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

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Odoo 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

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...
Ranking in ERP
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
64
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (2nd)
Odoo
Ranking in ERP
10th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
35
Ranking in other categories
CRM (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is 6.4%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Odoo is 3.4%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

StefaanVandesompele - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides end-to-end accounting and finance module at reasonable pricing
365 Business Central integrates with Office 365 to streamline the invoice approval process. This allows businesses to manage and approve invoices efficiently within a unified system. Our organization plans to transition to the Dynamics 365 environment, where various functions will be centralized. We will consolidate everything into one system instead of maintaining multiple databases for each country with local data. Dynamics 365 is fully integrated, which should address many of our challenges when we migrate to this new environment. We look forward to seeing how it performs in practice. The project is progressing well overall, though integrating it with other tools and ensuring Dynamics 365 operates smoothly can be challenging. Dynamics 365 is user-friendly and effective. However, a deeper understanding of its technical capabilities and architecture might be necessary to optimize its use fully. The software landscape is evolving, and achieving the best reporting and functionality with just a click can be complex. A clear vision of what you want to achieve with Dynamics 365 is essential. Proper preparation and configuration are crucial to achieving the desired outcomes. This principle applies not only to Dynamics 365 but to all software packages. Understanding the system's flexibility and adaptability based on your specific business needs is key to its successful implementation. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
ThomasPetrou - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration across functionalities has streamlined business operations and improved cost efficiency
Odoo's documentation needs improvement, as there are areas that are not well-documented. Additionally, some underlying technologies need refactoring to more modern structures. Although it's not immediately necessary since the system works, changes to the architecture would be beneficial. From the transition from version 17 to 18, it appears they are aware and have begun addressing some of these concerns.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I have found the flexibility to be very valuable. It's highly flexible, and at least for us, it has been effective. It is also highly functional."
"We use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as CRM."
"The most valuable features of Business Central for me are its seamless integration with Power BI and the ability to create customized reports."
"We like the manufacturing and case management modules."
"Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is extremely stable as it does not rely on our in-house servers."
"The selling feature is the most valuable."
"The initial setup is pretty straightforward."
"Its most valuable feature is the user interface."
"The product is stable...The product is scalable."
"The most advantageous aspect is that with minimal customization, a company can be automated within a span of two to three months."
"Being open source, it is more affordable compared to alternatives like Oracle or SAP, and I appreciate how easy it is to customize with the available sources."
"Odoo operates on a subscription-based model, ensuring access to the most up-to-date version at all times."
"Odoo is a cloud-based SaaS system, which is better than having the program on the desktop."
"The feature allows customization as we wish."
"I find the financial module, along with the integrations of projects and the HR human resource module, to be the most valuable aspects of Odoo."
"Odoo is a cost-effective tool for performing core ERP functions, such as inventory management. It's also good for manufacturing use cases."
 

