Odoo versions and editions: what to run and when to upgrade

If you are comparing every Odoo version on offer, you are really asking three questions at once. Which edition do you need? Which release should you be on? And how long before you must move again? This page answers all three for a UK business, so that the plan you agree with an integrator rests on facts rather than assumptions.

Odoo editions: Community and Enterprise

Odoo comes in two editions. Community is the open-source edition. Enterprise is the licensed edition. According to Odoo's own editions page, Community is the foundation on which Enterprise is built, which means the two share the same core and differ in what sits on top.

Licensing

The licensing difference matters more than it first appears:

• Community is published under the LGPLv3 licence for Odoo 19.
• Enterprise falls under the Odoo Enterprise Edition Licence v1.0. You may use it only with a valid Enterprise subscription covering the right number of users. Partners under contract can use it for testing and development.

For a finance director, the practical point is simple: Community has no subscription, but the effort of adding, maintaining and securing capabilities moves to you and your integrator. Enterprise brings a subscription and a vendor-backed feature set. If you want the open-source background in general terms, see our guide to open-source ERP.

What Enterprise adds

Odoo's editions page lists several additions in Enterprise, including:

• AI-based automation of supplier invoices;
• advanced manufacturing tools such as Shopfloor, a control centre and scheduling;
• Odoo Studio, for adapting screens and workflows without code;
• Field Service, for managing on-site interventions.

Whether these matter depends on your business. A professional-services firm in Leeds that mostly needs invoicing and project time will weigh the list very differently from a fabricator in the West Midlands who wants shop-floor scheduling. Our pages on Odoo manufacturing and Odoo accounting and finance show where the editions diverge in practice.

Switching editions

Odoo states that you can move from one edition to the other at any time. In practice a move is a project, not a switch: you should test it on a copy, check any extra modules and confirm licensing before you commit. Many businesses start on Community to prove a concept and later move to Enterprise once the scope is stable, but this is a choice to make with your integrator, not a default.

Odoo plans and hosting options

Separate from the edition is the plan, which governs hosting and some capabilities. Odoo's pricing page presents these plans:

Two details deserve attention. First, Custom is the only plan that allows hosting on Odoo.sh or on your own infrastructure. If your IT policy requires a UK-based server or full control over the database, that matters. Second, installing Studio or adding companies moves a free database onto Custom. Odoo also counts as paid users those with backend access, while portal users such as customers and suppliers are not counted as paid users.

For figures, see our page on Odoo pricing, and for the hosting choices see Odoo hosting and cloud.

Odoo versions: the release calendar

Odoo publishes a new major version each year. Odoo's supported-versions page gives this calendar:

Since today is late October 2026, Odoo 17.0 has passed the end of its standard support. If a supplier or colleague still quotes you an Odoo 17 environment, treat it as a version that should already be on a migration plan. Odoo 20.0 was announced for September 2026; check Odoo's documentation for its current status before you rely on it for a production go-live.

What is the latest Odoo version?

The latest major version covered by Odoo's current documentation is Odoo 19.0. Odoo 20.0 is the next in the line. For a new implementation, the usual approach is to start on the newest major version your integrator and your third-party modules support, rather than on an older release that will reach end of support sooner.

Major versions and SaaS versions

Odoo also issues intermediate SaaS versions, which arrive every two to three months. They are available only on Odoo Online and do not qualify for extended support. They suit a business that wants the newest features and accepts frequent upgrades. A company that prefers stability, such as a distributor closing its books on a fixed calendar, usually fits better on a major version.

How long is an Odoo version supported?

Each major version receives three years of standard support after its release. This covers Odoo Online, Odoo.sh and on-premise deployments. After that, paid extended support is available, but only on Odoo.sh (for a limited set of versions) and on-premise.

The detail that changes decisions is security. Security fixes are provided only during standard support. In extended support, assistance and bug fixes remain possible, but only where technically feasible. That is not a position to choose for a system that holds your sales ledger, stock and payroll data.

Odoo also describes the upgrade window this way: three years of standard support, plus two further years to carry out the upgrades you need before you lose all support. In other words, you are not forced into a panic, but the clock is visible from the day you go live.

When and how to upgrade Odoo

When

• Odoo Online and Odoo.sh: upgrading to a major version is mandatory every two years, and Odoo sends notice. Intermediate versions must be upgraded within weeks of the next release.
• On-premise: the timing is yours, but your support and security cover follow the calendar above.

For a UK business, add your own calendar. Avoid the weeks around quarterly VAT returns, your year-end close and the payroll run. If you submit through Making Tax Digital, test that flow before and after the move; our guide to Making Tax Digital and ERP explains what to check. If you run payroll, confirm your RTI submissions on the new version, as set out in our page on payroll software and RTI.

How

Odoo's upgrade procedure includes obtaining an upgraded test database, so you can validate the new version before it touches production. Certain services sit outside the scope of the upgrade SLA, which matters if you run custom code. A sound upgrade usually follows this order:

1. Take stock of installed modules, custom code and integrations.
2. Request an upgraded test database.
3. Test your critical processes: invoicing, stock moves, VAT, payroll, bank reconciliation.
4. Fix or rewrite incompatible customisations.
5. Train key users on what changed.
6. Plan the production cut-over and a rollback.

Customisation is the main driver of upgrade effort. A near-standard system upgrades more easily than one carrying heavy bespoke code; see Odoo customisation for how to keep that code upgrade-friendly, and Odoo migration if you are moving from another system or from a much older Odoo release. Your integrator's support and maintenance contract should state who handles upgrades and how they are scheduled.

Choosing a version and edition for a new project

A short decision path helps:

1. Start from your processes. If standard sales, purchasing, stock and accounting cover you, Community or Enterprise can both fit; if you need Studio, advanced manufacturing or Field Service, Enterprise is the relevant edition.
2. Check hosting constraints. Need Odoo.sh or on-premise? Then the Custom plan applies.
3. Pick the newest supported major version that your required modules and UK localisation work on.
4. Budget for upgrades. Treat the upgrade cycle as a recurring cost, not a surprise.
5. Confirm UK fit. Ask your integrator how the version handles VAT, Making Tax Digital and RTI payroll; see Odoo in the UK.

If you are still weighing Odoo against other platforms, our Odoo alternatives page and the Odoo vs Business Central comparison give the wider picture. To compare selection steps in general, read how to choose an ERP.

Questions to put to an integrator

Because we connect you with integrators and do not carry out projects ourselves, it is worth arriving with precise questions:

• Which Odoo version and edition do you recommend for our scope, and why?
• Which of our requirements need Enterprise or the Custom plan?
• What is the planned upgrade path, and who pays for each upgrade?
• How will you handle our customisations when the version changes?
• Who tests VAT, Making Tax Digital and payroll flows after an upgrade?

Answers to these tell you more about a partner than a feature list. Our guide to choosing an ERP integrator goes further, and choosing an Odoo partner covers the Odoo-specific checks.

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