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ERP · head to head

Exact Online vs QAD Adaptive ERP

Exact Online logo

Exact Online

ERP

Dutch cloud business software for entrepreneurs and accountants

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QAD Adaptive ERP logo

QAD Adaptive ERP

ERP

ERP for regulated and supply-chain-heavy manufacturers, strongest in automotive and life sciences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Exact Online no pricing published; visitors directed to contact sales directly; QAD Adaptive ERP no pricing is published and licensing splits across user types and separately sold modules, so first quotes routinely come in well above the number buyers had in their heads.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Exact Online and QAD Adaptive ERP actually diverge.

Attributes where Exact Online and QAD Adaptive ERP differ
AttributeExact OnlineQAD Adaptive ERP
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Exact Online

Nothing recorded that QAD Adaptive ERP does not also cover.

Only in QAD Adaptive ERP

  • Automotive EDI
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Supply chain planning
  • Quality management
  • Global financials
  • Traceability and recall
  • Connected workforce
  • Adaptive UX

What people use each for

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

Exact Online

  • Automating bookkeeping with AI document processingnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Managing multi-company accounting in single interfacenot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Calculating tax compliance for multiple jurisdictionsnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Reconciling bank accounts automatically across subsidiariesnot QAD Adaptive ERP

QAD Adaptive ERP

  • An automotive tier supplier that must accept OEM EDI releases and ship to AIAG or Odette labelling without building it themselvesnot Exact Online
  • A multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level ERPs onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per countrynot Exact Online
  • A food or pharmaceutical maker that needs lot genealogy fast enough to scope a recall in hoursnot Exact Online
  • A manufacturer replacing an ageing QAD MFG/PRO installation and wanting continuity of process rather than a rewritenot Exact Online

Where each one falls short

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

Exact Online

  • No pricing published; visitors directed to contact sales directly
  • Website content in Dutch suggests regional/European focus

QAD Adaptive ERP

  • No pricing is published and licensing splits across user types and separately sold modules, so first quotes routinely come in well above the number buyers had in their heads.
  • QAD has been owned by Thoma Bravo since the 2021 take-private, so roadmap and pricing decisions answer to an investment thesis rather than to public product commitments, and buyers should ask about contract terms at renewal.
  • The implementation partner network is small next to SAP, Oracle or Microsoft, which limits competitive tendering on services and makes regional coverage patchy.
  • Outside its target industries the vertical depth is dead weight, and a general distributor or services firm pays for automotive and life sciences function it will never switch on.
  • Long-standing QAD customers still run heavily customised MFG/PRO estates, and migrating those customisations to Adaptive ERP is a re-implementation, not an upgrade, which is why some sites have stayed on old versions for years.

Pricing, plan by plan

Exact Online

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Exact Online review.

QAD Adaptive ERP

On request
  • QAD Adaptive ERP$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced by user type, modules and deployment
    • Cloud or on-premise deployment
    • Implementation delivered by QAD or a partner and billed separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Exact Online if

Nothing in the data separates Exact Online from QAD Adaptive ERP on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Exact Online review

Choose QAD Adaptive ERP if

  • You need automotive edi.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want manufacturing execution.
QAD Adaptive ERP review

Questions people ask

Is Exact Online or QAD Adaptive ERP better?
Neither clearly leads. Exact Online starts at On request and QAD Adaptive ERP at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Exact Online or QAD Adaptive ERP?
Exact Online starts at On request and QAD Adaptive ERP at On request.
Does Exact Online or QAD Adaptive ERP run on more platforms?
Exact Online runs on Web. QAD Adaptive ERP runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
What is Exact Online best used for?
Exact Online is most often used for automating bookkeeping with ai document processing, managing multi-company accounting in single interface, calculating tax compliance for multiple jurisdictions, reconciling bank accounts automatically across subsidiaries. Of those, automating bookkeeping with ai document processing and managing multi-company accounting in single interface are not what QAD Adaptive ERP is typically brought in for.
What can Exact Online do that QAD Adaptive ERP cannot?
QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain planning, Quality management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Exact Online: Does Exact Online publish pricing on its website?

No. Exact Online's website contains no pricing information, costs, subscription tiers, or fee structures. Interested parties must contact the company via phone or contact form for pricing details.

Source
QAD Adaptive ERP: Who owns QAD?

Thoma Bravo, which took the company private in 2021. It is no longer publicly listed, so financials and roadmap commitments are not disclosed the way they once were.

Exact Online: How can I get pricing information for Exact Online?

Exact Online directs visitors to contact sales directly. The website includes a phone number and contact form option for requesting pricing and product information.

Source
QAD Adaptive ERP: Is QAD only for automotive?

No, but automotive supplier compliance is its deepest area, alongside life sciences, food and beverage and industrial manufacturing. Non-manufacturers are not the target.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Can it run on-premise?

Yes, both cloud and on-premise deployments are supported, which matters to manufacturers with plant-floor systems that cannot tolerate a WAN dependency.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Is Adaptive ERP an upgrade from MFG/PRO?

Not in practice for a customised site. Moving heavily modified MFG/PRO installations is a re-implementation project, and that cost should be in the business case from the start.

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