Choosing an ERP software is a big decision. Your company will invest time, money, and valuable resources implementing it and onboarding the employees who will be using it.
Plus, switching between different ERP systems if you don't like the one you signed up for isn't a quick, simple task.
Luckily, our cloud software experts are here to help you choose the best ERP system for your business. Today, we're comparing two of the most popular ERP systems: NetSuite vs Acumatica.
Reviewers on both sides claim they're using "The Best ERP Ever!" – but, which one is really the best?
|
NetSuite |
Acumatica |
|
|
Free Trial |
Yes |
No |
|
Pricing |
Per-User |
Per-Resource |
|
Reporting |
Real-Time |
Point-in-Time |
|
Cloud Deployment |
Yes |
Yes |
|
On-Premise Deployment |
No |
Yes |
|
Years in Business |
24 |
14 |
|
Number of Customers |
28,000+ |
8,0000+ |
NetSuite was started in 1998 and acquired by Oracle in 2016. It was built to help businesses of all sizes and industries scale quickly to build revenue and optimize productivity.
NetSuite is a cloud software capable of streamlining virtually any business function – from human resource management to marketing automation and accounting, this software truly does it all. That said, NetSuite excels in the ERP space.
NetSuite's ERP capabilities extend far beyond basic financial management. Some of the best features of NetSuite's ERP include marketing automation, opportunity management, end-to-end payroll management, and robust supply chain management.
At a glance:
Acumatica launched about ten years after NetSuite, in 2008. It started with a small team of developers who had the goal of creating a next-generation billing solution. Acumatica was acquired in 2019 by EQT Partners, a global investment company.
Acumatica is a fully customizable ERP system best for small to medium-sized businesses. The team at Acumatica relies on its partners to help make their software as successful as possible and credits rapid growth to this team. They offer partnerships through value-added resellers (VARs), independent software vendors (ISVs), and OEMs to handle software implementation and support.
At a glance:
The business functions between NetSuite and Acumatica are similar. Both ERP systems offer services to support core business functionalities for many different industries.
NetSuite and Acumatica both contain the following features:
There are a few slight differences, though:
While the core product offerings between NetSuite and Acumatica are comparable, they start to differ when it comes to implementation, pricing, and customer support.
Acumatica offers both on-premise and cloud solutions. It's built with .NET and Microsoft's server stack, so it can easily integrate with Microsoft's products.
One of the largest cons of Acumatica is that it does not have any pre-configured setups – it's a 100% blank canvas. While this might seem like a positive since you can customize it however you want, it leaves a lot more room for error. It also means implementation is a lengthy (and expensive) process.
When implementing Acumatica, you have to go through a third-party provider. Acumatica doesn't have the resources in-house to support implementation and it's up to you to shop around to find your ideal Acumatica partner. Acumatica believes this is better since it gives you the freedom to choose an implementation partner that specializes in your industry.
On the other hand, NetSuite has plenty of pre-configured implementation choices based on industry and business needs. This includes pre-built workflows, customizable reports, and additional functionalities. Because NetSuite doesn't have to be configured from the ground up during implementation, you could be up and running with NetSuite quicker than Acumatica if you don't need extensive customizations or complex integrations.
NetSuite's solutions by industry include everything from food and beverage to manufacturing and eCommerce. These are plug-and-play options that help get NetSuite up and running in the most effective way possible for your business.
There are also many NetSuite add-ons, whether they were developed by NetSuite or a third-party solutions provider. For example, at SCS Cloud, we've created a whole suite of NetSuite bundles that can help with payment automation, invoice consolidation, approval processes, and more!
With NetSuite implementation, you can choose between NetSuite or a certified third-party service provider. This gives you the freedom to choose the implementation partner that best suits your needs.
NetSuite does not provide an on-premise solution – it's only through the cloud. That said, NetSuite has mastered cloud software and you can trust it's a safe, reliable, and scalable solution for companies of any size. However, if you're looking for an on-premise solution, you might want to consider Acumatica.
Regardless of where you purchased NetSuite from, you will receive basic support services from NetSuite. This includes a 24/7, toll-free helpline for serious issues. NetSuite also has a community support group and an online database of solutions to common issues called SuiteAnswers.
If your business needs more than what the basic support services allow, there are two additional support levels:
The information above is just for the support provided directly from NetSuite. If you chose a third-party NetSuite solutions provider for your NetSuite implementation process, they might include support as part of their services. Or, they might offer hourly rates depending on the support needed. Here at SCS Cloud, we offer NetSuite support and optimizations services with quick, accurate, and personalized solutions.
Acumatica relies on its partner program for support services.
While Acumatica offers two direct customer support services, it advertises them as a complement to the support you should already have through your Acumatica partner. Acumatica's support is not meant to be a standalone service.
Acumatica offers the following support services:
Acumatica explicitly states that training, consulting, and implementation are not included as part of Acumatica support – those are all left up to your Acumatica partner.
Acumatica leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to support services – especially when we compare it with NetSuite. NetSuite automatically provides access to a free online support database and forum for any business with a NetSuite license. Plus, if you purchase NetSuite's highest support level, you will receive help with optimization and training.
NetSuite and Acumatica have very different pricing structures. While there isn't one set price for either application, Acumatica's pricing structure can be a bit more complicated than NetSuite's. Here's why.
NetSuite pricing is based on a few different factors. The main NetSuite licensing cost is priced per user, plus any additional modules, customizations, or integrations.
This is why the cost of NetSuite has such a wide range – you may just need to pay for the base license, or your setup could require extensive custom development work. (We break down how to price out NetSuite for your business in our NetSuite pricing guide.)
Regardless of the NetSuite edition you choose (which is based on the number of user licenses you'll need), they all come with ERP and CRM. If you're looking for additional industry-specific modules – such as financial management, inventory management, or eCommerce – you will need to purchase those separately.
Acumatica is priced based on resources used, rather than the number of users. While this can be beneficial for fast-growing companies quickly adding more staff members, it could become costly if your business processes large amounts of data every month.
For example, if you run a store that balloons from 1,000 monthly orders to 100,000 monthly orders, costs will significantly increase with Acumatica. While you probably need to add more headcount to accommodate these orders, the resource-based pricing isn't as friendly as per-user pricing to rapidly scaling businesses.
Acumatica offers three different licensing options: a SaaS subscription, a Private Cloud Subscription, and a Private Cloud Perpetual. The best licensing option for your business depends on its specific needs, such as whether you want to manage the solution internally, implement it as an on-premise solution, and how you prefer to pay your licensing fees.
Both software share commonalities, including:
While they share some similarities, there are also some key differences:
While we believe NetSuite contains more functionalities, transparent pricing, and support resources, the truth is we can't tell you exactly which ERP system is best for your business.
To choose the best ERP system for your company, you'll need to know exactly what you're looking to get out of it, whether other functionalities (such as PSA, eCommerce, and CRM) are important, and what you expect the business growth to look like over the next decade or so.
If you'd like to know if NetSuite is the right ERP system for you, contact us today to set up a free consultation. We can walk you through NetSuite, answer any questions you might have, and work together to help your business grow as seamlessly as possible.