head to head · open source
ERPNext vs ExpenseOwl
ERPNext has 39,326 GitHub stars, 12,835 forks, 1,822 open issues and last shipped yesterday. ExpenseOwl has 1,510 stars, 151 forks, 58 open issues and last shipped 11 months ago. ERPNext leads on adoption by 2,504% (39,326 vs 1,510 stars). ERPNext is written in Python under GPL-3.0; ExpenseOwl is written in HTML under MIT. ERPNext has attracted 33% as many forks as stars, ExpenseOwl 10%. ERPNext was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
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 | ExpenseOwl | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 39K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Python | HTML |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2025-10-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 13K | ⑂ 151 |
| 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 ExpenseOwl if
- You want the ExpenseOwl feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches HTML
- You evaluated both and ExpenseOwl 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 ExpenseOwl
ExpenseOwl is self hosted expense tracker for personal finance. It lives in open source homelab and finance management ecosystem. It uses Go and HTML. It is MIT licensed. It ships as self contained binary and Docker container. It focuses on quick monthly look at expenses. It avoids accounts, budgeting, and other features found in broader finance trackers.
read the full ExpenseOwl overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is ERPNext or ExpenseOwl more popular?
ERPNext has 39,326 GitHub stars and ExpenseOwl has 1,510. ERPNext has the larger community by that measure.
Are ERPNext and ExpenseOwl free?
Both are open source. ERPNext is licensed under GPL-3.0 and ExpenseOwl under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between ERPNext and ExpenseOwl?
ERPNext is written in Python and ExpenseOwl in HTML. 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 ExpenseOwl?
Choose ERPNext if you want the larger community (39,326 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose ExpenseOwl if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.