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Logistics · head to head

Descartes Systems vs Epicor

Descartes Systems logo

Descartes Systems

Logistics

Logistics network connecting carriers, brokers and shippers, with customs and routing on top

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Epicor logo

Epicor

ERP

A portfolio of separately acquired ERP products, not one system

From
$750/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Descartes Systems descartes has grown by acquisition over many years, so overlapping products with different data models and interfaces sit under one brand, and you must pin down exactly which product is on the quote.; Epicor epicor is a portfolio of separately acquired products rather than one system, so reviews, references and analyst coverage about Epicor as a brand can be misleading about the specific product you are being sold.
  • They diverge on capability: Descartes Systems covers Global Logistics Network, Epicor covers Kinetic.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Descartes Systems and Epicor actually diverge.

Attributes where Descartes Systems and Epicor differ
AttributeDescartes SystemsEpicor
Starting priceOn request$750/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, iOS, AndroidCloud, On-premise, Hybrid
CategoryLogisticsERP
FoundedUnknown1972

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Descartes Systems

  • Global Logistics Network
  • Customs and regulatory filing
  • Route planning and dispatch
  • Broker and forwarder systems
  • Denied party screening
  • Trade data intelligence
  • Ecommerce fulfilment

Only in Epicor

  • Kinetic
  • Prophet 21
  • Eclipse
  • BisTrack
  • Cloud deployment
  • Extensibility tooling
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Industry compliance

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Descartes Systems

  • A customs broker needing to file declarations in multiple countries through one systemnot Epicor
  • A retailer running a private delivery fleet that needs routing, dispatch and proof of delivery in one placenot Epicor
  • A forwarder that wants carrier status messages arriving automatically instead of chasing them by emailnot Epicor
  • An exporter needing denied party screening and classification applied to every order before it shipsnot Epicor

Epicor

  • A discrete manufacturer moving off spreadsheets and an accounting package onto a system that models routings and job costsnot Descartes Systems
  • A wholesale distributor whose pricing, rebate and purchasing rules exceed what a general ERP handles without customisationnot Descartes Systems
  • An electrical or plumbing distributor needing counter sales and trade-specific workflow out of the boxnot Descartes Systems
  • A building materials dealer needing yard operations, delivery scheduling and configured product ordering in one systemnot Descartes Systems

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Descartes Systems

  • Descartes has grown by acquisition over many years, so overlapping products with different data models and interfaces sit under one brand, and you must pin down exactly which product is on the quote.
  • Pricing is often transaction or document based, which means costs rise with business volume in a way seat-based software does not, and a peak season can produce a bill nobody modelled.
  • Connecting a trading partner who is not already on the Global Logistics Network is a project with its own cost, so the network advantage is real only for the partners already present.
  • Customs and compliance capability varies sharply by country, so a module that is mature in North America may be thin in the specific jurisdictions you actually file in.
  • Nothing is published on price and contracts typically carry volume commitments and multi-year terms, so an organisation whose volumes fall still pays the committed minimum.

Epicor

  • Epicor is a portfolio of separately acquired products rather than one system, so reviews, references and analyst coverage about Epicor as a brand can be misleading about the specific product you are being sold.
  • The products are highly customisable and are routinely customised, and heavily customised installations become expensive to upgrade, which is why long-standing customers frequently run versions several releases behind current.
  • Cloud delivery is single-tenant hosting rather than multi-tenant SaaS, so you still own an upgrade decision and the regression testing that comes with it, and buyers who expected the SaaS model of no upgrades are surprised.
  • Sales and delivery run through a mix of direct staff and partners depending on product and region, so accountability for a failed implementation can be genuinely ambiguous unless it is fixed in the contract before signature.
  • The strongest coverage is in North American manufacturing and distribution, so an international group needing statutory compliance and local support across many countries has to test that coverage carefully rather than assume it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Descartes Systems

On request
  • Descartes network and applications$undefined/year
    • Frequently priced by transaction or document volume rather than per seat
    • Module and country scope priced separately
    • Annual subscription with volume commitments

Epicor

$750/month
  • Starter$750/month
    • Core ERP
    • Manufacturing
    • Financial management
  • Professional$1500/month
    • Advanced ERP
    • Advanced CRM
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Descartes Systems if

  • You need global logistics network.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want customs and regulatory filing.
Descartes Systems review

Choose Epicor if

  • You need kinetic.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
  • You also want prophet 21.
Epicor review

Questions people ask

Is Descartes Systems or Epicor better?
Neither clearly leads. Descartes Systems starts at On request and Epicor at $750/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Descartes Systems or Epicor?
Descartes Systems starts at On request and Epicor at $750/month.
Does Descartes Systems or Epicor run on more platforms?
Descartes Systems runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android. Epicor runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
What is Descartes Systems best used for?
Descartes Systems is most often used for a customs broker needing to file declarations in multiple countries through one system, a retailer running a private delivery fleet that needs routing, dispatch and proof of delivery in one place, a forwarder that wants carrier status messages arriving automatically instead of chasing them by email, an exporter needing denied party screening and classification applied to every order before it ships. Of those, a customs broker needing to file declarations in multiple countries through one system and a retailer running a private delivery fleet that needs routing, dispatch and proof of delivery in one place are not what Epicor is typically brought in for.
What can Descartes Systems do that Epicor cannot?
Descartes Systems covers Global Logistics Network, Customs and regulatory filing, Route planning and dispatch, Broker and forwarder systems. Epicor covers Kinetic, Prophet 21, Eclipse, BisTrack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Descartes Systems: Is Descartes one system or many?

Many. It is a portfolio built through acquisitions, connected by the Global Logistics Network. Establish which named product you are buying and how it integrates with the others.

Epicor: Which Epicor product am I actually being sold?

Ask explicitly, by name. Kinetic, Prophet 21, Eclipse and BisTrack are different systems with different roadmaps. Then ask for references on that specific product, in your industry, at your size.

Descartes Systems: How is it priced?

Usually by transaction or document volume rather than per user, with module and country scope quoted separately. Nothing is published.

Epicor: Is Epicor Kinetic a true SaaS product?

It is delivered as a hosted single-tenant service on Azure. You get vendor-managed infrastructure, but you do not get the multi-tenant model where the vendor upgrades everyone at once and no upgrade project exists.

Descartes Systems: What is the Global Logistics Network?

A shared connectivity network carrying EDI, carrier status messages, customs filings and shipment documents between trading partners, so each new partner does not require a bespoke integration.

Epicor: How much should I customise?

Less than you will want to. Every modification is something to retest and potentially rework at each upgrade, and the accumulation of them is the main reason customers get stranded on old versions. Push hard on whether a requirement is genuinely a differentiator before building for it.

Descartes Systems: Does it replace an ERP or a WMS?

No. It sits alongside them, handling connectivity, customs, routing and trade compliance rather than finance or warehouse execution.

Epicor: Direct or partner implementation?

Both exist. The partner's track record on your product and industry matters more than the vendor's, so ask who will staff the project, request their references, and put named staff into the statement of work.

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