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Infor M3 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

Infor M3
Ranking in ERP
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (8th)
SAP S/4HANA
Ranking in ERP
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
123
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Infor M3 is 5.2%, up from 4.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP S/4HANA is 10.6%, down from 16.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

Pravinkumar Bhandare - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is a reliable, stable, and cost-saving ERP
Different countries have different finance practices, but I believe they need to fine-tune their practices to match industry standards. Practices vary from country to country, for example, in India, it is different than in the US. Sometimes, clients require alternate processes that are not standard, but they claim that these are the standard practices in their industry. At those times, we feel that the option required is not available with the solution. This is not the case only for Infor M3. Other ERPs also have the same problem. We can't mold the ERP to fit the customer's requirements. There are some standards in place because many screens and programs are integrated into the finance process. We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements. The customer needs specific screens for different users, so if that program is in place, we have one planning tool in Infor M3. Planners need to know all things related to manufacturing, purchase, and sales in order to make decisions about planning. In one of my clients, I came across the requirement that they were asking for user authority in the planning tool. This is not the case though, because all planners need to know all things. However, on the manufacturing side, we can say that the person who is working with machine operations only needs to know machine-related information and doesn't need knowledge of products or sales. That standard industry is available, so we can give access to the user as per their needs. If the maintenance people are there, we can give them limited access, but if the planner is there, we need to give them all access according to industry standards. However, this requirement from the client side is not possible with the standard Infor software, but Infor can consider implementing it if the need is larger for many customers.
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

"It's simple to use. You don't need any complex training to use it."
"Infor M3 has ready-made processes, which provide the best workflows."
"The user interface and user experience were good."
"provides all modules, supply chain, HR - it's good for management."
"The product's initial setup phase is easy."
"Infor comes up with different tools every year, and they are all compatible with Infor M3, which makes it a more reliable and trustworthy tool. The integration is very smooth."
"The most valuable feature of Infor M3 is the level of detail it has about the different manufacturing processes compared to other ERP solutions. Other ERP solutions provide the same level of integration as Infor M3, but Infor M3 specializes in several functions, such as planning and manufacturing."
"Infor M3 has several valuable features, including customer order management and integration capabilities with third-party applications like ION."
"The ability to access real-time data analytics is crucial, as it supports events or calls that require immediate attention and decision-making."
"It's helped with business aspects and improved material planning and RMA processes."
"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 scalable enough. We have over a hundred end users using it."
"The scalability is excellent, especially on cloud deployment models."
"The most valuable feature is the perfect end-to-end integration."
"We have access to all types of reports in a single solution."
"The user interface of SAP S/4HANA is user-friendly."
 

Cons

"The solution must provide more learning documents."
"Improvements could be made in security and scalability."
"The solution's technical support is an area with shortcomings that need improvement, especially the support for the product named M3 rather than the support offered by Infor as an organization."
"Its initial setup was probably complex, but it is a very good system."
"We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements."
"It would be great if Infor added some new workflows in the finance module. I'd also like to see better integration with third-party applications."
"Sometimes, M3 alone cannot handle all the planning functionalities required by a customer. It has to be used along with industry-specific planning tools because M3 doesn't have all the features. However, no product can handle all the requirements of all the industries. There will be some shortcomings in all the products. Though this is an area for improvement, it is not a very serious shortfall or limitation. It can be covered by using third-party planning applications that integrate with Infor M3."
"Customer support from Infor is responsive and addresses issues, but the response time can be delayed, which sometimes leads me to explore private vendors."
"The cost of their support services could be more affordable."
"It would be beneficial if the pricing structure could be made more flexible and adaptable to suit the needs of different organizations.Besides this the scalability also needs consideration improvement. I believe support could be improved by providing more specific and detailed answers rather than generic responses."
"The initial setup could be better. They can make the process a little easier. The functions that we require will be available in the next release. We specifically need a new model, and I think we have some versions to implement. I already read on the SAP website that some functionalities we are waiting for are available in this new version."
"The user interface should be much more convenient and user-friendly."
"SAP S/4HANA offers two deployment options: the private cloud and the public cloud. The private cloud is a comprehensive solution. While it does require numerous approvals, it is a highly reliable product."
"The cost is definitely high, so SAP does have a growth solution, which is slightly cheaper compared to other offerings with SAP. A lot more customers would adopt it if they reduced the price by around twenty to twenty-five percent."
"The disadvantages of this product include the lack of integration with platforms like LinkedIn."
"I would like to see the AI included to help from a data standpoint."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Infor M3 is a tier-two product and is cheaper than tier-one products such as SAP and Oracle. However, it is more expensive than some other tier-two products. The licensing cost is dependent on the number of users. Also, if you purchase other tools from Infor as a package, then there may be other discounts offered."
"The cost is between $50 and $100 per user annually."
"The tool’s licensing is yearly."
"If you compare Infor M3 to SAP, Infor M3 is less expensive than SAP, but if you compare Infor M3 to Dynamics 365, Infor M3 is more expensive. It also depends on the model that you buy. It depends on whether you have the complete package or whether you have separate models."
"I'm not part of the team that manages Infor M3 pricing, but it depends on the client, integration, ship-out, and training levels. You get the price from the solution provider, but it would be best to discuss it because nothing is set in stone regarding pricing."
"There is a yearly licensing cost. The price is based on the modules you need. There are several modules, such as HR module, accounting module, sales module, scheduling module, etc., and the price will vary depending on the number of modules you choose. The customers always say that it's very expensive. It can cost a lot of money if your organization is huge. It's not implemented in a lot of organizations in my country because it's too expensive."
"The price could be lower."
"Licensing costs are not transparent"
"Though we are talking about a competitively priced model, the pricing could be more cost-effective."
"It is never a cheap product since it is a prime tool in the worldwide market."
"The solution often does not survive our shortlist round because it is very expensive when compared to other products."
"There is an annual license for SAP S4HANA."
"It is very expensive. It is not cheap."
"The price of SAP S4HANA is reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Wholesaler/Distributor
7%
Retailer
7%
Educational Organization
17%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Infor M3?
The product's initial setup phase is easy.
What needs improvement with Infor M3?
Some customers expect more out-of-box reports, and in some areas, they should provide more reports. However, Infor has introduced a report tool so that key users or global champions can generate re...
What is your primary use case for Infor M3?
Infor M3 is specifically dominant in fashion, food and beverages, and chemicals manufacturing; it works into micro-verticals. In food and beverage, it specializes in meat processing, confectionery,...
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?
SAP S/4HANA has room for improvement because we are still exploring functionality, and while most modules are implemented or supported by the partner, we are still in the process of exploring. Righ...
What is your primary use case for SAP S4HANA?
I use SAP S/4HANA because most of the manufacturers in pharmaceuticals are using it. We migrated from Microsoft Dynamics to SAP S/4HANA. My relationship is with solutions in retail as we are custom...
 

Also Known As

Infor Lawson M3, Lawson M3
SAP S4HANA
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Grosfillex, High Five Sportswear, L_derach, OTK Group, PHS Group, Propper International, Red Wing Shoe Company, Reynolds Catering Supplies, Saudi Diesel, Sheetz, Zeppelin, Zodiac Aerospace
Nestle, O.C. Tanner, Sabre, New York Life Insurance Co., MEMEBOX, Siemens AG.
Find out what your peers are saying about Infor M3 vs. SAP S/4HANA and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,687 professionals have used our research since 2012.