OpenBOM

OpenBOM is a cloud product-data workspace spanning CAD, BOM, engineering change, procurement and ERP workflows. It is best suited to engineering and manufacturing teams coordinating product data from design through production. Its combination of BOM tools and purchasing workflows is compelling, but the cost of editing seats and CAD add-ins deserves careful budgeting.

Overview

OpenBOM connects product records across design and production rather than treating the bill of materials as an isolated document. Its xBOM supports engineering, manufacturing and software BOM views, with single-level, multi-level and flattened structures. That breadth is useful when different teams need to work from related product data; teams seeking only a small, standalone parts list may not need the full workflow scope.

Key features

CAD and product data

Cloud PDM centralizes CAD files and supports locking, versions, revisions and releases, with SmartSync and automatic BOM extraction. Those controls make it a stronger fit for teams managing changing design files than a BOM-only tool. The trade-off is that CAD add-ins are separately licensed and require an active Team or Company subscription.

BOMs and collaboration

Engineers can work on shared data in real time, with comments, tasks and mentions attached to items. This keeps discussion close to the product record. Revision control, BOM comparison and change workflows also support teams tracking how product definitions evolve.

Procurement and integrations

Inventory, RFQs, purchase orders and supplier or contractor collaboration extend the product record into procurement. Listed CAD integrations include SOLIDWORKS, Altium Designer, Onshape, Autodesk Fusion, PTC Creo, Siemens NX and Autodesk Inventor. QuickBooks, NetSuite and SAP are named as ERP integration examples. REST 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 describes 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 Data records plan costs nothing and allows up to 2,000 records. Records count unique part numbers, BOM part records and managed CAD/PDM files. Unlimited read-only users are free, but anyone editing or managing data needs a paid seat, so this free tier is most useful for small datasets and broad view-only access—not a free multi-editor workspace.

Professional Team (yearly) is $30 a year, billed yearly at $30 / seat / month; Professional Team (monthly) is $55 a month per seat. Both include BOM management, part catalog, inventory control, RFQs and purchase orders, REST API access and unlimited free read-only users. The yearly option has the lower stated per-seat rate; monthly billing costs more per seat.

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, revision control, change management, advanced xBOM and MFA. This tier suits teams that need managed CAD data and change controls; the higher monthly rate buys a monthly billing term rather than the lower yearly rate.

CAD add-in pricing is $45 a month, billed monthly, with a stated rate of $25 / seat / month / CAD system billed annually. It is priced per seat per CAD system and requires Team or Company, so CAD integration adds a separate recurring cost on top of the subscription.

For larger record volumes, the 5,000-record plan is $180 a month, with a yearly rate of $100 per month; the 10,000-record plan is $360 a month, with a yearly rate of $200 per month. Enterprise and ERP integrations have custom pricing. Enterprise includes Company, SSO, custom integrations, enterprise support, and private or custom hosting; ERP integrations are quoted by sales as a custom flat rate per integration. A 14-day trial is available. Qualified educational, personal and non-commercial users may access free plans.

Platforms

OpenBOM is a cloud service with web, Windows, macOS, Linux and API availability. Its cloud deployment avoids requiring a self-hosted installation, while the listed platform range gives teams several ways to access or integrate with it.

Who it's for

OpenBOM is a strong candidate for engineering and manufacturing teams that need to coordinate CAD files, structured BOMs, revisions and purchasing activity in one product-data workflow. It is less suitable for teams whose priority is unrestricted editing at no cost, or who need CAD add-ins without also paying for a Team or Company subscription.

Pros and cons

• Pros: BOM views span EBOM, MBOM, SBOM and other structures, helping teams work with product data in forms suited to different stages.
• Pros: Procurement tools, supplier collaboration and ERP examples extend the workflow beyond design records.
• Pros: Unlimited free read-only access can support broad visibility without buying a seat for every stakeholder.
• Cons: Editing and data management require paid seats, limiting how far the free plan can serve an active team.
• Cons: CAD add-ins carry an additional per-seat, per-system charge and require Team or Company.
• Cons: The free record allowance is capped at 2,000, and higher record tiers add monthly charges.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, see Bill of Materials Software.

• Cascadia PLM is worth comparing for teams looking for a self-hosted PLM option with unlimited editors and viewers in its free Core plan.
• NETVIBES is an alternative to consider for readers seeking a platform with Android and iOS availability.
• BOMIST may suit a single-user project with a defined parts and product cap on its free plan.
• Dokuly is an option for teams seeking free, open-source PLM in a self-hosted Docker stack.
• Carbon may be a better match for readers prioritizing open-source ERP, MRP, MES and QMS core features.
• Dolibarr is another free software option.
• IndaBOM is a free, open-source, fully managed option for single-user access.
• TurboPLM offers a free private workspace for one member and up to 100 parts.

Verdict

Choose OpenBOM if your engineering or manufacturing team needs CAD-aware product data, multiple BOM structures and procurement workflows connected in a cloud workspace. Its strongest case is the span from design control to purchasing, with free read-only access for wider teams. Look elsewhere if your priority is free editing, or if the added subscription and per-user CAD integration costs do not fit your budget.