One of the hallmarks of ERP solutions is ‘flexibility’. With its implementation on the cloud and on-demand services, users have access to their business operations in real time. Moreover, the market for cloud-based ERP solutions is projected to exceed $49.5 billion in 2025.
However, when it comes to choosing a suitable cloud-based ERP solution, NetSuite and Acumatica are the two most popular competing ERP platforms in the SMB space. Both these ERP solutions are well received by their clientele, but each has unique features and capabilities.
The objective of this article is to help you figure out which ERP platform is most suitable for your business by providing a detailed feature-based comparison.
NetSuite Overview
NetSuite is a fully integrated business management suite with built-in e-commerce, along with robust ERP, CRM, HCM, and other purpose-built modules that can get the job done effectively. . . It is easy to mold and configure to meet the most stringent functional requirements. Customizations are simple to manage and are not affected by frequent system updates.
NetSuite is designed with a unified database where customer reports, dashboards, and KPIs, are all updated in real-time. This provides complete visibility into the entire business, and the software also supports real-time subsidiary consolidation.
Oracle NetSuite is one of the most recommended ERP solutions, with over 24,000 companies using it worldwide.
Acumatica Overview
Acumatica is a cloud-based ERP solution that provides companies with an integrated set of business management tools such as CRM, inventory management, accounting & financials, among other modules.
Clients can choose to either have an on-premises installation or move everything to the cloud. The software works for most industries, from construction, distribution, and manufacturing to retail. It helps businesses transform into digital and automated enterprises through process automation.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
| NetSuite | Acumatica | |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Management | • Accounts Payable • Accounts Receivable • General Ledger • Multi-Currency • Fixed Assets • Multi-Company & Consolidation • Revenue Recognition • Subscription Billing • Forecasting & Budgeting • Financial Planning & Analysis | • Accounts Payable • Accounts Receivable • General Ledger • Multi-Currency • Fixed Asset Management • Multi-Company & Consolidation • Revenue Recognition • Subscription Billing • Forecasting & Budgeting • Financial Planning & Analysis |
| Supply Chain Management | • Order Management • Production Management • Inventory Management • Procurement • Warehouse & Fulfillment • Demand Planning • WIP & Routing • Work Orders & Assemblies • Shop Floor Control • BOM Maintenance | • Order Management • Inventory Management • Procurement • Warehouse & Fulfillment • Requisition Management |
| Human Capital Management | • Human Resources Management • Employee Onboarding • Vacation Scheduling • Employee Directories • Payroll | • Human Resources Management • Applicant Tracking • Employee Self-Service • Performance Management • Employee Surveys • Payroll |
| Ecommerce & Retail | • Point of Sale • Mobile Point of Sale • E-commerce • Order & Inventory Management • Product Content Management • Marketing Automation | • Point of Sale • Mobile Point of Sale • E-commerce • Order & Inventory Mgt • Marketing Automation |
| Automation | • Project Management • Resource Management • Timesheet Management • Expense Management | • Project Management • Timesheet Management • Expense Management |
Functionalities to consider when comparing NetSuite Vs. Acumatica
Before settling with NetSuite or Acumatica, it is necessary to access multiple aspects such as user experience, pricing model, deployment, integration capabilities, customer support, partner ecosystem, and reporting system of each platform. A detailed comparison of each of these aspects is discussed below so one can make an informed decision.
Partner Ecosystem
A strong user community and a growing ecosystem of partners can accelerate the value customers receive from their ERP implementation. Both NetSuite and Acumatica rely on partners to fill gaps in the core software by either integrating with the software or building out specific department- or industry-focused functionality.
However, there are some noteworthy differences between the partner ecosystems of Acumatica and NetSuite.
Given NetSuite’s maturity, it has a much more robust partner ecosystem where value-added reseller partners (VARs) like AlphaBOLD continue to bring unique set of skills (IP) to the channel. Additionally, it has a third-party application marketplace with 570 add-on applications.
Acumatica’s partner channel also enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the software publisher. Acumatica relies solely on its value-added reseller partners for all customer sales. There is no channel conflict between partners and Acumatica. However, it leaves customers without direct contact with the software vendor itself.
Pricing
NetSuite has a flat-fee pricing model, which helps in fostering growth as many NetSuite users experience decreasing cost-to-revenue ratios as their businesses grow.
Additionally, the licensing cost does not rise in correlation to transactions rise. Predictable pricing is critical to fast-growing companies, and that’s why 63% of technology IPOs have run on NetSuite since 2011.
Acumatica employs a “pay for what you use” pricing structure, and applications are priced separately. Platform fee depends on the applications you plan to use, the projected resource consumption, and the type of license. This model offers the flexibility to scale or downsize as needed.
User Interface
Both NetSuite and Acumatica are user-friendly, but each of them has its own strengths regarding the user interface.
NetSuite has a simple and easy-to-use UI with a built-in task manager, reporting tools, and a single console. Moreover, it is easy to navigate and provides a 360 view of overall operations.
Acumatica also has an interactive UI, but it has some learning curve to it. It has a multitude of modules and settings that a user has to configure before use. This can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing for the average user.’
Reporting & Analytics
Both NetSuite and Acumatica provide built-in reporting features, business intelligence, and data analytics dashboards.
With embedded analytics in NetSuite, companies can perform actionable analysis and gain meaningful operational and financial insights into company performance across multiple departments and teams. NetSuite also has powerful reporting tools to analyze and display data. Businesses can save time with prebuilt financial reports that are easily tailored to highlight specific results.
On the other hand, Acumatica reporting toolkit only includes generic inquiries, pivot tables, advanced filters, dashboards, Power BI pages, analytical reports, and the Acumatica Report Designer.
Deployment
When it comes to the deployment of NetSuite and Acumatica, they are quite different. Acumatica offers cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment options. Whereas NetSuite uses a traditional SaaS (software as a service) multitenant cloud deployment.
Besides, NetSuite has developed a deployment and support program called SuiteSuccess. SuiteSuccess incorporates best practices and can get an organization up and running with an ERP system in less than 90 days. NetSuite’s partners are also trained well in SuiteSuccess to ensure smooth deployment.
Acumatica has developed a similar program; however, it is not actively in use.
Customer Support
Both NetSuite and Acumatica offer around-the-clock customer support and a well-documented knowledge base. However, Acumatica’s tech support is generally only available after VARs (value-added resellers) are unable to reach a resolution.
NetSuite has packaged the experience gained from tens of thousands of worldwide deployments with go-live support that delivers rapid business value. With NetSuite go live support, ERP solution for your businesses is live in a predictable timeframe — smart, stepped implementations begin with sales and span the entire customer lifecycle, so there’s continuity from sales to services to support.
Additionally, NetSuite provides multi-subsidiary management, allowing a business with multiple subsidiaries or legal entities to manage the entire portfolio of their business within a single instance of NetSuite.
By contrast, Acumatica does not support multibook accounting; hence, it cannot support international businesses that need to comply with the U.S. accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the international financial reporting standards (IFRS).
Final Verdict
Let’s agree on the fact that Acumatica is a well-equipped ERP platform that equals NetSuite in several aspects but not all. NetSuite remains several notches ahead of Acumatica because of its high-end features, personalization capabilities, and exemplary technical support catering to complex business operations.