Microsoft Dynamics AX vs SAP Business ByDesign comparison

Why PeerSpot?

The compared Microsoft and SAP solutions aren't in the same category. Microsoft is ranked #9 in ERP , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 2.3% mindshare in the category. SAP is ranked #6 in CE , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 3.7% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Dynamics AX

Read 59 Microsoft Dynamics AX reviews

6,397 Views
5,885 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

SAP Business ByDesign

Read 16 SAP Business ByDesign reviews

1,593 Views
972 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Microsoft Dynamics AX

SAP Business ByDesign

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Dynamics AX and SAP Business ByDesign based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Oracle, Microsoft and others in ERP.

To learn more, read our detailed ERP Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ERP

October 2026

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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

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

ERP (9th), Activity Based Costing Software (5th)

SAP Business ByDesign

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud ERP (6th)

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 2.3%, down 4.8% compared to last year.
SAP Business ByDesign, on the other hand, focuses on Cloud ERP, holds 3.7% mindshare, down 7.4% since last year.

ERP Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Dynamics AX	2.3%
SAP ERP	9.0%
SAP S/4HANA	6.2%
Other	82.5%

ERP

Cloud ERP Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
SAP Business ByDesign	3.7%
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP	21.3%
NetSuite ERP	21.1%
Other	53.9%

Cloud ERP

Featured Reviews

reviewer2765214

Senior Sales Support Supervisor at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees

Has required ongoing support and modernization but effectively manages core operations and complex workflows

Microsoft Dynamics AX is a very strong ERP system, applicable for customizations to help companies and organizations streamline their processes. The specific feature I find most valuable about Microsoft Dynamics AX is the applicable permissions. There are many levels of security and permissions for each user to monitor and access specific data relative to their functions. Additionally, the linkage and transition between exploring and moving from window to window, from function to function is valuable. The impact of Microsoft Dynamics AX on managing financial processes is significant. It's a very important element for financial departments as it represents all transactions, references, and records. The adjustments and availability to create more than one virtual company allow large companies, which combined represent one group of companies, to connect and streamline their financials and operations.

Read full review

Manoj Sahoo

Divisional Manager IT at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Valuable features enhance sales and service capabilities while performance improvements are needed

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 handling. My feedback about the modular architecture and customized features of SAP Business ByDesign is that it is only good, but we have not explored much on this one. The initial setup for SAP Business ByDesign was complex. 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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We're using the solution for financial modules, specifically focusing on consolidation, financial configuration, management reporting for warehousing, sales. Most of the features of Microsoft Dynamics AX are good. The overall structure and functions are great. The solution is stable. The initial setup is straightforward."

"In terms of features, GP offers a wide range of strong capabilities, particularly in the financial module."

"Using dimensions in Microsoft Dynamics AX is the most valuable feature I have found, offering very flexible solutions to customers and making it a great function."

"The production is a valuable feature."

"The tool's most important capabilities are for retail and finance. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 doesn't have many integration capabilities, but Microsoft 365 has the most capabilities to integrate with any type of standalone software and has many more features."

"The most valuable feature for us is the manufacturing module, as it addresses our product costing for tuna canning."

"Using it, we can provide quick, thorough, and more effective service to our customers."

"The sales module, with features such as pricing and creating promotions, stands out to me as the most useful."

More Microsoft Dynamics AX pros

"The standard system is stable."

"The stability has been great, and compared to other products that I have used before, they have been doing really well with stability."

"I like its modern approach. It is very modern and new technology."

"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."

"It could be used for any financial use case; production companies can use it, wholesale distributors can use it, and any professional services company can use it."

"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 Business ByDesign are the integration of its modules, analytics, and dashboards."

"I have found the consolidation of the business and group reports very useful, there are plenty of features, and the manufacturing and finance aspect of the solution are strong."

More SAP Business ByDesign pros

Cons

"The older version of Microsoft Dynamics AX that we are using is not as scalable as the newer version."

