IFS Cloud Platform vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud comparison

The compared IFS and SAP solutions aren't in the same category. IFS is ranked #13 in ERP , with an average rating of 7.8, and holds a 2.4% mindshare in the category. SAP is ranked #3 in CE , with an average rating of 8.1, and holds a 19.2% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of IFS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of SAP users who would recommend it.

IFS Cloud Platform

Read 30 IFS Cloud Platform reviews

2,379 Views
1,504 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Read 52 SAP S/4HANA Cloud reviews

1,645 Views
681 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

IFS Cloud Platform

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IFS Cloud Platform and SAP S/4HANA Cloud based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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To learn more, read our detailed ERP Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

ERP

April 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

IFS Cloud Platform

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

CRM (21st), Customer Experience Management (7th), Field Service Management (2nd), Help Desk Software (11th), ERP (13th), Activity Based Costing Software (7th), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) (3rd), Local Government CRM (6th), IT Asset Management (10th), IT Service Management (ITSM) (10th), License Management (3rd)

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud ERP (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, they serve different purposes. IFS Cloud Platform is designed for ERP and holds a mindshare of 2.4%, down 2.4% compared to last year.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud, on the other hand, focuses on Cloud ERP, holds 19.2% mindshare, up 12.4% since last year.

ERP

Cloud ERP

Featured Reviews

Brendan Fisher

IFS Applications Consultant at Zest Business Process Management Ltd

Robust, customizable, and modern

IFS is a very large and complex software, and implementation of IFS can be challenging and may lead to a difficult lengthy project. It can take between 12 and 24 months in some cases to deploy. I have found that not all clients are fully aware of how big the task is that they're undertaking when they make a decision to move to software like this. Companies need to be more aware of the complexity of an ERP implementation project and while I fully recommend moving to IFS, it is not easy and does require business change when adopting an ERP solution. New features are a difficult ask - I work across multiple industries and everyone would probably choose a different feature. Maybe BIM in Construction or Customs link-ups for importers/exporters.

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Sajid Farooq

Head of Professional Services at HCC - Technology & Advisory

Provides seamless integration of different modules in one place

Certain add-ons like quality control, payroll, and HRMS are not part of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud. SAP S/4HANA Cloud doesn't provide a quality control module. SAP S/4HANA Cloud does not have its own payroll and HRMS system. The partners develop their own cloud and integrate with the solution. There are certain modules specific to some industries, and SAP S/4HANA Cloud doesn't deal with those modules. Every partner of SAP S/4HANA Cloud has to develop its own and then integrate and certify with that solution. We can't say that these modules are part of SAP S/4HANA Cloud. There is a little area of improvement that SAP has to opt for particular types of solutions like QC, payroll, and HRMS. The graphics of SAP S/4HANA Cloud are not user-friendly. They don't look like they belong to a branded solution that costs too much. The solution's user interface is not appealing or user-friendly. On a scale from one to ten, where one is bad and ten is good, I rate the solution's user interface a five out of ten. SAP S/4HANA Cloud has built-in reports that are hard-coated. We have to alter or modify built-in reports in different marking segments, but there are no options for that. We have to build complete reports from scratch, and SAP-developed reports are not used in the market. SAP should provide a tool for customizing its developed reports so that there should not be a process of reengineering or reinventing the process.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable features of IFS Applications in the latest version are the new user Arena interface. It's from Apps 9, but it brings more flexibility in usage, especially around different devices, such as mobile usage, which doesn't restrict you from using a computer. We are it for the HR side, and it's proving quite good. It has a new modern feel to it similar to a standard cloud application which enhances the user experience."

"The platform is reliable and stable."

"The solution overall is very versatile and flexible, especially compared to other products."

"Some of the strengths are Enterprise Management Solutions and the series of Management solutions which is number one in Gartner's report and has been for the last five years."

"The most valuable feature is the distribution module."

"We could quickly understand what was going on and what the customer wanted to do."

"The workflow of the solution is very good."

"A high level of ERP can be handled in IFS."

More IFS Cloud Platform pros

"The most valuable features of SAP S/4HANA Cloud are the ease of use from the cloud, CapEx analysis report, and everything being connected together well."

