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

Microsoft Dynamics AX vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.8
Microsoft Dynamics AX boosts productivity and efficiency, offering customizable solutions with significant ROI, despite challenges in precise measurement.
Sentiment score
2.8
SAP S/4HANA Cloud users saw long-term ROI and efficiency, despite high initial costs and varied experiences.
The transcript suggests SAP S4HANA Cloud may offer cost and time savings.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.1
Microsoft Dynamics AX support is praised for availability but criticized for costly, slow handling of complex issues and customizations.
Sentiment score
6.8
SAP S/4HANA Cloud's service is praised for professionalism but criticized for long response times and support channel navigation challenges.
Microsoft has really good documentation, and they are known for that.
My experience shows that it often requires another level or two to reach someone who can effectively address the problems.
If tickets are raised to the wrong team, it takes considerable time to be routed to the appropriate team.
SAP is continuously improving the functionalities towards the current versions.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft Dynamics AX offers scalability, especially in the cloud, but older versions struggle with complex setups for larger clients.
Sentiment score
7.7
SAP S/4HANA Cloud is praised for scalability, adaptability, and integration, suiting both large and small enterprises effectively.
There are these things called AOS nodes where if you have more users and performance decreases, you can add more servers to the cluster.
It struggles with scalability when you need to manage financial reporting or setup for multiple companies.
Microsoft Dynamics AX already has multiple functions for sales, inventory, HR, finance, and supply chain.
We are evaluating how scalable SAP S_4HANA Cloud has been; moving to the latest version poses not much of a challenge compared to on-prem upgrades, as SAP handles the technical areas.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft Dynamics AX is generally stable, though stability varies with infrastructure and updates, with mixed user ratings.
Sentiment score
7.4
SAP S/4HANA Cloud is praised for stability and performance, though updates and customizations can occasionally affect reliability.
I have not had any major issues with stability.
If you do the maintenance and have your own people, it could be stable, but it means a lot of work.
SAP S_4HANA Cloud is very stable, especially for bigger corporates that are geographically spread out.
It is very flexible and can cater to every industry.
We are using Microsoft Azure connectivity to connect to SAP S_4HANA Cloud system, and from an availability and stability perspective, it is quite stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Dynamics AX requires greater efficiency, improved user interface, better integration, and more flexible, scalable, and localized features.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud needs interface, mobile, and user improvements, with cost, integration, and complexity posing challenges for businesses.
It is no longer supported from a security perspective, so it is not getting updated.
Microsoft Dynamics AX lacks the concept of month-end closing, which is essential for tight control over financial periods.
Most companies working with AX currently transforming to D365, upgrading their ERP systems, which are more enhanced and have additional features such as dashboards.
The challenge is that if a customer has already deployed the entire solution on-premises, it becomes difficult to immediately convert to the new product and manage new license costs.
This reliance on ETL experts or data engineers is necessary to ensure clean quality data, which is critical for the effective operation of the SAP S_4HANA system.
It should have features or facilities so customers can get audit-related queries resolved independently without requiring ticket-based service.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Dynamics AX has high initial costs, with variable regional pricing, but cloud options may offer savings.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud pricing is modular and expensive, typically more suitable for larger enterprises than smaller businesses.
Acquiring a developer license for customization is expensive, costing over one hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars.
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Dynamics AX offers comprehensive ERP solutions with strong security, seamless integration, and efficient support for finance, supply chain, and sales.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud enhances business efficiency with integration, real-time analytics, scalability, and global access, supporting diverse platforms.
There are many levels of security and permissions for each user to monitor and access specific data relative to their functions.
I have not had any major issue with stability.
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX is its full integration with Excel, allowing for cut and paste functionality between Excel and the system.
Some of the most important features include data analytics and real-time data analysis capabilities.
The integration between SAP EWM and S4HANA Cloud is seamless.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud provides integration, controls, efficiency, visibility into business operations, and collaboration, especially for geographically spread operations.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Dynamics AX
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
58
Ranking in other categories
ERP (7th), Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Cloud ERP (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, they serve different purposes. Microsoft Dynamics AX is designed for ERP and holds a mindshare of 5.0%, down 6.7% compared to last year.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud, on the other hand, focuses on Cloud ERP, holds 14.4% mindshare, up 11.8% since last year.
ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Dynamics AX5.0%
SAP ERP17.0%
SAP S/4HANA9.2%
Other68.8%
ERP
Cloud ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SAP S/4HANA Cloud14.4%
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP21.0%
NetSuite ERP19.2%
Other45.400000000000006%
Cloud 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.
Ramesh Pampana - PeerSpot reviewer
Extensive real-time analytics and superior support enhance decision making but continued product evolution impacts existing investments
Improvement is needed, and they need to slow down. When I say slow down, they need to do more validation. Things are going rapidly and changing fast. For example, they moved from SAP SRM product to SAP CLM. They bought IBM CLM and marketed it as SAP CLM. Shortly after, they bought SAP Ariba and discontinued the SAP CLM product. Now they state that SAP SRM is outdated and has reached sunset. The challenge is that if a customer has already deployed the entire solution on-premises, it becomes difficult to immediately convert to the new product and manage new license costs. From a consulting perspective, it appears that SAP's biggest competitor is itself, as they sometimes discontinue their own products to promote new ones.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which ERP solutions are best for your needs.
872,019 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Healthcare Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise17
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business24
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise29
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
I have faced challenges with Microsoft Dynamics AX, specifically localization; it's very challenging because we are from Romania, so the finance module has to be harmonized with the Romanian law. T...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
We are a customer of Microsoft Dynamics AX. The ERP system is used to keep tracking our processes. I am using Microsoft Dynamics AX in the distribution and retail industry, wholesales, and we have ...
What do you like most about SAP S/4HANA Cloud?
The manufacturing area is a good feature.
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...
What needs improvement with SAP S/4HANA Cloud?
The areas for improvement in SAP S_4HANA Cloud could be from the data storage perspective, as we are using it in a limited way and it could be a bit expensive if the data volume increases; that is ...
 

Also Known As

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
SAP S4HANA Cloud
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
La Trobe University, Carrefour Comércio e Indústria Ltda, Delaware Consulting and Corning Inc.
Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Microsoft, Infor and others in ERP. Updated: October 2025.
872,019 professionals have used our research since 2012.