COMPARISON | 4 MIN READ
Dynamics 365 Business Central vs. NetSuite
A Microsoft Cloud ERP System vs. a Complete Business Management Suite!
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite are two leading ERP solutions with overlapping features and functions—but they take different approaches to delivering value. Both are built for growing businesses that need more than basic accounting software, offering robust capabilities across finance, operations, sales, and reporting. In this comparison, we’ll break down the key differences to help you determine which solution aligns best with your business goals.
Integration vs. Suite Software
Business Central is built for integration, so it can be linked to Microsoft’s portfolio of solutions or third-party applications depending on your needs and preferences. With integration, you can custom-build a software suite with the solutions you need and focused functionality in every area. Adding capabilities when needed is a great way to ensure your solution scales alongside your business.
As a suite solution, Oracle NetSuite is built to cover all areas of your business, so you should only need to install one piece of software and work with one vendor. Many businesses find this simplicity appealing. But, because suite software is built to cover multiple departments, its functionality might be too broad to adequately meet your unique needs. You may have to look for other software in addition to your “all-in-one” suite to resolve any gaps in capabilities. But suite software typically isn’t easy to integrate with other software. It’s meant to be a total solution and therefore isn’t built to work well with applications outside of itself.
Features
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite are both robust ERP solutions designed to support a wide range of business functions. While they share common goals—streamlining operations, improving visibility, and driving growth—they each bring their own strengths to the table when it comes to features and functionality. Business Central offers an end-to-end solution that integrates finance, operations, supply chain, and project management into a single, unified platform. Meanwhile, NetSuite leans heavily into sales and marketing tools, offering strong capabilities in opportunity and quote management, campaign execution, and detailed forecasting.
Here’s a quick overview of the core features each platform brings to the table:
Business Central Core Features:
- Finance Management
- Sales & Marketing
- Sales & Delivery
- Purchasing & Payables
- Inventory
- Supply Planning & Availability
- Demand Forecasting
- Project Management
- Warehouse Management
NetSuite Core Features:
- Opportunity Management
- Quote Management
- Sales Forecasting
- Incentive Compensation Management
- Reporting and Dashboards
- Marketing Automation
- Campaign Management
- Landing Pages and Forms
Suppose you’re eager to explore additional core and advanced module features offered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite. In that case, our comparison report is the perfect resource for you. Explore a detailed side-by-side comparison report.
Pricing
When comparing the pricing structures of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite, there are notable differences to consider. Microsoft Business Central Pricing offers its Essentials package at $70 per user per month or $840 annually, with additional business users priced at $70 per user per month. It’s important to note that opting for the Premium package increases the user cost to $100 per user per month, and read-only Team Member Licenses are available for $8 per user per month.
For Oracle NetSuite, the base package starts at $999 per month or $11,988 annually, with additional users priced at $99 per user per month. While Microsoft Business Central presents a lower starting price point, its pricing structure can vary based on package options and additional user needs, whereas Oracle NetSuite’s pricing is more straightforward with a higher starting point. Ultimately, the choice between the two platforms will depend on the specific requirements and budget constraints of your business.
Implementation Timeline
The timeline for implementing Dynamics 365 Business Central or Oracle NetSuite will vary depending on your unique business needs, the complexity of your processes, and the number of modules or customizations you choose to deploy. Both solutions are capable of supporting a wide range of industries, but the implementation process can be impacted by factors such as data migration, third-party integrations, and the need for specific configurations.
For Dynamics 365 Business Central, you can typically expect an implementation timeline of 3–6 months. Since Business Central is a modern cloud solution, it allows for a flexible and scalable deployment, with the option for phased rollouts to minimize disruption. On the other hand, Oracle NetSuite also follows a similar 3–6 month timeline, but its implementation might require more upfront configuration, especially for companies with complex business processes or a need for significant customization.
Both platforms benefit from the support of experienced implementation partners who can guide you through the process, ensuring that your system is up and running smoothly with minimal downtime.
Integrations
Both Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite offer strong integration capabilities, but the way they approach connectivity and third-party integrations differs. As part of the broader Microsoft ecosystem, Business Central benefits from seamless integration with other Microsoft tools, including Microsoft 365 apps like Excel, Outlook, and Teams, as well as Power BI for advanced reporting and Power Automate for workflow automation. These out-of-the-box integrations allow businesses to work more efficiently across platforms without the need for additional configuration. Additionally, Business Central offers access to Microsoft’s extensive AppSource marketplace, where users can find prebuilt connectors and apps to extend the system’s functionality.
Oracle NetSuite also offers a wide range of integration options, though its ecosystem is centered around Oracle’s own products. NetSuite supports integrations with third-party systems through SuiteTalk (its web services platform) and SuiteScript, which allows for custom development to meet specific business needs. While NetSuite’s integrations tend to be more customizable, they may require more effort and expertise to configure. NetSuite also provides a range of prebuilt connectors and is known for its strong integration with e-commerce platforms, financial systems, and CRM solutions.
Both platforms provide solid integration options, but Business Central’s native Microsoft integrations may be more advantageous for businesses already using Microsoft tools. NetSuite’s flexibility and customization options make it a strong choice for organizations with unique integration needs or those that rely heavily on Oracle’s ecosystem.
Sum It Up
As you consider Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central versus Oracle NetSuite for your business, it’s crucial to understand their differences. Our side-by-side comparison offers insights into features, pricing, and suitability. Fill out the form below to unlock the side-by-side report and make an informed decision about which platform best fits your needs.
Business Central vs. NetSuite Comparison Report
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