Open-source ERP is free. Why pay for anything?

The licence is free; getting it running generally is not. Configuring and customising a large suite usually needs technical resources in-house or an implementation partner, and that is an open-ended cost. We charge a one-off setup too, and publish it as a range so you can compare like for like before committing. The real question is not which is free, but which one you can still change yourself a year from now.

Can I self-host SmartB Studio?

No. SmartB Studio is delivered as a hosted, web-based product. If self-hosting is a firm requirement — for control, for policy, or because you have the team to run it — an open-source suite is the better fit and this is the wrong product for you.

What about being locked in to a vendor?

It is a fair concern and worth asking any vendor directly. The honest position is that a hosted product does mean depending on the vendor to keep running it, which self-hosting avoids. What you get in exchange is not needing developers to change how the system works.

Who makes changes once it is running?

With an open-source suite, usually a developer or partner. With SmartB Studio, the person who understands the process describes the change and it gets built. That difference matters most when requirements change often, and matters least when your processes are settled.

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SmartB Studio vs open-source ERP

Open-source ERP suites — the popular all-in-one kind — are capable, but configuring and customising them usually needs technical resources or an implementation partner. SmartB Studio takes a different approach: you describe what you need in plain language and build it yourself.

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Open-source ERP

SmartB Studio

Powerful, but apps and customisation often need a developer or partner

Describe what you need in plain language and build it yourself

Implementation and setup can take weeks to months

Up and running from day one

Per-app pricing plus implementation costs add up

Published subscription plus a scoped one-off setup, quoted as a range before you commit

A large feature set you may not need

Build only the modules your business actually uses

Changes go through technical configuration

Change it with another sentence

When Open-source ERP makes sense

An open-source suite is a strong fit if you want a large self-hosted platform and have technical resources, or a partner, to implement and maintain it.

When SmartB Studio is the better fit

SmartB Studio is the better fit if you want to build and change ERP modules yourself — fast, without developers or a long rollout.

Questions, answered

Open-source ERP is free. Why pay for anything?: The licence is free; getting it running generally is not. Configuring and customising a large suite usually needs technical resources in-house or an implementation partner, and that is an open-ended cost. We charge a one-off setup too, and publish it as a range so you can compare like for like before committing. The real question is not which is free, but which one you can still change yourself a year from now.
Can I self-host SmartB Studio?: No. SmartB Studio is delivered as a hosted, web-based product. If self-hosting is a firm requirement — for control, for policy, or because you have the team to run it — an open-source suite is the better fit and this is the wrong product for you.
What about being locked in to a vendor?: It is a fair concern and worth asking any vendor directly. The honest position is that a hosted product does mean depending on the vendor to keep running it, which self-hosting avoids. What you get in exchange is not needing developers to change how the system works.
Who makes changes once it is running?: With an open-source suite, usually a developer or partner. With SmartB Studio, the person who understands the process describes the change and it gets built. That difference matters most when requirements change often, and matters least when your processes are settled.

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