Top ERP software vendors for 2023

SAP S/4HANA ERP: Best for large enterprises

SAP S/4HANA has long been a top ERP choice for large enterprises. Although the implementation process for SAP S/4HANA can be lengthy, it is often well-tailored to any business. SAP is fully featured and offers an ERP solution for any size enterprise. For example, SAP Business One is a great option for small businesses, while SAP Business ByDesign was developed with growing midsize businesses in mind.

SAP’s standout ERP platform is SAP S/4HANA Cloud, which features built-in artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics for intelligent automation. These tools enable organizations to free up their IT resources and improve operational efficiency.

All SAP ERP platforms include key features such as asset management, supply chain management, finance management, sales tools and more.

Key features

• Well-established enterprise ERP solution with multiple subscription options.
• Supply chain management, finance management and business planning tools.
• Artificial intelligence for automation.
• Sales, CRM and logistics tools.

Pros

• Smooth interoperability between S/4HANA Cloud and other SAP offerings.
• Short implementation time and fast processes.
• Reviewers praise its database management tools.

Cons

• May be overwhelming for smaller companies or users unfamiliar with ERP software.
• Setup requires significant technical expertise.
• Relatively expensive and may require a lot of setup time or specialized skills, so it’s best for companies with a lot of resources.

Pricing

SAP representatives recommend getting in touch with sales or SAP Partners to determine the right pricing for each organization’s specific requirements and location.

Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP: Best for large amounts of data

Just like SAP, Oracle has been a leader in ERP for quite some time. In 2022, Oracle was named a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises for the third year in a row.

Oracle’s Fusion Cloud ERP includes a full range of capabilities that make it a perfect solution for organizations across industries. These capabilities include financial management, project management, compliance, procurement, supply chain management and robust analytics.

Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP delivers additional features for organizations looking to future-proof their tech stack. These features include AI automation and automatic updates.

Key features

• Financial and accounting management.
• Supply chain management.
• Business analytics.
• Artificial intelligence.
• Commitment to regular, 90-day updates.

Pros

• Ease of use.
• Customizable home page.
• Robust set of standard business features.

Cons

• The demoing, onboarding and sales processes can be convoluted, including setting up admin roles.
• Not as much customization as an on-premises ERP.
• Relatively costly.

Pricing

$150 per month for Oracle Fusion Sales Enterprise Cloud Service. See more details in this Oracle price list.

Microsoft Dynamics 365: Best for Windows users

For businesses already using Microsoft’s technology, choosing Microsoft for enterprise resource planning could be a smart idea. Microsoft offers robust products for small and midsize businesses and is becoming a growing force, looking toward larger organizations as well.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a complete suite of products organizations can choose from to fit their specific needs. Within it are the separate apps and functionalities that may be useful for ERP needs. Some of those products include Dynamics 365 Finance, Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.

The option to choose one product or all of them makes Dynamics 365 customizable and scalable. From customer relationship management to financial management, it’s all available through Microsoft’s ERP solutions.

Key features

• Part of overall Microsoft Dynamics 356 business applications.
• Streamlined process for sales and marketing pipeline.
• Finance tools.
• E-commerce management.
• Supply chain tracking.

Pros

• Relatively inexpensive, according to customer reviews.
• Intuitive to use for those familiar with other Microsoft products and widely supported.

Cons

• The interlocking group of services can be confusing for customers seeking only one module.

Pricing

• Dynamics 365 Finance starts at $180 per user per month.
• Dynamics 365 Business Central starts at $70 per user per month.
• Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management costs starts at $180 per user per month.

For more information, see the list of pricing for these and other Dynamics 365 business services.

Infor M3 ERP: Best for large industrial organizations

Medium and large companies, both national and global, should consider Infor, which is an emerging solution for enterprises that offers a set of applications specific to particular organizations.

For example, Infor M3 ERP was designed specifically for enterprise manufacturers and distributors, featuring capabilities such as global financial visibility, robust analytics and supply chain management. For other businesses within the general service industry, Infor provides a wide range of solutions for managing operations, including payroll, workforce management and financial management.

