Sage 50c is accounting software that includes functions such as accounts payable and receivable, general ledger reporting, and inventory management. Additionally, the solution offers features like sales tax reporting, automated W2s, and precise tax calculations for employee withholdings.

Best For:

Sage 50c Accounting is best for small companies (1-50 employees) and mid-size companies (50-500 employees).

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides finance, human resources, operations, marketing, sales, and more functionalities. It is a part of Microsoft’s suite of enterprise applications and integrates seamlessly with services like Office 365, Power BI, and Azure.

Best For:

Dynamics 365 Business Central is best suited for small companies with 10-50 employees and midsize businesses with 50-200. This cloud-based solution fits the manufacturing, retail, healthcare, financial services, nonprofit, and professional services industries.

7.0

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

4.6

USER RATING

based on 23 user reviews

Our Verdict:

While it doesn’t have the most modern UI, Sage 50c offers decent job costing. We like that users can customize reports specific to their industries in construction, distribution, and manufacturing. Its accountant-first approach also makes it intuitive for financial professionals.

However, we don’t like the platform’s poor inventory management or the lack of remote access to data without a third-party add-on.

Pros:

Powerful job costing
Robust financial reporting
Great invoice customization

Cons:

Poor inventory management
Dated user interface
No remote access to data without add-on

8.3

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

8.6

USER RATING

based on 10 user reviews

Our Verdict:

We like Business Central for its user-friendly interface, product integrations, and accounting module. The platform includes audit trails, multi-currency, and multi-language support. It also automates recurring tasks like invoicing and reporting.

However, it’s probably not the best fit if your business does complex manufacturing. We suggest a dedicated manufacturing ERP system for tasks like machine monitoring and shop floor control. Finally, Microsoft doesn’t offer a free version of Dynamics 365.

Pros:

Combined ERP and CRM
Similar interface to MS Word and Outlook
Integrations with Microsoft applications
Creates quotes, orders, and invoices in Outlook
Offers same capabilities on iOS, Android, and Windows devices

Cons:

Not ideal for complex manufacturing needs
May require extensive training
No free version
Clunky third-party integrations
Tedious setup

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price $439/user/year
Client OS Windows

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price $70/user/month
Client OS Web

Our editorial review staff has put two popular ERP solutions to the test: Sage 50cloud Accounting and Dynamics 365 Business Central. We’ve demoed and reviewed both of these products to provide an in-depth comparison that’s based on personal experience.

Sage 50cloud Accounting Overview

Sage 50cloud Accounting, developed by Sage, is a solid accounting solution that caters primarily to small and mid-size companies, specifically those with 1-500 employees. Sage 50c is especially beneficial for businesses in the construction, distribution, and manufacturing sectors due to its industry-specific reporting features.

However, it falls short with its dated user interface, poor inventory management, and lack of remote data access without an additional add-on.

Dynamics 365 Business Central Overview

Developed by Microsoft, Dynamics 365 Business Central is a versatile ERP solution that integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft applications. It’s best suited for small to midsize businesses that operate in the manufacturing, retail, healthcare, financial services, nonprofit, and professional services industries.

Business Central automates recurring tasks like invoicing and reporting, and it supports multi-currency and multi-language features. On the downside, it may not be the best fit for businesses with complex manufacturing needs. It may require extensive training, and the setup can be tedious.

Dynamics 365 vs Sage 50c: Which is Better for Most Businesses?

After our review, we believe Dynamics 365 Business Central is likely the better choice for most businesses. It offers a more user-friendly interface, robust integrations with other Microsoft applications, and automated features that can save businesses significant time and effort.

However, if your business prioritizes powerful job costing and industry-specific reporting, Sage 50cloud Accounting might be the preferred choice. It has an accountant-first approach, which financial professionals may find intuitive.

Take a look at our roundup of the best ERP software to explore more options.

Sage 50cloud Accounting

★★★★★

(23)

Price Range

$ $ $ $ $

Starting Price

$439/user/year

Client OS

Windows

Deployment

On-Premises

Dynamics 365 Business Central

★★★★★

(10)

Price Range

$ $ $ $ $

Starting Price

$70/user/month

Client OS

Web

Deployment

Cloud or On-Premises