head to head · open source
Odoo vs Shelf
Odoo has 54,424 GitHub stars, 33,741 forks, 10,282 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Shelf has 3,014 stars, 367 forks, 181 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Odoo leads on adoption by 1,706% (54,424 vs 3,014 stars). Odoo is written in Python under a custom or non-standard licence; Shelf is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. Odoo has attracted 62% as many forks as stars, Shelf 12%. Odoo 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.
← all 8884 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Odoo | Shelf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 54K | ★ 3.0K |
| License | Custom / other | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 34K | ⑂ 367 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Odoo if
- You weight community size — 54K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Shelf if
- You want the Shelf feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Shelf fits your workflow better
About Odoo
Odoo is an open source suite of business applications built as modular web apps, forming a full featured ERP when combined. It lives in the Python based ecosystem and provides pre built modules for core business functions including CRM, accounting, inventory, e commerce, and HR, all sharing a unified data model and interface.
About Shelf
Shelf is a free, open source platform for tracking physical assets, including equipment, devices, tools, vehicles, props, and inventory. It is built for teams that need to know what they have, where it is, and who is using it. The project sits in the IT asset management, equipment management, scheduling, and operations software ecosystem.
read the full Shelf overview →
More in Business Software
Related comparisons
More ERP & Operations projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the ERP & Operations field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Odoo or Shelf more popular?
Odoo has 54,424 GitHub stars and Shelf has 3,014. Odoo has the larger community by that measure.
Are Odoo and Shelf free?
Both are open source. Odoo has no licence declared in this registry, and Shelf is licensed under AGPL-3.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Odoo and Shelf?
Odoo is written in Python and Shelf in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Odoo or Shelf?
Choose Odoo if you want the larger community (54,424 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Shelf if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.