"Microsoft Dynamics AX should include more connectors for third-party integrations. It should also include more features that AI models can govern."

"The integration could improve for the future."

"Even with the POS version, if we go above a certain limit, we can have performance issues."

"Microsoft Dynamics AX can improve system performance and security. The security is basic and needs a lot of improvement."

"On a larger scale, I can't depend on it."

"If I had to add something in the next release, it would probably be a mobile application for a sister application of Dynamics 365; not the ERP but the Dynamics 365 HR solution. It would definitely help if we could have Microsoft or a Microsoft partner introduce a mobile application for it."

"Microsoft Dynamics AX needs to improve its support and the developer experience. Developing and programming are more complex. Automation and integration with other apps should be simplified."

More Microsoft Dynamics AX cons

"The Purchase to Pay process could benefit from further sophistication and additional functionality. It would be helpful for the user community to receive clearer information about the future roadmap of the business. Unfortunately, there were some confusing articles in the German press towards the end of last year about the future of SAP Business ByDesign. Therefore, more clarity is needed in the support function to address this."

"The database needs to be more customizable."

"There might be some hurdles when integrating with SAP ECC, but integration with SAP S/4HANA Cloud is smooth."

"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."

"There is room for improvement in the reporting capability. To use it properly, you need intensive IT support. You cannot write your own reports."

"The solution does not support customization for forms and reports. It's not flexible in case you need some enhancements in business processes."

"Scalability is difficult."

"ByDesign could be improved by making screen modifications easier."

More SAP Business ByDesign cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"It is $180 to $200 per user per month with a minimum of 20 users, which makes selling the product a bit difficult."

"The solution is on-premises and we do not pay for a license."

"The product's pricing is expensive. The tool costs 210 USD per user for one month."

"The yearly licenses are priced okay."

"One license costs $1,000."

"Comparatively, Business Central appears to be more cost-effective. Microsoft offers Business Central at only $70 per user per month in the US. In contrast, GP requires an initial investment, including around $9,000 for the GP license for three users and additional expenses for hardware. Therefore, the initial investment for GP is quite substantial. On the other hand, cloud-based ERP products like Business Central do not entail the same upfront investment and operate on an ongoing, subscription-based model."

More Microsoft Dynamics AX pricing and cost advice

"I rate the price of SAP Business ByDesign a seven out of ten."

"The cost starts anywhere between fifty thousand dollars and up depending on the number of licenses."

"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 pricing depends on company size. It's cheaper for small companies and more expensive for large ones."

"The price of SAP Business ByDesign is less expensive than SAP S/4HANA. However, the price is on par with other similar competitors, such as Microsoft."

"The price of the solution could be better. They have to come up with a new strategy."

"Everything is included in the licensing cost of the solution. However, they use a per-user model for additional charges."

More SAP Business ByDesign pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

10%

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

13%

Construction Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	30
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	17

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	5

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?

I think the integration capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics AX need to be enhanced. There are many features for integration, such as APIs and connectors, but I need more ready APIs that link directl...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?

For industrial companies, I mainly use Microsoft Dynamics AX for those processes. Most of my clients are manufacturing clients, so I work with food industries, steel industries, plastic industries,...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics AX?

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides benefits like saving time because it is very easy to use and it offers strong processes to implement full business processes, mapping them with customer business for ...

See all answers

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%.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP Business ByDesign?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SAP Business ByDesign?

Our use case for SAP Business ByDesign is our dealer team accessing their system to perform sales and service; these two functionalities are done through SAP Business ByDesign. SAP Business ByDesig...

