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ERP · head to head

QAD Adaptive ERP vs Visibility

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
Visibility logo

Visibility

ERP

Supply chain and manufacturing execution software

From
$1000/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.; Visibility no price, licensing model, minimum or contract term is published on the site; buyers are directed to a sales email and phone number
  • They diverge on capability: QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Visibility covers Supply chain visibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where QAD Adaptive ERP and Visibility differ
AttributeQAD Adaptive ERPVisibility
Starting priceOn request$1000/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Windows, iOS, AndroidCloud, On-premise, Web
FoundedUnknown1989

Identical on both: 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 QAD Adaptive ERP

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

Only in Visibility

  • Supply chain visibility
  • Production planning
  • Analytics
  • Reporting
  • ERP systems
  • REST APIs
  • EDI
  • Third-party systems

Both cover

  • Manufacturing execution

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 Visibility
  • A multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level ERPs onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per countrynot Visibility
  • A food or pharmaceutical maker that needs lot genealogy fast enough to scope a recall in hoursnot Visibility
  • A manufacturer replacing an ageing QAD MFG/PRO installation and wanting continuity of process rather than a rewritenot Visibility

Visibility

  • ERP for engineer to order and make to order manufacturersnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Job shop production planning and costingnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • Manufacturing operations in aerospace and defence, fabricated metals and medical devicesnot 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.

Visibility

  • No price, licensing model, minimum or contract term is published on the site; buyers are directed to a sales email and phone number
  • The vendor states an implementation of 4 to 6 months, so the product is not usable immediately after purchase
  • The product targets make to order, engineer to order and job shop manufacturers rather than general business use

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

Visibility

$1000/month
  • Standard$1000/month
    • Supply chain visibility
    • MES
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$2000/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom reports
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose QAD Adaptive ERP if

  • You need automotive edi.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want supply chain planning.
QAD Adaptive ERP review

Choose Visibility if

  • You need supply chain visibility.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want production planning.
Visibility review

Questions people ask

Is QAD Adaptive ERP or Visibility better?
Neither clearly leads. QAD Adaptive ERP starts at On request and Visibility at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, QAD Adaptive ERP or Visibility?
QAD Adaptive ERP starts at On request and Visibility at $1000/month.
Does QAD Adaptive ERP or Visibility run on more platforms?
QAD Adaptive ERP runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android. Visibility runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
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 Visibility is typically brought in for.
What can QAD Adaptive ERP do that Visibility cannot?
QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Supply chain planning, Quality management, Global financials. Visibility covers Supply chain visibility, Production planning, Analytics, Reporting. Both handle Manufacturing execution.

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.

Visibility: Does Visibility publish pricing on their website?

No, Visibility does not disclose subscription costs or pricing tiers on their website. Interested parties must contact sales directly.

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.

Visibility: How do I get a Visibility quote?

Visibility directs interested parties to contact sales at [email protected] or (978) 269-6500, or to request a demo through their website.

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.

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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