What it does
ERPNext connects the general ledger, receivables, payables and financial statements with purchasing, sales, inventory and projects. The GPL-licensed software is free to self-host, with hosting and implementation priced separately.
ERPNext keeps the invoice, ledger posting and payment allocation connected. A Payment Entry can cover several invoices, a partial payment or an advance. Payment Reconciliation assigns existing unallocated money to invoices without recording the cash twice. Bank Reconciliation matches imported statement lines with the accounting documents.
This suits businesses whose accounts need to follow stock or project work. With perpetual inventory enabled, receipts and deliveries affect both stock records and the general ledger. Each company has its own books, while consolidated reports combine entities for management. Country-specific tax functions depend on configuration or a localization app.
The GPL-3.0 software is free to self-host. Hosting, implementation and support are separate costs. Frappe Cloud advertises shared-site hosting from US$5 monthly and server hosting from US$20 monthly, with resource-based rather than per-user pricing. You can configure the system yourself or engage a partner.
Staff use individual accounts. A System Manager adds them through Home > Users and Permissions > User, selects New, enters a name and email, then assigns roles. Module access, login hours and permitted IP addresses can further restrict an account. External customers and suppliers use portal accounts with different access from staff.
Strengths
- Accounting connects with operational records
- Documented invoice, payment-allocation and reconciliation workflows
- Company books and staff permissions can be configured separately
Watch out for
- Self-hosting requires technical maintenance; managed hosting and implementation add costs
- Regional tax functions require the relevant configuration or localization app
Best for
- Organizations coordinating accounts with stock or project operations
Sources
- ERPNext pricing and implementation choices (Oct 27, 2026)
- ERPNext accounting introduction (Oct 27, 2026)
- ERPNext adding users and permissions (Oct 27, 2026)
- ERPNext official repository (Oct 27, 2026)