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

Microsoft Dynamics AX vs SAP ERP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

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
7.9
Microsoft Dynamics AX enhances ROI by streamlining financial processes, improving efficiency, and benefiting large-scale operations with centralized management.
Sentiment score
7.8
SAP ERP optimizes inventory and efficiency, offering long-term savings despite unclear ROI, benefiting finance more than other departments.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.3
Customer service for Microsoft Dynamics AX varies, with partner support rated from 3 to 9, highlighting inconsistency and mixed experiences.
Sentiment score
6.8
SAP ERP customer service is valued for knowledgeable support but criticized for response delays and high costs without priority plans.
Microsoft has really good documentation, and they are known for that.
SAP technical support is very good.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Microsoft Dynamics AX is scalable for medium to large businesses, but older versions face hardware challenges despite Azure integration.
Sentiment score
7.9
SAP ERP is highly scalable, with adaptability and modularity praised, though smaller businesses may face complexity and cost challenges.
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 does not support consolidated financial reporting.
It is scalable when moving from one version to another or adding additional components like warehouse management.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Dynamics AX is stable with proper setup, but customization and updates can affect performance, requiring manual issue resolution.
Sentiment score
8.2
SAP ERP is highly stable and reliable, with minimal downtime and effective performance in various operational environments.
I have not had any major issues with stability.
Stability-wise, SAP ERP is the best product among others.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Dynamics AX faces challenges with usability, infrastructure, and integrations, alongside limited resource capacity and costly customization.
SAP ERP needs better user interface, easier integration, improved support, flexible reporting, affordable pricing, and enhanced user-friendliness.
Another drawback is the absence of features like purchase order accruals, critical accounting concepts, and a robust fixed assets module.
It is no longer supported from a security perspective, so it is not getting updated.
SAP ERP could improve by integrating additional components such as digital signatures and barcoding.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Dynamics AX is costly with high setup fees and subscriptions, while Business Central offers a budget-friendly alternative.
SAP ERP is costly, favored by large enterprises for features, but may deter smaller businesses due to high expenses.
Acquiring a developer license for customization is expensive, costing over one hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars.
The pricing for SAP ERP is medium but slightly on the higher side.
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Dynamics AX offers flexible, user-friendly features with seamless Excel integration, enhancing scalability, customization, and cloud-based project management.
SAP ERP offers integration, customization, and scalability with strong finance modules, enhancing decision-making and user experience for enterprises.
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.
Once I have tuned it, it is like a nice running engine. It just continues to run smoothly.
The consistent integrations and real-time data analytics in SAP ERP significantly enhance the decision-making process by facilitating follow-ups and action points.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ranking in ERP
6th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP ERP
Ranking in ERP
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
105
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 6.0%, down from 6.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP ERP is 18.7%, down from 22.4% 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.
Srinivasan Kuppuswamy - PeerSpot reviewer
The amazing, robust framework with unlimited scalability earns its #1 status
The solution is not ready for the current e-commerce environment. Its was built for large enterprises who need to predictably optimize their human, material, and financial resources. ERP has evolved and businesses are changing. There are not many large corporations. Most are small enterprises with the capabilities of large enterprises through networking and platform integration. Some companies promote products but get things done with other enterprises as a network. Companies do not want to create new capacity but want to leverage existing capacity with innovative products. They do not want to spend resources on duplicating capacity or facilities. I do not think any ERP product is ready to support this environment so ERPs as a whole might end up being used for back-office functions only. It is not easy to evolve an ERP product because its intent is to integrate functions and processes within an organization. Whereas, in the new business model, processes are not limited to one's own enterprise but cut across different enterprises. There is no enterprise solution as this point in time for the current e-commerce environment so companies must integrate with many solutions.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which ERP solutions are best for your needs.
860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

it_user110085 - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 1, 2015
SAP All in One vs. Oracle E-Business Suite vs. Microsoft Axapta
We put together an ERP evaluation for 3 proposed solutions. The top 3 packages considered for detailed evaluation – SAP All in One, Oracle E-Business Suite, Microsoft Axapta. The Key Criteria used for Evaluation are as follows: A. Functional Fit to meet current Business Requirements B…
 

Answers from the Community

VC
Mar 15, 2021
Mar 15, 2021
For starters, I would stop comparing tools, and start looking at my business and what I want to achieve. So identify objectives and what's blocking achievement, define quality outcomes for the obejctives you want to achieve and build your businesscase on efficiency improvement. What earnings, savings, benefits are achieved when meeting your obectives.Based on the blocking issues you identified...
2 out of 5 answers
GH
Jan 25, 2021
I think Panorama Consulting Group publishes some of their ERP shootouts comparing SAP/Oracle/Microsoft with Infor thrown in as a bonus.  Our firm is more of a boutique operation that compares internal company requirements then picks software known for its propensity to work well in those industries/environments. But if you get to the stage where you need some guidance on who some of the top partners and resources are for those software packages, hit us up. 
DR
Mar 11, 2021
Do you want to do it for a specific purpose or to tick a box?  Lets assume you are looking for system deployment. I would focus on the key areas of your business rather than what Gene has listed below, which is looking at point for point comparisons. (The Panorama report is SUPERB for getting up to speed....) Then look at weighting for specific key business differentiation opportunities - such as single global instance for multiple companies, integrated CRM into Finance and Operations, off-line capabilities for customer facing processes, seamless transfer of customer conversations from one channel to another. Then ask for client references to answer 5 key questions: - Are they live? - how was the deployment support from the OEM/partner and what was the % work split required to go live (as in your input vs partner vs OEM) - how many customisations were requried to achieve xxx (your key areas) - would they use the OEM again and what would they change going forward Then look at demonstration from the OEM and costing for the solution I would not go on a tender for each and every feature and function because we assume world class solutions have these typical areas covered. Happy to discuss how to do this practically if required. Daniel@liferocksconsulting.co.za
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Manufacturing Company
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Retailer
7%
University
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...
Is Anaplan better than SAP ERP?
There are different aspects of both Anaplan and SAP ERP that I like and dislike. Anaplan improves forecast accuracy and drives up the quality of analytics. Rather than spending all of their time co...
What do you like most about SAP ERP?
The solution has made the most significant impact on our human resources function, specifically in HR operations and HR analytics. One feature of SAP ERP that I found most valuable is its use of co...
What needs improvement with SAP ERP?
SAP ERP could improve by integrating additional components such as digital signatures and barcoding. Having such features embedded within the ERP would be more beneficial rather than relying on ext...
 

Also Known As

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
B&G Manufacturing, Unilever, Life is good Inc., Joy Global Inc., City of Cape Town, Bhopal Municipal, Corporation (BMC), adidas Group, Butcher & Packer Supply Company, Franklin Valve L.P., Evoshield, Prime Meats, a Norsan Group company, EMC Corporation, Varian Medical Systems Inc., FC Bayern Mªnchen AG, AkzoNobel Chemicals B.V., T¾V Rheinland, Pacific Drilling S.A., Fire & Rescue New South Wales, University of Amsterdam, Pa_alon S.A.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. SAP ERP and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.