ERPNext Installation Guide: Every Method and Which Version for Your Ubuntu

There are five practical ways to install ERPNext in 2026: a manual Frappe Bench install on Ubuntu 24.04 (best for production you control), Docker with the official frappe_docker files (quickest to try), the bench easy-install script (Docker-based production in one command), Frappe Cloud (hosted, no server to manage) and a Proxmox or other hypervisor VM running one of the first two. For a new system, use ERPNext 16 on Ubuntu 24.04.

I have installed ERPNext every one of these ways for clients and in my own Proxmox homelab since version 12. This page helps you pick the right method and version, then sends you to the step-by-step guide for it.

Quick answer: which method should you use?

Which ERPNext version runs on which Ubuntu?

This is the question behind most failed installs: an old guide, a new Ubuntu, or the other way round. Requirements are from the Frappe installation docs.

If you are searching for "install ERPNext on Ubuntu 18.04" because that is what your server runs, the honest answer is to build a new Ubuntu 24.04 server and migrate with a backup. My old Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 20.04 guides are kept for people maintaining those systems, not for new installs.

Software stack by version

Method 1: Frappe Bench on Ubuntu (production, full control)

This is how I run client systems. You install the stack yourself, then:

uv tool install frappe-bench
bench init --frappe-branch version-16 frappe-bench
cd frappe-bench
bench new-site erp.example.com
bench get-app --branch version-16 erpnext
bench --site erp.example.com install-app erpnext
sudo env "PATH=$PATH" bench setup production frappe

Those are only the core commands. The full walkthrough with MariaDB 11.8, Node 24, HRMS, Nginx, SSL and troubleshooting is in How to install ERPNext 16 on Ubuntu 24.04.

Pros: full control, easy custom apps, standard bench update upgrades. Cons: you own patching, backups and monitoring.

Method 2: Docker (fastest way to try ERPNext)

The official frappe_docker repository ships a pwd.yml file that starts ERPNext, MariaDB and Redis together:

git clone https://github.com/frappe/frappe_docker
cd frappe_docker
docker compose -f pwd.yml up -d

Open http://localhost:8080 after a few minutes. Windows users should follow my ERPNext Docker on Windows guide, which covers Docker Desktop and the usual errors.

Pros: works on Windows, macOS and Linux in minutes. Cons: pwd.yml is for testing; production Docker needs the compose overrides described in the frappe_docker docs.

Method 3: easy-install script (Docker production in one command)

The Frappe bench repository includes an easy-install.py script that deploys a production Docker stack with Let's Encrypt. From the bench README:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/frappe/bench/develop/easy-install.py
python3 easy-install.py deploy --email=you@example.com --sitename=erp.example.com --app=erpnext

It needs Docker on the host and DNS for the site name already pointing at the server.

Method 4: Frappe Cloud (hosted)

Frappe Cloud is run by the team that builds ERPNext. You pick a plan and region, and they handle updates, backups and SSL. It suits teams with no Linux admin. Check their site for current pricing.

Method 5: ERPNext on Proxmox, VMware or VirtualBox

There is no current official ERPNext OVA appliance, so older "import the ERPNext OVA" tutorials no longer apply to v15 or v16. What works well:

1. Create an Ubuntu 24.04 VM (2 to 4 vCPU, 4 to 8 GB RAM, 40 GB disk). My Proxmox VE guide covers VM creation.
2. Install with Method 1 inside the VM, or install Docker and use Method 2 or 3.
3. Snapshot the VM before every ERPNext upgrade.

If someone has given you an existing ERPNext appliance as an OVA file, my guide to importing OVA files into Proxmox shows how to bring it in.

Staying on ERPNext 15?

Version 15 still receives fixes (v15.123 shipped in October 2026), so it is reasonable to stay while a custom app catches up. Install it on Ubuntu 24.04 with --frappe-branch version-15, Node 20 and the stock MariaDB 10.11; the differences are listed at the end of the Ubuntu 24.04 guide. On Ubuntu 22.04 see Frappe 15 on Ubuntu 22.04.

Before any upgrade from 15 to 16, take a full backup with files (bench --site yoursite backup --with-files) and test the upgrade on a copy. My ERPNext backup and restore guide shows how to restore that copy on a test server.

After installation

• Learn the modules and setup wizard in ERPNext explained for beginners.
• Connect biometric devices with ZKTeco and ERPNext.
• For the full course, see ERPNext installation and integration on Udemy.