ERP software compared: what 9 companies charge

We do not convert currencies. A page we could not read is marked could not read, a page that asks for a quote is marked quote only, and the reasons are listed below the table. Pages can show different prices to visitors in different countries. A price with no currency named is shown with the sign the page used; it may be the United States version or the one for the country the page assumed we were in, so check the page you are sent to.

• 4 of the 8 we could read charge per user, or for extra users, on at least one plan, so the price grows with the team.
• 2 of the 9 show a quote request instead of a price, and 1 of the 9 could not be read.
• 4 of the 8 we could read offer a free plan, and 6 offer a time-limited trial.

Taken from what each company's own page says it is for.

• ERPNext (Frappe): Small businesses running one site on the Sites plan; the page says self-hosting suits companies with a tech team and the self-implement route suits freelancers and DIY users.
• Odoo: Businesses that want apps such as CRM, inventory, manufacturing and accounting from one supplier; the page says the Custom plan is for companies managing several companies in one database.
• NetSuite: Growing businesses; the page says the cloud ERP platform is built for growing businesses.

• Odoo: A footnote says a discount is valid for 12 months for initial users ordered, and its size is not stated.
• Acumatica: The page says price follows the number of applications, the business usage and resources, and the licence type, not user seats, and its headline says unlimited users.
• Katana: The paid plan is a custom annual contract that includes a custom build and implementation, and there is no per-user charge. The free plan is limited to 30 SKUs, and the FAQ mentions older Standard, Professional and Professional Plus plans with no prices shown.
• Zoho Inventory: Plans cap orders, users and locations, and add-ons cost extra: users A$12, 500 more orders A$12, locations A$15.58, advanced warehousing A$190.83 (each per organization per month, billed annually). A Jumpstart setup programme is mentioned with no price shown.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: Prices exclude GST. The page says to contact a partner to purchase or to get an assessment, consulting or extra pricing, and it shows no implementation fee or user minimum.
• Fishbowl: An implementation package is required with every purchase and its price is not shown. AUD prices exclude GST, and Advanced pricing is always confirmed by quote.
• ERPNext (Frappe): The page says to pay for what you use and not per user. Setting ERPNext up costs extra: Starter Packs from certified partners and partner implementation have no price on the page, and the free option means hosting it yourself.
• MRPeasy: From the 11th user a 10-user bundle is a flat $79 a month, and the Unlimited plan needs at least 2 users. Training is $150 an hour, and the page says no contracts and no mandatory implementation or training package.

• Setup. ERP prices often leave out the people who install and configure it, which can cost more than the licence.
• What the quoted price includes: accounts, stock, manufacturing, sales, people.
• Charges per user, per module and per environment.
• How long until the first real invoice goes through, not how long until it is installed.

These pages did not give us a price we could read. That is a limit of how we read, not a sign that the company hides its prices.

• SAP Business One: its pricing page refused our request.
• NetSuite: its Australian page describes a subscription with a free demo and product tour, and gives no price.

Most small businesses do not need an ERP. They need three or four small tools that agree with each other. We will tell you if that is you, and we build the joins, or the whole system if you do need one, quoted in writing.

See also: custom software, dashboards and what we charge.