Dolibarr

What is Dolibarr?

Dolibarr is an open source ERP and CRM web application that runs an entire small business from one interface — contacts, quotes, invoices, orders, stock, accounting, projects, and HR. It ships as roughly 100 modules you switch on only as you need them, so a freelancer sending invoices and a company running full inventory use the same install at different depths.

What is Dolibarr best for?

Small and mid-sized businesses, freelancers, and non-profits that want one integrated system for sales, billing, and operations without per-seat SaaS fees. Its modular design suits teams that prefer to start with CRM and invoicing and grow into accounting, purchasing, or manufacturing later, all on infrastructure they control.

What can Dolibarr do?

• Run CRM and sales: contacts, opportunities, proposals, orders, contracts, and support tickets
• Handle finance: invoicing, bank reconciliation, double-entry accounting, and country-specific tax rules
• Manage inventory: products, stock, warehouses, barcodes, purchasing, and light manufacturing
• Cover HR basics: expense reports, leave requests, timesheets, and recruitment
• Add projects, tasks, calendar/agenda, email campaigns, and surveys
• Build a website/CMS and run point-of-sale for retail
• Extend via REST/SOAP APIs, the low-code Module Builder, and the DoliStore addon marketplace

Where does Dolibarr fall short?

• Missing pieces some ERPs include out of the box. The project itself notes Dolibarr has no native payroll module, no project task dependencies, and no built-in webmail — you fill those gaps with third-party DoliStore add-ons or another tool.
• Broad but not deep. It covers many business functions competently, but each module is lighter than a dedicated best-in-class app; heavy accounting or complex manufacturing shops often outgrow it.
• Dated interface and add-on dependence. The default UI feels utilitarian next to modern SaaS, and serious deployments lean on paid DoliStore modules, so “free” can still mean buying extensions.

Is Dolibarr free?

Yes — Dolibarr is fully free and open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later license, with no paid edition or feature gating in the core software. You only pay for your own hosting, optional paid add-ons from the DoliStore marketplace, or managed cloud hosting from a partner if you’d rather not self-host.

What does Dolibarr replace?

Dolibarr stands in for paid business suites and their separate tools. It covers the CRM and sales side of Salesforce, the all-in-one ERP scope of SAP Business One and NetSuite, and the invoicing and accounting that small teams buy QuickBooks for — in one install you own. Among open source options it competes with Odoo and ERPNext.

FAQ

Is Dolibarr open source? Yes. Dolibarr is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later, and the full source is on GitHub. There is no closed “enterprise” edition — the community version is the complete product.

Can I self-host Dolibarr for free? Yes. It’s a PHP application you install on any server running PHP with MariaDB, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. Auto-installer packages exist for non-technical users, and you can also run it via Docker.

Is Dolibarr a good Salesforce or NetSuite alternative? For small businesses, yes — it delivers integrated CRM, sales, and back-office management at no license cost. Large enterprises with complex accounting or deep vertical needs may find dedicated platforms like Odoo or a commercial suite a better fit.

What do I need to run Dolibarr? A web server with PHP and a MariaDB, MySQL, or PostgreSQL database. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, or partner-hosted cloud.