Want to cut right to the case? The best SAP alternative right now is NetSuite.
A pioneer in ERP development, SAP is one of the most powerful forces on the market. Indeed, 99 out of the 100 largest companies use SAP and nearly 250,000,000 users are connected to the SAP cloud.
None of this means SAP should be your top ERP consideration. SAP’s high license and maintenance costs and lack of specialization can deter small businesses. You also might find SAP prioritizes larger clients over your business. Here are ten strong alternatives and competitors to SAP, each with its own advantages, drawbacks, and specializations.
Top 10 Best SAP Alternatives & Competitors
- NetSuite – Most Cloud-Friendly Alternative
- Dynamics – Most Integrative Alternative
- Intacct – Most Accounting-Oriented Alternative
- SYSPRO – Most Compact Alternative
- ePROMIS – Most Recommended Alternative
- Infor SyteLine – Most Established Manufacturing-Friendly Alternative
- Epicor Kinetic – Most Flexible Manufacturing-Friendly Alternative
- Apache OFBiz – Most Efficient Open-Source Alternative
- Brightpearl – Most Retail-Friendly Alternative
- Odoo – Most Established Open-Source Alternative
1. NetSuite – Most Cloud-Friendly Alternative
PRICING: starts at $999 per month
NetSuite was founded in 1999 as an early cloud-based ERP. In 2016, NetSuite was acquired by Oracle. NetSuite is highly integrated and offers a variety of modules such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM).
As far as pricing goes, NetSuite is on the expensive side, which is why it may not be the best for new and small companies. However, the monthly cost will differ depending on which functions your business requires in an ERP. In the long run, NetSuite may just prove to be a cost-effective choice.
KEY FEATURES:
- Cloud-based ERP
- Contact Management
- Bank Reconciliation
- Inventory
- Payroll and HR
REASONS TO BUY:
- Highly integrated
- Human Capital Management solution
- CRM
- SCM
- Global Account Management
- Good customer service
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Not the most customizable
- May offer too many features
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2. Dynamics – Most Integrative Alternative
PRICING: starts at $44 per month
Microsoft Dynamics 365 was created in 2016 by the merger of Dynamics AX and Dynamics CRM. Being Microsoft software, not only does the UI heavily reflect apps like Outlook, it’s heavily integrated with other Microsoft products. Dynamics 365 is highly user-friendly and very customizable.
In terms of cost, your business might require additional features for Dynamics, and these costs quickly add up. Dynamics 365 is better on the whole for mid to large-size businesses.
KEY FEATURES:
- Integrated with other Microsoft products
- Combined ERP and CRM
- Similar interface to MS Word
- Built-in AI
- SCM
- Field Service Management
REASONS TO BUY:
- Great for those familiar with Microsoft apps
- Automated lead generation
- User-friendly interface
- Very customizable
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Auto-updates can be disruptive
- Costly additional features
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3. Intacct – Most Accounting-Oriented Alternative
PRICING: Quote-based
Intacct was founded in 1999 as one of the first accounting applications to make use of the cloud. Intacct was acquired by the Sage Group in 2017, becoming officially renamed Sage Intacct.
Intacct is specifically designed for accounting management, boasting accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger modules. Intacct is also very accommodating for international business, with built-in currency conversions and local tax reporting. With so many features, Intacct’s interface is not always the friendliest, and you might find a steep learning curve between you and mastery of this ERP.
KEY FEATURES:
- Cloud-based
- Currency conversions and local tax reporting
- Vendor management
- General Ledger
REASONS TO BUY:
- Quote based pricing
- Streamlines financial reporting
- Advanced accounting capabilities
- Integrates well with third-party software
- Accommodating for international businesses
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Steep learning curve
- User-unfriendly interface
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4. SYSPRO ERP – Most Compact Alternative
PRICING: starts at $199 per month
Syspro is a South Africa-based software company operating since 1978. Syspro is highly modular including, among other things, inspection, lean inventory management, and order management
With a core set of functions, Syspro is compact and easy to learn. Syspro is more geared toward smaller, newer companies; bigger businesses may be disappointed by the lack of scalability and comparative simplicity of Syspro.
KEY FEATURES:
- Modular system
- Bill of Material management
- Inspection
- Lean Inventory Management
- Order Management
REASONS TO BUY:
- Very user friendly
- Highly customizable
- Very compact with solid core functionality
- Stable company history
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Many functions require opening multiple tabs
- No HR module
- Not much scalability
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5. ePROMIS – Most Recommended Alternative
PRICING: Quote-based
ePROMIS was established in Texas in 1981. ePROMIS now has over 3,000 customers and one million users around the world. ePROMIS offers a variety of features like CRM and SCM, allowing teams to organize information with ease and streamline tasks.
Multiple packages are available for ePROMIS depending on the size of your company. ePROMIS is a highly recommended ERP. Some users, however, find the program difficult to customize and dislike the complex dashboard.
KEY FEATURES:
- CRM
- SCM
- Inventory Management
- Human Relations
REASONS TO BUY:
- Fairly quick learning curve
- Mobile friendly
- Multiple packages
- Cloud-based
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Complex dashboard
- Difficult to customize
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6. Infor SyteLine – Most Established Manufacturing-Friendly Alternative
PRICING: starts at $150 per month
SyteLine is best for small to medium-sized manufacturing and distribution companies, equipped with Chain Management, Built-to-Print, Configure-to-Order, and Engineer-to-Order features. SyteLine has been servicing manufacturers for over 35 years.
