Syspro vs Epicor: Which ERP System is Right for Your Business?

When evaluating ERP systems for manufacturing and distribution, Syspro vs Epicor is a common comparison. Both are well-established providers with decades of experience, robust functionality, and strong reputations. However, they differ in important ways that can make one a better fit depending on your industry, size, and operational needs. This article breaks down the key differences, similarities, pros, and cons to help you decide which ERP system is right for you.

Overview of Syspro

Syspro is a global ERP vendor founded in 1978, focused on manufacturing and distribution businesses. It is known for its industry specialization, especially in discrete and process manufacturing, food and beverage, electronics, and industrial equipment. Syspro offers flexible deployment options – cloud, on-premise, or hybrid, making it accessible to businesses with different IT strategies.

One of Syspro’s biggest selling points is its ease of use. The system features simple, role-based interfaces that reduce training time and make adoption smoother, especially for small and mid-sized businesses. It also has a modular design that lets companies implement only the functionality they need, covering everything from finance and inventory to production, supply chain, quality management, CRM, and analytics.

Want to learn more? Visit the Syspro website for details.

Overview of Epicor

Epicor is another ERP heavyweight with over 50 years of history, serving manufacturers, distributors, and retailers worldwide. It is particularly strong in discrete manufacturing industries like automotive, aerospace, metal fabrication, and industrial distribution.

Epicor is known for its deployment flexibility (cloud, on-premise, or hybrid) and high level of customization. Its flagship product, Epicor Kinetic, is designed to handle complex production management, advanced scheduling, MES integration, financial management, supply chain operations, and analytics. Epicor’s architecture supports robust APIs, making it highly extensible and developer-friendly. It is used in over 150 countries and can handle complex multi-site and multi-company operations.

Want to explore further? Visit the Epicor website for more information.

Syspro vs Epicor: Feature Comparison

When comparing Syspro vs Epicor on features, some patterns emerge. Both systems offer cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployment, making them flexible for businesses at different stages of cloud adoption.

Syspro generally targets small to mid-sized manufacturers and distributors. Its user experience is simpler and more intuitive, making it easier to learn and use, but less customizable. Production management in Syspro is robust but tends to be simpler than Epicor’s, which offers advanced MES integration, detailed scheduling, and even IoT-enabled features. Financial management in Syspro is comprehensive, with support for multi-currency and global operations, but Epicor’s is more advanced and better suited to complex, multinational organizations.

In terms of reporting and analytics, Syspro includes built-in dashboards and integrates with Power BI. Epicor offers even more advanced analytics, including its Epicor Data Discovery tools. Customization is another major difference, Syspro supports moderate customization through extensions and add-ons, while Epicor is highly customizable with strong API support.

Pros and Cons of Syspro

Pros:

• Excellent choice for small to mid-sized manufacturers

• Lower total cost of ownership

• Quick to deploy and learn

• Strong industry-specific functionality

Cons:

• Less advanced production scheduling than Epicor

• Limited scalability for large enterprises

• Customization is more constrained

Pros and Cons of Epicor

Pros:

• Extremely deep manufacturing functionality

• Great for multi-site, multi-company setups

• Highly customizable with strong API support

• Scalable for mid-sized to large enterprises

Cons:

• More expensive, especially for small companies

• Can be complex to implement and maintain

• Requires more IT resources

Pricing: Syspro vs Epicor

Neither vendor publishes standardized pricing because ERP costs depend on factors like the number of users, deployment model (cloud or on-premise), selected modules, and implementation services. Generally speaking, Syspro is more affordable for small to mid-sized companies. Epicor’s total cost of ownership is higher, but it delivers enterprise-grade features and scalability that justify the investment for larger or more complex organizations.

Deployment & Cloud Strategy

Both Syspro and Epicor have made significant investments in cloud technology. Syspro offers a choice between multi-tenant SaaS, single-tenant SaaS, and hosted private cloud. Epicor Kinetic Cloud is a fully managed SaaS platform with continuous updates and advanced cloud-native capabilities, especially valuable for manufacturing execution and IoT integration.

Epicor’s cloud strategy is generally regarded as more mature, with greater support for advanced, cloud-native manufacturing workflows.

Industry Focus

Syspro is best suited for small and mid-sized manufacturers and distributors who want a robust but straightforward ERP without a heavy IT overhead. It’s ideal for companies that want to get up and running quickly with industry-specific features.

Epicor, on the other hand, is built to handle complex, multi-site manufacturing operations that demand advanced scheduling, MES integration, and global compliance. It’s a natural choice for mid-sized to large companies with sophisticated operational needs.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Syspro if you’re a small or mid-sized manufacturer or distributor looking for an easy-to-use, industry-focused ERP with solid core features at a lower cost.

Choose Epicor if you need deep manufacturing capabilities, extensive customization options, and a scalable system that can grow with you—even across multiple sites and countries.

Final Thoughts

The Syspro vs Epicor debate isn’t about which ERP is “better” in an absolute sense. Both are proven systems with excellent reputations. The real question is which one aligns best with your company’s size, industry, complexity, budget, and strategic goals.

Take the time to evaluate your specific requirements, get personalized demos, and ask for tailored quotes. ERP is a long-term investment, choosing the right system now will set your business up for years of growth and success.

If you’re still unsure which ERP is right for you, try our AI-powered Compare ERP tool. You can quickly explore and compare solutions tailored to your needs and get a personalized recommendation in less than five minutes. Our advanced engine analyzes millions of data points across 100+ ERP solutions to deliver your top three picks based on your business priorities. Best of all, it’s completely free. Take the first step toward streamlining operations and boosting productivity and start comparing today!