Buyer’s guide
There is no single best ERP. There is a best fit for your size, sector and ambitions. This guide groups the main ERP products sold in the UK by the kind of organisation each suits, so you can build a sensible shortlist before the sales calls start.
By Christopher Fagan, Managing Partner, PEF Consulting Partners
This is not a ranking, and we take no commission from any vendor. Each product below is a credible choice for the right organisation and a poor one for the wrong one. Use the guide to build a shortlist of three, then test them against your own processes.
| Product | Suits | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|
| Xero and QuickBooks | Accounting for small businesses that do not yet need ERP | Monthly subscription per organisation |
| Sage 50 | Small businesses wanting desktop accounting with stock | Monthly subscription |
| Odoo | Small and growing businesses wanting low cost, modular apps | Per user subscription; Standard around £18 to £23 per user per month |
| Product | Suits | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central | Microsoft centred businesses in distribution, services and light manufacturing | Essentials £61.50 and Premium £84.60 per user per month |
| NetSuite | Multi entity, ecommerce and fast growing businesses | Quote only: base licence plus users and modules |
| Sage Intacct | Finance led and multi entity organisations | From £1,200 a month excluding VAT |
| Sage 200 | UK businesses with stock and order processing | Through partners |
| SAP Business One | Product businesses wanting an established ERP | Per user subscription or perpetual licence |
| Acumatica | Businesses with many occasional users | Priced on resources rather than users, indicatively $15,000 to $40,000 a year |
| Access Financials | UK finance teams wanting a domestic vendor | From £10,508 a year |
| Product | Suits | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|
| SAP S/4HANA | Manufacturing, supply chain and industry specific operations | RISE with SAP, priced on Full Usage Equivalents |
| Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP | Finance led and multinational organisations | Subscription by module |
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management | Microsoft centred mid to large enterprises | £161.50 per user per month, Premium £230.70 |
| Workday Financials | Organisations already using Workday HR, especially in services | Quote only |
| IFS Cloud | Asset intensive, project and service based industries | Quote only |
| Unit4 ERP | Professional services, public sector and not for profit | Quote only; minimum around £60,000 a year on a three year term |
| Infor and Epicor | Manufacturing and distribution with sector specific needs | Quote only |
Related reading: how to choose an ERP system, ERP implementation cost, ERP vendor selection, ERP for construction.
The main ERP vendors selling in the UK fall into three groups: mid market cloud platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Acumatica; enterprise suites such as SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Fusion Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain; and industry specialists for sectors such as manufacturing, distribution and construction. Most are sold and implemented through a network of ERP providers, the partners who implement and support them, so choosing the partner matters as much as choosing the software.
For smaller businesses the realistic options are usually Business Central, NetSuite, Sage Intacct or Odoo, and the real question is often whether you need ERP yet at all. If your accounting software and a few spreadsheets still cope, our guide to ERP accounting sets out the signs that you have outgrown them.
Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sage, SAP, NetSuite and Oracle Fusion all have large UK customer bases. Popularity is a poor guide to fit, so shortlist on your size, sector and processes.
Many small businesses do not need ERP yet; Xero, QuickBooks or Sage 50 may be enough. When stock, orders or several entities make that hard, look at Business Central, Odoo, Sage 200 or SAP Business One.
For mid sized businesses, NetSuite, Business Central, Sage Intacct and Acumatica are the main cloud options. For larger organisations, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Oracle Fusion Cloud, Workday and Dynamics 365 Finance.
From a few hundred pounds a month for small business systems to millions for enterprise programmes. Implementation usually costs more than the first year of licences.
If you want a shortlist built around your processes rather than a vendor’s pitch, we can run the selection with you.