Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Infor M3 vs SAP Business One comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

Infor M3
Ranking in ERP
13th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (8th)
SAP Business One
Ranking in ERP
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Infor M3 is 4.8%, up from 3.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Business One is 4.0%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

Pravinkumar Bhandare - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is a reliable, stable, and cost-saving ERP
Different countries have different finance practices, but I believe they need to fine-tune their practices to match industry standards. Practices vary from country to country, for example, in India, it is different than in the US. Sometimes, clients require alternate processes that are not standard, but they claim that these are the standard practices in their industry. At those times, we feel that the option required is not available with the solution. This is not the case only for Infor M3. Other ERPs also have the same problem. We can't mold the ERP to fit the customer's requirements. There are some standards in place because many screens and programs are integrated into the finance process. We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements. The customer needs specific screens for different users, so if that program is in place, we have one planning tool in Infor M3. Planners need to know all things related to manufacturing, purchase, and sales in order to make decisions about planning. In one of my clients, I came across the requirement that they were asking for user authority in the planning tool. This is not the case though, because all planners need to know all things. However, on the manufacturing side, we can say that the person who is working with machine operations only needs to know machine-related information and doesn't need knowledge of products or sales. That standard industry is available, so we can give access to the user as per their needs. If the maintenance people are there, we can give them limited access, but if the planner is there, we need to give them all access according to industry standards. However, this requirement from the client side is not possible with the standard Infor software, but Infor can consider implementing it if the need is larger for many customers.
Madhava Pemmaraju - PeerSpot reviewer
Many features are standardized, which reduces the need for customization but lacks solutions for some use cases
SAP Business One is primarily used for small to medium businesses in the MSMB market. It helps run the packaged enterprise solution for customers who cannot afford a full-fledged SAP S4HANA solution. It is used for standard finance, warehouse, and supply chain processes One of the biggest…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Its ease of use is most valuable. Inquiries are transparent, and it shows good information on each screen. We don't have to go to 14 different screens to find out about one item, which is a big advantage."
"Infor M3 has tailor-made packages for each and every industry."
"The user interface and user experience were good."
"provides all modules, supply chain, HR - it's good for management."
"The most valuable feature of Infor M3 is the level of detail it has about the different manufacturing processes compared to other ERP solutions. Other ERP solutions provide the same level of integration as Infor M3, but Infor M3 specializes in several functions, such as planning and manufacturing."
"M3 has several useful features for managing supply chains, production, and customer orders. It's an excellent system that helps me meet all my requirements for fixed costs."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is highly customizable."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the Infor GL tool that allows us to do our application support and development."
"So there are a lot of features included with the ERP system."
"One of the biggest advantages of SAP Business One, especially in the public cloud, is that many features are standardized, which reduces the need for customization."
"It's useful for users and it's simple to work with."
"The SAP Business One is simple and it provides us the control we need."
"The solution is scalable."
"SAP Business One is very stable, and I would rate its performance as ten out of ten."
"The most valuable features of the solution are reporting, a dashboard, customized reports, and third-party integration."
"We have been happy with the command line interface of SAP Business One."
 