"The most valuable feature of SAP S/4HANA Cloud is the uptime it provides from being on the cloud. We do not have to manage the solution. All the infrastructure management is done from their side."

"It was easy to implement."

"The most valuable feature of SAP S/4HANA Cloud is the new UX design."

"SAP versions used to be quite cumbersome for the end-users. Now SAP S/4HANA has a totally different approach. They use Fiori landing pages, which makes life better."

"The solution links everything and allows us to integrate into our entire supply chain."

"We were migrating from our in-house ERP solution to the solution, which was a more corporate-centralized solution. My role was to lead the team in mapping our processes with the central team. We aimed to find synergies and learn how to handle processes that weren't directly covered."

"We like the web portal or interface, which is great. The user experience is much better than the current traditional SAP landscape."

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud pros

Cons

"We have upgraded to the latest version right now. We have issues with the quality. We tried to enroll in their Evergreen program which was meant to help us adopt any service update or anything that the tool’s providers come up with."

"Sometimes from the sales perspective, clients don't always fully understand how large a task or a project they're getting involved in when they decide, "We're going to switch across to IFS." They could probably do a little bit more, maybe around preparing people for these projects."

"Documentation-wise, they need more."

"There are certain digital features that need to be incorporated, such as IOP."

"The solution needs to improve its documentation and user-friendliness."

"There are some stability issues."

"The solution's initial setup process was complex...The technical support my company receives from the implementation partners of the solution is not that great."

"IFS uses Crystal Report mostly, which isn't too user-friendly. Developing reports isn't easy and requires a lot of dev time. Since SAP bought it, Crystal Report has become more complicated to use on IFS. You have a dashboard for reporting that is good, but it's incomplete. Most of our clients use Power BI or some additional tooling for BI."

More IFS Cloud Platform cons

"I would like to see a feature where it allows integration with more platforms."

"It's not easy to facilitate the solution between us and SAP, so we have had to leave those issues open."

"Public cloud is single-tenant so there are limitations on what can be customized."

"It's a huge software, and they need to make it look less complex and more user friendly. They need to work on user stories and user experiences."

"I need more options for enhancing the system, especially compared to the features available in the on-premise version."

"UX design is not flexible and lacks compatibility with mobile devices."

"The implementation time for S/4HANA Cloud could be reduced."

"The solution's speed and dashboard could be improved."

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing is on an annual basis, with no additional costs."

"The pricing of the solution may appear to be expensive for smaller companies with only tens of users; however, for larger and mid-size industrial companies, IFS is able to win deals and the pricing is competitive in the market."

"I consider it to be a well-priced solution compared to other mid-range or high-end ERP solutions."

"IFS Applications is expensive software, but it's on par with SAP and Oracle. It's for large enterprises and government entities and not for small and medium-sized enterprises. They have one licensing model, but if you want to have a module-specific license, they provide component-based licenses. Unlike SAP and Oracle, it doesn't have different levels of licensing. It's one level of licensing."

"It is better to buy implementation services from IFS than from partners"

"Compared to SAP, the pricing for IFS Applications was very affordable. People using the solution would find that it's worth the money."

"The additional cost that comes with the solution includes the overhead of the people who are trying to fix the tool issues. These people are trying to reproduce the issue and report it to the technical support and testing with them which is huge. It is the cost of quality in the end."

"There are varying license levels that you can purchase."

More IFS Cloud Platform pricing and cost advice

"The solution is affordable."

"This is a pricey solution that best serves large enterprises. Be sure to ensure that your company's requirements need to be fulfilled by SAP. There are many other ERP's that are cheaper yet highly functional. However, it is still cheaper than some of the competition (i.e. Oracle, ESD, etc.)"

"S/4HANA is an enterprise solution that many can't afford. You must invest a lot to get the most out of it. It isn't cheap. I rate the price seven out of 10."

"The pricing of SAP S/4HANA Cloud is on the higher side."

"The price of SAP S/4HANA Cloud is expensive. However, the benefits are good. We did not purchase any upgrades."

"The license for S/4HANA is expensive, and the licensing structure is hard to understand. The admin license is something like 500 euros per user. Other ERP solutions allowed you to pick only the modules you need. The SAP ECC version requires you to take all the modules even if you are not using them."

"Pricing wise, SAP S4HANA Cloud is very expensive. The licensing cost can be 100,000 euros per year, depending on the number of users in your company."

