# Factorial vs Frappe HR (2026): Free Alternative to Factorial

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/factorial-hr-vs-frappe-hr
Last updated: 2026-08-11

Compare Factorial ($8/mo) vs Frappe HR ($0/mo open source GPL-3.0 alternative to Factorial). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | Factorial | Frappe HR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $8/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $96/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $480/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $960/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | GPL-3.0 |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Self-host |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | Each Frappe site has its own MariaDB database plus private/public files directories; backups are SQL dumps and file archives under the site |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ 8.5k |
| Code Repository | None | https://github.com/frappe/hrms |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | It replaces Factorial's managed simplicity with a large ERP-adjacent stack whose operations and upgrades are your responsibility. |

## About Frappe HR
Employee documents, onboarding, leave and shifts in one full HR stack; you operate the stack.

- **Installation**: Launch its Docker Compose stack, or install hrms and ERPNext into an existing Frappe Bench
- **Setup Notes**: The full Frappe/ERPNext stack brings Docker, MariaDB, Redis, proxy/TLS and version-compatible app upgrades
- **Data Storage**: Each Frappe site has its own MariaDB database plus private/public files directories; backups are SQL dumps and file archives under the site
- **Supported Platforms**: web, self-hosted, self-host, real ops
- **The Catch vs Factorial**: It replaces Factorial's managed simplicity with a large ERP-adjacent stack whose operations and upgrades are your responsibility.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from Factorial to Frappe HR eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$96/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$480/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$960/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Frappe HR a good free alternative to Factorial?
Yes. Frappe HR is a verified open source (GPL-3.0) replacement for Factorial. Employee documents, onboarding, leave and shifts in one full HR stack; you operate the stack.

### What is the catch when switching from Factorial to Frappe HR?
It replaces Factorial's managed simplicity with a large ERP-adjacent stack whose operations and upgrades are your responsibility.

## Related

- [All Factorial Alternatives](https://caniforkit.com/factorial-hr)
- [Frappe HR Full Profile](https://caniforkit.com/fork/frappe-hr)
- [hr Category Hub](https://caniforkit.com/category/hr)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)