Tool profile
farmOS: cost, fit and limits
farmOS is free, open source farm management software maintained by the farmOS community and built on the Drupal framework, covering web-based planning and record keeping for farms and projects that install and host it themselves.
What to know first
farmOS is distributed under the GNU GPL and costs nothing to download, so the bill is hosting and the time of whoever maintains it. The homepage links a demo site, installation and update guides, a hosting guide, a community forum and several repositories in the farmOS GitHub organization. No vendor support contract, hosted plan or AI capability is described on the page we read.
farmOS at a glance
| Maker | farmOS community (no company named on the homepage), Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free (open source, GNU GPL) |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Farm Management Software in 2026, rank 3 of 13 |
| Website | farmos.org |
Who farmOS is best for
Farms with a developer or IT-minded owner
A farm that can run a Drupal site can install farmOS from the guides and control where its records live and who can see them.
Research and education projects
Community modules and open repositories let a project extend the software, and the public demo site lets students try it without an install.
Co-operatives sharing a server
One host can run records for several members, and the GPL license means no per-seat or per-hectare fees apply as the group grows.
farmOS plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Open source download | Free | GPL-licensed code in the farmOS GitHub organization; you install it yourself or use a host from the farmOS Hosting Guide. |
| Self-hosted on your own server | Cost of your server | Hosting, updates and backups are paid for and performed by you, following the Installation Guide and Update Guide. |
| Third-party hosting | Set by the host | Hosts listed in the farmOS Hosting Guide run the software for you, and their prices and terms are theirs, not farmOS's. |
Checked November 2026.
What farmOS does
- Web-based record keeping
- The homepage describes farmOS as a web application for farm management, planning and record keeping, usable from any browser once the software is installed on a server.
- Drupal foundation
- Drupal, which the homepage describes as modular, extensible and secure, supplies the user accounts, permissions and module system that farmOS builds on, plus a large existing developer community.
- Community modules
- Several Git repositories in the farmOS GitHub organization hold community-contributed modules and integrations, which extend what the base install does, though quality and upkeep depend on the volunteers behind each one.
- Demo site
- A demo farmOS site is linked from the homepage, so a buyer can click through the interface and judge the workflow before setting up a server or paying a host.
- Install and update guides
- Written Installation and Update Guides cover self-hosting steps, which matter because applying updates and keeping the install secure are the owner's job in this model.
How farmOS handles your data
farmOS is software rather than a service, so data handling depends on where you install it. The homepage names no company, hosting region, retention period or certifications, and training on customer data does not apply because there is no vendor service in the pages we read. If you use a host from the Hosting Guide, that host's terms govern your data and backups. You are responsible for access control, encryption and backup routines on your own installation.
Where farmOS falls short in practice
- You run the server. Installs, updates and backups fall to the owner under the Installation and Update Guides, so a farm without technical help takes on real operational risk.
- Community support only. Help comes through the community forum, chat and calls instead of a vendor support contract, so there is no service level to rely on in a harvest crunch or a failed update.
- API and AI not described. The pages opened do not describe API access, and no AI capability is named, so integrations rely on community modules and your own development work.
Works with
Alternatives to farmOS
farmOS: common questions
Is farmOS really free?
Yes for the software. The homepage states farmOS is free and open source under the GNU GPL. What you pay for is hosting, either on your own server or from a provider in the Hosting Guide, plus the time or contractor cost of updates and backups. No paid vendor plan is described on the page we read.
Who maintains farmOS?
The farmOS community maintains it, and the homepage names no company. Code sits in the farmOS GitHub organization, and help comes through a community forum, chat and calls. Because no vendor is named, there is no support contract or service level to cite in procurement.
Can I try farmOS before installing it?
Yes. The homepage links a demo farmOS site that lets you click through the interface. For a real deployment you then follow the Installation Guide, or pick a host from the Hosting Guide that sets the software up for you, which lowers the technical hurdle.
Does farmOS include AI features?
No AI capability is named on the pages we read. farmOS is positioned as planning and record-keeping software. Because it is open source, a developer could connect outside services through modules, but that would be your own project and not a feature the homepage promises.
Where is my data stored with farmOS?
Wherever you install it. The vendor states no hosting region, since there is no vendor service. On your own server you decide location, backups and access. With a third-party host, that host decides infrastructure, so read its terms on location, retention and what happens when you leave.