Softwr

Inventory · head to head

ERPNext vs Sortly

ERPNext logo

ERPNext

Inventory

Open-source ERP solution for SMEs and growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sortly logo

Sortly

Inventory

Visual inventory management with photo tracking

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ERPNext the software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it; Sortly mobile app performance is slow with occasional crashes on both iOS and Android
  • They diverge on capability: ERPNext covers Accounting, Sortly covers Photo-based inventory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ERPNext and Sortly actually diverge.

Attributes where ERPNext and Sortly differ
AttributeERPNextSortly
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Cloud, WebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20142013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Inventory).

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 ERPNext

  • Accounting
  • Inventory
  • Manufacturing
  • CRM
  • Human Resources
  • Payment gateways
  • Email systems
  • Custom extensions

Only in Sortly

  • Photo-based inventory
  • Multi-location support
  • Custom categories
  • Low stock notifications
  • Barcode scanning
  • CSV export
  • API access
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ERPNext

  • Enterprise resource planning for small to medium businessesnot Sortly
  • Accounting and financial managementnot Sortly
  • Inventory and stock managementnot Sortly
  • Supply chain managementnot Sortly

Sortly

  • Visual inventory trackingnot ERPNext
  • Asset managementnot ERPNext
  • Photo documentationnot ERPNext
  • Mobile inventorynot ERPNext

Where each one falls short

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

ERPNext

  • The software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it
  • Managed hosting is priced per site and per server rather than per user, so a small team running several sites pays more than a large team on one
  • Dedicated server isolation and stronger reliability guarantees start at $125 a month
  • Self hosting is free but places upgrades, backups and availability entirely on the operator

Sortly

  • Mobile app performance is slow with occasional crashes on both iOS and Android
  • Minimal advanced reporting features lacking depth and customization options
  • No native serial number tracking capability, limiting asset management functionality
  • Synchronization problems occur when reconnecting from offline mode

Pricing, plan by plan

ERPNext

Free
  • Community EditionFree
  • Frappe Cloud Starter$14/month
  • Frappe Cloud Standard$50/month
  • Frappe Cloud Professional$100/month

Sortly

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Sortly review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ERPNext if

  • You need accounting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want inventory.
ERPNext review

Choose Sortly if

  • You need photo-based inventory.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want multi-location support.
Sortly review

Questions people ask

Is ERPNext or Sortly better?
Neither clearly leads. ERPNext starts at Free and Sortly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ERPNext or Sortly?
ERPNext starts at Free and Sortly at Free.
Does ERPNext or Sortly run on more platforms?
ERPNext runs on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web. Sortly runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use ERPNext for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ERPNext best used for?
ERPNext is most often used for enterprise resource planning for small to medium businesses, accounting and financial management, inventory and stock management, supply chain management. Of those, enterprise resource planning for small to medium businesses and accounting and financial management are not what Sortly is typically brought in for.
What can ERPNext do that Sortly cannot?
ERPNext covers Accounting, Inventory, Manufacturing, CRM. Sortly covers Photo-based inventory, Multi-location support, Custom categories, Low stock notifications. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ERPNext: Is ERPNext free?

Yes, ERPNext Community Edition is completely free and open source with no hidden paywalls. Everything is available to use, modify, or resell at no cost. Users can also access professional hosting through Frappe Cloud starting at USD$14 per month.

Source
Sortly: What is included in Sortly's free plan?

Sortly's free plan includes 100 unique items and 1 user license, sufficient for testing or very small inventories, with permanent access.

Source
ERPNext: What is Frappe Cloud pricing based on?

Frappe Cloud pricing is compute-based rather than per-user licensing. Costs range from USD$14 to USD$108 per month depending on resource needs. The pricing advantage is that hosting costs do not scale linearly with the number of users, unlike traditional per-seat SaaS models.

Source
Sortly: What are Sortly's paid tier pricing and item limits?

Sortly offers Advanced ($49/month, 500 items), Ultra ($149/month, 2,000 items), Premium ($299/month, 5,000 items), and Enterprise with custom pricing for 10,000+ items. All paid plans include a 14-day free trial.

Source
Sortly: Does Sortly offer offline functionality?

Sortly has offline mode on mobile apps, though with potential synchronization issues when reconnecting. Offline mode is not available on the free plan.

Source
Sortly: Does Sortly have a mobile app?

Yes, Sortly offers mobile apps for iOS and Android. However, users report slow performance and occasional crashes, plus lack of bulk actions available on the web platform.

Source
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