Frappe runs a single, tiered partner program for ERPNext and the Frappe stack, ordered Entry, Emerging, Bronze, Silver and Gold. "Certified" is not a tier — it is the baseline requirement every partner must meet before any tier applies. Higher tiers signal deeper commitment, more certified staff and a higher audited maturity score, not necessarily a better fit for your specific project.
Short answer
The Frappe partner program has five tiers — Entry, Emerging, Bronze, Silver and Gold — assessed on certified team members, an active Frappe Cloud footprint and an audited Partner Maturity Model (PMM) score. Silver and Gold require the highest maturity audits. Certification is a prerequisite for all tiers, so "certified partner" means the baseline, not a rank.
If you are shortlisting an ERPNext partner, the tier badges on their website will confuse you fast. One firm calls itself "certified", another "Gold", a third "official". These are not interchangeable. I am Manoj, an ERPNext and Frappe implementation consultant at Mith Tech in Bengaluru, and I read the Frappe partner documentation carefully so you do not have to. Honest take: the tier tells you how much a firm has invested in the Frappe relationship — it does not tell you whether that firm will scope your project honestly or stay after go-live, which matters far more.
What are the Frappe and ERPNext partner tiers?
Frappe operates one partner program with five ascending tiers: Entry, Emerging, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Movement up the ladder depends on three things — the number of full-time certified team members, an active Frappe Cloud footprint maintained by the partner, and an audited Partner Maturity Model score. Gold sits at the top and demands the highest audited maturity; Entry is the starting rung.
Certification underpins the whole structure. Frappe requires partners to employ full-time team members who hold complete ERPNext or Frappe Framework certifications earned through Frappe School — single-module or associate-level certificates do not count. Because of this, the phrase "certified Frappe partner" simply means a firm that has cleared the entry bar. It says nothing about which of the five tiers the firm occupies.
| Tier | Position | What it signals |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Starting rung | Registered company, baseline certified staff, active Frappe Cloud account |
| Emerging | Growing | Building certified capacity and a small live customer base |
| Bronze | Established | Deal support and full directory listing begin here |
| Silver | Senior | Requires a passed Partner Maturity Model audit |
| Gold | Top | Requires the highest audited maturity score |
Skimmable summary: Frappe's program has five tiers — Entry, Emerging, Bronze, Silver, Gold — gated by certified staff, Frappe Cloud footprint and an audited maturity score. "Certified" is the baseline for all of them, not a separate rank.
What does "certified Frappe partner" actually mean?
Certification is the qualifying condition for partnership, applied before any tier is assigned. Frappe requires a partner to be a registered company that employs full-time team members holding complete ERPNext or Frappe Framework certifications through Frappe School, and to maintain an active Frappe Cloud account with ongoing monthly billing. Only complete certifications qualify — partial or module-only credentials are excluded.
So when a vendor advertises itself as a "certified partner", read that as confirmation it has met the floor — a real company, real certified people, a live Frappe Cloud presence. That is genuinely useful: it filters out freelancers and firms with no verifiable Frappe relationship. But it does not distinguish an Entry-tier newcomer from a Gold-tier veteran. For that, check the actual tier badge and, better still, the official directory listing rather than the marketing copy.
Verify, do not trust the badge
Every genuine Frappe partner appears in the official directory at frappe.io/partners with a tier and a maturity rating. If a firm claims a tier its directory listing does not show, treat the claim with caution and ask directly.
Skimmable summary: "Certified" means a partner has cleared Frappe's baseline — a registered company with full-time, fully-certified staff and an active Frappe Cloud account. It confirms legitimacy but does not indicate tier; verify the tier in the official directory.
How does a partner reach Silver or Gold tier?
Reaching Silver or Gold turns on a formal audit, not just growth. Frappe assesses senior partners through the Partner Maturity Model — a framework that evaluates how disciplined and repeatable a partner's delivery processes are. Silver requires a passing PMM audit at one level; Gold requires the higher audit level, reflecting greater process excellence. Partners must initiate the audit well in advance of any planned upgrade.
The practical implication for buyers matters. A Gold tier is not bought — it is earned by passing an independent review of how a firm runs projects, supports customers and manages its practice. That makes the top tiers a meaningful signal of operational maturity. It does not, however, guarantee the firm is strong in your industry or available for your timeline. Maturity of process and fit for your project are different questions.
Meet the baseline
Register the company, certify full-time staff fully, and maintain an active Frappe Cloud account.
Build a live customer base
Grow real deployments on the Frappe stack over time, which lifts a partner through Entry, Emerging and Bronze.
Initiate the PMM audit
Request the Partner Maturity Model audit ahead of the intended upgrade date so Frappe's team can review the partner's processes.
Pass the required maturity level
Clear the maturity threshold for Silver, or the higher threshold for Gold, to be listed at that tier.
