head to head · open source
ERPNext vs Invoice Ninja
ERPNext has 40,868 GitHub stars, 13,377 forks, 1,822 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Invoice Ninja has 10,464 stars, 2,793 forks, 945 open issues and last shipped yesterday. ERPNext leads on adoption by 291% (40,868 vs 10,464 stars). ERPNext is written in Python under GPL-3.0; Invoice Ninja is written in PHP under a custom or non-standard licence. ERPNext has attracted 33% as many forks as stars, Invoice Ninja 27%. 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 | Invoice Ninja | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 41K | ★ 10K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | Python | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 13K | ⑂ 2.8K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick ERPNext if
- You weight community size — 41K 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 Invoice Ninja if
- You want the Invoice Ninja feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and Invoice Ninja fits your workflow better
About ERPNext
ERPNext Powerful, Intuitive and Open Source ERP Live Demo Website Documentation ERPNext 100% Open Source ERP System to help you run your business. Motivation Running a business is a complex task handling invoices, tracking stock, managing personnel, and other daily operations. In a market where software is sold separately to manage each of these tasks, ERPNext does all of the above and more, for free. Key Features Accounting : All the tools you need to manage cash flow in one place, right from recording transactions to summarizing and analyzing financial reports. Order Management : Track inventory levels…
read the full ERPNext overview →
About Invoice Ninja
Invoice Ninja 5 Invoice Ninja Version 5 is here! We've taken the best parts of version 4 and added the most requested features to create an invoicing application like no other. Check the Invoice Ninja YouTube Channel to get up to speed, or try the Demo now. Choose your setup Hosted: Our hosted version is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. You're up and running in under 5 minutes, with no need to worry about hosting or server infrastructure. Self Hosted: For those who prefer to manage their own hosting and server infrastructure. This version gives you full control and flexibility. All Pro and Enterprise…
read the full Invoice Ninja overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is ERPNext or Invoice Ninja more popular?
ERPNext has 40,868 GitHub stars and Invoice Ninja has 10,464. ERPNext has the larger community by that measure.
Are ERPNext and Invoice Ninja free?
Both are open source. ERPNext is licensed under GPL-3.0, and Invoice Ninja has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between ERPNext and Invoice Ninja?
ERPNext is written in Python and Invoice Ninja 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 Invoice Ninja?
Choose ERPNext if you want the larger community (40,868 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Invoice Ninja if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.