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Manufacturing · head to head

OpenBOM vs SYSPRO

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
SYSPRO logo

SYSPRO

ERP

Long-established mid-market manufacturing ERP, sold through a partner channel

From
$1200/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.; SYSPRO sYSPRO is sold and implemented mainly through partners, so implementation quality varies more than the software does, and the reference you need is the partner's on a project like yours rather than the vendor's customer list.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, SYSPRO covers Inventory management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenBOM and SYSPRO actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenBOM and SYSPRO differ
AttributeOpenBOMSYSPRO
Starting priceFree$1200/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, APICloud, On-premise, Web
CategoryManufacturingERP
FoundedUnknown1978

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 SYSPRO

  • Inventory management
  • Manufacturing
  • Requirements planning
  • Financials
  • Purchasing
  • Quality and traceability
  • Deployment choice
  • Partner channel

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 SYSPRO
  • A contract manufacturer sharing structured BOMs with customers who should see but not edit themnot SYSPRO
  • An electronics team pulling BOMs straight out of Altium and mechanical CAD instead of retyping themnot SYSPRO
  • A small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a PLM projectnot SYSPRO

SYSPRO

  • A mid-sized manufacturer that cannot accurately state inventory value or job cost from its current systemsnot OpenBOM
  • A distributor needing lot traceability for regulated or perishable goods without a tier one budgetnot OpenBOM
  • A make to order engineering business tracking work in progress across several concurrent jobsnot OpenBOM
  • A company that wants an established ERP with a long support history rather than a recently launched productnot 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.

SYSPRO

  • SYSPRO is sold and implemented mainly through partners, so implementation quality varies more than the software does, and the reference you need is the partner's on a project like yours rather than the vendor's customer list.
  • The cloud offering is hosted single-tenant infrastructure rather than multi-tenant SaaS, so you continue to own the upgrade project and the testing it requires, and buyers expecting the vendor to handle version changes for them are mistaken.
  • Payroll and human resources coverage varies substantially by region and is absent or partial in several markets, so a buyer assuming a complete back office in one licence will be adding a separate vendor and an integration.
  • Adjacent capability such as customer relationship management, advanced planning and business intelligence is thinner than in the larger suites, so most installations end up with third party products alongside and the integration cost belongs in the business case.
  • The user interface and reporting reflect a long product history rather than current design conventions, which raises training effort and makes the product a harder sell internally to staff who use consumer-grade software elsewhere.

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

SYSPRO

$1200/month
  • Standard$1200/month
    • Financial management
    • Manufacturing
    • Supply chain
  • Premium$2500/month
    • Advanced modules
    • Analytics
    • Priority 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 SYSPRO if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want manufacturing.
SYSPRO review

Questions people ask

Is OpenBOM or SYSPRO better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenBOM starts at Free and SYSPRO at $1200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenBOM or SYSPRO?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenBOM and $1200/month for SYSPRO.
Does OpenBOM or SYSPRO run on more platforms?
OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API. SYSPRO runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SYSPRO starts at $1200/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 SYSPRO is typically brought in for.
What can OpenBOM do that SYSPRO cannot?
OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management. SYSPRO covers Inventory management, Manufacturing, Requirements planning, Financials.

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.

SYSPRO: Is SYSPRO a cloud ERP?

It is available hosted on Azure, but as your own instance rather than as shared multi-tenant software. That gives you control over when you upgrade and leaves the upgrade work with you and your partner.

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.

SYSPRO: Who implements it?

Regional partners in most markets, with the vendor's own offices involved to differing degrees by country. Establish which entity holds your contract and who provides first-line support before you sign.

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.

SYSPRO: What size of company is it for?

Small and mid-sized manufacturers and distributors, roughly in the tens to low hundreds of millions in revenue. Below that it is more system than most businesses need. Well above it, the multi-country and consolidation demands usually push buyers to a larger suite.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

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

SYSPRO: Does the licence tell me the project cost?

No. As with most mid-market ERP, the partner services and data migration bill commonly matches or exceeds the first year of software, and the subscription usually begins before go live, so plan for both from the start.

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