OpenBOM

OpenBOM is a cloud product data platform that connects CAD, bills of materials, product data management, engineering changes, procurement, and ERP workflows. Its CAD file management supports locking, versions, revisions, releases, SmartSync, and automatic BOM extraction. Digital xBOM views can represent EBOM, MBOM, SBOM, and other structures as single-level, multi-level, or flattened lists. Engineers can work on shared data in real time, with comments, tasks, and mentions attached to items. Procurement workflows include inventory, RFQs, purchase orders, and supplier and contractor collaboration. Listed CAD integrations include SOLIDWORKS, Altium Designer, Onshape, Autodesk Fusion, PTC Creo, Siemens NX, and Autodesk Inventor; ERP examples include QuickBooks, NetSuite, and SAP. The free plan covers up to 2,000 data records, and a 14-day trial is available. Professional Team costs $30 / seat / month, billed yearly. Unlimited read-only users are free, but users editing or managing data need paid seats. CAD add-ins require an active Team or Company subscription and a license for each user needing CAD integration.

OpenBOM brings CAD files, BOM data, collaboration, and procurement workflows into a cloud platform. Check the record limit, paid-seat requirement, and CAD add-in conditions when assessing plan fit.

OpenBOM suits engineering and manufacturing teams managing product data from design through production. Its free read-only access may suit viewers, while editors and CAD integration users should check seat and subscription requirements.

OpenBOM connects product data across engineering and manufacturing workflows. It is best suited to teams coordinating CAD, BOMs and purchasing as products move from design toward production. Its breadth is a clear advantage, but record caps, paid editing seats and separate CAD add-in charges make plan fit worth calculating carefully.

Overview

OpenBOM is a cloud product-data platform spanning CAD, product data management, product lifecycle, engineering changes, procurement and ERP workflows. Its digital xBOM can represent engineering, manufacturing and software bills of materials in single-level, multi-level or flattened structures. That range helps teams align related product records across stages of work; a team that needs only a basic parts list may find the wider scope unnecessary.

Key features

CAD files and BOM control

Cloud PDM centralizes CAD files and supports locking, versions, revisions, releases and SmartSync, alongside automatic BOM extraction. These controls suit teams managing evolving designs, rather than treating each BOM as a static document. Revision control, BOM comparison and change workflows further support teams that need to follow product changes over time.

Collaboration and procurement

Engineers can work on the same data in real time, with comments, tasks and mentions attached to items. This keeps collaboration tied to product records. OpenBOM also covers inventory, RFQs, purchase orders and collaboration with suppliers and contractors, extending its usefulness beyond engineering. Integrations include SOLIDWORKS, Altium Designer, Onshape, Autodesk Fusion, PTC Creo, Siemens NX and Autodesk Inventor.

Access and security

Communication between OpenBOM servers, browsers and client applications is encrypted, and sharing permissions are granular. OpenBOM also states that it has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance. Support is available through tools embedded in the product and 24/7 online support.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing and covers up to 2,000 data records. Records count unique part numbers, BOM part records and managed CAD/PDM files, so this cap matters as product data grows. Unlimited read-only users are free, but users who edit or manage data need paid seats. Qualified educational, personal and non-commercial users may access free plans.

Professional Team costs $30 a year, billed yearly at $30 / seat / month, or $55 a month, billed monthly. Both offer BOM management, a part catalog, inventory control, RFQs and purchase orders, REST API access and unlimited free read-only users. This is the entry point for teams that need active collaboration and purchasing workflows without the Company plan's PDM and change-management additions.

Company costs $90 a year, billed yearly at $90 / seat / month, or $165 a month, billed monthly. It includes Team plus CAD file management, revision control, engineering change management, advanced xBOM and MFA. It fits teams that need those controls; the higher seat price is harder to justify for groups that only need core BOM and procurement functions.

CAD add-ins cost $45 a month, billed monthly; the stated rate is $25 / seat / month / CAD system billed annually. Each user needing CAD integration requires a license, and an active Team or Company subscription is required. Data-record plans 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. These quotas give growing data sets room beyond the free cap, but add a separate cost to seat pricing.

Enterprise has custom pricing and includes Company, SSO, custom integrations, enterprise support, and private and custom hosting. ERP integrations are custom flat-rate charges quoted by sales; QuickBooks, NetSuite and SAP are named as integration examples. The API has no call limits, with cost reflected through data records. A 14-day trial is available.

Platforms

OpenBOM supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux and API access. Its deployment is cloud-based, so teams seeking a self-hosted installation should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

OpenBOM is aimed at engineering and manufacturing teams managing product data from design through production. It is a stronger match for groups that need connected CAD, multi-level BOMs, revision and change workflows, and procurement than for individuals maintaining a small, uncomplicated parts catalog.

Pros and cons

• Pros: xBOM supports several BOM views and structures, which helps teams align engineering and manufacturing data.
• Pros: Free read-only access for unlimited users makes it possible to share product records broadly without buying a seat for every viewer.
• Pros: CAD file controls, BOM extraction, collaboration and procurement workflows span multiple stages of product work.
• Cons: The free plan's 2,000-record cap can constrain a growing catalog, and larger record allowances carry separate charges.
• Cons: Editing and management require paid seats; CAD integration adds per-user, per-system licensing and requires a Team or Company subscription.
• Cons: Company costs substantially more than Team, so teams needing only BOM and purchasing functions may be paying for controls they do not need.

Alternatives

TurboPLM is worth considering for teams prioritizing a free option: its free plan allows one member and up to 100 parts, while its self-hosted plan runs on the team's hardware. Dokuly is a free, open-source PLM delivered as a self-hosted Docker stack, a better fit for teams that want to run their own system. IndaBOM is another free, open-source option, with a free plan described as fully managed and for single-user access.

BOMIST offers a free plan limited to one user, 100 parts and three products, making it an option for a smaller individual catalog. Odoo Manufacturing has a free One App plan with unlimited users; it may suit readers who want to start with a single app. MRPeasy is a paid option with a free trial for readers considering another manufacturing-focused service. Rootstock Manufacturing Cloud ERP and Genius ERP use quote-based pricing for readers evaluating ERP alternatives.

Browse more options in Bill of Materials Software and Product Data Management Software.

Verdict

OpenBOM is a strong choice for engineering and manufacturing teams that need CAD files, structured BOMs, collaboration and purchasing workflows connected in one cloud platform. Its main appeal is the breadth of that product-data workflow; its main drawback is the accumulating cost of editing seats, CAD add-ins and record capacity. Choose it when those connected controls are central to the work, and look elsewhere if a small free catalog or self-hosted deployment is the priority.