8 Best ERPs for Small to Medium Sized Manufacturing Businesses (SMBs)
With so many different ERPs on the market, it can be overwhelming to make a decision on which one is right for your business. This is especially the case within the manufacturing industry, where data flow and process management can make or break the entire business.
For small businesses, every penny counts, and an ERP is a big investment that has to be done right. As such, we’ve put together a list of the top manufacturing ERPs on the market, to help small and medium sized businesses pick the right ERP for their requirements.
1. Microsoft Business Central
Microsoft Business Central is one of the most complete and accessible ERP systems available for small to mid-sized manufacturers.
As part of the Microsoft ecosystem, it integrates directly with familiar tools like Outlook, Excel, and Teams, which reduces training time and speeds up adoption.
It's built with flexibility in mind, giving you control over production, inventory, financials, and customer data in one place.
What makes BC stand out is its depth of manufacturing features relative to its price point, and how well it scales as your company grows. You can start small and gradually adopt more functionality as you need it, without having to jump to an entirely new platform.
If you're already using Microsoft 365 or Outlook across your business, it's a natural fit. The navigation and user interface will feel familiar, and automation flows can connect sales orders to production and invoicing without needing custom builds.
It's also one of the better ERPs for handling multiple locations, legal entities, and currencies if your manufacturing business expands internationally.
Key Features
- Production planning, BOMs, and capacity scheduling
- Shop floor data capture and job tracking
- Inventory management with lot/serial tracking
- Financials including cost accounting and multi-entity support
Pricing
- Essentials licence: £58 per user/month
- Premium licence (includes manufacturing): £85 per user/month
- Additional costs for implementation and support via partner
User Feedback
“Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the best cloud-based ERP solution which offers excellent features for managing customer service, supply chain, operations, and sales. It is very easy to use and is highly scalable. It is also very easy to integrate with other office products.” — Review on gartner.com
Best Suited For: Any small to mid-sized manufacturers, especially those already using Microsoft tools. Works well for discrete or light process manufacturing, and companies with ambitions to scale across multiple locations or countries.
2. NetSuite Manufacturing Edition
NetSuite is a cloud-native ERP that offers a unified suite of finance, operations, and manufacturing tools, all built into a single system.
It’s aimed at mid-sized businesses that want more real-time visibility into their operations and a system that can grow with them.
For manufacturers, the dedicated Manufacturing Edition includes core production planning tools, inventory control, costing, and shop floor execution.
One of NetSuite’s main advantages is its ability to handle complex multi-site operations, including international businesses with different currencies, tax rules and legal structures.
Everything is managed in real time through a single database, which helps reduce manual data entry and improve decision making.
Key Features
- Work orders, MRP, and demand planning
- Multi-location inventory and warehouse tracking
- Job costing and standard vs actual cost comparisons
- Integrated financials and revenue recognition
Pricing
- Base platform starts from ~£790/month (plus users/modules)
- Manufacturing add-on licence required
- Partner implementation usually starts from £10k+
Best Suited For: Mid-sized manufacturers with complex operations or international subsidiaries. Suitable for both discrete and process manufacturing modes.
3. SAP Business One with Manufacturing Add-On
SAP Business One is a lighter version of SAP’s enterprise software, aimed at SMEs who need core ERP functionality with room to grow.
It doesn't include manufacturing out of the box, but with popular add-ons like Boyum or Beas Manufacturing, it becomes a strong contender for smaller manufacturers.
SAP Business One is particularly good for businesses already embedded in the SAP ecosystem or with ambitions to scale into more advanced ERP later. It runs on either SQL or HANA databases and can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud, depending on your setup.
The manufacturing add-ons offer solid MRP, production control, BOM tracking and costing, all integrated with the core financials.
Key Features
- Production orders, routing, and MRP
- Warehouse and batch inventory control
- Job costing and BOM versioning
- Quoting and sales integration
Pricing
- Licence fees from £80–£150 per user per month
- Add-on modules priced separately
- Annual maintenance ~17% of licence
Best Suited For: Manufacturers who want SAP-level stability but on an SME budget. Better for discrete production or light assembly with traceability requirements.
4. Epicor Kinetic
Epicor Kinetic is a cloud-based ERP platform aimed at manufacturers with complex, highly-engineered production processes.
It offers advanced capabilities around scheduling, materials planning, quality management, and compliance, which makes it a strong fit for aerospace, electronics, automotive or fabricated metals.
Where Epicor excels is in detailed production visibility and advanced planning and scheduling. It has tools to manage make-to-order, configure-to-order, and mixed-mode manufacturing, and it integrates quality control at every step.
Key Features
- Finite scheduling and shop floor control
- Advanced planning & scheduling (APS)
- Product configuration and BOMs
- Quality assurance tracking
Pricing
- Subscription model, typically £150+ per user/month
- Modular pricing depending on requirements
- Implementation from £20k+
Best Suited For: SMBs with engineering-heavy or regulated manufacturing processes. Well-suited to complex BOMs and multi-step production workflows.
