Recently, I wanted to do a little research on what independent resources were saying about Business Central, the product that we sell at Sabre Limited. I decided to search for ‘Top Cloud Manufacturing ERP for Small Business’ to see what came up, and I was pleasantly surprised to find Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP systems frequently—almost always—appearing in the top 10 lists of the best ERP systems.
Business Central has always been my top choice for a cloud-based ERP system, so it was great to see its popularity reflected in these lists.
As I browsed through the reviews and top 10 lists, I noticed several ERP names coming up consistently. This sparked an idea: instead of subjectively analyzing the reviews, why not take a more data-driven and scientific approach and see how many times each ERP appeared in a ‘Top Cloud ERP’ list?
This article describes the five best manufacturing ERP solutions based on my research.
What is Manufacturing ERP Software?
Manufacturing ERP software is a comprehensive solution built on a unified database that streamlines critical business processes. These systems handle everything from accounting and finance to purchasing, supply chain management, and material requirements planning (MRP). Key MRP functionalities include managing bills of materials, master production planning, and production scheduling. Additionally, manufacturing ERPs track inventory at every stage, from raw materials and work-in-progress to finished goods.
Modern manufacturing ERP platforms often integrate with other business tools, including customer relationship management (CRM), payroll systems, supply chain and procurement software, warehouse management solutions, human resources platforms, project management tools, product lifecycle management (PLM) systems, eCommerce platforms, third-party applications, and AP automation tools.
These systems cater specifically to manufacturing companies and distributors, though many are part of broader manufacturing ERP solutions offering specialized modules for MRP and inventory management tailored to manufacturing needs.
Today’s manufacturing ERP solutions are predominantly cloud-based, offering advanced features like business intelligence, smart shop floor IoT sensors, and AI/machine learning capabilities. These technologies enable real-time process monitoring and proactive alerts, ensuring operations remain efficient and responsive to changes.
Top Manufacturing ERP Systems
Based on my research, the top cloud manufacturing ERP for small businesses include:
- Acumatica ERP
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
- NetSuite ERP
- SAP Business One
- Odoo
Now, let’s find out my method, sources, and why those ERPs show up consistently in top cloud manufacturing ERP lists.
If you enjoy this article and would like to talk to Sabre Limited’s president Rob Jolliffe to chat about these concepts, you can book a one-on-one 30-minute call with him at https://calendly.com/robert-jolliffe/30min
Small Business Cloud ERP
I wanted to say two things before I dive into this list.
One thing that I am going to try and focus on is Small Business ERP systems – sometimes called “Mid-Market” as well. By “Small Business ERP” I mean that they are priced appropriately for the entry-level ERP customer. Some ERP systems can cost over a million dollars just for a basic implementation, and I don’t consider those to be Small Business solutions. I’m looking for options that would reasonably cost less than $250,000 USD for implementation in the first year. I will use my experience to try and filter out ERPs that are not truly Small Businesses by this definition.
The second thing is that I am going to focus on Cloud ERP. There are ERP systems that are good for Small Businesses but are not truly Cloud ERP. For a system to qualify as Cloud ERP, I believe it should meet these criteria:
- The ERP runs in a browser or purpose-built thin-client on PC, Mobile, and Tablet devices.
- The ERP is hosted by the vendor in a “serverless” manner.
- The ERP supports a platform where 3rd parties can add “apps” through a “store” model in an open marketplace/Appstore.
- Upgrades to the ERP are seamless and automated.
My personal belief is that Cloud ERPs have to satisfy these four conditions so I will highlight ERPs that I am not sure about or clearly are not cloud — I’ll keep them on the list, but just provide the warning.
My Method to Find the Top Cloud Manufacturing ERP Systems
As I mentioned before, I wanted a methodology that was somewhat scientific and not too subjective. The approach of searching for lists and then tallying up how many times each ERP appeared seemed best. I was thinking about using a “points system” depending on their rank (1st place was worth more points than 10th place). I decided not to do this as some lists don’t provide ranks at all.
Sources
This entire process began with me looking at how arms-length people reviewed Business Central. During this process, I found a lot of good top lists of small business ERPs. It was also necessary that the list mentioned manufacturing. It didn’t need to be a manufacturing-specific list, but it had to be either generic (the best generic ERP list was ok) or manufacturing-specific. I would exclude lists that were focused on another industry (best construction ERP would be skipped).
Resellers of ERP – Excluded: If a source clearly appeared to be from a reseller of one of the ERP systems, I excluded it. That might not be fair (after all, you are reading such as list from a reseller of Business Central) but it made sense.
Aggregation Lists – Included: I was on the fence about aggregation lists (where ERP companies might self-list ) but I decided to include them. Users are able to leave feedback and reviews, so I assessed whether there were a reasonable number of these end-user rankings and if so included it.
Consultants – Included: Businesses who specifically help select ERP systems were a frequent source. Also, general lists on LinkedIn or other public sources that seemed to be from consultants were included.
Social Media – Included: Lists that came from general social media (eg: the Reddit list) were included as a “crowd-sourced” list.
Publication/News – Included: PC Magazine and Forbes are examples of this. Some kind of list from a site with editorial management.
