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ERP · head to head

Dynamics AX vs Fishbowl

Dynamics AX logo

Dynamics AX

ERP

Comprehensive ERP for enterprise operations

From
$210/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fishbowl logo

Fishbowl

ERP

Manufacturing and warehouse management for QuickBooks

From
$4395/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dynamics AX dynamics 365 Finance is 210 USD per user per month paid yearly, and Finance Premium is 300 USD per user per month paid yearly; Fishbowl the $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually
  • They diverge on capability: Dynamics AX covers Financial management, Fishbowl covers Inventory management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dynamics AX and Fishbowl actually diverge.

Attributes where Dynamics AX and Fishbowl differ
AttributeDynamics AXFishbowl
Starting price$210/month$4395/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsCloud, Web, MobileWindows, Cloud
Founded19752001

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

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 Dynamics AX

  • Financial management
  • Supply chain
  • Project accounting
  • Human resources
  • Power BI
  • Power Apps
  • Office 365
  • Azure

Only in Fishbowl

  • Inventory management
  • Work orders
  • Barcode scanning
  • QuickBooks integration
  • QuickBooks Desktop
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Shopify
  • Amazon

Both cover

  • Manufacturing
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Dynamics AX

  • Core financial management and accounting for large enterprisesnot Fishbowl
  • Consolidating multi entity and multi currency finance operationsnot Fishbowl
  • Manufacturing and supply chain operations on the Dynamics 365 platformnot Fishbowl

Fishbowl

  • Inventory and SKU tracking for wholesale and distribution businessesnot Dynamics AX
  • Manufacturing bills of materials, MRP, work orders and job costingnot Dynamics AX
  • Warehouse fulfilment, transfer orders and automated reorderingnot Dynamics AX
  • Multichannel selling with synchronised stock levelsnot Dynamics AX

Where each one falls short

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

Dynamics AX

  • Dynamics 365 Finance is 210 USD per user per month paid yearly, and Finance Premium is 300 USD per user per month paid yearly
  • Higher capacity and storage entitlements are reserved for the Premium tier
  • Copilot Credits for agent features are bought separately, either pre purchased with up to 20 percent off for committed units or paid as consumed
  • Agent features require a separate Azure subscription

Fishbowl

  • The $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually
  • A paid implementation package is required as part of purchase and covers a 6 to 8 week training certification
  • Lot tracking, demand forecasting and compliance documentation require the Scale plan at $729 per month
  • Advanced Warehouse from $595 per month and Advanced Manufacturing from $675 per month are quoted on team size and deployment rather than sold at a fixed rate
  • Demand forecasting and custom reports are add ons carrying separate fees
  • All listed plan prices are billed annually rather than monthly

Pricing, plan by plan

Dynamics AX

$210/month
  • Finance$210/month
    • General ledger
    • Accounts payable
    • Accounts receivable
  • Operations$210/month
    • Supply chain
    • Manufacturing
    • Inventory

Fishbowl

$4395/one-time
  • Fishbowl Warehouse$4395/one-time
    • Inventory tracking
    • Order management
    • QuickBooks sync
  • Fishbowl Manufacturing$5495/one-time
    • Work orders
    • Bill of materials
    • Shop floor control

Which should you pick?

Choose Dynamics AX if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want supply chain.
Dynamics AX review

Choose Fishbowl if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want work orders.
Fishbowl review

Questions people ask

Is Dynamics AX or Fishbowl better?
Neither clearly leads. Dynamics AX starts at $210/month and Fishbowl at $4395/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dynamics AX or Fishbowl?
Dynamics AX starts at $210/month and Fishbowl at $4395/one-time.
Does Dynamics AX or Fishbowl run on more platforms?
Dynamics AX runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile. Fishbowl runs on Windows, Cloud.
What is Dynamics AX best used for?
Dynamics AX is most often used for core financial management and accounting for large enterprises, consolidating multi entity and multi currency finance operations, manufacturing and supply chain operations on the dynamics 365 platform. Of those, core financial management and accounting for large enterprises and consolidating multi entity and multi currency finance operations are not what Fishbowl is typically brought in for.
What can Dynamics AX do that Fishbowl cannot?
Dynamics AX covers Financial management, Supply chain, Project accounting, Human resources. Fishbowl covers Inventory management, Work orders, Barcode scanning, QuickBooks integration. Both handle Manufacturing, Cloud support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dynamics AX: Where can I find Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations pricing?

Microsoft directs visitors to a dedicated pricing overview page and encourages starting a free trial. Specific pricing tiers and costs are not displayed on the main product landing page.

Source
Fishbowl: How much does Fishbowl Inventory cost per month?

Fishbowl Inventory pricing starts at $229/month (billed annually) for the Essentials tier, $429/month for Growth, and $729/month for Scale. The Advanced Manufacturing tier starts at $675/month and Advanced Warehouse starts at $595/month, though both are quote-based and vary by user count.

Source
Dynamics AX: Does Microsoft Dynamics 365 offer a free trial?

Yes. Microsoft emphasizes the availability of a free trial option throughout the Dynamics 365 landing page, though specific trial duration is not specified.

Source
Fishbowl: How many users are included in each tier?

Essentials includes 2 users, Growth includes 5 users, and Scale includes 10 users. Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Warehouse support teams of 2 to 200+ users with pricing confirmed by quote based on your specific deployment.

Source
Dynamics AX: What Dynamics 365 applications are included in the Finance & Operations suite?

The platform includes Sales, Customer Service, Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Business Central applications, each with their own pricing structures.

Source
Fishbowl: Is Fishbowl billed monthly or annually?

Fishbowl Inventory plans require annual billing. The Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Warehouse plans have variable pricing confirmed by quote and may have different billing arrangements.

Source
Fishbowl: What's included when I sign up for Fishbowl?

All Fishbowl plans include an implementation package with specialist support, data migration services, and 6 to 8 weeks of certification training. Cloud hosting is included with Advanced Manufacturing plans.

Source
Fishbowl: Can I add more users if I exceed my tier's user limit?

You can upgrade to a higher tier which includes additional users. Essentials ($229/mo with 2 users) can upgrade to Growth ($429/mo with 5 users) or Scale ($729/mo with 10 users). Custom team sizes beyond 10 users require Advanced Manufacturing or Advanced Warehouse quotes.

Source
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