ERP vs. best of breed: which software is right for you in 2025?

Choosing the right software for your business is a challenge. Are you going for an ERP system, “best of breed” tools, or a “best of suite” solution? In this blog, we list the differences and help you make the best choice.

What is an ERP System?

Simply put, ERP software is a solution that brings all your business processes together in one platform. ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning and is used to automate and integrate all critical business processes, including finance, purchasing, inventory management, HR, production planning, and more.
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Examples of ERP systems include:

• Exactly
• AFAS software
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Why are you using an ERP system?

The strength of an ERP system lies in the idea of centralization. Instead of using multiple tools, you have one central system where everything comes together. This allows you to work more efficiently, reduce errors and keep a grip on your business processes. This makes an ERP system not only suitable for large organizations, but increasingly also for smaller companies that want to streamline processes.
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How does ERP software work?

An ERP system consists of modules that support specific business processes, such as finance for invoices and accounting or inventory management, for an up-to-date overview of your stocks. The system is often adaptable to your company's needs, making it a flexible solution that grows with your organization.

Benefits of ERP software:

ERP software must be a good fit for your company to benefit from it. Here are the main benefits:
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• Better collaboration: Teams work in the same system, making communication and data sharing easy.
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• Data in one place: You no longer have to switch between different tools.
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• Real-time insights: Dashboards and reports give you an immediate overview of your business operations.
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• Scalability: ERP software grows with your company, making it suitable for growing organizations.

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What are the challenges of ERP?

Implementing an ERP system can be a major investment, both in time and money. Moreover, the training of employees and the adaptation of existing processes can be a challenge. So make sure you have a thorough plan and involve your team in the process from the start.
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Best of suite

A “best of suite” solution stands for all-in-one software packages, such as an ERP system. This gives you a solution that integrates multiple business processes into an ecosystem, such as finance, inventory management, CRM, HR, and more. Below, we discuss the benefits of best of suite.
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The benefits of best of suite

• Integration: By default, everything is in one system, so integrations are not necessary. No need for a complex IT landscape.
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• Time savings: Do not search for or maintain separate tools.
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• Cost efficiency: Often cheaper than separate specialized tools when you look at the total costs.
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• Scalable: Often easy to scale up, making them suitable for both small companies and organizations that want to grow.

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The difference between an ERP system and 'best of suite'?

An ERP system brings together various internal business processes in one platform, such as finance, inventory management and HR. A “best of suite” solution goes further and adds additional features, such as CRM or e-commerce, within the same system. So you have everything you need in one place.
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“Best of breed”: the best of its kind

The meaning of “best of breed” is simply that you choose the best software solution in a specific category. Consider, for example, a tool that is designed purely for time registration, such as TimeChimp. The idea is that you choose the specialist software that excels at what it does.
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The benefits of best of breed

• Specialization: You choose software that excels in a specific aspect.
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• Flexibility: Easy to integrate with other tools.
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• Innovation: Focused on constantly improving one task.
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• Less complex. Easier to deploy and manage than large, all-in-one systems.
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• Better user experience. Developed with a focus on ease of use and efficiency.
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• Easy to integrate. Connects seamlessly to existing systems.
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The best of breed solution is often packages that are much less complex and have a better user experience. Thanks to new technology, it is now very easy to connect (for example by means of APIs or Zapier) with other packages and these integrations continue to develop. This includes the convenience of creating a invoice from TimeChimp in WeFact, for example.
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“Best of breed” vs “best of suite”

With a “best of breed” solution, you choose specialized software that excels at one task but requires good integration between tools. A “best of suite” solution, on the other hand, offers an all-in-one approach with simplicity and uniformity, but is often less specific to each process. The choice depends on your need for customization or convenience.

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When do you choose which system?

It's important to remember that there is no one right choice. It all depends on your specific situation. In this table, we list the most important differences for you.
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To decide whether to go for “best of breed”, “best of suite”, or an ERP system, you can ask yourself a few questions:
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1. What are your specific needs?
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   • Do you need a tool that is really specialized? Then a “best of breed” solution may be the best choice.
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   • Do you want all internal business processes centralized in a program? Then look at an ERP software.
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   • Would you rather have everything in one system? Then look for a “best of suite” solution.
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2. How big is your team?
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   • For small teams, a “best of breed” approach can be clearer and more attractive in terms of costs.
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   • For large organizations, an ERP system or a “best of suite” solution is often a better choice because of its scalability.
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3. What is your budget?
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   • Best of breed may initially be cheaper, but this also includes the costs that integrating the systems can entail.
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   • ERP systems or “best of suite” solutions are often more expensive initially, but can be cheaper in the long run.

Conclusion

The choice between an ERP system, “best of breed” or “best of suite” depends on your business needs. ERP integrates processes, “best of breed” offers specialization, and “best of suite” provides simplicity. Choose what's best for working smarter and growing.

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