Why Is ERP So Expensive? (2024)

October 15, 2022

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Many businesses miss out on the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) because of the system’s price tag. It costs an average of $30,000 for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which not many companies are willing to spend. But if you consider how an ERP system can help a business, the cost is justified because you’re employing an all-in-one, centralized, and customized system that will organize your operations, make your teams work more efficiently and bring you better business results. Plus, with an SAP ByDesign reseller like Navigator Business Solutions, you can get ERP options that won’t break the bank.

How Much Does an ERP Cost?

Depending on the system that you implement (e.g. Microsoft Dynamics 365 versus SAP Business ByDesign), the cost of your ERP will vary. It will also change depending on the features that you use–if you employ a full suite, it will be more expensive, but if you pick apart the functions and keep only a few that are relevant to your business, then you can save a few bucks. Generally, though, an ERP costs an average of $30,000 for SMEs, but it can go as low as $5,000 and as high as $100,000.

Factors That Affect the Cost of an ERP

The costs you can expect to pay for an ERP varies based on the following factors:

Company Size and Industry

Larger companies will pay more for an ERP since they’ll require more features and functions. Plus, the scale of their implementation will be larger, and therefore, will need more manpower.

The industry your business is in will also affect the cost of an ERP. For example, companies in retail and manufacturing will pay more for ERP since they have more variables (such as production and inventory) involved.

Type of ERP

Whether your ERP is on-premise, cloud-based, or both will affect how much the system will cost. Generally, cloud-based ERPs are less expensive and also cost less to maintain. You’ll also have to consider the software licensing fees that come with the ERP.

Implementation and Customization

Implementing the ERP weighs a lot on your overall costs. You’ll most likely have to pay for a consultant, then you’ll need to hire a technician to employ the system in a company’s operations. There may be additional costs if the implementation is complex, such as if there’s a lot of data conversion involved.

Additionally, you’ll have to pay extra for some configurations to customize the system to fit your business’s needs.

Additional Servers and Hardware

You probably already have fragmented software in place even before implementing your ERP, and if you’re lucky, your chosen system might even integrate seamlessly with your existing technology. But if you’ll need additional servers and hardware to accommodate the new system and its features, then that will incur extra costs.

Testing and Training

After installing your ERP, you’ll need to test that the system works as it should, which would require paying for another technician. You may also have to provide training to your employees on how to use the ERP, which would involve hiring an expert or consultant and paying for logistics for seminars.

Support

Just like any other software or hardware system, ERPs need occasional maintenance, and that may entail hiring support staff or paying for support access.

Is an ERP Worth It?

The return on investment a business gets from employing an ERP far outweighs its cost. With an ERP, you improve your business internally by consolidating your workflows and data, which improves team efficiency, data transparency, and work management. In turn, you’ll see faster turnarounds, higher returns, and more opportunities to scale.

Why Is ERP So Expensive? (2024)

FAQs

Why Is ERP So Expensive? ›

There may also be adaptations you'll need to make to the software for it to fit your business. Depending on your current technology, you may require different customizations and integrations–if you need any. The more customization required, the higher the cost of your ERP system becomes.

Why ERP systems are costly? ›

Looking at the licensing cost, one of the critical components affecting ERP system prices is the licensing model, with on-premises and cloud options presenting distinct differences. The on-premises model involves a one-time licensing fee, typically 2.5-3 times that of a Software as a Service (SaaS) user.

What is the average cost of ERP system? ›

ERP software price ranges between INR 8,00,000 to INR 1,00,00,000 depending on several factors in India. The factors like users, add-ons and implementation have the highest impact on ERP software price.

Is SAP the most expensive ERP? ›

While SAP ranks as the second most expensive ERP system, it offers the fastest financial returns among its peers.

Are ERP systems worth it? ›

Much of the value of ERP can be traced back to the fact that all information from different departments is stored in one place. Without such a system, data is often spread far and wide across an organization in various applications and spreadsheets, making it harder for staff to track down whatever it is they need.

Why do most ERP systems fail? ›

Poor communication between the IT team and business units. An unreliable ERP vendor or a software vendor who offers insufficient support. Software that requires too much customization. Poor planning, inadequate ERP research and testing of the software and lack of training for users.

What is the most expensive ERP software? ›

Sage ERP solutions is one of the most expensive on the market, with ERP costs of $2600 per month, but this price accounts for three users.

How much should you spend on an ERP? ›

You can plan to spend between 1% and 2% of your annual revenue on an ERP project. This includes the implementation services and the first year of software fees. If your business is under $3 million in revenue, you'll be closer to 2%. As your revenue scales up, you'll move into the range of 1% or less.

How much does ERP cost per month? ›

To start, the average cost of ERP software is between $1,740 and $9,330 per month, though this range can significantly increase depending on your annual revenue. To get an accurate estimate, you also need to know the number of users, implementation fees, and add-on functionality requirements.

What is the life expectancy of an ERP system? ›

As indicated, there's a lot of variation on the projected lifespan of an ERP installation. Accounting rules suggest replacing every five years, but many companies find that to be too soon. Other sources suggest a seven to 10 year replacement period. The ideal replacement period will vary from company to company.

Who is SAP's biggest competitor? ›

Competitors and Alternatives to SAP
  • IBM.
  • Microsoft.
  • Salesforce (Tableau)
  • Google.
  • Informatica.
  • Qlik.
  • Datameer.
  • SAS.

Who is the leader in ERP? ›

Oracle. Oracle is a world leader in SaaS and the world's most popular database management system (DBMS) as of February 2023. It offers not one but two powerful ERP solutions.

Will SAP be replaced? ›

Will SAP be replaced? According to SAP, the company will be folding its ERP products into the HANA platform in 2025. Current customers will need to come up with a strategy to deal with these upcoming changes, including whether they want to continue using SAP's ERP solution.

Do I really need an ERP? ›

Financial management

Although an ERP system will manage all of your business accounting requirements, it can also help manage a wider range of financial tasks, like budgeting, recording transactions, dealing with expenses, overseeing assets and collections, and measuring cash flow.

What is an ERP disadvantage? ›

Key disadvantages include the high costs of ERP software, its complexity, slow implementation, and data migration. If you want your procurement process to be as efficient as possible, it's best to invest in a P2P solution that provides integration with an ERP system.

Is there any free ERP software? ›

ERPNext is a free open source ERP software that is an awesome option for small to midsize businesses with limited resources who are looking to take advantage of some free ERP software solutions.

Is ERP implementation expensive? ›

Implementation of a platform-based ERP solution for a midsized company may range from $50,000 to $1,000,000 (excluding software license fees) depending on the functional scope, customization, the number of users, integration scope, user training, organization structure, and more.

Is cost a disadvantage of ERP? ›

High upfront and customization costs

An ERP's price might deter small-to-midsized businesses that don't need all its features, especially if there's a need for training. A good example of what is an ERP disadvantage is the complexity and maintenance these systems require.

What factors affect the total cost of an ERP system? ›

The factors that influence ERP pricing include the number of users you expect to have, the modules, customisation and integration you need and the way each vendor prices their software.

How ERP can reduce cost? ›

By providing real-time data on things like machine performance, inventory levels, and production schedules, ERP software can assist your production manager in making more informed choices that are better aligned with your company's goals and objectives — leading to improved efficiency and lower costs.

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