Acumatica vs NetSuite

by Gralio Mar 07, 2025

Acumatica and NetSuite offer distinct approaches to business management software. Acumatica excels in flexibility and affordability, making it ideal for SMBs prioritizing customization and cost control. NetSuite offers a broader, more integrated suite suitable for larger companies seeking comprehensive functionality, despite the higher price point.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 3727 reviews and 60 websites, saving 21 hours, 12 minutes of reading.

Acumatica

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NetSuite

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About

Acumatica is a cloud-based business management software (ERP) designed for small and mid-sized companies. It offers a suite of applications covering financials, distribution, manufacturing, retail, construction, and more. Acumatica stands out for its flexibility, offering easy integration with existing tools and a user-friendly interface. It also boasts a "pay-as-you-go" model, meaning you only pay for what you use. Acumatica prioritizes customer satisfaction and offers strong support options.

NetSuite is a popular cloud-based business management software for mid-sized and large companies. It brings together tools for managing finances, customer relationships (CRM), inventory, and online sales. With a focus on automation and data insights, NetSuite helps businesses streamline operations and make informed decisions. It's widely used across various industries, from manufacturing to services, promising better control and growth.

Summary

Main difference

Acumatica is a better choice for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking for a flexible and customizable cloud ERP solution with a transparent "pay-as-you-go" pricing model. NetSuite is better suited for larger, growing businesses requiring a comprehensive suite integrating ERP, CRM, and e-commerce functionalities, despite its higher cost.

Relative strengths of Acumatica (compared to NetSuite)

Stronger focus on SMBs with flexible pricing.
Highly customizable to fit unique business needs.
User-friendly interface praised by users.

Relative weaknesses of Acumatica (compared to NetSuite)

Less comprehensive suite compared to NetSuite (lacks integrated CRM and e-commerce).
Manufacturing module considered less mature by some users.
Forced partner relationship for sales and support can sometimes be a bottleneck.

What companies are using Acumatica and NetSuite?

No data

Who should use Acumatica VS. NetSuite

Acumatica is a flexible cloud ERP for small and mid-sized businesses. Users praise its customizable interface and “pay-as-you-go” model. It offers robust features like multi-entity accounting and project accounting. However, some users find the partner-mediated support slows down processes and report limitations with the manufacturing suite.

NetSuite is a comprehensive cloud-based business management solution ideal for mid-sized to large companies. Users praise its integrated ERP, CRM, and e-commerce tools, along with robust reporting and customization options. However, some find its cost high and the learning curve steep. It streamlines financial, inventory, and sales processes, making it suitable for businesses seeking growth and better control.

Best for small to medium businesses (1-1000 employees).
Suitable for various industries, especially retail, manufacturing, and professional services.

Best for mid-sized to large businesses needing a unified platform.
Suitable for various industries, particularly retail, finance, and IT.

Acumatica and NetSuite features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Financial Management

Supported

Acumatica offers a full suite of accounting functions and reporting tools.

Supported

NetSuite offers a full suite of accounting functions and reporting tools.
Project Accounting

Supported

Acumatica supports project accounting, including budgeting, time sheets, inventory, billing, and reporting.

Supported

NetSuite fully supports project accounting, including budgeting, time sheets, inventory, billing, and reporting.
Multi-Entity & Intercompany Accounting

Supported

Acumatica fully supports multi-entity and intercompany accounting, streamlining financial management and reporting.

Supported

NetSuite fully supports multi-entity and intercompany accounting, including automated transactions and consolidations.
Accounting integration

Supported

Acumatica streamlines project setup, job costing, and billing with accounting integration.

Supported

NetSuite offers built-in accounting features and integrations for streamlining project setup, job costing, and billing.
Accounts Payable

Supported

Acumatica provides accounts payable functionality as part of its ERP system.

Supported

NetSuite offers accounts payable features including automation, vendor management, and payment processing.
Accounts Receivable

Supported

Acumatica provides comprehensive accounts receivable management.

Supported

NetSuite offers comprehensive Accounts Receivable features, including invoice creation, customer management, and reporting.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

No data

-0.72

Strongly negative sentiment
Customer Service

+0.71

Strongly positive sentiment

-0.1

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Use

+0.81

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.52

Rather positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

+0.12

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Implementation

-0.11

Neutral sentiment

-0.11

Neutral sentiment
Scalability

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.67

Rather positive sentiment

Acumatica and NetSuite Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-1

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-0.72

We couldn't find a pricing page for NetSuite.

Acumatica and NetSuite review insights

3725 reviews analysed from

Users love

Ability to attach files to almost everything
The ability to scale across multiple company sizes and the user interface is consistent across the product.
The ability to customize your environment (screens, events, triggers, reports) to fit the unique needs of your business is unparallel.
The "pay-as-you-go" model, meaning you only pay for what you use.