Cons

"The solution must provide more learning documents."
"An area for improvement in Infor M3 is training. There should be more training resources available for clients. Clients also find it challenging to get consultants or integrators for Infor M3. The product doesn't have enough resources in the market to help clients."
"The implementation could be simplified, it's complex."
"Sometimes, M3 alone cannot handle all the planning functionalities required by a customer. It has to be used along with industry-specific planning tools because M3 doesn't have all the features. However, no product can handle all the requirements of all the industries. There will be some shortcomings in all the products. Though this is an area for improvement, it is not a very serious shortfall or limitation. It can be covered by using third-party planning applications that integrate with Infor M3."
"It should be improved in terms of procurement of the supply chain and business intelligence analysis. We have the Infor BI tool, but it's more complex to use than, for example, Power Pivot or QlikView in the market."
"The product's technical support has certain shortcomings. Sometimes, my company doesn't get a proper response from their end."
"Its initial setup was probably complex, but it is a very good system."
"We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements."
"In SAP Business One, customization can be made easier...I would tell those planning to use the solution that though it is a good solution, it might not be a complete solution since there are some missing features in it."
"SAP Business One would be a great product if more customization is available."
"The user interface could be improved with drag-and-drop functionality that it currently lacks."
"The price could improve for SAP Business One."
"The analytics data capabilities could improve which will provide businesses with much more insight into how their companies are performing."
"In the next release, I would like to see the inclusion of cloud features."
"The solution could improve by adding HR and payroll, and consolidation should be included by default."
"Areas for improvement are the operating mechanisms, authorization of the production process, and sales cycle automation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I'm not part of the team that manages Infor M3 pricing, but it depends on the client, integration, ship-out, and training levels. You get the price from the solution provider, but it would be best to discuss it because nothing is set in stone regarding pricing."
"The tool’s licensing is yearly."
"There is a yearly licensing cost. The price is based on the modules you need. There are several modules, such as HR module, accounting module, sales module, scheduling module, etc., and the price will vary depending on the number of modules you choose. The customers always say that it's very expensive. It can cost a lot of money if your organization is huge. It's not implemented in a lot of organizations in my country because it's too expensive."
"If you compare Infor M3 to SAP, Infor M3 is less expensive than SAP, but if you compare Infor M3 to Dynamics 365, Infor M3 is more expensive. It also depends on the model that you buy. It depends on whether you have the complete package or whether you have separate models."
"The cost is between $50 and $100 per user annually."
"Infor M3 is a tier-two product and is cheaper than tier-one products such as SAP and Oracle. However, it is more expensive than some other tier-two products. The licensing cost is dependent on the number of users. Also, if you purchase other tools from Infor as a package, then there may be other discounts offered."
"The price of SAP Business One is high for smaller businesses to afford. The currency plays a large part in the fluctuation of the solution's price when we convert the USD to our local currency. $1,400 is for a limited license and $3,700 is for a professional license."
"SAP Business One is not cheap."
"The price of SAP Business One is not comparable to other solutions. SAP is a well-known brand, and its price is on the higher side. However, if the solution offers the right fit for an organization the price is not a major concern for those who choose to use it."
"The price of SAP Business One is expensive and there is only a standard license."
"The price of the solution is reasonable."
"We compared the Microsoft solution with Oracle NetSuite, as they have a price decrease. It is, however, not that much cheaper, and the price is comparable to SAP."
"I rate the product pricing structure at around six out of ten due to currency fluctuations posing challenges."
"Business One is reasonable considering the functionality."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which ERP solutions are best for your needs.
837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Wholesaler/Distributor
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Educational Organization
6%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Infor M3?
The product's initial setup phase is easy.
What needs improvement with Infor M3?
I haven't received any complaints from the customers' end related to the product. The product's technical support has certain shortcomings. Sometimes, my company doesn't get a proper response from ...
What is your primary use case for Infor M3?
In my company, I use the tool for back-end data or to control the entries in the back-end database. My company also extracts data, after which it gets pushed to the data lake and data fabric, and t...
Are there any advantages of SAP S4 HANA over SAP Business One (SAP B1) apart from the cost?
SaP Business One is a complete solution for business management. The software applications are broad, ranging from accounting to project management and human resources. It is very versatile and com...
What do you like most about SAP Business One?
It's user-friendly and comes with comprehensive manuals. So, it is easy to learn to use SAP Business One
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP Business One?
The pricing model of SAP Business One is average. It is neither too good nor too bad, and there is room for more flexibility in pricing.
 

Also Known As

Infor Lawson M3, Lawson M3
Business One
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Grosfillex, High Five Sportswear, L_derach, OTK Group, PHS Group, Propper International, Red Wing Shoe Company, Reynolds Catering Supplies, Saudi Diesel, Sheetz, Zeppelin, Zodiac Aerospace
Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty. Ltd
Find out what your peers are saying about Infor M3 vs. SAP Business One and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.