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CRM & Supportdocker-readyOpen-Core🟡 Standard · ~1GB

Dolibarr: Open-Core alternative to QuickBooks in 2026

Dolibarr manages invoicing, accounting, stock, CRM and projects in a tool much lighter than a full ERP, with modules you enable only when you need them, as an alternative to QuickBooks or Sage.

Core is open source, but advanced features or enterprise support may be behind a paid tier — check the license.

Alternative to QuickBooksAlternative to Sage
License GPL-3.07.7k starsWebsite GitHub Repository

Audit Snapshot

View notes →

  • License — Matches GitHub

  • GitHub — Active

  • Latest release — 24.0.1 · 1 month ago

  • Docker Compose — Partial

  • Production — Not production-tested by AltFreeStack

Dolibarr vs. QuickBooks

Pros

  • Much lighter than ERPNext, ideal for small businesses
  • Simpler interface for anyone who doesn't need a full ERP

Things to consider

  • The official module marketplace includes paid extensions
  • Interface feels less modern than newer alternatives

Quick Docker installation guide

Copy this docker-compose.yml, adjust the example passwords and run docker compose up -d on your server. See the full step-by-step guide →

💡 Official SaaS or self-hosted with AltFreeStack?

  • On the official cloud: a recurring monthly fee and usage limits on QuickBooks.
  • On your own VPS: the core is free to self-host on your own server — no more monthly SaaS fee, though some advanced features stay behind a paid plan.
docker-compose.yml
services:
  dolibarr:
    image: dolibarr/dolibarr:24.0.0
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    environment:
      DOLI_DB_HOST: dolibarr-db
      DOLI_DB_NAME: dolibarr
      DOLI_DB_USER: dolibarr
      DOLI_DB_PASSWORD: change-me-mysql-password # REQUIRED: generate a random secret before first run
      DOLI_URL_ROOT: http://localhost:8080 # CHANGE THIS TO YOUR DOMAIN
      DOLI_ADMIN_LOGIN: admin
      DOLI_ADMIN_PASSWORD: change-me-admin-password # REQUIRED: generate a random secret before first run
    depends_on:
      - dolibarr-db
  dolibarr-db:
    image: mariadb:10.6
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: dolibarr
      MYSQL_USER: dolibarr
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: change-me-mysql-password # must match DOLI_DB_PASSWORD above
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: change-me-mariadb-root-password # REQUIRED: generate a random secret before first run
    volumes:
      - dolibarr_db_data:/var/lib/mysql
volumes:
  dolibarr_db_data:

🚀 Deploy in 1 command

Recommended for beginners

Copy this single command and paste it into your freshly created VPS's console (Vultr, DigitalOcean...). It downloads the script, prints it to your screen so you can see exactly what it's about to do (never a blind direct pipe), and only then installs Docker if needed, writes the files with secrets already generated, and starts everything — no nano, no pasting code blocks.

curl -sSL ".../api/deploy?stack=dolibarr" -o deploy.sh && cat deploy.sh && bash deploy.sh
See what this script does →

This docker-compose corresponds to an actively maintained project — last commit today.

This docker-compose not working for you? Report it on GitHub →

Technical profile

License
GPL-3.0
Category
CRM & Support
Replaces
QuickBooks, Sage
Tech stack
PHPMySQL

Under the hood

Database

MySQL / MariaDB / PostgreSQL

Language

PHP

Platforms

Web · Mobile (iOS/Android)

Key features

  • Integrated invoicing, accounting and stock management
  • CRM and project management included
  • Modules you can enable/disable as needed
💾 Backups in 3 steps (Day 2)

As long as the ./data folder (the "volume" mapped into the container) exists on your server, your data survives any restart or container update — that's the only thing you need to back up.

1. Create a compressed backup on the server

tar -czvf backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz ./data

2. Download it to your computer

From your computer's terminal (not your server's):

scp root@YOUR_IP:~/app/backup-*.tar.gz ./

3. Restore in case of emergency

tar -xzvf backup-file.tar.gz
🌐 Connect your domain with free SSL

Step 1 — Set up the DNS

In your domain registrar's dashboard (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy...), create a record:

Type
A
Name/Host
@ (root domain) or a subdomain, e.g. app
Content/Value
Your server's public IP

Wait 5 to 15 minutes for the record to propagate across the internet.

Step 2 — Automatic reverse proxy with Caddy

One single file, no Nginx config or manual certificates — Caddy issues and renews Let's Encrypt HTTPS on its own.

Create a file called Caddyfile:

yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:8080
}

Start Caddy with this command (pulls the image and runs it in the background):

docker run -d -p 80:80 -p 443:443 --name caddy --restart always -v $PWD/Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile -v caddy_data:/data caddy