When implementing Odoo ERP for your Australian business, one of the most critical early decisions you’ll face is where to host your system. The hosting model you choose directly impacts speed, support, cost, data sovereignty, and your long-term flexibility.
Below, we break down the three most common hosting options for Odoo — Odoo.sh, Local Server, and Odoo Enterprise SaaS — to help you choose the best fit for your business needs.
1. Odoo.sh (Managed Cloud Hosting by Odoo)
Best For: Businesses that want flexibility and control, but without full infrastructure headaches.
Pros:
- Fully managed by Odoo, including backups, scaling, and performance monitoring.
- Supports custom development, third-party apps, and studio-based customisations.
- Built-in staging and testing environments for safer deployments.
- Integrates with GitHub for developer collaboration.
- Generally more stable than DIY VPS hosting.
Cons:
- Hosted in Europe (Belgium), so data sovereignty may be a concern for sensitive industries.
- Requires some developer involvement for deployment and version control.
- Cost is in USD and separate from your Enterprise licence.
Indicative Cost: ~$90–$200 AUD/month (varies by usage)
2. Local Server or VPS Hosting
Best For: Businesses with an internal IT team, strict compliance requirements, or specific integration needs.
Pros:
- Full control over your hosting environment.
- Can be hosted within Australia, ensuring compliance with data residency requirements (important for government contracts, NDIS providers, and some health services).
- Choose your own security protocols, performance tuning, and backup strategy.
Cons:
- You are responsible for maintaining the server, uptime, security, and backups.
- No official support from Odoo — all responsibility lies with your internal or contracted team.
- Can become expensive or unstable without the right expertise.
Indicative Cost: ~$100–$400 AUD/month + IT admin time
3. Odoo Enterprise SaaS (Odoo.com Hosting)
Best For: Startups and SMEs with simple needs and no custom development.
Pros:
- Instant deployment — no technical setup required.
- All-inclusive pricing — hosting is bundled with your Odoo Enterprise licence.
- Odoo handles everything — backups, maintenance, scaling.
- Great for businesses using only standard modules and workflows.
Cons:
- No custom modules or third-party add-ons allowed.
- No backend access or staging environment.
- Hosted outside Australia (usually in Europe or the US), so may not meet data residency requirements.
Indicative Cost: Included in Enterprise licence (~$40–$80 AUD/user/month)
Local Considerations for Australian SMEs
When choosing your hosting model, Australian businesses should weigh:
- Data Sovereignty: If your business handles sensitive personal data (e.g. NDIS, healthcare, legal), local hosting or a provider with Australian data centres is often preferred.
- Latency: European-hosted services like Odoo.sh and SaaS can introduce minor lags, especially for remote or regional teams.
- Support Access: A local Odoo partner (like OODA Consulting) can bridge the gap — even with overseas hosting — by handling your support, updates, and system changes.
- Total Cost of Ownership: While SaaS is simplest upfront, Odoo.sh or local servers offer better scalability and ROI for growing, customising businesses.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a hosting model isn’t just about cost — it’s about balancing simplicity, control, compliance, and long-term goals. If you’re unsure where to start, OODA Consulting can help you design a hosting and implementation plan tailored to your business.
Call 1300 421 510 to book a free discovery call.