7 self-hosted options
Self-hosted alternatives to Xero
The best open-source alternative to Xero is Odoo (LGPL-3.0, 55,321 GitHub stars, Docker image). ERPNext stands out for the longest track record (since 2011), and Bigcapital stands out for its TypeScript codebase.
Invoice Ninja and Akaunting are also listed but are source-available, so they come after the open-source picks.
About Xero: Cloud accounting software for small businesses with bank feeds, invoicing and reporting.
Updated · data from GitHub, refreshed daily
Top picks
- Rank 1:
Odoo
odoo/odoo
Free open source ERP system.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
ERP & InventoryPythonDockerStands out for the most GitHub stars.
- Rank 2:
ERPNext
frappe/erpnext
ERP system to help you run your business.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
ERP & InventoryPythonDockerStands out for the longest track record (since 2011).
- Rank 3:
Bigcapital
bigcapitalhq/bigcapital
Financial accounting and inventory management software for small to medium businesses.
Active · last commit Oct 25, 2026
Accounting & InvoicingTypeScriptDockerStands out for its TypeScript codebase.
At a glance
Xero alternatives compared
Open-source apps come first, then source-available ones and apps whose license appsgit could not verify; within each group, projects with at least 12 commits in the last 12 months come before less active or archived ones, then by GitHub stars.
| App | Stands out for | License | GitHub stars | Commits (12 mo) | Last commit | Docker image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odoo | the most GitHub stars | LGPL-3.0 | 55,321 | 17,347 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| ERPNext | the longest track record (since 2011) | GPL-3.0 | 40,601 | 10,198 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Bigcapital | its TypeScript codebase | AGPL-3.0 | 3,960 | 1,131 | Oct 25, 2026 | Yes |
| LedgerSMB | its Perl codebase | GPL-2.0 | 570 | 765 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| ERPSAAS | a permissive MIT license | MIT | 1,476 | 6 | Mar 5, 2026 | No |
| Invoice Ninja | – | source-available, Elastic License 2.0 | 10,323 | 2,259 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Akaunting | – | source-available, BSL 1.1 | 10,216 | 589 | Oct 25, 2026 | No |
Full list
All 7 Xero alternatives
Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.
- 1
Odoo
Free open source ERP system.
ERP & InventoryDockerStands out for the most GitHub stars. Odoo has 55,321 GitHub stars, uses the LGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 17,347 commits in the last year.
- 2
ERPNext
ERP system to help you run your business.
ERP & InventoryDockerStands out for the longest track record (since 2011). ERPNext has 40,601 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 10,198 commits in the last year.
- 3
Bigcapital
Financial accounting and inventory management software for small to medium businesses.
Accounting & InvoicingDockerStands out for its TypeScript codebase. Bigcapital has 3,960 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 1,131 commits in the last year.
- 4
LedgerSMB
Integrated accounting and ERP system for small and midsize businesses, with double entry accounting, budgeting, invoicing, quotations, projects, orders and inventory management, shipping and more.
Accounting & InvoicingDockerStands out for its Perl codebase. LedgerSMB has 570 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 765 commits in the last year.
- 5
ERPSAAS
Laravel and Filament accounting platform with double-entry accrual accounting, invoicing, bank connections and financial reports.
Accounting & InvoicingStands out for a permissive MIT license. ERPSAAS has 1,476 GitHub stars, uses the MIT license and had 6 commits in the last year.
- 6
Invoice Ninja
Powerful tool to invoice clients online.
Source-availableAccounting & InvoicingDockerInvoice Ninja has 10,323 GitHub stars, is source-available under the Elastic License 2.0 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 2,259 commits in the last year.
- 7
Akaunting
Accounting software designed for small businesses and freelancers.
Source-availableAccounting & InvoicingAkaunting has 10,216 GitHub stars, is source-available under the BSL 1.1 (not an open-source license) and had 589 commits in the last year.
Is there a free alternative to Xero?
Yes. 5 of the 7 apps on this page are open source; 2 are source-available. The open-source ones are free to self-host without per-user fees; source-available licenses add conditions such as user caps or limits on hosted use, so read them before you commit.
Can I self-host an alternative to Xero with Docker?
Yes. 5 of the 7 apps here publish a Docker image, including Odoo, ERPNext and Bigcapital, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose.
Which Xero alternative is the most actively developed?
Odoo (LGPL-3.0), with 17,347 commits in the last 12 months. Activity is a good sign that bugs and security issues get fixed.
How is this list ranked?
Open-source apps come first, then source-available ones and apps whose license appsgit could not verify; within each group, projects with at least 12 commits in the last 12 months come before less active or archived ones, then by GitHub stars.