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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 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

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...
Ranking in ERP
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
64
Ranking in other categories
Activity Based Costing Software (2nd)
SAP S/4HANA
Ranking in ERP
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
119
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is 6.4%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP S/4HANA is 12.9%, down from 16.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

StefaanVandesompele - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides end-to-end accounting and finance module at reasonable pricing
365 Business Central integrates with Office 365 to streamline the invoice approval process. This allows businesses to manage and approve invoices efficiently within a unified system. Our organization plans to transition to the Dynamics 365 environment, where various functions will be centralized. We will consolidate everything into one system instead of maintaining multiple databases for each country with local data. Dynamics 365 is fully integrated, which should address many of our challenges when we migrate to this new environment. We look forward to seeing how it performs in practice. The project is progressing well overall, though integrating it with other tools and ensuring Dynamics 365 operates smoothly can be challenging. Dynamics 365 is user-friendly and effective. However, a deeper understanding of its technical capabilities and architecture might be necessary to optimize its use fully. The software landscape is evolving, and achieving the best reporting and functionality with just a click can be complex. A clear vision of what you want to achieve with Dynamics 365 is essential. Proper preparation and configuration are crucial to achieving the desired outcomes. This principle applies not only to Dynamics 365 but to all software packages. Understanding the system's flexibility and adaptability based on your specific business needs is key to its successful implementation. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
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

"The most valuable features of Business Central for me are its seamless integration with Power BI and the ability to create customized reports."
"The platform offers a robust and comprehensive cycle for supply chain and inventory management, with features like minimum and maximum settings, dynamic monitoring of inventory levels, and integration with Microsoft's AI capabilities."
"The solution can scale."
"Our data is much more manageable than before."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is using the Excel sheets on Chrome and other applications."
"All of the features are valuable, depending on where you implement them. I've done implementations in 60 countries, across 86 different companies and groups, and each company has a different reason for why they want to use it. Every single feature that I've implemented has been successful, and for some companies, where they didn't use the functionality, they have moved to external products or they've integrated into other applications."
"We like the manufacturing and case management modules."
"The selling feature is the most valuable."
"The most valuable feature is the perfect end-to-end integration."
"I find the Production Planning Cockpit (PPC) and Material Requirements Planning (MRP) most valuable modules."
"I would recommend SAP S4HANA because it is a known solution that is stable and widely used by customers, thus making it reliable."
"Its analytics capabilities are valuable as they enhance data analysis and insights."
"The overall product rating is ten out of ten."
"Overall product rating: ten out of ten."
"SAP S4HANA is a robust solution."
"SAP S/4HANA is a comprehensive ERP solution that provides better performance."
 

Cons

"It would be nice if the integration process was easier."
"The configuration packages can be somewhat tiresome at times, and they can be slow when loading data."
"The performance and virtual machine backup is not good with this solution and need improvements."
"Implementing localizations when we use the system for multiple countries can be quite complex."
"They need to improve their processes."
"The stability could always be improved."
"It could be more stable."
"One aspect that could be improved in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the visibility and accessibility of communication-related features, such as email integration."
"In my opinion, there's room for improvement in SAP S/4HANA based on customer requirements. The solution already includes advanced technologies like AI functionalities, but improvements can be made in areas like UI and pricing. For example, making the UI more user-friendly or reducing the cost could enhance the overall experience for clients and customers. The goal is to provide everything customers need with just one click, ensuring convenience and efficiency in accessing information and performing tasks."
"It is simple to implement SAP S4HANA. If you are already in this type of environment, then the transition is not very complex. However, if you do not then it can be difficult."
"This product would be improved by adding more reports."
"With the public cloud, now everything is being pushed into BTP. This has created challenges, as it requires us to redo our coding and development."
"The initial setup was difficult, presenting challenges for users."
"I'm not a big fan of SAP S/4HANA because it needs a lot of hardware. It is really fast, but it needs a lot of hardware. The hardware for S/4HANA is too expensive."
"SAP is good, however, SAP users should have the knowledge to tackle SAP effectively."
"The tool could improve development, particularly during upgrades or conversions from ERP systems to the solution. Adapting the code to the new standards can be challenging, especially when customers try to keep their old ERP developments."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."
"There are two types of licenses. One is the essential license in which everything is covered, and the next is the premium. If your company is a manufacturing or service management company, then you can go for the premium license because those two modules are the premium ones. You can manage your manufacturing activities and your service activities."
"Microsoft Dynamics NAV has a pay-as-you-use payment model."
"I give the solution a seven out of ten for pricing."
"I would rate the pricing of this solution at three out of five."
"The solution's cost is reasonable."
"Currently, the product offers a starting price of $70 per user per month, which provides access to the complete ERP engine. It is highly reasonable."
"NAV might be a little pricey for a small or medium-sized company, but all the solutions out there are."
"I rate the pricing a ten on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is too expensive. It is an expensive tool."
"The licensing format is complicated for SAP S/4HANA"
"The price could be lower."
"The solution's pricing depends on customers and how much discount they can get. However, the list price is expensive."
"It is costly in computing because these VMs have a huge CPU and utilization."
"The product is expensive"
"The price of SAP S4HANA could be cheaper."
"The pricing is a five out of ten, with ten being expensive and one being cheap."
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Answers from the Community

