Open source ERP: Odoo vs ERPNext, the complete 2026 comparison

Two mature open source ERPs, two philosophies. How to choose the right one to structure your SME without vendor lock-in? Why an open source ERP?: Proprietary ERPs (SAP, Oracle, Sage) cost €50,000-500,000 for an SME with recurring licences and total lock-in. Open source ERPs offer the same features at a fraction of the cost with freedom to customise and migrate. Odoo: the richest ecosystem: Odoo is the most popular open source ERP (12 million users). Strengths: modern interface, 30,000+ community modules, very broad functional coverage. Weaknesses: Enterprise version (paid) adds key features, advanced customisation requires Python developers. ERPNext: assumed simplicity: ERPNext is fully free and open source (no paid restricted version). Strengths: clean interface, excellent for manufacturing and distribution. Weaknesses: smaller community, fewer third-party modules, limited French ecosystem. Comparison table: Cost: Odoo Community free, Enterprise ~€20-40/user/month | ERPNext fully free. Modules: Odoo 30,000+ | ERPNext ~1,000. Industry: both excel. Services: Odoo advantage. French accounting: Odoo advantage. Learning curve: ERPNext simpler. Our recommendation: For service SMEs: Odoo. For industrial/distribution SMEs: ERPNext deserves serious evaluation. In all cases, a 4-6 week POC with real data is the best investment. Powehi supports both solutions.