See all answers

Comparisons

SAP ERP vs Microsoft Dynamics AX

Compared 16% of the time

SAP S/4HANA vs Microsoft Dynamics AX

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs Microsoft Dynamics AX

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics GP vs Microsoft Dynamics AX

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics SL vs Microsoft Dynamics AX

Compared 6% of the time

More Microsoft Dynamics AX Competitors

SAP S/4HANA Cloud vs SAP Business ByDesign

Compared 23% of the time

Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP vs SAP Business ByDesign

Compared 13% of the time

SAP Business One vs SAP Business ByDesign

Compared 11% of the time

NetSuite ERP vs SAP Business ByDesign

Compared 10% of the time

SAP S/4HANA vs SAP Business ByDesign

Compared 6% of the time

More SAP Business ByDesign Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Dynamics AX

September 2026

Download Microsoft Dynamics AX product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP Business ByDesign

September 2026

Download SAP Business ByDesign product report

Also Known As

Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Dynamics AX is an integrated enterprise resource planning system offering extensive modules for finance, logistics, and manufacturing. Known for its Excel integration and competitive pricing, it provides companies with flexible and customizable workflows for efficient business processes.

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides comprehensive support for manufacturing, retail, and financial management. Its centralized structure ensures effective data management and smooth workflow automation, while integration with third-party applications allows for real-time analysis and customization. Although there is a need for improved APIs, a more modern interface, and robust financial features, Dynamics AX supports a varied range of business operations with its cloud and on-premise setups. The system has some security limitations and performance challenges, and its reliance on Power BI for real-time analytics highlights areas for development, especially for on-premise users.

What are the key features of Microsoft Dynamics AX?

Integration with Excel: Facilitates data management and analysis by linking seamlessly with Excel.
Customizable Workflow: Automates business processes to boost efficiency.
Robust Modules: Includes finance, logistics, and manufacturing modules.
Third-party Integration: Enhances flexibility with external applications.
Centralized Design: Supports effective data management across processes.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Streamlined Operations: Assists in improving business processes and decision-making.
Cost Efficiency: Offers competitive pricing, balancing cost with functionality.
Flexibility: Accommodates cloud and on-premise setups for diverse needs.
Enhanced Financial Controls: Aids in managing finance-related tasks effectively.
Decision-making Improvement: Provides tools to support strategic business decisions.

Manufacturing sectors use Microsoft Dynamics AX for resource planning and supply chain management, enhancing operational efficiency. Retail companies benefit from its real-time analysis and finance capabilities. Service industries find its HR and inventory management features valuable, leveraging the system for both on-premise and cloud setups to optimize processes and integration.

Microsoft

SAP Business ByDesign offers real-time integration and a streamlined design with comprehensive management of suppliers and service agents, making it ideal for financial reporting and project management.

SAP Business ByDesign is recognized for its comprehensive capabilities in financial and project management across sectors. With its Financial Closing Cockpit and real-time reporting, it integrates easily with SAP S/4HANA and offers a user-friendly approach to business process management. Challenges may exist in budget management, reporting, and user interface requiring further enhancements. Despite integration challenges, it streamlines operations in education, automotive manufacturing, and professional services.

What features are most important in SAP Business ByDesign?

Financial Closing Cockpit: Streamlines closing processes with automation.
Real-Time Integration: Ensures seamless data flow between systems.
End-to-End Process Capabilities: Supports comprehensive management activities.
Analytics and Dashboards: Provides actionable insights to drive decisions.
Customizable Interface: Allows businesses to tailor functionalities.

What benefits or ROI can users expect to find in reviews?

Streamlined Operations: Enhances efficiency without increasing user count.
Improved Real-Time Reporting: Delivers accurate and timely insights.
Comprehensive Management: Ensures effective handling of suppliers and services.
Reduced Time to Implementation: Facilitates quicker deployment.
Enhanced Performance: Boosts data-driven decision-making and accuracy.

SAP Business ByDesign is leveraged by education, automotive, and professional service industries for enhanced financial reporting and inventory management. It supports sales, service, and CRM functionalities, catering to companies looking to streamline their operations efficiently.

SAP

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, Oracle, Microsoft and others in ERP. Updated: October 2026.

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