Softwr

ERP · head to head

QAD Adaptive ERP vs SOS Inventory

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
SOS Inventory logo

SOS Inventory

Inventory

Inventory management for QuickBooks Online

From
$69.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; SOS Inventory the Companion plan at $69.95 per month is limited to a single location and 1 custom field
  • They diverge on capability: QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, SOS Inventory covers Lot tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where QAD Adaptive ERP and SOS Inventory differ
AttributeQAD Adaptive ERPSOS Inventory
Starting priceOn request$69.95/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud-based
CategoryERPInventory
FoundedUnknown2011

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

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 QAD Adaptive ERP

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

Only in SOS Inventory

  • Lot tracking
  • Serial numbers
  • Manufacturing
  • Multi-location
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Shopify
  • BigCommerce
  • ShipStation

What people use each for

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

QAD Adaptive ERP

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

SOS Inventory

  • Inventory managementnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Job costingnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Manufacturing automationnot QAD Adaptive ERP

Where each one falls short

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

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.

SOS Inventory

  • The Companion plan at $69.95 per month is limited to a single location and 1 custom field
  • Serial and lot number tracking, barcoding and unlimited locations require the Plus plan at $139.95 per month
  • Phone support is excluded from the Companion plan
  • Job costing, advanced manufacturing and the customer portal require the Pro plan at $194.95 per month
  • Each plan includes only 2 to 5 users and additional users cost $25 each per month
  • The 2 months free discount requires paying a year up front

Pricing, plan by plan

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

SOS Inventory

$69.95/month
  • Companion$69.95/month
    • Basic inventory management
    • 2 included users
    • Additional users $25/month each
  • Plus$139.95/month
    • Labeled most popular
    • Unlimited locations
    • Serial and lot tracking
  • Pro$194.95/month
    • Advanced automation
    • Job costing
    • Advanced manufacturing

Which should you pick?

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

Choose SOS Inventory if

  • You need lot tracking.
  • You work on Web, Cloud-based.
  • You also want serial numbers.
SOS Inventory review

Questions people ask

Is QAD Adaptive ERP or SOS Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. QAD Adaptive ERP starts at On request and SOS Inventory at $69.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, QAD Adaptive ERP or SOS Inventory?
QAD Adaptive ERP starts at On request and SOS Inventory at $69.95/month.
Does QAD Adaptive ERP or SOS Inventory run on more platforms?
QAD Adaptive ERP runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android. SOS Inventory runs on Web, Cloud-based.
What is QAD Adaptive ERP best used for?
QAD Adaptive ERP is most often used for an automotive tier supplier that must accept oem edi releases and ship to aiag or odette labelling without building it themselves, a multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level erps onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per country, a food or pharmaceutical maker that needs lot genealogy fast enough to scope a recall in hours, a manufacturer replacing an ageing qad mfg/pro installation and wanting continuity of process rather than a rewrite. Of those, an automotive tier supplier that must accept oem edi releases and ship to aiag or odette labelling without building it themselves and a multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level erps onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per country are not what SOS Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can QAD Adaptive ERP do that SOS Inventory cannot?
QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain planning, Quality management. SOS Inventory covers Lot tracking, Serial numbers, Manufacturing, Multi-location.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

SOS Inventory: How much does SOS Inventory cost?

SOS Inventory offers monthly plans from $69.95 for Companion to $194.95 for Pro. Annual billing saves approximately two months of fees. Additional users cost $25/month, and external connections are $25/month each.

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.

SOS Inventory: Does SOS Inventory offer a free trial?

Yes, SOS Inventory offers 14 days to explore its full range of features. Users can upgrade or downgrade plans easily through account settings.

Source
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.

SOS Inventory: What is the difference between SOS Inventory plans?

Companion includes 2 users and basic management. Plus is marked most popular and adds unlimited locations and lot tracking with 3 users. Pro adds advanced automation and manufacturing with 5 users.

Source
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.

Share

Related pages

More on QAD Adaptive ERP

More on SOS Inventory

Keep looking

Other head to heads