AM
May 2, 2023
May 2, 2023
Hello Amit, I am posting this answer on behalf of Gene Hammons, a Director at a small tech services company. He says: "Hey Amit - I believe there are huge price differentials between SAP S/4 HANA and MS D365 Business Central (the new web version of the old Navision code base). In most of our clients evaluating SAP we're comparing that to the D365 Finance & Operations (the new web version ...
2 out of 3 answers
MM
May 2, 2023
Hello Amit,I believe I can safely recommend SAP S/4HANA as a better ERP solution for your organization. Being directly involved in multiple SAP implementation projects, I have seen organizations transform and grow with S/4HANA. The only concern is the cost as I see it because SAP S/4HANA is costly as compared with other products. Another thing that you need to consider is the change in management in your organization. SAP encourages organizations to adopt best practices and in doing so, users are not always facilitated. So how flexible your organization is when it comes to adapting the change is a million-dollar question. Let me know if you need further details and we can specifically discuss accordingly.Regards,Muhammad Tuaha MustafeezSAP Solution Architect & Project Manager
Avigayil Henderson - PeerSpot reviewer
May 2, 2023
Hello Amit, I am posting this answer on behalf of Gene Hammons, a Director at a small tech services company. He says: "Hey Amit - I believe there are huge price differentials between SAP S/4 HANA and MS D365 Business Central (the new web version of the old Navision code base). In most of our clients evaluating SAP we're comparing that to the D365 Finance & Operations (the new web version of the old Axapta code base). Pricing-wise, we'd see $3m for SAP, $1.5m for D365 F&O, and $400k for D365 BC. There is Business One from SAP that would fit in the middle of those Dynamics price points - and it's all relative, a smaller company would cost less, a larger company more - but you see where the competition would play. We do get a lot of calls from companies who have licensed D365 Business Central as part of their Microsoft IT stack and try to implement it themselves. After a couple of years, they start calling around and find out you need a real consulting team to get anywhere - and that's not free. Anyway - the key is who you partner with, make sure they have plenty of experience in your size company, in your industry - and let your business requirements drive the evaluation. The pros and cons of each system are only relevant depending on the requirements of your particular business model - any of these have the ability to be a total nightmare or productivity dream depending on where you try and fit them."
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Retailer
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Educational Organization
36%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
4%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The platform offers a robust and comprehensive cycle for supply chain and inventory management, with features like minimum and maximum settings, dynamic monitoring of inventory levels, and integrat...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable. The value for money is very high.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
There is a need for improvement in consolidation and multi-country master data management.
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?
There could be a bit more competitiveness in their licensing and pricing.
What is your primary use case for SAP S4HANA?
It is a great product to be implemented for different industries for my customers. Can it be used globally?
 

Also Known As

Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV
SAP S4HANA
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Harris Farm Markets, Mister Spex GmbH, Bounce Foods, Eurofin Services SA, Medica Medizintechnik, Associated Gaskets, Onduline, Sitka Surfboard Corporation, World Animal Protection
Nestle, O.C. Tanner, Sabre, New York Life Insurance Co., MEMEBOX, Siemens AG.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. SAP S/4HANA and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,576 professionals have used our research since 2012.