Key features

• Smart manufacturing insights.
• Sustainability data.
• Real-time data.
• Automation.
• Production scheduling tools.

Pros

• Large number of deployment options.
• Easy access to customer profiles and history.
• Flexible and customizable.

Cons

• Some reviews note the UI looks outdated or cluttered.
• Customizable UI can cause issues and requires intensive configuration.
• Long learning curve.

Pricing

Prospective customers should contact the company to book a personalized demo and request a pricing quote.

IFS Cloud ERP: Best for heavy industry

IFS is dedicated to serving organizations within complex industries such as aerospace and defense, construction and engineering, manufacturing, and telecommunications. The IFS ERP solution is built on the IFS Cloud, which provides a completely composable environment. This means the solution is completely customizable to fit your workflow, with different modules able to be swapped in and attached to your existing ERP platform on the cloud.

In addition, the IFS ERP solution provides many functionalities critical for all organizations, including financial management, human capital management, CRM, supply chain management, procurement, project management and commerce.

Key features

• Business analytics.
• Workplace productivity suite.
• Enterprise asset management.
• Field service notifications.
• CRM integrations.

Pros

• Flexible and offers various configurations for different business needs and types.
• One system offers all services.
• Offers both cloud-based and on-premises versions.

Cons

• Customer service can be patchy.
• Single system means integrations can be tricky.
• The interface can be cluttered.

Pricing

Prospective customers should contact the company or partners to book a personalized demo and request a pricing quote.

Workday: Best for managing enterprise finances

Workday is a full suite of enterprise-level apps that promises to help organizations “move beyond ERP.” Workday combines finance and HR functions into one streamlined platform, eliminating the need for disparate systems.

With Workday, organizations have access to a wide range of capabilities, including everything from human capital management and talent management to adaptive planning and reporting.

Workday’s core technology includes a flexible business process framework that enables organizations to configure it in a way that works best for them, without any coding required. This includes the ability to connect to third-party apps and services and integrate them into any workflow.

Key features

• Finance and HR services.
• Business strategy and growth.
• Financial insights.
• Employee and talent management.
• Performance tracking.
• Skills management.

Pros

• Reviewers consider it adaptable and easy to use.
• “Single source of truth” dashboard shows business overall effectively.
• Real-time updates.

Cons

• Can overwhelm users with multiple identical messages.
• Lack of batch processes can force users to do numerous tasks individually.
• Relatively expensive.

Pricing

Pricing for Workday is generally considered on the high end, but it will depend on individual needs.

Epicor Kinetic ERP: Best for SMBs

Epicor provides ERP solutions to small and midsize enterprises within industries such as manufacturing, automotive, retail and distribution. Epicor offers several platforms, each with their own specific use, ensuring organizations select an ERP platform that fits its needs.

For example, Epicor Eagle was built for retailers and includes capabilities such as point-of-sale, payment processing, back-office management and omnichannel management. Epicor Eclipse was developed for leading HVAC, electrical, plumbing and PVF distributors and includes capabilities such as supply chain management, analytics, warehousing and inventory management.

Other platforms within the Epicor suite include, but are not limited to:

• Epicor BisTrack for lumber and building material businesses.
• Epicor DMS Automotive for auto manufacturing organizations.
• Epicor Eagle for the Aftermarket for auto parts dealers, distributors and job shops.
• Epicor Kinetic for manufacturing organizations.
• Epicor LumberTrack for lumber and wood product manufacturers.

We’ll focus on Kinetic ERP here because it is one of the largest and most widely used offerings in the Epicor suite, but each option is tailored to a different type of organization.

Key features of Epicor Kinetic ERP

• Custom products for automotive, building materials businesses, heavy industry and/or independent resellers.
• Business process and supply chain management.
• End-to-end integration.
• Global communication and collaboration tools.
• Robust security infrastructure comes with Epicor Cloud.
• Connect partners, customers and vendors.

Pros of Epicor Kinetic ERP

• Effective display of real-time tracking and data.
• Efficient, proven workflow.
• Low-code and no-code functionality.