5. Odoo Manufacturing
Odoo is an open-source ERP platform that allows you to pick and choose the modules you need.
Its Manufacturing app is a lightweight but flexible solution for smaller manufacturers, especially those that want something affordable and customisable.
The advantage of Odoo is how modular it is. You can start with just manufacturing and inventory, and later add CRM, accounting, HR or quality management as you grow.
The cloud version is easy to deploy, and the open-source version offers full control for businesses with in-house IT skills.
Key Features
- Work orders, BOMs, and routings
- Reorder rules and MRP triggers
- Inventory control with barcodes
- Production costing and reporting
Pricing
- Cloud: ~£24 per user/month + apps
- Open source: Free, but needs hosting
- Implementation from £3–5k typically
Best Suited For: Start-ups or small manufacturers who want flexibility and low cost. Best if you have some IT resources to manage customisation.
6. Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine)
Infor’s CloudSuite Industrial, also known as SyteLine, is a well-established ERP aimed at discrete manufacturers who need strong production control and industry-specific functionality. It’s built with manufacturers in mind and includes tools for repetitive, make-to-order, and configure-to-order processes.
What makes Infor stand out is its depth in production scheduling, automation, and the ability to handle engineer-to-order (ETO) projects.
It’s particularly popular in the UK among manufacturers of machinery, aerospace components, and other complex goods.
Key Features
- Job and project-based manufacturing
- Advanced planning and scheduling
- Multi-site inventory and warehouse control
- Quality and compliance tracking
Pricing
- Subscription pricing starting around £130 per user/month
- Modular pricing depending on required functionality
- Implementation from £20k+
Best Suited For: Discrete manufacturers who need advanced customisation and engineer-to-order workflows. Ideal for businesses with complex supply chains or project-based manufacturing.
7. SYSPRO
SYSPRO is a long-standing ERP designed specifically for manufacturers and distributors. It’s particularly strong in the mid-market and serves a wide range of industries including electronics, food, and industrial equipment.
SYSPRO offers flexible deployment options (on-premise or cloud) and deep functionality across manufacturing, inventory, and finance.
Its user interface has improved significantly in recent years, and it offers AI and automation tools aimed at improving decision-making.
Key Features
- BOMs, work-in-progress, and routing
- Factory scheduling and materials planning
- Inventory control and serial tracking
- Financials with cost analysis tools
Pricing
- Licensing from $150–$250 per month per user
- Additional fees for modules and support
- Implementation cost varies by partner
Best Suited For: Mid-sized manufacturers needing a configurable system with deep manufacturing capabilities. Especially useful for those in regulated or batch-driven industries.
8. Fishbowl Manufacturing
Fishbowl is an inventory and manufacturing management system that integrates directly with QuickBooks.
It’s designed for small manufacturers who want to improve production control and inventory tracking without moving away from their existing accounting software.
Fishbowl covers the essential needs of light manufacturers, including work order creation, BOMs, stock control, and cost tracking.
It’s not a full ERP, but it fills the manufacturing gaps for businesses using QuickBooks and wanting more visibility into their operations without committing to a more complex platform, therefore making it a cheaper option than many full ERPs.
Key Features
- Work orders, BOMs, and parts tracking
- Inventory control with serial/lot numbers
- Integration with QuickBooks for financials
- Purchasing, sales order, and fulfilment workflows
Pricing
- One-time licence from ~£5k
- Annual support and maintenance costs additional
- No per-user subscription fees; priced by installation
Best Suited For: Small manufacturers or assemblers already using QuickBooks who need better visibility into stock, costs, and production workflows. Ideal for those who don’t need a full ERP but want to manage their manufacturing more efficiently.
How to Choose the Right ERP for You
There’s no one-size-fits-all ERP, your decision should be based on how your business actually works today and where you want it to go.
Start by identifying your core needs: do you need better job costing? Traceability? Multi-location support? Advanced scheduling? Then map those needs to platforms that are strong in those areas.
Look closely at how your team operates. If you're heavily reliant on Microsoft tools and want something user-friendly, Business Central might be the right fit. If your production is heavily engineered or regulated, something like Epicor or IFS will serve you better.
For simpler job shops or manufacturers who still use QuickBooks, lighter systems or modular options like Odoo or SYSPRO can help bridge the gap without massive overhead.
Budget also matters. Some platforms charge a lower monthly fee but require expensive partner services to get off the ground. Others are more plug-and-play but may lack deeper configuration.
Always factor in implementation costs, support, training, and what’s included in your subscription. And make sure your vendor or partner understands your industry, because a system that isn’t set up properly won’t deliver value, no matter how powerful it is.
When in doubt, trial a demo, speak to businesses like yours, and choose a solution that fits not just the now, but the next five years. For support in making this decision, get in touch now and one of our ERP experts will guide you through the process.