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Microsoft Dynamics AX vs SAP Business ByDesign comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
58
Ranking in other categories
ERP (7th), Activity Based Costing Software (3rd)
SAP Business ByDesign
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
Cloud ERP (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, they serve different purposes. Microsoft Dynamics AX is designed for ERP and holds a mindshare of 5.1%, down 6.7% compared to last year.
SAP Business ByDesign, on the other hand, focuses on Cloud ERP, holds 7.4% mindshare, up 7.4% since last year.
ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Dynamics AX5.1%
SAP ERP17.0%
SAP S/4HANA9.2%
Other68.7%
ERP
Cloud ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SAP Business ByDesign7.4%
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP20.6%
NetSuite ERP17.5%
Other54.5%
Cloud 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.
Majid-Mustafa - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides custom versions of reports personalized for users
For AI initiatives, you need to purchase a separate AI license to integrate with SAP Business ByDesign. I'd recommend SAP Business ByDesign for large companies that want to check data graphically, especially for monthly income, expenses, and taxes in the millions or trillions. Overall, for large-scale companies, I'd rate it ten out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The performance is good."
"It is a scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"The most valuable feature I've found is the UI functionality."
"The installation is extremely simple, and I have had no problems with it."
"I like that it's a complete ERP solution from production level to branch level."
"According to user feedback, the product's most valuable features are modern web-based accessibility and user-friendly interface."
"Flexibility is the best feature. Because we have the source code, we can develop our ideas. It enables us to develop new functions."
"The stability is very good."
"When we were using it, we did see an immediate benefit, especially in the inventory on consignment issue. We were a biotech pre-revenue company and most of our manufacturing was outsourced. So being able to track inventory within the system without creating a financial impact was very key for us."
"The standard system is stable."
"SAP Business ByDesign is connected to our S/4 HANA system, and we have developed some APIs which help us integrate the system with S/4 HANA."
"The most valuable features of SAP Business ByDesign are customer invoicing and cost and revenue, from which I get the data for my project reports."
"The most valuable feature of SAP Business ByDesign is it has a streamlined design."
"I have found the consolidation of the business and group reports very useful. There is plenty of features and the manufacturing and finance aspect of the solution are strong."
"I like its modern approach. It is very modern and new technology."
"The most helpful feature is the integrations. Integrating the tool with SAP S/4HANA Cloud is easy, facilitating implementation and deployment. The runtime analysis checks for real-time analytics to see if the software works properly. This is a powerful feature."
 

Cons

"It is being decommissioned."
"Change management could be better."
"There is room for improvement in the licensing model and associated costs of this solution."
"I sometimes put in wrong data that needs correction, but I cannot change it or approve it without withdrawing it. It will then take time for me to go back in and edit it."
"I don't know if Microsoft Dynamics AX is still receiving official technical support from Microsoft."
"AX does take some time and maintenance."
"The initial setup can be complex at times and has room for improvement."
"There should be the capability for users to enhance the application by using a low-code or no-code product from the Microsoft family."
"One disadvantage was that we had the legacy system, SAP Business One, and we could not migrate our data to SAP Business ByDesign. They should have provided a migration path."
"There is room for improvement in the reporting capability. To use it properly, you need intensive IT support. You cannot write your own reports."
"ByDesign could be improved by making screen modifications easier."
"With SAP S/4HANA, you can design your release strategy and modify it to include as many people as possible, which is missing in SAP Business ByDesign."
"SAP Business ByDesign is a very vast product, but it has to be a bit more centralized. All the models need to be more centralized for a better experience."
"SAP Business ByDesign can improve the flexibility and user-friendliness of the reporting during the implementations. Customizing the reports inside the device requires a lot of knowledge and most of the time a developer level is needed. For example, if you want to have a more specific reporting layout."
"The payroll module of the solution could improve."
"The database needs to be more customizable."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The platform's price offering is good."
"The tool's licensing model is based on user subscription. The pricing needs to be reduced for the Indian and South Asian markets."
"The product's pricing is expensive. The tool costs 210 USD per user for one month."
"The yearly licenses are priced okay."
"The tool is cheap."
"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."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX is expensive."
"Go for cloud implementation, if cost is critical."
"The pricing depends on company size. It's cheaper for small companies and more expensive for large ones."
"The cost starts anywhere between fifty thousand dollars and up depending on the number of licenses."
"I rate the price of SAP Business ByDesign a seven out of ten."
"Everything is included in the licensing cost of the solution. However, they use a per-user model for additional charges."
"The price of the solution could be better. They have to come up with a new strategy."
"We have to pay yearly."
"The tool’s subscription is yearly. There is no flat pricing involved and everything has a range. Pricing depends on the functionality that you would use. You need to also pay for the additional hosting and maintenance costs."
"The tool’s pricing is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
23%
Healthcare Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Retailer
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise17
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise5
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
I have faced challenges with Microsoft Dynamics AX, specifically localization; it's very challenging because we are from Romania, so the finance module has to be harmonized with the Romanian law. T...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
We are a customer of Microsoft Dynamics AX. The ERP system is used to keep tracking our processes. I am using Microsoft Dynamics AX in the distribution and retail industry, wholesales, and we have ...
What do you like most about SAP Business ByDesign?
The most valuable features of SAP Business ByDesign are customer invoicing and cost and revenue, from which I get the data for my project reports.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP Business ByDesign?
The price is high, as every year SAP increases the price by 3.5%.
What needs improvement with SAP Business ByDesign?
We received a few complaints about the slowness in SAP Business ByDesign last year, so I think SAP can focus on improving performance, particularly when it becomes slow during data saving and handl...
 

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.
Standard Bank of South Africa, AOK Bundesverband, PT XL Axiata Tbk, Tvoy Dom, Schaidt Innovations GmbH & Co. KG, DeLaval International AB, EMC Corporation, Lenovo, Castle Importing Inc., Unilever, Rifle Paper Co., RAK Ceramics, Rough Country, B&G Manufacturing, Life is good Inc., Joy Global Inc., City of Cape Town
Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Microsoft, Infor and others in ERP. Updated: October 2025.
872,706 professionals have used our research since 2012.