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Microsoft Dynamics AX vs SAP S/4HANA 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
5th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP S/4HANA
Ranking in ERP
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
119
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 6.4%, up from 6.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP S/4HANA is 14.4%, down from 15.6% 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.
Deepak Madhavan - PeerSpot reviewer
Implementation simplifies ERP management with comprehensive data integration and visibility
A lot of people would say the pricing. SAP is seen as quite expensive even now. It doesn't work for smaller or medium optimizations. The licensing and pricing could be looked at. In Brownfield migration, the trade-off between greenfield and brownfield means you either keep it clean or match the business requirements. Sometimes, it's not possible to do both. While ValixAPI provides significant support in making those decisions and the SAP consultant is very useful, we are still dependent on past history and how it was originally set up. I wouldn't call that a real disadvantage, yet more accessible consulting would be beneficial. Incorporating all other cloud products, like APO or IPP, into the S/4 house might also help.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The stability is very good."
"It is flexible and cost-effective."
"I am impressed with the tool's vendor collaboration. It is also easy to connect with third-party applications."
"The performance is good."
"The response time of the solution is very good."
"A valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX is that it is stable."
"One of the valuable features of the solution is how easy it is to use."
"The most valuable features of Microsoft Dynamics AX are field services and the vendor collaboration portal. Both of the features are very good."
"The tool's most valuable features are ease of use, high availability, and connectivity."
"Overall, I would rate the product ten out of ten."
"The integration is quick to implement and very user-friendly."
"The core accounting model is robust, so we don't have any issues with it. It has industry-specialized modules like retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. Many industrial-specific modules are very helpful. It's a very robust, reliable, and simple-to-use product. In my experience, it's straightforward."
"It is easy to integrate the solution with other systems."
"It's helped with business aspects and improved material planning and RMA processes."
"The solution is flexible, has a lot of functionality, and has the ability to deliver more security than other comparable solutions."
"It is a full-fledged, stable solution."
 

Cons

"It could be more scalable and stable. It would also be better if the interface were more integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem because 2012 is not really integrated."
"The support here in Turkey could be better. However, the international support is good."
"AX does take some time and maintenance."
"The product is standardised across industries so it is not a good fit for all types of sectors."
"It is no longer supported from a security perspective, so it is not getting updated."
"The older version of Microsoft Dynamics AX that we are using is not as scalable as the newer version."
"From a consultant's point of view, I recommend an enhancement in terms of detailed documentation for the products on the website."
"The user interface could be better."
"The solution could improve by making customization easier. The on-premise version is a lot more flexible."
"There should be an easier way to migrate customers from all versions to SAP S/4HANA."
"This is a costly solution."
"It is simple to implement SAP S4HANA. If you are already in this type of environment, then the transition is not very complex. However, if you do not then it can be difficult."
"There are some problems with the support provided for the solution, so it is not quite easy. It takes some time for them to offer us support."
"We would like to see more DevOps capabilities in the future."
"The setup cost is expensive. I would compare it to the difference between a Ferrari and a Rolls Royce. That's the level of distinction."
"The difficulty level of the initial setup depends on the person's skills. If you know the basic knowledge of the database, then it will be easy, otherwise, it will be very difficult."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"The product's license is expensive. My company is located in a region where we have to pay the most for the tool due to our currency and inflation scenario."
"It is not the cheapest solution, but it is also not the most expensive one. It's in between and is cheaper than SAP but more expensive than other local vendors. It is worth the cost."
"The yearly licenses are priced okay."
"The initial investment cost goes up due to the hidden cost."
"The tool is cheap."
"It's too expensive for customers to take this on themselves. As partners, we will buy this on behalf of the customers and then charge this value for each project."
"There is an annual licensing cost for Microsoft Dynamics AX."
"It is very expensive. It is not cheap."
"We're not sure yet. I think it was six figures a year, over 100,000. It has straight-up licensing fees."
"I have heard others saying that SAP is only for big companies that have money."
"The solution's license cost is on the higher side."
"SAP S/4HANA is expensive."
"The licensing format is complicated for SAP S/4HANA"
"The price of SAP S4HANA is reasonable."
"SAP is a costly product in terms of maintenance for an organization who has reached a particular level."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Retailer
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Educational Organization
40%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
4%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
It is no longer supported from a security perspective, so it is not getting updated. Other than that, before it became obsolete, it did its job, and there were not any major complaints. However, it...
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 needs improvement with SAP S4HANA?
With the public cloud, now everything is being pushed into BTP. This has created challenges, as it requires us to redo our coding and development. This presents a significant learning curve for our...
What is your primary use case for SAP S4HANA?
We work in a very niche area within the livestock industry. We have a SAP-certified solution for the poultry industry, and as part of our livestock solution, we cover poultry, dairy, and fishery. W...
 

Also Known As

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
SAP S4HANA
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
Nestle, O.C. Tanner, Sabre, New York Life Insurance Co., MEMEBOX, Siemens AG.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. SAP S/4HANA and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.