Softwr

ERP · head to head

Plex Manufacturing Cloud vs QAD

P

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

ERP

Multi-tenant manufacturing ERP with MES built in, owned by Rockwell Automation

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QAD logo

QAD

ERP

Cloud and on-premise ERP for manufacturers

From
$2000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Plex Manufacturing Cloud there is no on premise option, so a plant whose line-side terminals must keep working through a network outage needs a mitigation plan, and connectivity becomes a production dependency rather than an IT concern.; QAD no price, per user rate, minimum or contract term is published on the site; the only routes are a demo request and a Contact Sales link
  • They diverge on capability: Plex Manufacturing Cloud covers Built-in MES, QAD covers Financial management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Plex Manufacturing Cloud and QAD actually diverge.

Attributes where Plex Manufacturing Cloud and QAD differ
AttributePlex Manufacturing CloudQAD
Starting price$500/month$2000/month
PlatformsCloud, Mobile, WebCloud, On-premise, Web
Founded19951979

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Plex Manufacturing Cloud

  • Built-in MES
  • Lot and serial traceability
  • Production scheduling
  • Inventory and warehouse
  • Supply chain and EDI
  • Financials
  • Single version delivery

Only in QAD

  • Financial management
  • Manufacturing
  • Supply chain
  • Inventory management
  • REST APIs
  • EDI
  • IoT integration
  • Third-party systems

Both cover

  • Quality management

What people use each for

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

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

  • An automotive component supplier that must hold complete traceability and pass customer quality auditsnot QAD
  • A manufacturer replacing a separate ERP and MES pair that never reconcile with each othernot QAD
  • A multi-plant discrete manufacturer that wants one system of record across sites rather than one per plantnot QAD
  • An organisation that has repeatedly deferred an ERP upgrade and wants the upgrade problem removed from its futurenot QAD

QAD

  • ERP for manufacturers covering production execution and schedulingnot Plex Manufacturing Cloud
  • Supply chain planning, purchasing and inventory controlnot Plex Manufacturing Cloud
  • Quality management, traceability and supplier management for regulated manufacturingnot Plex Manufacturing Cloud
  • Field service and enterprise asset managementnot Plex Manufacturing Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

  • There is no on premise option, so a plant whose line-side terminals must keep working through a network outage needs a mitigation plan, and connectivity becomes a production dependency rather than an IT concern.
  • Every customer runs the same version on the vendor's schedule, so you cannot defer a release to fit around a plant shutdown or a customer audit and must absorb regression testing on the vendor's cadence.
  • Customisation is limited to the platform's own configuration and extension tools, which is what makes the single version model possible but means a process you cannot express within those tools has to change rather than be accommodated.
  • The financial modules are less developed than the operational ones, so groups with complex multi-entity consolidation, statutory reporting in several countries or sophisticated planning requirements often keep a separate finance system alongside it.
  • Country localisations and language coverage are narrower than the tier one vendors offer, which limits the product for a manufacturer expanding into markets with demanding local tax and reporting rules.

QAD

  • No price, per user rate, minimum or contract term is published on the site; the only routes are a demo request and a Contact Sales link
  • Field service management, enterprise asset management and quality management are presented as separate functional areas rather than a single priced bundle

Pricing, plan by plan

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

$500/month
  • Standard$500/month
    • Core manufacturing
    • Financials
    • Inventory
  • Enterprise$1500/month
    • Advanced modules
    • IoT integration
    • Advanced analytics

QAD

$2000/month
  • Standard$2000/month
    • Financial management
    • Manufacturing
    • Supply chain
  • Premium$4000/month
    • Advanced modules
    • Analytics
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Plex Manufacturing Cloud if

  • You need built-in mes.
  • You work on Cloud, Mobile, Web.
  • You also want lot and serial traceability.
Plex Manufacturing Cloud review

Choose QAD if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want manufacturing.
QAD review

Questions people ask

Is Plex Manufacturing Cloud or QAD better?
Neither clearly leads. Plex Manufacturing Cloud starts at $500/month and QAD at $2000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Plex Manufacturing Cloud or QAD?
Plex Manufacturing Cloud starts at $500/month and QAD at $2000/month.
Does Plex Manufacturing Cloud or QAD run on more platforms?
Plex Manufacturing Cloud runs on Cloud, Mobile, Web. QAD runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
What is Plex Manufacturing Cloud best used for?
Plex Manufacturing Cloud is most often used for an automotive component supplier that must hold complete traceability and pass customer quality audits, a manufacturer replacing a separate erp and mes pair that never reconcile with each other, a multi-plant discrete manufacturer that wants one system of record across sites rather than one per plant, an organisation that has repeatedly deferred an erp upgrade and wants the upgrade problem removed from its future. Of those, an automotive component supplier that must hold complete traceability and pass customer quality audits and a manufacturer replacing a separate erp and mes pair that never reconcile with each other are not what QAD is typically brought in for.
What can Plex Manufacturing Cloud do that QAD cannot?
Plex Manufacturing Cloud covers Built-in MES, Lot and serial traceability, Production scheduling, Inventory and warehouse. QAD covers Financial management, Manufacturing, Supply chain, Inventory management. Both handle Quality management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Can I run Plex on my own servers?

No. It is delivered as multi-tenant cloud software only. If you need an on premise deployment, this product cannot meet that requirement at any price.

QAD: How can I get pricing information for QAD manufacturing software?

QAD does not publish standard pricing on their homepage. Pricing discussions occur during personalized consultations. Interested parties can request a demo, contact the sales team, or download brochures to discuss pricing based on specific organizational needs.

Source
Plex Manufacturing Cloud: What happens to my customisations at upgrade time?

There are no customisations in the traditional sense. Extensions are built with the platform's own tooling and are carried forward by the vendor. That is the trade you are making: less freedom to modify, no upgrade project.

QAD: What deployment options does QAD offer?

QAD provides adaptive ERP solutions for various industries including Automotive, Food & Beverage, and Life Sciences. Their offerings include connected workforce solutions and supply chain management, with implementation and advisory services available.

Source
Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Has Rockwell's ownership changed the product?

It has placed Plex inside a portfolio with Rockwell's automation, maintenance and analytics products, which pulls the roadmap towards integration with that estate. Whether that helps depends on whether your plant runs Rockwell equipment. Ask about the specific roadmap items you care about.

QAD: Is there a trial available for QAD software without contacting sales?

The QAD homepage does not mention a free trial or self-serve trial option. The primary engagement path is through "Request a Demo" or "Contact Sales" buttons, suggesting trial access requires sales team interaction.

Source
Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Is the finance module enough on its own?

For a single country manufacturer, usually yes. For a group consolidating several entities across countries with statutory reporting obligations, ask specifically about your requirements, because this is the part of the product most likely to fall short.

Share

Related pages

More on Plex Manufacturing Cloud

More on QAD

Keep looking

Other head to heads