You already run Odoo, but the partnership with your current partner is not going as hoped. Tickets pile up. Advice feels reactive. Customisation is poorly documented. Or you notice your business is growing faster than your current Odoo partner can handle.
Then the question naturally comes up: can we move to another Odoo partner without losing our licences, database, progress or knowledge?
The short answer: yes, in most cases you can. But it is important to organise the switch carefully. Below you will read when switching is wise, what stays yours, and a step-by-step plan for a safe move.
Can you just switch Odoo partner?
Yes, in most cases you can move to another Odoo partner. Your Odoo database, licences and business data are and stay yours. You do need to check how your hosting, Odoo.sh project, customisation, documentation and current agreements are set up.
The practical steps can differ per situation: Odoo Online, Odoo.sh, self-hosted or external hosting each have their own points of attention. And you are not locked to a partner just because you use Odoo; the partner relationship is separate from your ownership of licences and data. Always check your current contract for notice periods and agreements.
When is it wise to switch Odoo partner?
Not sure whether it is you or the partner? These are signals that often point to a mismatch:
- You mainly get tickets resolved, but little strategic advice.
- Your partner does not know your industry or processes well enough.
- A lot of customisation was built, but nobody knows exactly why.
- Your project stalls or keeps slipping.
- You miss local knowledge of accounting, tax, e-commerce or logistics.
- You started directly with Odoo on a Success Pack, but miss local guidance or on-site involvement.
- Your current partner no longer fits your stage: you have grown, gone more international or become more complex.
That last one is common: many companies start directly with Odoo on a Success Pack and later find they need more proximity, industry knowledge or development than that model offers. More on that in Implementing Odoo directly or through a partner.
What stays yours when you switch?
Reassuring: most of it stays yours. Pay attention mainly to who has access and ownership where.
| Component | Does it stay? | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Odoo database | Yes | Check who is owner and admin |
| Odoo licences | Yes | The partner link must be changed |
| Data | Yes | Make a back-up up front |
| Customisation | Usually yes | Check repository, documentation and ownership |
| Odoo.sh | Yes, but the handover needs care | Check GitHub, repository and access |
| Support agreements | No, those change | Cancel or let the current contract expire |
| Knowledge of your setup | Not automatically | Have an audit or fit-gap done |
Important: your database, licences and data are yours, not your partner’s. Some partners suggest otherwise, but that is not correct. What you do need to arrange is who is currently owner and admin, so access is handed over cleanly.
Step-by-step: how to switch Odoo partner
Moving to a new Odoo partner usually works in seven steps.
Step 1: Decide why you want to switch
Not just “we are unhappy”, but concretely: speed, quality, industry knowledge, project approach, communication, customisation, support, cost or strategic advice. The sharper your reason, the more targeted your choice of a new partner.
Step 2: Make a short handover analysis
Map your current setup: which apps you use, which custom modules are active, where Odoo runs, who has admin rights, whether documentation exists, and which tickets or projects are still open. This prevents surprises during the handover.
Step 3: Choose a partner that fits your stage
Do not choose on size alone, but on experience with companies like yours and the stage you are in. Compare your options and see what you may expect from a good Odoo partner in the Netherlands.
Step 4: Invite several partners
Not to run a price contest, but to see a difference in vision. Let partners respond to your current setup, the risks they see and the first improvement points. That tells you more than a polished pitch.
Step 5: Have an Odoo audit or fit-gap done
A good new partner does not start blind with support. First you want to know what is there, what is fragile and which choices are wise. This step prevents you from quietly carrying old problems along.
Step 6: Arrange the formal handover
Coordinate the handover with your current partner and, where needed, your Odoo account manager. Practically it covers licences and partner link, database management, Odoo.sh, GitHub repository, hosting, admin rights, domains, email and external integrations. Put agreements in writing where you can.
Step 7: Plan a soft landing
The first 30 days are about stability: checking access, walking through critical processes, building documentation, prioritising open issues and delivering a few quick wins. That makes the switch feel like progress right away.
The biggest risks in a partner switch
The biggest risks usually sit not in the licences, but in access, documentation, customisation, hosting and knowledge transfer. Especially with Odoo.sh, external hosting, custom modules and integrations it is important to check up front who owns which parts. An audit beforehand surfaces these points before they become a problem.
Not every partner lets you go easily
Honestly: partners deal with switchers differently. Some cooperate maturely, as they should. Others try to make a switch harder, for example by tightening terms, dragging out the handover, or not readily handing over access and customisation. We have seen both in practice, and it often says a lot about how a partner views the relationship.
We do not think it is fair to bash partners in public. But we have guided quite a few switchers by now, so we know the patterns. Want to know whether your current partner is on our (informal) blacklist, and what the smartest switch strategy is in your case? Get in touch, no strings attached, and we will talk it through privately.
Where we stand. Radical Fanatics does not believe in holding clients back from switching in any way. We believe the best quality and service should be the glue, not a contract that locks you in. That is why we work with short-term contracts, every client can get the master password of their own Odoo.sh database, and customisation built specifically for a client can be taken to another environment. As it should be: your data, your system, your choice.
Ask a new partner this, up front
- Do I always have access to my own data?
- Do I always get admin access to the system, wherever it is hosted?
- Can I take customisation you build for me to another partner?
- Do you work with short contracts, or am I locked in for long?
- Do I get (on Odoo.sh) the master password of my own database?
Customisation: ask whether you can take it with you
If you have customisation built, always ask up front whether you can take it to another partner. Not every partner is open to that. With us, customisation developed specifically for a client is transferable to another environment. Put this in writing before development starts, not only when you already want to switch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just switch Odoo partner? In most cases yes. Your Odoo database, licences and business data usually stay yours. Check up front how your licences, hosting, Odoo.sh project, customisation and current agreements are set up, and review your contract.
Do my Odoo licences stay if I switch? Usually yes. Licences sit with your company; on a switch it is mainly the partner link that changes. Depending on contract and hosting the execution can differ.
Does my Odoo database stay? Yes, your database and data are yours. Make a back-up up front and check who is owner and admin.
What happens to custom modules? Customisation usually stays, but check where the source code lives, whether it is documented and who owns it. On Odoo.sh this often ties to a GitHub repository.
Does my current partner have to cooperate? For some steps (access, repository ownership, hosting) cooperation is helpful or needed. Much can also be arranged yourself or via Odoo. Put agreements in writing.
How do you hand over an Odoo.sh project? An Odoo.sh project ties to a GitHub repository and access rights. Check who owns the repository and project, and transfer ownership and rights carefully.
How long does switching take? Often a few weeks, depending on complexity, integrations and customisation. A new partner usually starts with an audit or fit-gap.
What does it cost to switch? The biggest cost sits in the handover and an optional audit, not in the licences. A modest upfront investment pays off because you do not start blind.
Not sure your current Odoo partner still fits?
You do not have to stay stuck in a partnership that slows your project. But you should not switch impulsively and buy the same problem again. The best switch starts with insight: what is there now, what is fragile, and which partner actually fits your business?
That is why we recommend an independent review, an Odoo switch scan. In a short scan we map what is in good shape, where the risks sit and which steps are needed to switch safely. Start with an Odoo scan or book a free intro call.