Comprehensive platform integrating ERP, CRM, and e-commerce functionality.
High customizability to fit specific business needs.
Robust reporting features and data analysis capabilities.
Cloud-based accessibility and ease of remote work.

Users dislike

The forced partner (middleman sales/support) between the customer and Acumatica. Sometimes they slow the process down more than they help.
Manufacturing suite is not mature yet with a variety of limitations and performance challenges related to bill of material mgmt, MRP flexibility, and manufactured good costing.
Approval workflows are not available in all modules.
Report making is not user friendly since the user needs to know how to do the queries.

Occasional slowness and performance lags, especially with large datasets.
Steep learning curve for creating custom reports and saved searches.
High cost of the product, especially for add-on modules and smaller businesses.
Limited flexibility in certain areas, like fixed asset adjustments and bank reconciliations.

Acumatica and NetSuite Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(1234)
TrustPilot

2.9/5

(2)
Glassdoor

4.0/5

(123)

G2

4.0/5

(2500)
Glassdoor

3.8/5

(55086)

Company health

Employee growth

11% increase in the last year

5% increase in the last year

Web traffic

4% increase in the last quarter

7% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

March 2018 - $48M

May 1991 - $0

How do Acumatica's "pay-as-you-go" model and NetSuite's comprehensive suite compare for my needs?

Acumatica's pay-as-you-go model can be advantageous for businesses that are budget-conscious or have fluctuating resource needs, allowing them to scale their costs based on usage. NetSuite, while not offering a pay-as-you-go model, provides a comprehensive suite of applications that covers a broader range of business functions out-of-the-box. Choosing between the two depends on your specific priorities: cost-effectiveness and scalability with Acumatica or a more complete, integrated solution with NetSuite, even if it comes at a higher price.

Which product, Acumatica or NetSuite, offers better customization for manufacturing workflows?

Acumatica offers greater customization potential for manufacturing workflows, although it's noted to have some limitations in its manufacturing suite. While NetSuite is highly customizable overall, specific user feedback for Acumatica highlights its strength in tailoring screens, events, triggers, and reports to unique business needs, suggesting a deeper level of customization within the manufacturing context.

What are the advantages of Acumatica?

Acumatica's advantages include a flexible "pay-as-you-go" pricing model, a user-friendly interface, and robust customization options. It's particularly well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses due to its scalability and focus on ease of use. Users praise its ability to attach files extensively and customize the environment to fit specific business needs.

What are the disadvantages of Acumatica?

Acumatica's reliance on partners for sales and support can sometimes slow down processes. The manufacturing module has been reported to have limitations and performance challenges, especially with bill of materials management, MRP flexibility, and costing. Approval workflows are not universally available across all modules, and some users find the report-building tools require specialized query knowledge, making them less user-friendly.

Alternatives to Acumatica and NetSuite

SuiteDash

SuiteDash is a cloud-based software platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools including CRM, project management, billing, online appointment scheduling, file sharing, and a client portal. SuiteDash aims to replace multiple single-purpose software solutions with one integrated platform, saving businesses money and streamlining operations. The platform is fully customizable to match your brand and offers automation features to improve efficiency.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an all-in-one business management software designed for small to medium-sized companies. It brings together various aspects of a business including finances, sales, customer service, and operations into a single, user-friendly platform. Business Central aims to simplify business processes, provide insights for better decision-making, and boost overall efficiency. It offers a familiar Microsoft experience, making it easy to adopt and use.

Sage Intacct

Sage Intacct is a cloud-based accounting and financial management platform designed for growing and mid-sized businesses, especially those with 20+ employees. It offers a suite of applications covering core accounting, budgeting, planning, and reporting, alongside integrated HR and payroll functionalities. Sage Intacct stands out for its robust automation capabilities, including AI-powered features that streamline processes like month-end close. Its reporting and dashboard features provide real-time insights to inform strategic decision-making. Sage Intacct is highly customizable, integrates with various third-party applications, and caters to the specific needs of different industries.

SAP ECC

SAP ECC is a comprehensive software system used by many large businesses to manage their day-to-day operations. It handles core processes like finances, sales, manufacturing, and human resources. Used by companies across 25 industries, this established software gives you a single system to manage your entire business, with tools to analyze your data and streamline tasks across departments. While powerful, it's important to note that SAP ECC is often a significant investment and requires thorough planning and implementation.

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software designed to help businesses manage their finances. It offers tools for tracking income and expenses, creating invoices, managing inventory, and generating financial reports. QuickBooks Online is primarily geared towards small to medium-sized businesses and offers a user-friendly interface for managing financial data.

Cleverbridge

Cleverbridge is a software platform designed to help businesses manage and grow their subscription revenue. It automates the entire customer lifecycle, from initial purchase to renewal and expansion, making transactions smooth for customers worldwide. Cleverbridge handles billing, payments, and compliance, letting you focus on other aspects of your business. They promise growth without needing to hire more staff, thanks to their automated tools and expertise in e-commerce.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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