Skimmable summary: Silver and Gold are gated by the Partner Maturity Model audit — an independent review of delivery processes, initiated ahead of upgrade. Gold needs the higher maturity level. The top tiers signal operational maturity, not automatic fit for your project.
Do higher-tier partners cost more or deliver better?
Tier does not set the price you pay, and it does not guarantee a better outcome for your project. ERPNext is free and open source under GPLv3, so no partner sells a software licence. What you pay for is implementation, customisation and support, and every partner prices that independently. A Gold firm is not obliged to charge more, and an Emerging firm is not obliged to charge less.
Where tier genuinely helps you is as a maturity signal and a filter. Bronze and above unlock lead sharing and deal support from Frappe, fuller directory listings and larger Frappe Cloud discounts — benefits that scale with tier. A higher-tier partner has demonstrably invested in the relationship and passed more scrutiny. But a focused SME rollout often runs perfectly well with a smaller, hungrier partner who gives your account senior attention. Judge any partner on verifiable delivery, honest scoping and post-go-live support — the same criteria I lay out in my guide to choosing an ERPNext implementation partner in India.
| Question | What tier tells you | What tier does NOT tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Is the firm legitimate? | Yes — certification and registration are verified | — |
| Are their processes mature? | Silver/Gold pass an audit on this | Whether they suit your industry |
| Will they scope honestly? | — | Judge from proposals, not the badge |
| What will it cost? | Nothing — pricing is set per firm | — |
| Will they support you after go-live? | — | Ask about AMC and month-three support |
Skimmable summary: Tier is a maturity and legitimacy signal, not a price or an outcome guarantee. ERPNext is free and open source, so you pay for delivery, not a licence. A smaller partner can be the right fit for a focused SME rollout — judge on delivery, scoping and support.
Where do buyers find and verify Frappe partners?
Buyers should verify a partner through Frappe's own official directory rather than relying on a vendor's website. Frappe lists its partners — spanning 30-plus countries — in a searchable directory that shows each firm's tier and a maturity rating. Filtering by region helps you find a partner who understands local business practice, GST and compliance, which for Indian SMBs is a real advantage.
Use the directory as your source of truth. Cross-check the tier a firm advertises against its listing, look at the maturity rating, and then move the conversation to the questions that decide project success — sector experience, written scope, timeline and ongoing support. If your project needs heavy tailoring, the tier badge matters less than the firm's track record with the kind of work described in my overview of ERPNext customization services in India. For the wider picture of how ERPNext and the Frappe Framework fit together, see our Frappe and ERPNext platform page.
Skimmable summary: Verify partners in Frappe's official directory, which lists tier and maturity across 30-plus countries and lets you filter by region. Use it as the source of truth, then judge on sector experience, scope, timeline and support rather than the advertised badge alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is "certified" a Frappe partner tier?
No. Certification is the baseline requirement every partner must meet before any tier applies. A partner must be a registered company with full-time, fully-certified team members and an active Frappe Cloud account. "Certified partner" confirms legitimacy; the actual rank is one of Entry, Emerging, Bronze, Silver or Gold.
What are the Frappe partner tiers in order?
The tiers, from entry to top, are Entry, Emerging, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each higher tier requires greater commitment, more certified staff and — for Silver and Gold — a passed Partner Maturity Model audit. Gold sits at the top and demands the highest audited maturity level.
Is a Gold partner always better than a Silver or Bronze one?
Not necessarily. Gold signals higher audited process maturity and deeper investment in the Frappe relationship, which is meaningful. But it does not guarantee the firm suits your industry, timeline or budget. A lower-tier partner can give a focused SME project more senior attention. Judge on delivery track record and honest scoping, not the badge alone.
Do I pay Frappe or the partner for ERPNext?
ERPNext is free and open source under GPLv3, so there is no software licence to buy from anyone. You pay a partner for implementation, customisation, hosting and support. Pricing is set independently by each partner and is not fixed by their tier. Check the vendor's own proposal for costs.
How do I confirm a firm is a genuine Frappe partner?
Check Frappe's official partner directory at frappe.io/partners. Every genuine partner is listed there with its tier and a maturity rating. If a firm's advertised tier does not match its directory listing, ask about the discrepancy before proceeding.
Does Mith Tech's tier decide whether we are right for you?
No — and I would not want you to choose on that basis. What decides fit is whether we understand your processes, scope the work honestly in writing, commit to a timeline, and stay with you after go-live. The tier system governs the Frappe relationship; your outcome depends on delivery.
About the author
Manoj is an ERPNext and Frappe implementation consultant at Mith Tech, an independent open-source implementation studio in Bengaluru. He works with Indian SMBs to scope, deploy and support ERPNext, and writes plainly about how the ERPNext and Frappe ecosystem actually works so buyers can make informed decisions.