NetSuite vs Acumatica: Which ERP Is Best?

Choosing an ERP software is a big decision. Your company will invest time, money, and valuable resources implementing it and onboarding the employees who will be using it. 

Plus, switching between different ERP systems if you don’t like the one you signed up for isn’t a quick, simple task. Today, we’re comparing two of the most popular ERP systems: NetSuite vs Acumatica. 

	NetSuite	Acumatica
Free trial	Yes	No
Pricing	Per user	Per resource
Reporting	Real time	Point in time
Cloud deployment	Yes	Yes
On-premises deployment	No	Yes
Years in business	24	14
Number of customers	28,000+	8,000+

What Is NetSuite? 

NetSuite was started in 1998 and acquired by Oracle in 2016. It was built to help businesses of all sizes and industries scale quickly to build revenue and optimize productivity. 

NetSuite is a cloud software capable of streamlining virtually any business function – from human resource management to marketing automation and accounting, this software truly does it all. That said, NetSuite excels in the ERP space. 

NetSuite’s ERP capabilities extend far beyond basic financial management. Some of the best features of NetSuite’s ERP include marketing automation, opportunity management, end-to-end payroll management, and robust supply chain management. 

At a glance: 

• Started in 1998.
• Over 28,000 customers. 
• Customers in 215 countries and territories.
• Owned by Oracle. 

What Is Acumatica? 

Acumatica launched about ten years after NetSuite, in 2008. It started with a small team of developers who had the goal of creating a next-generation billing solution. Acumatica was acquired in 2019 by EQT Partners, a global investment company. 

Acumatica is a fully customizable ERP system best for small to medium-sized businesses. The team at Acumatica relies on its partners to help make their software as successful as possible and credits rapid growth to this team. They offer partnerships through value-added resellers (VARs), independent software vendors (ISVs), and OEMs to handle software implementation and support. 

At a glance: 

• Started in 2008. 
• Over 8,000 customers. 
• Owned by EQT Partners.

Pros of NetSuite 

• Real-time reporting. 
• Best for fast-growing businesses.
• Provides their own implementation and support services, as well as certified third-party providers. 
• Full-service solution capable of handling any type of business workflow. 
• Special packages for specific industries. 

Cons of NetSuite 

• Requires training to fully utilize all of its features.
• Out-of-the-box capabilities might not be enough. 
• Not always the best solution for small businesses. 

Pros of Acumatica

• Everything is customizable.
• Choose between an on-premise solution or cloud solution. 
• Unlimited users. 

Cons of Acumatica

• No pre-configured instances. 
• Uses batch processing, so data is “point-in-time” instead of real time.
• Not as scalable for enterprise businesses. 
• Relies heavily on third parties to provide implementation and support services. 
• Complicated pricing model. 

NetSuite and Acumatica Business Functions 

The business functions between NetSuite and Acumatica are similar. Both ERP systems offer services to support core business functionalities for many different industries. 

NetSuite and Acumatica both contain the following features: 

• Financials. 
• Accounting. 
• Inventory Management.
• Warehouse Management.
• CRM.
• Payroll.
• eCommerce.
• Multi-language and multi-currency support.
• Subsidiary management. 

There are a few slight differences, though:

• NetSuite offers a core HR functionality. 
• NetSuite also includes professional services automation (PSA), while Acumatica does not include this feature.

While the core product offerings between NetSuite and Acumatica are comparable, they start to differ when it comes to implementation, pricing, and customer support. 

NetSuite vs Acumatica: Implementation 

Acumatica Implementation 

Acumatica offers both on-premise and cloud solutions. It’s built with .NET and Microsoft’s server stack, so it can easily integrate with Microsoft’s products. 

One of the largest cons of Acumatica is that it does not have any pre-configured setups – it’s a 100% blank canvas. While this might seem like a positive since you can customize it however you want, it leaves a lot more room for error. It also means implementation is a lengthy (and expensive) process. 

When implementing Acumatica, you have to go through a third-party provider. Acumatica doesn’t have the resources in-house to support implementation and it’s up to you to shop around to find your ideal Acumatica partner. Acumatica believes this is better since it gives you the freedom to choose an implementation partner that specializes in your industry. 

NetSuite Implementation 

On the other hand, NetSuite has plenty of pre-configured implementation choices based on industry and business needs. This includes pre-built workflows, customizable reports, and additional functionalities. Because NetSuite doesn’t have to be configured from the ground up during implementation, you could be up and running with NetSuite quicker than Acumatica if you don’t need extensive customizations or complex integrations. 

NetSuite’s solutions by industry include everything from food and beverage to manufacturing and eCommerce. These are plug-and-play options that help get NetSuite up and running in the most effective way possible for your business.

There are also many NetSuite add-ons, whether they were developed by NetSuite or a third-party solutions provider. For example, at SCS Cloud, we’ve created a whole suite of NetSuite bundles that can help with payment automation, invoice consolidation, approval processes, and more! 

With NetSuite implementation, you can choose between NetSuite or a certified third-party service provider. This gives you the freedom to choose the implementation partner that best suits your needs.

NetSuite does not provide an on-premise solution – it’s only through the cloud. That said, NetSuite has mastered cloud software and you can trust it’s a safe, reliable, and scalable solution for companies of any size. However, if you’re looking for an on-premise solution, you might want to consider Acumatica. 

