The cost of ERP software can add up quickly, and there isn't always a “sticker price” that can be easily accessed on a provider’s website. NetSuite, for example, requires you to contact the company for pricing details, so it's difficult to casually price NetSuite vs. other software.
According to the tech review site Software Connect, NetSuite ERP software generally has a 10-user minimum, which means you can expect to pay at least $1,000 per month for a starting package, plus implementation charges. Multiple reviewers on Software Connect cited price as a primary reason their company ultimately chose a different solution, with total implementation costs of $60,000 or even $100,000.
The good news is, there are solutions out there like Gravity Software, which maintains cost-effectiveness by providing a set of core functions that would benefit any multi-entity business and offering add-on modules for more specialized tasks. That way, you can select the capabilities you need – without paying for ones you'll never use.
While some tech site reviews commend NetSuite vs. other cloud ERP software for its user-friendliness, others lament a poor and outdated user interface. Software Connect warns of a tedious setup and an implementation that may require technical expertise in the form of a value-added reseller (VAR).
Many NetSuite alternatives, particularly entry-level accounting solutions such as FreshBooks and Xero, are designed with simplicity in mind. FreshBooks in particular touts itself as an easy-to-use accounting solution and even includes a testimonial on its website from a self-described “non-numbers” person.
Most accounting solutions and ERP systems offer plenty of customization opportunities, either through software configuration – more common at the enterprise level and usually handled by a consultant or reseller – or integration with provider-developed modules or third-party applications.
NetSuite ERP software, for one, offers hundreds of third-party add-ons. But customizations and add-ons aren't free. One NetSuite reviewer shared on Software Connect that the number of add-ons needed to make NetSuite work for their business rendered the software cost-prohibitive. They can also take time and work to integrate with your solution, and too many can bog down your system.
Third-party add-ons are best thought of as a final puzzle piece in a solution that already has the core functionalities your business needs. Choosing a solution with a strong roster of available modules or native applications, as these are built by the provider and will integrate seamlessly with your software, can also be beneficial. Examples of NetSuite alternatives that do this well include Acumatica Cloud ERP and solutions built in the Microsoft ecosystem, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Gravity Software.
Your accounting solution should serve you for the next 5-10 years, even if your business grows. Data storage capacity and ease of adding users are key considerations here.
With cloud ERP software like NetSuite vs. an on-premise solution such as that offered by SAP Business One, you can increase your data storage capacity without a major server overhaul. The bad news, however, is that NetSuite's pricing is based on a service-tier model in which the more cloud storage you need, the more you pay, and neglecting to upgrade your storage capacity could slow down your service.
With a NetSuite alternative that's built in the Microsoft ecosystem, such as Gravity Software and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, cloud hosting is part of the subscription fee. And adding users is easy in Gravity, even before your contract runs out.
If NetSuite isn't the right accounting solution for your business, there are plenty of alternatives on the market. Here are a few.
Gravity marries the key features of entry-level accounting software with capabilities you'd normally only expect in cloud ERP software. Gravity's most significant key feature is the ability to account separately for every entity within your organization, even as all of your organization's financial data is stored in a single database. This means:
Gravity offers core functions such as inventory management, multi-currency accounting and automated bank book reconciliation. For those seeking enhanced capabilities, option modules like AP Automation, Requisition Management and Fixed Asset Management can be added. Whether you’re looking to streamline your operations or boost overall efficiency, Gravity can help.
There are several accounting solutions in today's marketplace that could be considered entry-level, as they're often geared toward small businesses or single-entity companies. They share similar core financial management functionalities, such as invoicing, expense tracking, revenue management and some degree of reporting capabilities. Some even offer more advanced functions such as project management and operational features like inventory management. Their pricing structure is typically a service-tier model, and they are generally cloud accounting software solutions. But each solution has qualities that set it apart from the others.
FreshBooks is designed for business owners with or without employees and also carries some advanced features such as time tracking tools and recurring billing. FreshBooks Payroll is available for businesses with human resources to manage. Its biggest selling point, as evidenced by the advertising on the company's website, is its ease of use. Multiple users on the software review site G2 also list customer support as one of the solution's positive features.
If you're a single-entity business, any of these might prove to be a viable NetSuite alternative. If your business is poised for growth, however, it's important to keep in mind that with entry-level accounting solutions, users need to create a separate database for each entity within their organization. This means you’ll spend a lot of time repeatedly copying and pasting data from one database to another. It isn’t just extra work and wasted time; it also increases your chances of making costly, time-consuming errors.
Like NetSuite, Sage Intacct is a full-fledged enterprise resource planning system that offers comprehensive financial management, human resources management, supply chain management and inventory management. It boasts advanced reporting and business intelligence capabilities, including AI-powered predictive business analytics. It's scalable and boasts strong integration capabilities.
But, G2 lists user-unfriendliness and learning curve among Sage Intacct's “cons,” and Software Connect warns that “businesses with a budget of less than $5 million might find the software costly.”
The destination management company was suffering from inefficiency and duplication of data entry. They were already using Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM for their customer relationship management, so utilizing Gravity Software for the back-end financials made perfect sense. Since switching from QuickBooks Desktop, they've eliminated much of the duplicate data entry that was bogging the team down along, and intercompany transactions are no longer a hassle.
By enlisting a partner to help customize the 47-entity organization's Gravity instance, accounts payable administrator Stephanie Welborn was able to cut the time spent on intercompany transactions from multiple days down to about 30 minutes.
By switching from QuickBooks Enterprise to Gravity, the screen time needed to complete this tribal holding company's accounting functions has been cut in half. The push of a button now produces a comprehensive report on all the organizations involved, and that happens by the fourth day of each month – without requiring users to pull together 17 different balance sheets for 17 different entities.
When the private equity firm switched from Xero to Gravity, they cut days off their report compilation time. They’ve also made use of Gravity's investment management software to automate many investment-related tasks, freeing up “accountants to be accountants,” said CFO Amy Perkin, “not data entry people.”
With its cost and complexity, NetSuite might not be the right choice for your business. A NetSuite alternative like QuickBooks, however, might not offer sufficient functionality for a multi-entity company.
Fortunately, there’s an alternative to the alternatives: Gravity Software, which offers robust multi-entity financial management capabilities, plenty of customization opportunities and the support of a dedicated team of knowledgeable professionals – all at an affordable price point without a bevy of hidden costs.
But it's important to explore Gravity for yourself to see whether it's the right solution for you. Schedule a demo today, and let our team answer your questions and show you why Gravity is an ideal NetSuite alternative.
Yes! While Gravity is designed to be simpler to use and implement than ERP software like SAP Business One or NetSuite, a knowledgeable partner can still help you get the most out of Gravity. We work with a network of trusted partners who use a proven methodology to guide clients through the transition to Gravity, covering everything from project organization to data migration to user training.
Gravity offers multiple support avenues. If you just need a quick reminder on how to use a particular feature, you can access our new AI-powered Help feature for fast and easy answer. For more in-depth training, our network of trusted partners can provide remote sessions tailored to your needs. Additionally, for any other questions or to suggest new capabilities, you can always reach out to our team.
Gravity is designed to be a flexible solution for multi-entity companies across many industries, including family offices, healthcare, hospitality, investment firms and holding companies, renewable energy and more.
To get an estimate for NetSuite, you'd need to call the company or schedule a demo. But Software Connect, and some of the reviewers on it, have said companies using NetSuite can expect to pay about $1,000 per user, per month. That doesn't include implementation costs, which rise the more you customize the software.
Gravity Software's per-user cost is listed right here on our website so you can plan your finances accordingly.
