For a small Odoo database with no custom code, an upgrade can cost very little, because Odoo’s own upgrade service is included in your Enterprise subscription. The cost rises with every custom or third-party module, every version you skip and every integration that has to be retested. In Australia that means anything from a few thousand dollars for a clean, standard database to tens of thousands for a heavily customised jump across several versions. All figures here are indicative and exclude GST.
This guide explains what drives the effort, what Odoo does for free, what your partner has to do, and how to keep the next upgrade cheap.
What Odoo’s upgrade service covers, and what it leaves to you
If you hold an Odoo Enterprise subscription, Odoo will technically convert your database to a newer version at no extra charge. According to Odoo’s upgrade documentation, that service covers:
- all standard apps and their data;
- customisations built in Odoo Studio, provided Studio is still installed and the subscription is active;
- custom code covered by an Odoo “maintenance of customisations” subscription.
It does not cover:
- custom modules written in-house or by a partner, unless they sit under that maintenance subscription;
- third-party modules from the Odoo Apps store or elsewhere;
- cleaning up old data or configuration;
- training your people on the new version.
Odoo is also clear that a database with custom modules cannot be upgraded until those modules have been rewritten for the target version. That porting work is where most of the partner cost sits.
One more trap. Odoo’s subscription agreement lets it charge a one-time fee at upgrade time for covered extra modules that have not been under maintenance for the last 12 months. Check your contract before you request the upgrade.
The six things that drive the cost
1. The version gap
Moving from Odoo 18 to 19 is usually modest. Moving from 14 or 15 to 19 or 20 means every custom module has to absorb several versions of framework change at once. Odoo’s upgrade platform can jump several versions in one request. Your custom code still has to work on the final version, and testing has to cover every changed screen and workflow.
2. Custom and third-party modules
This is the biggest single driver. A useful first question is simple: how many installed modules did Odoo not write? For each one we need to know whether it is still needed, whether the vendor has released a version for the target release, and how much rewriting it needs. Some modules can be retired because standard Odoo now does the same job. That is often the cheapest saving in the whole project.
3. Studio customisations
Odoo upgrades Studio changes for you, which is a real advantage. They still need testing, especially automated actions, custom reports and fields that other code depends on.
4. Data volume and data quality
Large databases take longer to upgrade and to test. Old, inconsistent data (duplicate contacts, half-finished stock moves, unreconciled entries) can cause upgrade errors that someone has to diagnose and fix. Odoo does not clean data as part of its service.
5. Hosting
- Odoo Online: custom code is not allowed, so upgrades are the simplest. Odoo schedules them, and major versions must be upgraded at least every two years.
- Odoo.sh: integrated with the upgrade platform. Your custom modules are rebuilt and tested against an upgraded copy of production on a staging branch.
- On-premise: most flexible and most manual. You request the upgraded database, merge the filestore, port the code and redeploy, yourself or through your partner.
6. Integrations and testing
Every connection to another system (payroll, eCommerce, EDI, banking, a 3PL warehouse) needs retesting. Testing is the part businesses underestimate most. Odoo recommends running real daily processes in an upgraded test database before going live. That takes your staff’s time as well as ours.
Illustrative effort bands
The bands below are illustrations of typical effort, not quotes. Every database is different, and the only way to get a firm number is to look at yours.
| Scenario | Typical starting point | Illustrative effort |
|---|---|---|
| Standard database, no custom code | Odoo Online or Odoo.sh, one version behind | A few days, mostly testing and training |
| Light customisation | 1–5 small custom or third-party modules, one or two versions behind | 1–3 weeks |
| Moderate customisation | 5–20 modules, a couple of integrations, two or three versions behind | 3–8 weeks |
| Heavy customisation | 20+ modules, several integrations, large data volume, v14/15 to 19/20 | 2–4 months or more |
Your licence price does not change because you upgrade. If you are currently paying Odoo’s 25% legacy fee for an old version, upgrading removes it. See Odoo version support and the legacy fee for how that fee works.
Community to Enterprise
Odoo’s upgrade documentation says plainly that switching editions is not part of an upgrade. Moving from Community to Enterprise is a separate piece of work. It is often done at the same time as a version upgrade, since everything is being tested anyway. Expect extra effort to install the Enterprise modules, review Community add-ons that duplicate Enterprise features, and retrain users on changed screens. Once you are on Enterprise, future upgrades of standard apps are covered by Odoo.
Upgrade checklist
| Step | What to do | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Inventory | List every installed module and mark it standard, Studio, custom or third-party | Partner |
| 2. Retire | Remove modules you no longer use or that standard Odoo now replaces | Partner + you |
| 3. Check contract | Confirm subscription status, user count and any maintenance fees owed | You |
| 4. Test upgrade | Request an upgraded test database from Odoo | Partner |
| 5. Port code | Rewrite custom modules; get target-version releases of third-party modules | Partner |
| 6. Clean data | Fix records that block the upgrade or will confuse users | Partner + you |
| 7. Test | Run real end-to-end processes, reports and integrations | You + partner |
| 8. Train | Show users what has changed | Partner |
| 9. Go live | Book downtime, upgrade production, check the first day’s transactions | Partner + you |
| 10. Document | Record every customisation and why it exists | Partner |
How to keep future upgrades cheap
- Stay close to standard. Every process you run the way Odoo designed it is one less thing to port. Ask whether a change is really needed before building it.
- Prefer Studio to code where it fits. Odoo upgrades Studio work for you. Code needs a developer every time.
- Upgrade more often, in smaller steps. One version at a time is cheaper per step and far less risky than a big jump every four or five years.
- Keep third-party modules to a minimum. Choose vendors with a record of releasing new versions promptly.
- Document your customisations. A short note per module covering what it does, who asked for it and which process depends on it saves days of investigation at upgrade time.
- Keep your data tidy. Regular clean-up of stale records makes every upgrade smoother.
If you are coming from SAP, the same principle applies: the less you customise on day one, the cheaper every year after. We cover that in What it really costs to leave SAP for Odoo.
Where EnCollab fits
EnCollab is a Queensland-based Odoo Silver partner with more than 30 years of SAP experience, which shapes how we run upgrades: inventory first, retire what you can, test properly and document as we go.
Book a free Odoo upgrade assessment. Tell us your version, hosting and roughly how many custom and third-party modules you run, and we will talk you through what an upgrade is likely to involve before you commit to anything.
FAQ
Is the Odoo upgrade free? For Enterprise subscribers, Odoo’s technical upgrade of standard apps, Studio customisations and maintained custom code is included in the subscription. Porting unmaintained custom and third-party modules, cleaning data, testing and training are not included. That is where partner costs come from.
How long does an Odoo upgrade take? A standard database can be upgraded and tested in days. A heavily customised database jumping several versions can take two to four months, mostly because of code porting and testing.
Can I skip versions when upgrading Odoo? Yes. Odoo’s upgrade platform can move a database from an older version to any version still under standard support, or one that left standard support less than six months ago. Your custom modules still need to be rewritten for the final version.
Do I have to upgrade Odoo? On Odoo Online, major versions must be upgraded at least every two years. On Odoo.sh you have three years of standard support and then two more years to complete the upgrade. On-premise you can stay on an old version, but support for old versions now attracts a 25% legacy fee.
Does upgrading change my Odoo licence price? No. The licence is based on users and plan, not version. Upgrading to a supported version removes the 25% legacy fee if you are paying it. See Odoo pricing in Australia.
Can I move from Community to Enterprise during an upgrade? Yes, many businesses do both together. Odoo treats the edition change as separate work from the version upgrade, so budget for it separately.