OpenBOM

OpenBOM is a cloud workspace for connecting product data across engineering and manufacturing. It is best suited to teams coordinating designs, bills of materials and purchasing as products move toward production. Its breadth is useful, but editing seats, record caps and CAD add-ins need to be part of the budget calculation.

Overview

OpenBOM links CAD, BOM, product lifecycle, engineering change, procurement and ERP workflows in one product-data platform. Its digital xBOM supports engineering, manufacturing and software BOM views, including single-level, multi-level and flattened structures. That scope can help teams keep related product records aligned across stages; a team that only needs a simple parts list may find the wider workflow set unnecessary.

Key features

CAD file management

Cloud PDM centralizes CAD files and supports locking, versions, revisions and releases, with SmartSync and automatic BOM extraction. Those controls suit teams managing changing design files, though they are part of the Company tier rather than the lower-cost Team offering. CAD add-ins also require an active Team or Company subscription and a separate license for each user and CAD system needing integration.

BOMs and collaboration

Engineers can work on shared data in real time, with comments, tasks and mentions attached to items. Revision control, BOM comparison and change workflows help keep product changes connected to the BOM. The range of xBOM structures is useful when engineering and manufacturing need different views of the same product data.

Procurement and integrations

Inventory, RFQs, purchase orders, and supplier and contractor collaboration extend OpenBOM beyond design records into purchasing workflows. Listed CAD integrations include SOLIDWORKS, Altium Designer, Onshape, Autodesk Fusion, PTC Creo, Siemens NX and Autodesk Inventor. QuickBooks, NetSuite and SAP are ERP examples; ERP integrations are custom-priced per integration. API access has no call limits, with cost reflected through data records.

Security and support

OpenBOM says communications between its servers, browsers and client applications are encrypted, and it offers granular sharing permissions. It states that it has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance. Support is available through product-embedded tools and 24/7 online support.

Pricing

The free plan allows up to 2,000 data records at no cost. Records count unique part numbers, BOM part records and managed CAD/PDM files, so the cap can matter as a catalogue grows. Unlimited read-only users are free; only people who edit or manage data need paid seats. Qualified educational, personal and non-commercial users may access free plans.

Professional Team (yearly) is $30 a year, billed yearly at $30 / seat / month. It includes BOM management, a part catalog, inventory control, RFQ and purchase orders, REST API access and unlimited free read-only users. Professional Team (monthly) is $55 a month per seat with the same listed features. The yearly option lowers the monthly seat rate but commits buyers to annual billing.

Company (yearly) is $90 a year, billed yearly at $90 / seat / month; Company (monthly) is $165 a month per seat. Both include Team features plus CAD file management (PDM), revision control, engineering change management (ECO), advanced BOM (xBOM) and MFA. Teams needing those controls must move beyond Team, making the tier difference material rather than cosmetic.

CAD add-in is $45 a month, billed monthly; its stated rate is $25 / seat / month / CAD system billed annually. It requires a Team or Company subscription, and each user needing CAD integration needs a license. Data-record expansions cost $180 a month for up to 5,000 records, with a yearly rate of $100 per month, or $360 a month for up to 10,000 records, with a yearly rate of $200 per month.

Enterprise has custom pricing and includes Company, SSO, custom integrations, enterprise support and private or custom hosting. ERP integrations are custom flat-rate per integration, quoted by sales. OpenBOM offers a 14-day trial; check seat and add-in needs alongside record growth before choosing a tier.

Platforms

OpenBOM is a cloud deployment with web, Windows, macOS, Linux and API availability. That range accommodates teams working across desktop environments while sharing product data in a cloud workspace.

Who it's for

OpenBOM is a strong fit for engineering and manufacturing teams managing product data from design through production, especially when they need CAD file controls, structured BOMs and purchasing workflows together. The free read-only access can suit broad stakeholder visibility, while the record cap makes it a constrained starting point for growing catalogues. Teams seeking only a basic BOM or unwilling to pay for editor seats and CAD add-ins should consider narrower or differently structured options.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Multiple BOM views, revision and change controls, procurement workflows and CAD file management connect work that would otherwise span separate product records.
• Pro: Unlimited free read-only users let teams share product information without buying an editor seat for every stakeholder.
• Pro: Encrypted communications, granular sharing permissions and stated SOC 2 Type II compliance address access and security concerns.
• Con: Free use is capped at 2,000 records, and expanded record allowances have additional monthly or annual-rate charges.
• Con: PDM and advanced xBOM capabilities require Company, while CAD add-ins add per-user, per-system licensing on top of Team or Company.
• Con: Enterprise hosting and ERP integration pricing require a custom quote, making those costs harder to compare in advance.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Bill of Materials Software.

• Cascadia PLM is worth considering if self-hosting and an AGPL-3.0 core PLM with unlimited editors and viewers are priorities.
• Dokuly suits readers seeking a free, open-source PLM delivered as a self-hosted Docker stack.
• NETVIBES is an alternative for readers evaluating a paid offering with a free plan and a portfolio of enterprise data-science roles.
• BOMIST may fit an individual maker: its free plan is single-user, limited to 100 parts and 3 products, with a yearly-billed MAKER option.
• Carbon is an alternative for readers interested in open-source ERP, MRP, MES and QMS under AGPL-3.0, with enterprise features requiring a commercial agreement.
• Dolibarr is another free software option.
• Autodesk Fusion is a better fit when integrated CAD/CAM, real-time team collaboration, PCB design and electromechanical integration are central; its listed plan is $57 a month, billed annually.
• IndaBOM is an option for readers looking for free, open-source BOM software built on Django and Python.

Verdict

Choose OpenBOM if your engineering or manufacturing team needs CAD files, structured BOMs, change management and purchasing workflows connected in a cloud product-data workspace. Its free read-only access and cross-functional scope are compelling, but budget for editor seats, record growth and any CAD add-ins; teams needing only a basic BOM or lower-overhead self-hosting should look elsewhere.