Top Small Business Cloud ERP Lists and Breakdown
Below is a screenshot of the top cloud manufacturing ERP systems. In the left column, we can see the different ERP products, beside it are the totals, and all of the checkmarks and X’s reflect whether or not they appeared anywhere in the top ten on that website’s list.
For a better idea of the lists or to check them out yourself, here are the top 10 lists that I used for this process, along with a note about each.
All Top SMB Manufacturing ERP Lists
- Forbes: News website.
- Reddit: Social website.
- Ace Cloud: More of an IT company with some accounting, not an ERP Vendor. Fit my consultant bucket.
- Software Connect: Aggregator with user reviews.
- LinkedIn: Social website.
- Tipalti: An independent vendor that reviewed ERP systems they had worked with.
- ElevatIQ: An ERP selection consulting firm.
- PC Magazine: News and technology website.
- G2: Aggregator with user reviews.
- YourShortList: Similar to an aggregator or even a selection consultant.
- People Managing People: Consultants.
- Top 10 ERP: Aggregator.
The List of the 5 Best Cloud Manufacturing ERP Systems
Based on the appearances on the 12 lists cited above, here are the Top Cloud Manufacturing ERP Systems for Small Businesses.
Acumatica & Business Central
11 out of 12 Appearances (Tied for Best Cloud Manufacturing ERP)
Both Acumatica and Dynamics 365 Business Central appeared on 11 out of the 12 lists. I have heard good things about Acumatica and its manufacturing capabilities. I am confident both systems satisfy the Cloud ERP definition that I gave above. I’m not surprised by this result as these are the two products that I hear about the most in my practice. Any customer looking at Cloud ERP should be considering these 2 products.
For more information, read my in-depth comparison of Acumatica vs Business Central for small to medium-sized manufacturing companies.
If you’re comparing cost, you should read my guide: Microsoft Dynamics Business Central Pricing.
NetSuite ERP
9 out of 12 Appearances
NetSuite comes in position 3 with 9 appearances on the lists. I am seeing NetSuite push up towards larger target customers, and as such it might be moving out of the small business space. I was a bit surprised (to be honest) that it didn’t appear on all 12 lists, as it is definitely one of the most talked about ERP today. NetSuite (Like the previous 2 products) is definitely a 100% cloud ERP solution. This should definitely be a product considered in any cloud ERP project.
For a deep comparison, read our article on Business Central vs NetSuite for small to medium-sized manufacturers.
SAP Business One
8 out of 12 Appearances
I was frankly surprised to see SAP Business One on the list. It has some elements of a cloud ERP – but it is an older technology platform, and I was pretty sure it was not a fully cloud solution. It may be that companies know of SAP HANA (the “Big SAP”) and assume SAP Business One is just a cheaper version (it is not). I recommend people consider and do some research into SAP Business One if they are looking for a Cloud ERP.
If SAP Business One is on your list of potential ERP systems, you should read about the key differences between Business Central and SAP Business One. There are quite a few differences when it comes to pricing, reporting, and implementation.
Oodo
7 out of 12 Appearances
Oodo is a native cloud ERP system priced for the small business. It definitely has its place in an ERP selection, but it might be too entry-level for customers who need the power of the other Top 5 list members. I had a meeting with folks from Oodo recently, and although it has many good features and functions, it was too limited for the types of manufacturing companies that Sabre works with.
We previously wrote an article comparing Odoo vs Business Central, specifically for manufacturing companies. It’s a great read if you’re looking to compare the two cloud ERP systems.
Other ERP Systems of Note
There were 3 ERP systems that had at least 5 appearances on the list. These others were Epicor, Sage Intacct, and Syspro. Sage Intacct is a native cloud ERP by my definition. Epicor and Syspro are older on-premise technologies that can be hosted in the cloud using Windows remote desktop – however, they are not native cloud systems.
There were 2 products that appeared 3 times on the list. One was QuickBooks. I don’t consider QuickBooks to be an ERP system – but it is a native cloud accounting system. The other was Infor CloudSuite aka Siteline. Infor specializes in manufacturing ERP only, so it was not surprising this system was not on all the lists (there were many lists that were more generic). I am unsure if it satisfies all my definitions of native cloud. From what I know the CloudSuite product does not have an Appstore model as Infor operates a closed marketplace.
Read my full take on QuickBooks vs Business Central for small manufacturers.
Conclusion
As I dug into the top cloud manufacturing ERP systems for small businesses, it was exciting to see Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central consistently ranked among the best. This didn’t come as a surprise, but it was still great to see that Business Central, a solution we strongly believe in at Sabre Limited, is widely recognized in the industry.
The goal of my research was to take a step back and look at the broader landscape—beyond just our own experiences and opinions—by analyzing multiple top lists from various sources. What stood out was that Acumatica and Dynamics 365 Business Central were almost always on these lists, making them top contenders for any small business considering a cloud-based ERP solution.
At Sabre Limited, we are experts in Business Central for manufacturing. Our team is here to help you optimize your operations, streamline your processes, and ensure that your ERP system truly supports your business goals. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you make the most of your ERP investment with Business Central.