Many reviewers praise SyteLine for coming with a robust toolbox and enough features to not warrant third-party tools. On the other hand, many users complain that the interface is counterintuitive and difficult to navigate. SyteLine is also a very niche ERP, so be sure it’s precisely what your business requires.
KEY FEATURES:
- Hosted and cloud-based options
- Product Configurator
- Planning and Scheduling
- Configure-to-Order
- SCM
REASONS TO BUY:
- Advanced Business Intelligence
- Automated workflow
- Designed for manufacturing sector
- Doesn’t require many third-party tools
- Cloud and hosting based
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Much of the interface is not intuitive
- Not mobile-friendly
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7. Epicor Kinetic – Most Flexible Manufacturing-Friendly Alternative
PRICING: starts at $175 per month
Epicor Kinetic, formerly known as Epicor ERP, is geared towards medium-sized manufacturers and distributors. Kinetic comes with a rich array of modules like CRM and SCM and lends itself to customization, scalability, and flexibility.
Epicor streamlines activity and contains most modules that a successful business might need in an ERP. However, as of Epicor’s latest update in 2021, many users have criticized this ERP for being user-unfriendly, with a confusing and hard-to-navigate interface.
KEY FEATURES:
- Multi-currency reporting
- Learning Center with training videos
- Cloud-based
- Epicare support system
- Human Capital Management
- Business Intelligence and Analytics
- Risk and Compliance
REASONS TO BUY:
- Easily customizable
- Errors are easily correctable
- Great for manufacturers
- Very flexible and scalable
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Complicated Interface
- Multiple layers may be confusing
- Must pay for many additional modules
- Lacks process flowcharts
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8. Apache OFBiz – Most Efficient Open Source Alternative
PRICING: Free
Apache OFBiz (short for “Open for Business”) was created in 2001. OFBiz is open-source which means the code is publicly available to anyone for distribution and modification. OFBiz has over 30 committers and 30 contributors from around the world.
As a result of being open source, OFBiz is highly community-driven. Bugs can be fixed quickly and the software is updated frequently. On the other hand, there is no live customer support, and OFBiz is done entirely through the cloud. If you want OFBiz hosted, you will need to go through a third party.
KEY FEATURES:
- Open-source
- Billing and invoicing
- Integrated with CRM and SCM
REASONS TO BUY:
- Free
- Includes e-commerce module
- Highly customizable
- Scalability
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Need third parties to host
- No live support
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9. Brightpearl – Most Retail-Friendly Alternative
PRICING: Quote-based
Brightpearl is a specialized ERP for retail that additionally offers OMS and WMS capabilities. An ideal all-in-one solution, Brightpearl will store customer data, inventory, orders, and more all in the same place. Brightpearl offers three price-based packages dependent on the gross merchandise volume of your business.
While storing all information in one system might be fantastic for your company, you will find this new software differs tremendously from your previous software, and some users are disappointed with Brightpearl’s customer service and the high amount of training required to use Brightpearl effectively.
KEY FEATURES:
- Inventory Management
- Order Management
- Purchasing and Supplier
- CRM
- E-commerce
- Business Intelligence
REASONS TO BUY:
- Designed for retail and wholesale
- Highly automated
- Not complex
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Customer service
- Requires a lot of training
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10. Odoo – Most Established Open Source Alternative
PRICING: starts at $20 per month
Odoo was founded in 2005 as TinyERP. The company would see stupendous growth over the next decade and undergo several name changes, finally being renamed Odoo in 2014. Odoo has emerged as a strong competitor to SAP, having developed a very flexible ERP with a publicly available source code. Odoo also offers a plethora of modules your business might need.
While Odoo is very customizable, getting there can be very complex, so your IT crew will need to be very skilled at programming to set up the ERP just right. Furthermore, interaction with customer service has received mixed reviews.
KEY FEATURES:
- Inventory and Map
- Human Resources
- Business Intelligence
- CRM
REASONS TO BUY:
- Open-source
- Cloud- and host-based
- Very flexible and customizable
- Very intuitive interface
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Customization requires thorough IT knowledge
- Implementation can be difficult
- Customer service receives mixed reviews
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References and Links
- https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-is-sap
- https://assets.cdn.sap.com/sapcom/docs/2017/04/4666ecdd-b67c-0010-82c7-eda71af511fa.pdf
- https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/erp/what-is-netsuite.shtml
- https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/oracle-netsuite-review.html
- https://www.kasareviews.com/netsuite-review-pros-cons/
- https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-us/
- https://www.thirdstage-consulting.com/independent-review-of-microsoft-dynamics-365/
- https://www.sageintacct.com/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/sage-intacct-review
- https://ca.syspro.com/
- https://www.selecthub.com/erp-software/syspro/
- https://www.epromis.com/
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/epromis-maintains-the-top-position-in-frontrunners-r-erp-software-report-by-software-advice-a-gartner-company-841393771.html
- https://www.infor.com/solutions/erp/syteline
- https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/infor-syteline-review
- https://www.epicor.com/en-us/industry-productivity-solutions/manufacturing/platforms/kinetic/
- https://www.thirdstage-consulting.com/independent-review-of-epicor-kinetic/
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/
- https://open-source-guide.com/en/Solutions/Applications/E-commerce/Ofbiz
- https://www.opensourcewave.io/post/ofbiz-an-open-source-enterprise-erp-and-much-more
- https://www.brightpearl.com/
- https://financesonline.com/review-brightpearl-pros-cons-pricing-award-winning-inventory-management-erp-software/
- https://www.odoo.com/blog/odoo-news-5/the-odoo-story-56
- https://www.thirdstage-consulting.com/independent-review-of-odoo/
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