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Professional Services · head to head

Netsuite OpenAir vs Productive

Netsuite OpenAir logo

Netsuite OpenAir

Professional Services

Oracle's professional services automation product, separate from NetSuite ERP

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Productive logo

Productive

Professional Services

Run projects, budgets and resources in one place

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Netsuite OpenAir openAir is a separate application from NetSuite rather than a module of it, so customers, projects and employees exist in two places and a synchronisation must be configured, monitored and repaired when it drifts.; Productive essential plan is capped at 5 account-level custom fields and 1 CRM pipeline versus 15 fields and 3 pipelines on Professional
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Netsuite OpenAir and Productive actually diverge.

Attributes where Netsuite OpenAir and Productive differ
AttributeNetsuite OpenAirProductive
Starting price$500/month$10/month
PlatformsCloud, Web, MobileWeb
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Professional Services).

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 Netsuite OpenAir

  • Resource management
  • Timesheets and expenses
  • Project accounting
  • Billing
  • Project management
  • Utilisation reporting
  • NetSuite integration
  • Multi-currency support

Only in Productive

Nothing recorded that Netsuite OpenAir does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Netsuite OpenAir

  • A consultancy that needs to forecast staffing demand against a pipeline before it commits to delivery datesnot Productive
  • A services firm whose revenue recognition on fixed price work is currently maintained in a spreadsheetnot Productive
  • An organisation already running NetSuite finance whose project module cannot handle its resource planningnot Productive
  • An agency or integrator that needs accurate billable utilisation by consultant, practice and clientnot Productive

Productive

  • Team resource planningnot Netsuite OpenAir
  • Project and expense managementnot Netsuite OpenAir
  • Time tracking and invoicingnot Netsuite OpenAir

Where each one falls short

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

Netsuite OpenAir

  • OpenAir is a separate application from NetSuite rather than a module of it, so customers, projects and employees exist in two places and a synchronisation must be configured, monitored and repaired when it drifts.
  • It overlaps with NetSuite's own project and services capability, so buyers inside the Oracle estate face a choice between two products from the same vendor and rarely get a straight comparison from the sales conversation.
  • The product has been renamed and repositioned more than once, which leaves documentation, training material and community knowledge fragmented across names and makes it harder to establish what applies to your version.
  • Licensing is per user, so a firm with many occasional timesheet submitters pays full seats for people who sign in twice a month, and the model suits billable-heavy organisations far better than mixed ones.
  • The user interface and administration reflect the product's age rather than current design conventions, which raises training effort and makes consultant adoption of timesheet discipline harder than it needs to be.

Productive

  • Essential plan is capped at 5 account-level custom fields and 1 CRM pipeline versus 15 fields and 3 pipelines on Professional
  • Ultimate tier for complex organizations is quote-only, listed as Let's talk with no published price

Pricing, plan by plan

Netsuite OpenAir

$500/month
  • Basic$500/month
    • Project tracking
    • Time tracking
    • Basic reporting
  • Advanced$1200/month
    • Full PSA
    • Resource planning
    • Advanced analytics

Productive

$10/month
  • Essential$10/month
    • Budgeting
    • Resource planning
    • Project and task management
  • Essential Annual$12/month
    • All Essential features (billed annually at 20% discount)
  • Professional$25/month
    • All Essential features
    • HRIS and Invoicing integrations
    • Recurring budgets
  • Ultimate$null/month
    • All Professional features
    • Revenue forecasting
    • Scenario Builder

Which should you pick?

Choose Netsuite OpenAir if

  • You need resource management.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want timesheets and expenses.
Netsuite OpenAir review

Choose Productive if

Nothing in the data separates Productive from Netsuite OpenAir on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Productive review

Questions people ask

Is Netsuite OpenAir or Productive better?
Neither clearly leads. Netsuite OpenAir starts at $500/month and Productive at $10/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Netsuite OpenAir or Productive?
Netsuite OpenAir starts at $500/month and Productive at $10/month.
Does Netsuite OpenAir or Productive run on more platforms?
Netsuite OpenAir runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile. Productive runs on Web.
What is Netsuite OpenAir best used for?
Netsuite OpenAir is most often used for a consultancy that needs to forecast staffing demand against a pipeline before it commits to delivery dates, a services firm whose revenue recognition on fixed price work is currently maintained in a spreadsheet, an organisation already running netsuite finance whose project module cannot handle its resource planning, an agency or integrator that needs accurate billable utilisation by consultant, practice and client. Of those, a consultancy that needs to forecast staffing demand against a pipeline before it commits to delivery dates and a services firm whose revenue recognition on fixed price work is currently maintained in a spreadsheet are not what Productive is typically brought in for.
What can Netsuite OpenAir do that Productive cannot?
Netsuite OpenAir covers Resource management, Timesheets and expenses, Project accounting, Billing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Netsuite OpenAir: Is OpenAir part of NetSuite?

No. It is a separate Oracle application that integrates with NetSuite. It is sold alongside NetSuite and often bought by NetSuite customers, but it has its own data model, interface and administration.

Productive: How much does Productive cost per month?

The Essential plan starts at $10/user/month (or $12/user/month billed annually). The Professional plan costs $25/user/month. Pricing is per user, so multiply by team size.

Source
Netsuite OpenAir: Should I use this or NetSuite's own project modules?

If your problem is invoicing project work and tracking basic costs, NetSuite's own capability may be enough and avoids a second system. If your problem is resource planning, skills-based staffing and utilisation forecasting across a large delivery organisation, that is what OpenAir was built for.

Productive: Does Productive offer a free trial?

Free trial information is not displayed on the pricing page. Contact their sales team via the website for trial availability and custom Ultimate plan pricing.

Source
Netsuite OpenAir: Can it be used without NetSuite?

Yes, it can run against another finance system, but then you are building and maintaining that integration yourself, which removes the main reason most buyers choose it over an independent professional services automation product.

Productive: What features does the Essential plan include?

The Essential plan includes budgeting, resource planning, project and task management, time tracking, expense management, reporting, time off management, and API access with 5 custom fields.

Source
Netsuite OpenAir: What is the hardest part of implementing it?

Getting consultants to submit accurate timesheets on time, and agreeing how revenue recognition should work on fixed price engagements. Neither is a software problem, and both determine whether the reports are trusted.

Productive: What is the difference between Professional and Ultimate plans?

The Professional plan includes HRIS integrations, advanced reports, and team collaboration tools at $25/user/month. Ultimate adds revenue forecasting, scenario builder, multiple subsidiaries, and custom integrations at custom pricing.

Source
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