The Bottom Line on ERP Implementation: NetSuite Is a Smoother Transition

• Acumatica does not have any pre-configured setups, whereas NetSuite offers preconfigured implementation by industry and business needs. 
• NetSuite has its own implementation services, as well as the option of choosing a NetSuite-certified solutions provider. 
• Acumatica offers on-premise and cloud implementation. 
• Acumatica does not provide its own implementation services – you have to choose a third-party provider.

NetSuite vs Acumatica: Support

NetSuite Support

Regardless of where you purchased NetSuite from, you will receive basic support services from NetSuite. This includes a 24/7, toll-free helpline for serious issues. NetSuite also has a community support group and an online database of solutions to common issues called SuiteAnswers. 

If your business needs more than what the basic support services allow, there are two additional support levels: 

• Premium Support – This allows you to call their helpline for non-critical issues, gives your cases priority over basic support cases, and sends you early notifications of new releases. 
• Advanced Customer Support – For businesses that need more help than premium support offers, Advanced Customer Support services help with any challenging milestones or growing pains. This includes everything from technical support with third-party integrations to ongoing optimizations. 

The information above is just for the support provided directly from NetSuite. If you chose a third-party NetSuite solutions provider for your NetSuite implementation process, they might include support as part of their services. Or, they might offer hourly rates depending on the support needed.   

Acumatica Support 

Acumatica relies on its partner program for support services. 

While Acumatica offers two direct customer support services, it advertises them as a complement to the support you should already have through your Acumatica partner. Acumatica’s support is not meant to be a standalone service.  

Acumatica offers the following support services: 

• Basic Support – Access to an online database of solutions for common issues and cases for product and developer support. This does not include any chat or telephone support. 
• Premier Support –  24/7 support for critical issues, and regular business hour coverage for non-critical issues. This option includes chat support and telephone support. 

Acumatica explicitly states that training, consulting, and implementation are not included as part of Acumatica support – those are all left up to your Acumatica partner.

Acumatica leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to support services – especially when we compare it with NetSuite. NetSuite automatically provides access to a free online support database and forum for any business with a NetSuite license. Plus, if you purchase NetSuite’s highest support level, you will receive help with optimization and training. 

The Bottom Line on Customer Support: NetSuite Includes More Support Options 

• NetSuite provides more support options than Acumatica. 
• NetSuite includes more free resources than Acumatica, as well as more robust customer support options directly through NetSuite.
• You don’t have to rely on third-party support with NetSuite like you do with Acumatica.
• Acumatica does not provide chat or telephone support with its free or basic support levels. 

NetSuite vs Acumatica: Pricing 

NetSuite and Acumatica have very different pricing structures. While there isn’t one set price for either application, Acumatica’s pricing structure can be a bit more complicated than NetSuite’s. Here’s why. 

NetSuite Pricing

NetSuite pricing is based on a few different factors. The main NetSuite licensing cost is priced per user, plus any additional modules, customizations, or integrations.  

This is why the cost of NetSuite has such a wide range – you may just need to pay for the base license, or your setup could require extensive custom development work.

Regardless of the NetSuite edition you choose (which is based on the number of user licenses you’ll need), they all come with ERP and CRM. If you’re looking for additional industry-specific modules – such as financial management, inventory management, or eCommerce – you will need to purchase those separately.  

Acumatica Pricing

Acumatica is priced based on resources used, rather than the number of users. While this can be beneficial for fast-growing companies quickly adding more staff members, it could become costly if your business processes large amounts of data every month. 

For example, if you run a store that balloons from 1,000 monthly orders to 100,000 monthly orders, costs will significantly increase with Acumatica. While you probably need to add more headcount to accommodate these orders, the resource-based pricing isn’t as friendly as per-user pricing to rapidly scaling businesses. 

Acumatica offers three different licensing options: a SaaS subscription, a Private Cloud Subscription, and a Private Cloud Perpetual. The best licensing option for your business depends on its specific needs, such as whether you want to manage the solution internally, implement it as an on-premise solution, and how you prefer to pay your licensing fees. 

The Bottom Line on Pricing: Acumatica Is More Complex 

• NetSuite is priced per user, while Acumatica is priced per resource. 
• NetSuite includes more features out-of-the-box.
• Acumatica offers three separate licensing options.

Similarities Between NetSuite & Acumatica 

Both software share commonalities, including: 

• Both are cloud-based SaaS ERP systems. 
• Offer support for many different industries. 
• Customizable to meet the needs of your business. 
• Provide similar features. 

Differences Between Acumatica & NetSuite 

While they share some similarities, there are also some key differences: 

• NetSuite allows you to choose between them or a certified solutions provider for implementation and support services, while Acumatica only offers services through third-party providers. 
• Acumatica pricing is based on resources, while NetSuite’s is based on the number of users. 
• Acumatica is built on C# and  .NET, NetSuite has its own development language.
• While both are cloud software, Acumatica also provides on-premise and hybrid deployment. 

Which Cloud ERP System Is Best? 

While we believe NetSuite contains more functionalities, transparent pricing, and support resources, the truth is we can’t tell you exactly which ERP system is best for your business. 

To choose the best ERP system for your company, you’ll need to know exactly what you’re looking to get out of it, whether other functionalities (such as PSA, eCommerce, and CRM) are important, and what you expect the business growth to look like over the next decade or so. 

To learn more, contact CrossCountry Consulting.