Odoo versions · Edition
Odoo Community or Enterprise: which one for your business?
Community is free and open source. Enterprise is licensed under the OPL, with readable code, and adds applications and features. The right choice depends on what you need, not on principle.
We integrate both editions. If Community is enough for you, we will tell you so. Here are the criteria we use to decide.
What is the difference between Community and Enterprise?
Short answer: Odoo Community is the open-source edition with no licence and a basic functional scope. The code of both editions can be read; Enterprise adds exclusive applications, the mobile app, publisher hosting and assisted version upgrades.
| Criterion | Community | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | None | €35.90 per user per month for the first year, then €44.90 (Custom plan) |
| Applications | Core: sales, purchase, inventory, invoicing, CRM, website | All applications, including the exclusive ones |
| Publisher hosting (Odoo Online, Odoo.sh) | No | Yes |
| Version upgrade | Handled by the integrator or the company | Publisher's upgrade service for standard applications |
| Custom modules | Yes | Yes, except on Odoo Online |
When is Odoo Community enough?
Odoo Community suits a simple, well-controlled scope. All three of the following conditions must be met:
- the scope is limited to basic functions: sales, purchase, inventory, invoicing;
- technical skills are available for operations and updates;
- you do not need the applications reserved for Enterprise.
In that case, having no licence is a real advantage. It does not mean entirely free, though: hosting, operations and migrations remain your responsibility.
When is Enterprise the right choice?
- You need full accounting, advanced manufacturing, planning or field service.
- You want to be hosted by the publisher on Odoo Online or Odoo.sh, which only offer the Enterprise edition.
- You want version upgrades supported by the publisher's service.
- You want to customise your screens without development.
One point to watch: some features occasionally move from Community to Enterprise between versions. In Odoo 20, this is the case for VAT closing accounts. A Community database should therefore be audited before each version upgrade.
What does each edition cost?
- Enterprise: €35.90 per user per month for the first year with Odoo's Custom plan, then €44.90 from the second year. All applications, multi-company and external APIs are included.
- Community: no licence, but a real cost for hosting, operations, heavier migrations and community modules you have to maintain yourself.
For an honest comparison, add up everything you pay over three years, licence or not. The How much does Odoo cost guide explains the approach.
Can you switch from Community to Enterprise?
Yes. The switch is a technical project in its own right: licence activation, review of the installed community modules, data migration and testing. It is prepared in advance, preferably at the time of a version upgrade.
Going back to Community is possible but trickier: data entered in exclusive applications is no longer readable.
The hosting choice is tied to the edition: see the SaaS, Odoo.sh or server page.
Frequently asked questions about Community and Enterprise
Without a licence, yes. But hosting, operations, migrations and maintenance of community modules remain. They represent a real cost.
Notably full accounting, planning, field service, advanced manufacturing. The list varies from one version to another: we check it for your version before committing.
Yes, on Odoo.sh or on a dedicated server. Odoo Online does not accept any custom modules.
€35.90 per user per month for the first year with Odoo's Custom plan, then €44.90 from the second year. All applications are included.
Yes, if the scope stays simple and technical skills exist in-house or at your integrator. Otherwise, Enterprise can end up cheaper overall, depending on the operational burden you would have to take on.
On Enterprise, the publisher's service covers the standard applications. On Community, the upgrade has to be fully planned and carried out, with checks specific to your database.
Community or Enterprise: let's decide for your case
Your actual scope decides. Thirty minutes is enough to settle the choice.