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Manufacturing · head to head

OpenBOM vs Surefront

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
Surefront logo

Surefront

Fashion

Modern PLM for product teams at fashion brands

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBOM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Surefront no pricing information published on website; requires contacting sales or watching demo
  • They diverge on capability: OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Surefront covers Product information.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenBOM and Surefront actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenBOM and Surefront differ
AttributeOpenBOMSurefront
Starting priceFree$300/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, APIWindows, Mac, Web
CategoryManufacturingFashion
FoundedUnknown2015

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

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 OpenBOM

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

Only in Surefront

  • Product information
  • Task management
  • Collaboration
  • File management
  • Version control
  • Supplier portal
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

What people use each for

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

OpenBOM

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

Surefront

  • Team collaborationnot OpenBOM
  • Product developmentnot OpenBOM

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Surefront

  • No pricing information published on website; requires contacting sales or watching demo

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Surefront

$300/month
  • Starter$300/month
    • Basic PLM
    • Team collaboration
  • Professional$700/month
    • Advanced features
    • Integration
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom setup
    • Support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Surefront if

  • You need product information.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Web.
  • You also want task management.
Surefront review

Questions people ask

Is OpenBOM or Surefront better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenBOM starts at Free and Surefront at $300/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenBOM or Surefront?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenBOM and $300/month for Surefront.
Does OpenBOM or Surefront run on more platforms?
OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API. Surefront runs on Windows, Mac, Web.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Surefront starts at $300/month.
What is OpenBOM best used for?
OpenBOM is most often used for a hardware startup replacing a shared bom spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing run, a contract manufacturer sharing structured boms with customers who should see but not edit them, an electronics team pulling boms straight out of altium and mechanical cad instead of retyping them, a small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a plm project. Of those, a hardware startup replacing a shared bom spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing run and a contract manufacturer sharing structured boms with customers who should see but not edit them are not what Surefront is typically brought in for.
What can OpenBOM do that Surefront cannot?
OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management. Surefront covers Product information, Task management, Collaboration, File management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Surefront: How much does Surefront cost?

Surefront does not publish pricing on its website. To learn about pricing, customers must contact the sales team through the Let's Talk contact form or watch a demo.

Source
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.

Surefront: Can I see Surefront's pricing without contacting sales?

No, pricing details are not disclosed on the website. The company requires customers to either book a demo or contact their sales team directly to discuss pricing options.

Source
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.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

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

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