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

Microsoft Dynamics AX vs NetSuite ERP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

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 Activity Based Costing Software
3rd
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
ERP (6th)
NetSuite ERP
Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software
6th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
35
Ranking in other categories
Billing Software (3rd), Cloud ERP (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Activity Based Costing Software category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 16.2%, up from 15.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NetSuite ERP is 7.2%, down from 10.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Activity Based Costing Software
 

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.
Haggit Russo - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective financial management with real-time analytics and a straightforward setup
Reports are good but not perfect. The custom reports could be improved. The initial setup process for reports can be a bit complicated and may require more user-friendly options. My previous company faced difficulty with reporting when it was too complicated to find proper reports. Overall, improving the reporting feature would be beneficial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Dynamics AX is very simple to use."
"Supply Chain Management is an excellent feature."
"In terms of features, GP offers a wide range of strong capabilities, particularly in the financial module."
"There's a moderate amount of scalability available."
"The tool makes it easier to manage things."
"The stability is very good."
"It is easy to use, and it has a great UI. It has very well-structured modules. In terms of setup and configuration, they're logically placed, which makes it easy for any user to pick up information and learn more about the system, rather than just be plain key users of that business operating system."
"The installation is extremely simple, and I have had no problems with it."
"The inventory feature in NetSuite ERP is very valuable to me because it provides clear estimates about the depreciation of details and includes useful mobile modules."
"NetSuite ERP has dramatically improved our organization. We went from QuickBooks to NetSuite. You can compare this transition to changing from tennis shoes to a flying car."
"We can install the bundles based on our needs."
"We use it for the projects we do in the telecom industry."
"I have found there to be many features, such as manufacturing, accounting, financials, inventory, and purchasing."
"As NetSuite ERP is a cloud product, a valuable feature I found in it is the very friendly user interface. You can set up shortcuts within the applications for frequently used reports or navigation. You can also customize dashboards in NetSuite ERP. Another feature I found valuable in the solution is good reporting. It has many industry-standard reports focused on finance and inventory. I also like the seamless switching between production and test environments and that you can customize the environments within NetSuite ERP. For example, you can put banners on your test and production environments to differentiate or segregate the logins to prevent mistakes. The solution is pretty easy to use and navigate, and it's more of a lightweight software. I like that it's a cloud product, so work is done on the front end rather than the back end. There's also a community for NetSuite ERP where you can raise your queries and issues. You'll find other people sharing experiences about common issues so you can get quick fixes from the community."
"I recommend this product to professional services companies and those with complex international financial requirements. NetSuite ERP has strong capabilities in the finance domain that other ERPs may lack."
"It's integrated into everything well so you can navigate and use it in a very simple way."
 

Cons

"The implementation was completed within one month."
"The product needs better admin control. There is room for improvement in flexibility, reporting, and dashboards. Artificial intelligence should be incorporated. I have concerns regarding partners, specifically in the implementation and deployment of Microsoft Dynamics."
"There is also slowness in database backup."
"The solution in general just needs a few quality improvements."
"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 financial periods."
"We do not have access to daily projections."
"There might be some features to support localizations that could be helpful to add."
"They should include some modules related to solving customer problems or resolving support tickets from our customers — like a help desk for ERPs."
"There is a lot of room for improvement. Multiple manufacturing features need to be updated on NetSuite. More functionalities need to be added. I think there are a lot of functionalities coming out for warehouse management systems and manufacturing automation via advanced manufacturing functionalities. I think they need to improve a little more on those aspects and make it easier on the scheduling aspect."
"The solution could be more stable."
"The main implementation challenge is finding experienced consultants to translate customer needs into NetSuite ERP's standard functionality. The second challenge is getting enough time from customers for proper implementation."
"It would be great if they offered localization for Central America."
"Additionally, adding advanced modules such as AI components or customer service modules could help the system become more scalable."
"NetSuite is good for data management, but it's missing payroll features."
"If you do go through an implementor, you need to be careful that they are actual implementors and not just resellers."
"In terms of the main improvement to NetSuite is the talent itself. It's grown so fast and there are about 25,000 companies running on it, and it's a relatively newer system compared to other competitors. It's growing so fast that the talent base in the partner organization (there's about 200 of them), is pretty thin."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is an annual licensing cost for Microsoft Dynamics AX."
"In relation to the cloud, it might be expensive for a longer duration. However, it's essential to consider the demands of enterprise users. While it's cost-effective in the short run, it becomes relatively costly in the long run."
"It has a pay-as-you-go subscription."
"We pay for licensing yearly to use Microsoft Dynamics AX."
"It is not the cheapest solution, but it is also not the most expensive one. It's in between and is cheaper than SAP but more expensive than other local vendors. It is worth the cost."
"The product's license is expensive. My company is located in a region where we have to pay the most for the tool due to our currency and inflation scenario."
"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."
"The yearly licenses are priced okay."
"It is expensive."
"It is completely on a subscription basis. We pay yearly and, and you do not have to do anything on a monthly basis. Prices depend on the organization's scale and all those things, but they are doing a good job with the pricing."
"There is an annual license required to use this solution."
"The price of the solution is quite high."
"The price is less than the cost of daily hours."
"Pricing for NetSuite ERP is okay, but it could be better. The licensing model for NetSuite ERP is based on the number of modules and users. The standard license covers up to twenty-five users. If you have more than twenty-five users, you'll have to buy the premium license, which would double the price. For one module with five user licenses, the cost is between $40,000 to $50,000."
"When people buy ERP, it's a competitive situation and the pricing is paramount."
"NetSuite ERP has a cost per module you want to use, and then you have the license per user."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Activity Based Costing Software solutions are best for your needs.
859,957 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Retailer
6%
Educational Organization
23%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

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...
What do you like most about NetSuite ERP?
The inventory feature in NetSuite ERP is very valuable to me because it provides clear estimates about the depreciation of details and includes useful mobile modules.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NetSuite ERP?
If you buy it through Europe or North America, it is quite expensive. However, if you can buy it from developing markets according to NetSuite, you can get significant discounts, up to 70%.
What needs improvement with NetSuite ERP?
Reports are good but not perfect. The custom reports could be improved. The initial setup process for reports can be a bit complicated and may require more user-friendly options. My previous compan...
 

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.
2Pure, Accuvant, Actian, Adtegrity, Advantage Sign Supply, All-Safe Pool Safety Products, Alton Lane, AMC Liquidators
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. NetSuite ERP and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,957 professionals have used our research since 2012.