brotherton-erpnext/docs/docs.user.intro.open_source.md

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Open Source

The source code in an Open Source software is open for anyone to understand, extend or improve. And it is free!

Advantages of an Open Source software are:

1. You can choose to change your service provider anytime.
2. You can host the application anywhere, including your own server so you have complete ownership and privacy of the data.
3. There will always be a community to support you incase you need help and you are not dependant on only your service provider.
4. The product is critiqued and used by a wide range of people who have reported hundreds of issues and suggestions to make the product better and this will always continue.

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Alternatives

There are many Open Source ERPs you can consider. Popular among them are:

1. OpenERP
2. OpenBravo
3. Apache OfBiz
4. xTuple
5. Compiere (and forks)