head to head · open source
ERPNext vs Akaunting
ERPNext has 39,326 GitHub stars, 12,835 forks, 1,822 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Akaunting has 10,127 stars, 2,984 forks, 14 open issues and last shipped yesterday. ERPNext leads on adoption by 288% (39,326 vs 10,127 stars). ERPNext is written in Python under GPL-3.0; Akaunting is written in PHP under a custom or non-standard licence. ERPNext has attracted 33% as many forks as stars, Akaunting 29%. ERPNext was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (accounting, crm, erp), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| ERPNext | Akaunting | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 39K | ★ 10K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | Python | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 13K | ⑂ 3.0K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick ERPNext if
- You weight community size — 39K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Akaunting if
- You want the Akaunting feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and Akaunting fits your workflow better
About ERPNext
ERPNext is a free and open source Enterprise Resource Planning system built on the Frappe Framework. It unifies core business functions—including accounting, procurement, manufacturing, CRM, HRMS, and asset management—into a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple proprietary tools. The project lives in the Python based Frappe ecosystem and is licensed under GPL 3.0.
read the full ERPNext overview →
About Akaunting
Akaunting is free online accounting software for small businesses and freelancers. It lives in the PHP web application ecosystem, and it uses Laravel as its foundation framework. The project also uses VueJS, Tailwind, and a RESTful API, and it has a modular structure with an App Store.
read the full Akaunting overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is ERPNext or Akaunting more popular?
ERPNext has 39,326 GitHub stars and Akaunting has 10,127. ERPNext has the larger community by that measure.
Are ERPNext and Akaunting free?
Both are open source. ERPNext is licensed under GPL-3.0, and Akaunting has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between ERPNext and Akaunting?
ERPNext is written in Python and Akaunting in PHP. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, ERPNext or Akaunting?
Choose ERPNext if you want the larger community (39,326 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Akaunting if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.