"Its pricing is way over any of the other ERPs. I'd rate it one out of ten in terms of pricing."

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Energy/Utilities Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Educational Organization

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IFS Applications?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine or ten out of ten since it is an extremely scalable solution that can be used for various use cases with thousands of users.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IFS Applications?

The product is reasonably priced. The costs are justified by the value provided, considering the comprehensive features and minimal need for customization. I rate the pricing a seven out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IFS Applications?

I am not able to recall much about batch. Documentation-wise, they need more. There is not much available online, and the documentation availability is on the lower side compared to other products,...

See all answers

What do you like most about SAP S/4HANA Cloud?

The manufacturing area is a good feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP S/4HANA Cloud?

SAP S/4HANA Cloud is very expensive, both to purchase and maintain. It's important to evaluate the costs of recruiting and maintaining trained personnel as it's not just a one-time payment yet requ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP S/4HANA Cloud?

The system is very heavy and requires a lot of resources and a dedicated team. It is costly to maintain, demanding trained professionals, which adds to the expenses. This makes the overall cost ver...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 19% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

ServiceNow vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 7% of the time

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Compared 22% of the time

SAP Business ByDesign vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 22% of the time

SAP Business One vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 13% of the time

NetSuite ERP vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 10% of the time

SAP S/4HANA vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 4% of the time

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IFS Cloud Platform

April 2025

Download IFS Cloud Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

March 2025

Download SAP S/4HANA Cloud product report

Also Known As

IFS Applications, Assyst, IFS Cloud

SAP S4HANA Cloud

Overview

IFS is the world’s leading provider of Industrial AI and enterprise software for hardcore businesses that make, service, and power our planet. Our technology enables businesses which manufacture goods, maintain complex assets, and manage service-focused operations to unlock the transformative power of Industrial AI™ to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Industrial AI is IFS.ai.

IFS Cloud is a fully composable AI-powered platform, designed for ultimate flexibility and adaptability to our customers’ specific requirements and business evolution. It spans the needs of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Information Technology Service Management (ITSM), and Field Service Management (FSM). IFS technology leverages AI, machine learning, real-time data and analytics to empower our customers to make informed strategic decisions and excel at their Moment of Service™.

IFS

SAP S/4HANA stands for SAP Suite 4 HANA. It is a next-generation integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that is designed for businesses of all sizes, in all industries, that require deep and broad functionality combined with a high degree of flexibility. SAP S/4HANA was launched in 2015 and been adopted by more than 3,200 customers over a period of sixteen months. SAP S/4HANA is materially different from anything SAP has done before and represents the company’s biggest innovation since SAP R/3.

SAP S/4HANA is intended to provide a digital core for an organization. It is fully architected for the most advanced in-memory platform, SAP HANA, and is designed on the most modern design principles with the SAP Fiori user experience to create a personalized and simple feel on users’ device of choice (tablet, laptop, mobile). SAP S/4HANA aims to simplify an organizations’ system landscape and reduce total cost of ownership by shrinking the data footprint while at the same time improving productivity levels in the form of higher throughput. Timelines for cloud deployments average around six months.

SAP S/4HANA is designed to drive business innovation by connecting people, devices, and business networks in real time to support the development of new business models. It will also help accelerate the adoption of, and connection to, the Internet of Things and Big Data. SAP S/4HANA can analyze big data at unprecedented speed allowing users to access real-time information from anywhere, any way they’d like and thus help managers make truly insightful decisions. The simplified data model allows customers to reimagine their IT, helping to drive lower costs and deliver IT efficiency. This, coupled with the SAP S/4HANA prediction and simulation capabilities allow it to anticipate the impact of business outcomes. By doing all the above, SAP S/4HANA aims to provide ultimate sophistication in the simplest possible manner.

To learn more about SAP S/4HANA, visit http://go.sap.com/product/enterprise-management/s4hana-erp.html

SAP

Sample Customers

China Airlines, Electrolux Group, Babcock, Cimcorp, Sky, Multiplex, Veolia.

La Trobe University, Carrefour Comércio e Indústria Ltda, Delaware Consulting and Corning Inc.

Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Microsoft, Oracle and others in ERP. Updated: April 2025.

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