Cons

"I think Microsoft should improve on the process of how the user decides on a business workflow. For example, there may be some kind of drag-and-drop interface that lets us decide for ourselves how to develop the business workflows that fit our purpose."
"I am hoping there is more integration with other platforms, more features, and customization in the next release."
"Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has been buggy in my experience and they should improve in this area. Additionally, there are too many updates. The updates involve a whole bunch of applications as part of the package, such as the Edge browser. The updates are too broad across the whole package of applications."
"The product should improve work optimization."
"The solution is stable, but it could improve."
"The Power BI integration could be more seamless."
"I would like a more modular and user-friendly interface."
"The performance and virtual machine backup is not good with this solution and need improvements."
"There is room for improvement in Odoo's technical support."
"Odoo’s asset management, supply chain, and advanced manufacturing should be improved."
"The tool needs to improve its scalability."
"The reporting and the interface could definitely be better."
"Odoo can invest in improvements, considering areas like AI and ML, where there are shortcomings."
"It's too early to make a definitive statement about Odoo as we are currently in the implementation stages. Once the implementation is complete and the system is up and running, we'll be able to provide feedback on its effectiveness and suitability for our needs. The implementation is very straightforward, and the system is easy to operate, similar to working with a spreadsheet. If there's one thing that could significantly enhance the system, it would be incorporating more AI capabilities."
"The performance can be slightly improved for the customization interface."
"There are features that cannot be opened in the community edition and from a user perspective."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is one of the benefits. If you don't want to go for the full-blown finance and operations, the pricing model is a lot cheaper and has now switched to being based on a per-user subscription. So, if it's on cloud, you now have an expense instead of a large CapEx. If it's on-prem, you obviously still have to continue with the licensing model that they have, but if you compare the features and functionality, in terms of the price that you pay, I find it's better than other products. My answer on the pricing would be slightly different, depending on the country you're in and the return on investment, based on the size of the company. It's well-priced internationally. I think the new model is priced even better because it's now subscription-based and, if you go for cloud, the return on investment is a lot quicker and if it's expense, you can cap it. If you do take the on-prem version, the licensing is still priced as what it used to be, so that would depend on what country you are in."
"NAV might be a little pricey for a small or medium-sized company, but all the solutions out there are."
"The solution is a little bit expensive."
"The tool’s licensing is yearly. The solution is cheaper compared to other ERP products from Oracle or SAP."
"I think the pricing is the best; it's cost effective for sure."
"The first time we tried to buy the newest version, it was expensive."
"The solution is on the cloud and they provide 50 gigabytes of free space on their Microsoft Drive. The reason for this is that Microsoft is requiring you to upgrade all of your systems to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central in order to effectively use the cloud. This means that if you are currently using a different version of Microsoft for a specific purpose that does not require this solution, it can be frustrating to have to spend money to upgrade to this solution just for the purpose of syncing with the cloud. Additionally, even if you do purchase Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, there can still be issues with syncing between the on-premise and cloud clients. This can be especially frustrating as the cloud storage is not free and can be difficult to access even after purchasing."
"The solution's license is costly compared to other CRM tools."
"Currently, we pay around 5000-6,000 USD per month, though I am not sure. We have to pay additionally for maintenance and support."
"The pricing is quite affordable, especially when compared to other products, making it a cost-effective choice."
"The price of the solution depends on the use case. However, it can be expensive and we are paying annually."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive, I rate Odoo's pricing a six out of ten."
"I would rate the price as a one out of ten, with ten being the most expensive."
"Odoo is an open-source tool. I don't have to pay for it."
"They offer three packages – free, standard, and custom."
"Odoo is straightforward in terms of costs. You pay the vendor for both the software and implementation. We selected one of the twelve certified vendors for implementation in our local area, opting for the vendor named Four Zero Five."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which ERP solutions are best for your needs.
848,396 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Retailer
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The platform offers a robust and comprehensive cycle for supply chain and inventory management, with features like minimum and maximum settings, dynamic monitoring of inventory levels, and integrat...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable. The value for money is very high.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
There is a need for improvement in consolidation and multi-country master data management.
What do you like most about Odoo?
The versatility of Odoo is one of its most valuable features for business productivity. It offers modules for purchase, inventory, manufacturing, sales, help desk, timesheets, point of sale, email ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Odoo?
The pricing for Odoo is affordable, with the solution being significantly cheaper than its competitors like SAP, Microsoft, and Oracle, while offering a comparable range of services. Thus, in terms...
What needs improvement with Odoo?
Odoo's documentation needs improvement, as there are areas that are not well-documented. Additionally, some underlying technologies need refactoring to more modern structures. Although it's not imm...
 

Also Known As

Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Harris Farm Markets, Mister Spex GmbH, Bounce Foods, Eurofin Services SA, Medica Medizintechnik, Associated Gaskets, Onduline, Sitka Surfboard Corporation, World Animal Protection
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. Odoo and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,396 professionals have used our research since 2012.