Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems integrate various business processes into a centralized system to increase efficiency and simplify decision-making. ERP systems are expected to generate more than $60 billion in revenue by 2028 , which shows how effective these tools are and how high the demand for them is.
For business owners on a budget, free ERP systems can be a great choice. Many of these systems offer a comprehensive solution for managing various business activities while also catering to the financial constraints of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Choosing the best free ERP system for your business can be crucial to optimizing your resources and operations.
In this article, you will find five of the best-rated ERP systems that have received an average overall rating of at least 4.1 out of 5 stars on Capterra over the past two years. All tools offer a free version and are listed in alphabetical order. In addition, all products' websites are either available in German or have a web domain for Germany. You can find more information about our selection criteria at the end of the article.
What is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system?
An ERP system is a comprehensive software platform that brings together different business processes in a unified system. This can, among other things, optimize the processes between different departments, such as finance, human resources and supply chain. ERP systems unify and simplify various business activities, thereby improving operational efficiency and providing a good overview of the company's performance.
Is a free ERP system the right option for my company?
Whether free ERP software is the right choice for you depends entirely on the specific needs and resources of your company. Free ERP systems are often ideal for SMEs that want to achieve greater efficiency without a large investment. The tools offer the core functions of an ERP system such as integrations and data management without the costs of paid software. For more complex processes and larger companies, however, a paid solution is quickly required to meet the requirements and offer sufficient customization options.
What are the best free ERP systems?
The best free ERP systems offer a balanced combination of different functions, are user-friendly and adapt to the most diverse areas of application in companies. Common basic ERP functions are tools for project management, customer relationship management (CRM) and analytics. The solutions also offer reliable customer support. For SMEs, they are a good cost-effective alternative for business and operational management.
Here is our top 5 pick of the best rated free ERP systems:
1st Asana
Central goal and task overview in the free ERP Asana
Central goal and task overview in Asana [Source: Capterra Germany ]
The Asana platform allows users to balance workloads between different team members and ensure that no one is overloaded by planning and prioritizing tasks and projects. Different "workloads" can be created that provide an overview of the capacities and pipelines of individuals and teams. Drag-and-drop functions are used to organize and re-plan tasks in the schedule. Real-time charts visualize the workloads.
Users can assign time-based values to tasks and rate tasks by difficulty to better estimate how much time will be needed to complete them. Asana also offers time tracking features to measure efficiency and reporting dashboards with insights and forecasts on trends for strategic decision-making.
Asana
Asana
4.5
(13,316)
review details
functions
Advantages and disadvantages
product overview
This information comes from verified user reviews for Asana
5
7,868
4
4,312
3
908
2
131
1
97
user-friendliness
4.4
customer service
4.3
price-performance ratio
4.4
Verified Reviewers
+
"I organize a team of 5 people with it. We plan all projects, create tickets and..."
Read the full review
Janet
Senior Marketing Manager in Germany
Main features of Asana
Task and project management: Asana lets you create, assign, and track tasks and projects. Users can set deadlines, prioritize tasks, and track progress to improve overall productivity and project visibility.
Reporting/Analytics: The platform offers comprehensive reporting tools. Detailed reports provide insight into project progress, team performance and resource allocation.
Third-party integrations: Asana offers integrations with various applications such as Slack, Google Drive, and CRM tools to enable consistent workflows and data synchronization.
Customizable dashboards: Users can create personalized dashboards with key project metrics and status information to gain a direct overview of ongoing projects. The reporting and analysis tools support management with real-time data for decision-making.
The Personal version of Asana is free for individuals and small teams poland telegram data to use and offers collaboration tools for up to 10 team members with unlimited projects and file storage. The paid versions, Starter and Advanced, allow collaboration for up to 500 members with advanced reports and a workflow builder.
2nd Bitrix24
CRM and project management view in Bitrix24 [Source: Capterra Germany ]
Bitrix24 is a versatile platform that integrates ERP and CRM functions. Tasks can be created and assigned on the go using a smartphone. Online time tracking features show teams how much time they have spent on various activities and projects. There are also task and project templates for quick task creation. Collaboration tools such as chats and video calls facilitate centralized communication between team members.
"Bitrix24 is very flexible and can be adapted to all requirements."
Read the full review
Anonymous reviewer
Main features of Bitrix24
CRM: Bitrix24's CRM system enables companies to manage customer interactions, sales pipelines, and marketing campaigns.
Task and project management: The software offers comprehensive features for managing tasks and projects, including Gantt charts , Kanban boards , and time tracking tools.