Cons of Epicor Kinetic ERP

• Lacks cloud documentation.
• Some customers note training could be improved.
• Some workflows can be cumbersome.

Pricing

Pricing is dependent on customer need, size and whether you are working with a partner organization and other requirements. Prospective customers can start a free demo here.

abas: Best for midsize manufacturers

abas offers an ERP platform designed specifically for midsize manufacturers within industries such as metalworking, automotive, electrical engineering and plastic technology. For these industries, abas is comprehensive and includes tools for scheduling, accounting, sales, purchasing, reporting, order processing, invoicing and project management.

Manufacturing organizations will benefit from several additional, niche features using the abas platform such as Internet of Things, plant data collection, service assignment planning, quality management and warehousing.

Just like the other ERP platforms included here, abas offers simple platform customization, enabling manufacturers to tailor their ERP to fit their unique workflows. Plus, customization is completed using low-code tools.

Key features

• Process management for manufacturing.
• Scheduling and production, including planning for resources and deadlines and real-time monitoring.
• Finance and accounting tools.
• Support for connectivity and IoT.
• Sales and purchasing tools.

Pros

• abas provides coding classes that enable customers to do customization independently.
• Easy integration with other software.
• Good suite of features for growing or midsize manufacturers.

Cons

• Some reviews say implementation can be convoluted.
• Supply chain management is granular and links to billing and inventory.
• Scheduling tools may not work as well for large organizations.

Pricing

abas ERP pricing is dependent on the number of users, the need for data migration and the complexity of the business processes requested by a prospective customer. Contact abas for more information.

Deltek Costpoint: Best for government contractors

For project-based businesses within industries such as accounting, IT and marketing, Deltek’s ERP solutions are some of the best available on the market. Deltek provides unique, niche tools depending on each organization’s needs. Plus, these tools are available in the cloud or on-premises.

For example, WorkBook is a management system designed for agencies and in-house teams. It provides project management tools, resource management tools, finance management tools and business intelligence in one solution.

ComputerEase is another product offered through Deltek for construction companies. This ERP solution provides features such as construction accounting, job costing, field mobility and service management.

While Deltek features several ERP options, we’ve highlighted Costpoint here because it is the flagship product. Deltek Costpoint specializes in government contract work and construction.

Key features of Deltek Costpoint

• Both cloud and on-premises solutions.
• End-to-end project management.
• Project life cycle management.
• Financial planning tools.
• A variety of tools depending on the type of organization.
• Engineer-to-order manufacturing management.

Pros

• Thorough tools for organizations working with government contracts.
• Can scale to companies of various sizes.
• Well-suited for boosting and monitoring productivity.

Cons

• Some features require exporting to other programs such as Excel.
• One-page information display can be confusing for customers used to tabs.
• Some reviews note that saving work can be cumbersome.

Pricing

Contact Deltek to book a personalized demo and request a pricing quote.

Sage Cloud X3: Best for small business bookkeeping

Sage delivers robust ERP apps and tools through Sage Business Cloud. These ERP apps are perfect for small businesses looking for simple and cost-effective solutions for accounting, procurement, customer service, production, sales and workforce management.

Sage also offers ERP solutions for established midsize businesses that need a bit more than the apps can give. Sage Cloud X3 delivers everything from production management to financial management. Plus, Sage Cloud X3 is completely customizable and can be connected with many other integrations and apps.

In addition to Sage X3, Sage offers two other key products for midsize businesses: Sage 100 and Sage 300. Sage 100 focuses on streamlining accounting processes, while Sage 300 includes features for managing finances, sales orders, inventory and payments.

Key features

• Project management.
• Quality control.
• Financial reporting and budgeting.
• Supply chain management.
• Sales and customer service management.
• Purchase order and invoice creation.

Pros

• Features are well-integrated and easy to use for non-accounting and non-IT users as well as accounting specialists.
• Wide variety of tools and features.
• Streamlines financial management processes.

Cons

• Detailed reporting requires add-on software.
• Customization can be a challenge.

Pricing

Sign up to contact Sage’s sales team for more information on pricing.