Odoo, Dolibarr or Holded: which ERP to choose and what it costs to implement
Choosing an ERP for a small business is one of those decisions that shapes years of daily work: how you invoice, how you control stock, how you close the month. In Spain, three names come up again and again: Odoo, Dolibarr and Holded. All three can be a good choice, but for different companies. This guide compares what each offers, what implementation really costs and the questions you should ask before signing anything.
Before comparing: what your company really needs
The most common mistake is starting with the feature list. It’s more useful to start with your processes: how an order comes in, who approves it, how it’s prepared, invoiced and collected. With that journey in front of you, each ERP is judged on what matters: whether it fits the way you work or forces you to change it, and whether that change is good for you.
- How many people will use it and in which departments?
- Do you need warehouse, manufacturing, projects or just invoicing and accounting?
- Which other tools must connect (online store, CRM, bank, accountant)?
- Do you prefer paying a subscription or having full control over software and data?
Odoo: the modular ERP that grows with you
Odoo is organised into apps you switch on as you need them: sales, CRM, inventory, purchasing, manufacturing, accounting, projects, HR, website and many more. There’s an open-source Community edition and a paid-per-user Enterprise edition that adds features such as full accounting, mobile tools and official support.
Its great strength is breadth: a company can start with sales and invoicing and add warehouse or manufacturing without switching systems. Its challenge is complexity: the more modules and customisations, the more important a well-planned implementation and careful maintenance at every version upgrade.
It fits best if…
You have several departments working in separate tools today, expect to grow in processes (not just volume) and have a partner or team to support the rollout.
Dolibarr: open source, lightweight and under your control
Dolibarr is an open-source ERP and CRM designed for small businesses, freelancers and associations. It covers quotes, orders, invoices, contacts, products, basic stock and projects, with a simpler approach than Odoo. It can be installed on your own server with no licence fees, and there’s an ecosystem of add-on modules.
Its advantage is lightness and control: a gentler learning curve, less vendor dependence and data on your infrastructure. In return, its interface is plainer, some advanced features need third-party modules and server maintenance and security are your responsibility or whoever manages it.
It fits best if…
Your operations are fairly simple, you value not depending on subscriptions and you have (or hire) someone who can maintain the installation and adapt the details.
Holded: the cloud option built for the Spanish market
Holded is a cloud management software widely used by small businesses and freelancers in Spain. It brings invoicing, accounting, inventory, projects, team and CRM together in a polished, easy interface, with a monthly subscription and nothing to install. Its strength is that it’s quick to get going and geared to common Spanish tax and accounting needs.
Its limit appears when processes go beyond the standard: deep customisation is more restricted than in an open-source ERP, and your data and operations depend on the vendor’s platform. For many small businesses that’s fine; for others with very specific processes, it isn’t.
It fits best if…
You want to start quickly, your management is typical of a services or retail small business and you prefer the vendor to handle servers, backups and updates.
Quick comparison: Odoo vs Dolibarr vs Holded
- Model: Odoo combines open source and a paid edition; Dolibarr is open source; Holded is a cloud subscription.
- Functional breadth: Odoo is the most complete; Holded covers everyday management very well; Dolibarr focuses on the essentials.
- Ease of getting started: Holded is the most immediate; Dolibarr is simple once installed; Odoo needs more planning.
- Customisation: Odoo and Dolibarr allow adapting and extending the code; Holded adapts mainly through configuration and integrations.
- Data control: highest with self-hosted Odoo Community or Dolibarr; in the cloud, it depends on the vendor.
What implementing an ERP costs (beyond the licence)
When someone asks about Odoo pricing or any ERP, they usually think of the monthly licence. In practice, the licence is only one part. To compare honestly, add up these items:
- Licences or subscription, usually per user or per plan, depending on product and edition.
- Analysis and setup: translating your processes into the tool, defining permissions, invoice series and approval flows.
- Data migration: customers, products, balances and history. It’s the phase with the most surprises when source data is messy.
- Integrations: online store, bank, CRM, logistics tools or your accountant’s tools.
- Training and support during the first weeks of real use.
- Hosting and maintenance if you choose self-hosting, including backups, security and upgrades.
Invoicing regulations: what you can’t overlook
In Spain, regulations on invoicing systems (known as VeriFactu) and the gradual roll-out of business-to-business e-invoicing require invoicing software to meet specific technical requirements. Before deciding, ask the vendor or implementer to confirm in writing how it complies with current rules in your case, especially if you use an open-source edition with third-party modules or your own customisations.
Common mistakes when choosing and implementing an ERP
- Trying to roll out everything at once. It’s better to start with the essentials and expand in phases.
- Over-customising from day one, which makes every future upgrade more expensive.
- Migrating data without cleaning it, carrying duplicates and errors into the new system.
- Not involving the people who will use it, who end up going back to spreadsheets.
- Choosing on price alone, without counting the cost of adapting the way you work.
When to complement the ERP with custom software
An ERP is excellent for what many companies share: invoicing, accounting, managing stock. But what sets you apart from competitors rarely fits a standard module. A portal where your customers check orders and documents, a quoting system with your pricing rules or an automation that reads orders and posts them without typing usually work better as custom pieces connected to the ERP than by forcing the ERP to do them.
This approach keeps the ERP clean and easy to upgrade, and focuses investment where it brings the most return. If it helps you decide, we have guides on custom software vs a SaaS tool and on CRM for small businesses.
Conclusion: the best ERP is the one that fits your processes
Holded is often the fastest route for small businesses with standard management; Dolibarr, a lightweight option under your control for simple operations; Odoo, the most complete platform for companies growing in processes and departments. Whatever you choose, the key is defining processes well, rolling out in phases and covering what makes you unique with custom pieces. If you’d like us to review your case, request a free assessment and we’ll tell you what fits best, with no obligation.