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Microsoft Dynamics AX 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

Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ranking in ERP
4th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP Business One
Ranking in ERP
5th
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 March 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 6.4%, up from 6.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Business One is 3.9%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

SherifAnter - PeerSpot reviewer
The sales and distribution modules are robust, and reliable, and seldom encounter issues
In GP, there are certain features like financial reporting that aren't part of the core GP package. Users might need to install additional components for these features. For example, there's a reseller product called Management Reporter, but many users would prefer to have the reporting capabilities integrated within GP itself, rather than relying on external tools. The manufacturing module in GP is quite basic, and those who require more advanced manufacturing capabilities often turn to third-party modules or tools. Additionally, you might be aware that in 2028, GP is expected to reach its end of life. Microsoft has already ceased selling GP to new customers. It's essentially the same product, but this marks the final year for GP's availability.
Ijlal Naqvi - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to deploy but needs to improve in the area of BI
If I speak about a feature in the tool that helps with financial management, I would say that of all the products I have ever worked on, used, or implemented, the finance part is pretty much the same in all ERPs and bookkeeping software tools. Finance is a regulated thing. It has to generate financial statements related to all the accounts. All financial management systems will look into the ledger, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. Generally the tool has two models. If the tool's in-house model is opted, then just one person is needed to maintain the product as an ERP administrator. If it is through a partner, then we usually have managed services, so you get access to a whole bunch of resources, technical, functional, finance, manufacturing, supply chain, or resources that you can have as part of the managed services contract. My company does not use much of AI with SAP Business One since it is pretty much manual now. It's still pretty much manual for business process enhancements and it still requires more of a consultative approach with more of a human touch. With SAP S4/HANA, there is a process navigator, process data mining tool that does help users since with the use of AI it provides answers to their questions. Recommendations are subjective to the requirements of the users. I would not recommend SAP Business One to a financial services institution or a bank. I would most definitely recommend it to a small family-owned business with about 20,000,000 of revenue, and that too in the area of discrete manufacturing. I rate the tool a seven out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The production is a valuable feature."
"The product is easier to use and has more efficient workflow management features than other vendors."
"We're using the solution for financial modules, specifically focusing on consolidation, financial configuration, management reporting for warehousing, sales. Most of the features of Microsoft Dynamics AX are good. The overall structure and functions are great. The solution is stable. The initial setup is straightforward."
"It is stable, suitable for businesses, and covers all business needs."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX is material planning."
"It has the same UI and is very similar to any other Microsoft product."
"Microsoft Dynamics is very stable."
"Technical support is very good."
"SAP Business One is pretty streamlined, with tight integration and standard best practice flows."
"All parts for inventory control, project budget, accounting, and business information are valuable. It is very friendly to obtain information. It is also very easy to make the changes that we need. We have a developer with us, and he can make the required changes or rules."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is Financial Management."
"It offers users a rather simple interface."
"Add-ons that can be implemented are most valuable."
"The most valuable feature of SAP Business One is the ability to manage your entire business with one software package."
"The most valuable feature of Business One depends on the industry. Generally speaking, Business One works best in automotive industry use cases."
"I like that it's stable."
 

Cons

"There is room for improvement in the licensing model and associated costs of this solution."
"At times there are issues related to reporting, sometimes with the integration between two or three modules, and sometimes to the logic itself."
"There should be the capability for users to enhance the application by using a low-code or no-code product from the Microsoft family."
"The implementation was completed within one month."
"The integration could improve for the future."
"They should include some modules related to solving customer problems or resolving support tickets from our customers — like a help desk for ERPs."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX can improve system performance and security. The security is basic and needs a lot of improvement."
"The solution in general just needs a few quality improvements."
"There are possibilities to extend its functionality. Things such as Quality Management System (QMS) and Payroll are currently not a part of the product. These things are needed."
"The user interface could be improved with drag-and-drop functionality that it currently lacks."
"There are improvements needed. However, they provide improvements over time."
"Business One lacks built-in HR features."
"Areas for improvement are the operating mechanisms, authorization of the production process, and sales cycle automation."
"The extension of dashboards into mobiles is something which SAP Business One has to improve on."
"There is no dependency, the integration between the other applications."
"We don't have the functionality of the supply chain and mobile applications."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product's pricing is expensive. The tool costs 210 USD per user for one month."
"I don't know how much this solution costs off the top of my head, but I know that the cloud and SaaS solutions are cheaper."
"The yearly licenses are priced okay."
"It has a pay-as-you-go subscription."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX is not expensive."
"I purchased the license once, and there is a license with a partner that I pay for annually."
"The price of the solution could benefit from being less expensive."
"One client was looking at a $5M SAP proposal and we got AX in just under $2M, and they were very happy with it as they have several sister companies that face $500K SAP upgrades/maintenance seemingly annually."
"We feel that the licensing fees are a bit on the higher side."
"If the client's budget is low, they go for SAP Business One."
"SAP has a high cost of licensing."
"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 expensive and there is only a standard license."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"This solution can work with a very small company, but the price may not be the right, it may not be the right fit for them. We can't help with this because we have to really understand the market, the target audience, and we have to position the product accordingly. The price is not a very big concern because if the customer is finding value or the dealer, distributor, or implementation partner can show real value in the solution, then the price will not be a question at all."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Retailer
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Healthcare Company
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
DAX is actually well supported by its development. Given that even in this old version of AX and taking into account that its predecessor D365 has been around since 2017, the DAX ERP is still worki...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
Right now, we are moving to a new ERP platform. It is in the cloud, and because of that, the cloud pushes updates every quarter, which could technically break our products. We are looking into an a...
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

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
Business One
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty. Ltd
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. SAP Business One and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,388 professionals have used our research since 2012.