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ERP · head to head

Ivalua vs QAD Adaptive ERP

Ivalua logo

Ivalua

ERP

Source-to-pay on one codebase and one data model, sold to large enterprises by module

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: Ivalua entry deployments are reported around 150,000 US dollars a year before implementation, which puts it entirely out of reach for mid-market procurement teams.; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: Ivalua covers Single data model, QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Ivalua and QAD Adaptive ERP differ
AttributeIvaluaQAD Adaptive ERP
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, 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 Ivalua

  • Single data model
  • Supplier risk and onboarding
  • Contract lifecycle management
  • Direct materials procurement
  • Invoice matching and payment
  • Configurable workflow engine

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.

Ivalua

  • A manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spendnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • An enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modulesnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • A regulated organisation needing third-party risk screening enforced before a supplier can receive a purchase ordernot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Replacing separate sourcing, contract and invoice systems where each holds a different version of the supplier recordnot 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 Ivalua
  • A multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level ERPs onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per countrynot Ivalua
  • A food or pharmaceutical maker that needs lot genealogy fast enough to scope a recall in hoursnot Ivalua
  • A manufacturer replacing an ageing QAD MFG/PRO installation and wanting continuity of process rather than a rewritenot Ivalua

Where each one falls short

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

Ivalua

  • Entry deployments are reported around 150,000 US dollars a year before implementation, which puts it entirely out of reach for mid-market procurement teams.
  • Configurability requires an internal product owner and usually a systems integrator, so the total programme cost is a multiple of the licence and the failure modes are those of an ERP project.
  • Module-based licensing means capability you assumed was included, such as contract lifecycle management or supplier risk, is frequently a separate line item discovered late in the negotiation.
  • Supplier network pricing scales with active supplier count, so an organisation with a long tail of small suppliers pays for records that generate little spend.
  • The user interface prioritises configurability over ease, and casual requisitioners across the business need more guidance than a consumer-style intake tool would require.

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

Ivalua

On request
  • Ivalua Source-to-Pay$undefined/year
    • Module-based licensing rather than per seat
    • User counts tiered by role category
    • Supplier network pricing driven by active supplier count

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 Ivalua if

  • You need single data model.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want supplier risk and onboarding.
Ivalua 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 Ivalua or QAD Adaptive ERP better?
Neither clearly leads. Ivalua 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, Ivalua or QAD Adaptive ERP?
Ivalua starts at On request and QAD Adaptive ERP at On request.
Does Ivalua or QAD Adaptive ERP run on more platforms?
Ivalua runs on Web, iOS, Android. QAD Adaptive ERP runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
What is Ivalua best used for?
Ivalua is most often used for a manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spend, an enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modules, a regulated organisation needing third-party risk screening enforced before a supplier can receive a purchase order, replacing separate sourcing, contract and invoice systems where each holds a different version of the supplier record. Of those, a manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spend and an enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modules are not what QAD Adaptive ERP is typically brought in for.
What can Ivalua do that QAD Adaptive ERP cannot?
Ivalua covers Single data model, Supplier risk and onboarding, Contract lifecycle management, Direct materials procurement. QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain planning, Quality management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ivalua: What does the single codebase actually buy me?

One supplier and contract record used across every module, so there is no synchronisation layer to reconcile and no data drift between sourcing and invoicing.

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.

Ivalua: What does Ivalua cost?

It is not published. Third parties report entry deployments around 150,000 USD a year and full-platform deployments above 400,000, plus implementation.

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.

Ivalua: Does it handle direct materials?

Yes, which distinguishes it from suites built primarily for indirect spend.

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.

Ivalua: Is Ivalua still independent?

Yes. It is one of the few large source-to-pay vendors not owned by a bigger enterprise software group.

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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