ERP software pricing comparison for Canadian businesses

There is no single price: it depends on users, modules, the vendor's edition and how much implementation help you need. A useful rule is to budget the subscription and the one-time project separately, then add them over three to five years. Our TCO estimator uses clearly labelled illustrative ranges so you can see how the totals build up before you get real quotes.

Implementation pays for configuration, data migration, integrations, testing and training, which are mostly hours of skilled people. For businesses with complex inventory, manufacturing or multi-entity accounting, these hours can add up to more than the first year's subscription. Ask for the implementation estimate broken down by phase and role.

It depends on whether the vendor is registered for GST/HST and under which regime. Many non-resident digital vendors are registered under the simplified framework that has applied since 1 July 2021; registered Canadian businesses should give them their GST/HST registration number so tax is not charged, because tax paid to a simplified-framework vendor generally cannot be claimed as an input tax credit. Quebec has a similar regime for the QST. Confirm the treatment with the CRA, Revenu Québec or your accountant.

Federal private-sector privacy law (PIPEDA) does not ban hosting outside Canada, but you remain accountable for the data and should tell people it may be processed abroad. In Quebec, Law 25 requires a privacy impact assessment before personal information is communicated outside Quebec. Separately, the CRA expects books and records to be kept in Canada or made available in Canada, so check its record-keeping guidance before choosing a hosting region.

No. The Canada Digital Adoption Program stopped accepting new applications in early 2024, according to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Some provincial and regional programs exist, but their intake windows change often; check the official program page before you count on funding.

Generally no. The Scientific Research and Experimental Development program supports eligible experimental development work, not the purchase or routine configuration of commercial software. Subscription fees are usually deducted as business expenses, and purchased software may be depreciated under capital cost allowance rules; ask your accountant how your specific costs are treated.

The term and auto-renewal clause, the notice period to cancel, the cap on renewal price increases, the uptime commitment and service credits, and how and when you can export your data if you leave. Get each in writing and put the notice date in your calendar.