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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
5th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP Business One
Ranking in ERP
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
66
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 6.3%, down from 6.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Business One is 3.6%, down from 6.3% 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.
Muhammad Shehzad - PeerSpot reviewer
Fully integrated modules enhance seamless data interaction and real-time decision-making
SAP Business One is easy to use and fully integrated from top to bottom, from vertical to horizontal. Any transaction we are doing in any module is directly integrated with finance. Each and every transaction and report is updated at the same time. This is one of the main benefits of SAP Business One. During a transaction in the sales module, it doesn't have to wait for finance to do posting before it gets updated. Financial transactions are posted at the same time. The general ledger, balance sheet, trial balance, cash flow statement, and all other reports are updated simultaneously. There is no need to wait for any posting or report preparations. Each transaction impacts every report and relevant module at the same time. SAP Business One is one of the best solutions for real-time access to all data. Whenever any transaction is posted, it's immediately available in other modules and relevant reports. This provides real-time access in any module and any report.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"From a developer's perspective, the architecture of Dynamics has a well-designed security layer, which prevents coding issues between different layers. This is a significant advantage."
"The tool's most important capabilities are for retail and finance. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 doesn't have many integration capabilities, but Microsoft 365 has the most capabilities to integrate with any type of standalone software and has many more features."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX is that it fulfills our requirements. We haven't had any issues with performance."
"It was an okay solution when we delivered hardware and we had to do maintenance."
"It is stable, suitable for businesses, and covers all business needs."
"The most valuable feature for us is the manufacturing module. It addresses our product costing for tuna canning."
"Supply Chain Management is an excellent feature."
"According to user feedback, the product's most valuable features are modern web-based accessibility and user-friendly interface."
"It's useful for users and it's simple to work with."
"The solution has all the basic features that are required for us."
"The solution is user-friendly in comparison with Oracle."
"You can scale the solution well."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is Financial Management."
"The Material Requirements Planning (MRP) feature of SAP Business One has been most beneficial for our reporting needs."
"Business One's best feature is that all the modules are integrated."
"We have been satisfied with the technical support."
 

Cons

"It is being decommissioned."
"There is room for improvement when handling various currencies within the current Microsoft Dynamics AX system."
"There is also slowness in database backup."
"Change management could be better."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX can improve by having a more modern user interface. It should be more modular and dynamic. Additionally, the solution could be easier to connect with APIs with other technologies."
"We experienced some challenges with the mobile apps due to the insufficient processing capacity to handle the workload effectively."
"We do not have access to daily projections."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX needs to improve its support and the developer experience. Developing and programming are more complex. Automation and integration with other apps should be simplified."
"SAP Business One would be a great product if more customization is available."
"SAP could improve the performance of the business alignment with other products."
"I am not sure if it has an HR and Payroll functionality, but it would be helpful and make it a more complete ERP if they could put the HR and Payroll functionality in it."
"It could have RPA automation and RPA elements. There could also be add-ons for a Document Management System and Warehouse Management System."
"They have a web client now. It primarily does sales. They just added purchasing. It'll be far more effective when I have inventory and financials as well into the web client version."
"SAP Business One lacks solutions for some specific use cases, particularly in HR functions and production planning, which require a lot of customization."
"Areas for improvement are the operating mechanisms, authorization of the production process, and sales cycle automation."
"There are a lot of good improvements coming out in every version. They release a new version every quarter, with all new up-and-coming things on each one. However, it might be lacking specifications for the specific verticals. However, SAP Business One is a generic tool. It's very widely used, and I understand why it's not into each vertical. There are solution partners available out there to give it those extra areas of what it needs, but this is depending on what kind of business you run."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 price of the solution could benefit from being less expensive."
"The pricing is expensive."
"It is $180 to $200 per user per month with a minimum of 20 users, which makes selling the product a bit difficult."
"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."
"Licensing is stable, and overall, the users are satisfied with it."
"We pay for licensing yearly to use Microsoft Dynamics AX."
"The initial investment cost goes up due to the hidden cost."
"Business One's prices are really high."
"SAP Business One is moderately priced."
"SAP has a high cost of licensing."
"I rate the solution's pricing a six or seven out of ten since it is expensive."
"Its licensing model is good. There is a one-off payment for the software license, and after that, you only need to pay the annual maintenance fee. Compared to other cloud-based systems, this cost model is quite reasonable for SMEs."
"Its price is reasonable. People are able to spend that much."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
Microsoft Dynamics AX has several areas that need improvement, particularly when compared to larger systems. It lacks the concept of month-end closing, which is essential for tight control over fin...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
I primarily use Microsoft Dynamics AX ( /products/microsoft-dynamics-ax-reviews ) for the financial module, which includes the general ledger, account payable, account receivable, inventory, and pu...
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: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.