, so the buying process involves more product than a maintenance team asked for

OpenBOM

  • Pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • Paying yearly nearly halves the seat price, from $55 to $30 and $165 to $90, so monthly billing carries an unusually heavy penalty for teams that want flexibility.
  • Change management, revision control and CAD file management are absent from the entry Team plan, so the cheapest tier is a catalogue rather than a working PLM.
  • It lacks the approval workflows, effectivity dating and audit depth that regulated medical and aerospace suppliers need, so companies pursuing ISO 13485 or AS9100 typically migrate away.
  • Record count is metered separately and a large imported part library can push a small team into a higher data tier without adding a single user.

Pricing, plan by plan

Maintenance Connection

On request
  • Maintenance Connection$undefined/year
    • Work and asset management
    • Multi-site
    • Inventory

OpenBOM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 2,000 data records
    • Basic BOM and catalogue management
    • Non-commercial and educational use
  • Professional Team$55/month
    • $30 per seat per month billed yearly
    • BOM management, part catalogue, inventory
    • RFQ and purchase orders
  • Company$165/month
    • $90 per seat per month billed yearly
    • Everything in Team
    • CAD file management and revision control
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Single sign-on
    • Custom integrations
    • Private or custom hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose Maintenance Connection if

  • You need deep asset hierarchies.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want labour and cost tracking.
Maintenance Connection review

Choose OpenBOM if

  • You need multi-level boms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
  • You also want part catalogue.
OpenBOM review

Questions people ask

Is Maintenance Connection or OpenBOM better?
Neither clearly leads. Maintenance Connection starts at On request and OpenBOM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Maintenance Connection or OpenBOM?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Maintenance Connection and Free for OpenBOM.
Does Maintenance Connection or OpenBOM run on more platforms?
Maintenance Connection runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Maintenance Connection starts at On request.
What is Maintenance Connection best used for?
Maintenance Connection is most often used for multi-site manufacturing or healthcare estates with large asset registers, organisations that must evidence a maintenance regime to a regulator, operations replacing an ageing enterprise cmms rather than paper, estates needing maintenance integrated with erp and finance. Of those, multi-site manufacturing or healthcare estates with large asset registers and organisations that must evidence a maintenance regime to a regulator are not what OpenBOM is typically brought in for.
What can Maintenance Connection do that OpenBOM cannot?
Maintenance Connection covers Deep asset hierarchies, Labour and cost tracking, Multi-storeroom inventory, Preventive and predictive. OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Maintenance Connection: Who is Maintenance Connection for?

Multi-site organisations with large asset registers and formal maintenance governance. Below that scale, the configuration effort is not repaid.

OpenBOM: Is OpenBOM free?

There is a genuine free tier limited to 2,000 data records and aimed at non-commercial and educational use. Commercial teams start at $30 per seat per month billed yearly.

Maintenance Connection: What does it cost?

Not published. It is quoted, and implementation is a separate line that often exceeds first-year licensing.

OpenBOM: Do I pay for people who only look at BOMs?

No. Read-only users are unlimited and free on every paid plan, which is the main reason the total cost undercuts seat-for-seat PLM tools.

Maintenance Connection: How does it differ from MaintainX?

Almost entirely. This is an enterprise system configured to enforce an existing process; MaintainX is a mobile app a team adopts in a day. They rarely appear on the same shortlist honestly.

OpenBOM: Are the CAD add-ins included?

No. They are $25 per seat per month billed yearly, $45 monthly, and require an active Team or Company subscription.

Maintenance Connection: Is it good for regulated industries?

That is its strongest case. Audit trails, evidence of preventive regimes and multi-site consistency are what it is built to produce.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

For a startup, usually yes. For regulated manufacturing needing controlled workflows and full audit trails, no.

Maintenance Connection: What is the biggest risk in adopting it?

Under-resourcing implementation. A partially configured enterprise CMMS is worse than a well-run simple one, and this is the most common way these projects disappoint.

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