Ever notice how restaurant reviews split into two camps? Food critics write elegant paragraphs about "elevated comfort cuisine" while Yelp reviewers cut straight to the chase: "Great burgers, terrible service, took forever."
The same thing happens with business software reviews. Tech magazines publish polished articles about software functionality and specs. Real users post unfiltered experiences about crashed implementations and billing surprises.
When you’re choosing an ERP solution, you need both types of voices to make a smart choice.
The critics test what the software can do. The users tell you what it actually does, and what it costs you along the way.
At Stellar One, we have experts who have worked with dozens of ERP platforms and know what their real performance and pricing looks like behind the scenes. We used that expertise to curate the most representative reviews from both camps. Here, you’ll find insight from the professional analysts, plus typical comments drawn from hundreds of verified users on G2 and TrustRadius who've lived through NetSuite implementations.
What we found supports what we know from our hands-on experience. There’s a clear pattern for who NetSuite serves well, and who it doesn't. By the end of this overview, you’ll know which group your business falls into.
- How NetSuite Performs According to Industry Experts
- When NetSuite Works: The Success Stories
- NetSuite User Experience: Common Reported Weaknesses
- NetSuite Pricing: Unexpected Costs
- NetSuite Technical Features: Power vs. Complexity
- What Types of Business Should (and Shouldn't) Choose NetSuite
How NetSuite Performs According to Industry Experts
Tech reviewers consistently call NetSuite a powerhouse for complex business needs. Forbes Advisor describes Oracle's NetSuite’s applications, such as payroll, human resources (HR), customer relationship management (CRM) and e-commerce, all running on a software-as-a-service model.
Forbes highlights NetSuite's flexibility for scaling operations, noting businesses "can use its long list of modules and customization tools to increase efficiency and reduce costs.”
PCMag points out that the system goes beyond basic accounting to provide sophisticated financial management with capabilities that "automate and integrate critical back-office processes."
Michael H., a management consultant, shared on TrustRadius: "NetSuite ERP is a well-designed and (eventually) quite a logical, straightforward, and user-friendly tool which allows you to easily retrieve and analyze several different types of data from all the differing departments in an organization."
Strong Financial Features That Go Beyond Accounting
Industry publications praise NetSuite's financial features that stretch beyond traditional accounting software. PCMag notes the platform goes far beyond tracking income and expenses to “facilitate sophisticated revenue recognition management" and manage the entire supply chain.
Forbes Advisor notes the system's robust reporting capabilities with built-in tools that allow businesses to pull a variety of customized reports
Users validate these capabilities in practice. Ben V., an accountant, commented: "I use NetSuite ERP on a daily basis to do bank reconciliations, monthly reports, fixed asset proposals, and more. NetSuite ERP makes it very simple to solve these business problems."
When NetSuite Works: The Success Stories
Some users report good experiences with NetSuite capabilities, especially in larger organizations with dedicated technical teams.
A verified TrustRadius user working as Sr. Director of Finance and Strategy rated NetSuite 9 out of 10, stating: "Its out-of-the-box solution is easy to use, relatively simple to implement and easy to train."
Ian G., a Controller/Admin, praised the multi-subsidiary capabilities: "Being able to book entries across multiple subsidiaries all at once is a huge time-saving."
Connecting Everything Together
Users like NetSuite's ability to connect with other business systems.
Pankaj P., an Assistant Manager in Finance and Accounting, said: "Our revenue comes from different platforms like Shopify, PayPal, Stripe, etc. With NetSuite ERP, it becomes very easy to reconcile these accounts, even when there is a large volume of data."
Multi-Location and Multi-Currency Operations
Ian G., a Controller/Admin, praised the multi-subsidiary capabilities: "Being able to book entries across multiple subsidiaries all at once is a huge time-saving. I also really value the way that it integrates with some other technology solutions."
A Senior Partnership Manager in Sales noted: "Multi-currency and Multi-subsidiary Support is very helpful. Billing, invoicing, and expense management, reducing manual errors, and improving efficiency."
Handling High-Volume Data Processing
Users praise NetSuite’s ability to handle data smoothly and automate complex tasks.
Pankaj P., an Assistant Manager in Finance and Accounting, shared: "Our organization sells through platforms like Shopify, amazon, stripe, etc which means we have a high volume of transactions every day—sales, returns, discounts, charges, payments, and more. Managing all this with regular software is quite difficult. But with NetSuite ERP, handling these daily transactions becomes much easier and more efficient."
A verified Transportation Specialist stated: "We use this system for many purposes. From a personal standpoint, NetSuite is very easy to use when managing purchase orders as well as billing. We are able to customize everything to fit our needs."
Flexible Reporting and Data Analysis
NetSuite is also known for having some of the best reporting functionalities in the industry.
Nainesh D., a Functional Consultant, highlighted these reporting capabilities: " NetSuite has a strong reporting structure like Reports, Saved Searches, Analytics and Data Analytics Warehouse. NetSuite has strong Customization & Integration capabilities and very flexible with custom workflows."
NetSuite User Experience: Common Reported Weaknesses
The most common areas for dissatisfaction from NetSuite users are implementation and customer support.
NetSuite Implementation: Harder Than Expected
While industry experts focus on NetSuite's technical capabilities, users tell a different story about getting the system up and running through implementation. The complexity that makes NetSuite powerful also creates big hurdles for businesses without dedicated technical teams.
A verified G2 user in non-profit organization management warned: "Implementation was bungled and never completed. Even though we paid for it! If you do not have a high-tech team, be prepared to hire some full-time! Because this will not work unless you have someone that can spend time under the hood."
Jeannie R., a small business owner, shared: "We dropped NetSuite after the 1st year as we STILL WERE NOT FULLY IMPLEMENTED 1 year into the process and had to pay the full license fees for that full year even though we didn't have a fully functional system the entire time!"
Limited Support That Leads to More Sales Pitches
Users often get frustrated with NetSuite's support approach and response times. Multiple reviewers say that support calls often turn into sales pitches rather than problem-solving sessions.
A verified user working as Chief Operating Officer warned on G2: "Every time I tried to express a concern or address a problem, Netsuite team will try to sell you another service, which is very frustrating. How about you fix our current problem before you try to sell me another module?"
Nick S., a corporate controller, commented: "Netsuite after-sales support is an absolute trainwreck. They nickel and dime you to death for anything, and their support personnel don't seem to know the product."
Ashley H., a managing director, explained: "Whenever we encountered an issue, the standard resolution offered was to purchase an additional module, which felt more like a sales strategy than a genuine effort to resolve our problems."
NetSuite Pricing: Unexpected Costs
Industry reviews point out NetSuite's lack of transparent pricing, with Forbes Advisor mentioning that "the company doesn't disclose its pricing upfront and asks that you schedule a consultation to get a quote."
Users consistently say that actual costs far exceed initial estimates.
A verified G2 user in food & beverages stated: "What I projected as a $30k per year expense based on the sales team's promises quickly turned into so much more to actually get everything I needed once implementation was rolling."
Kalid L., a Chief Operating Officer, shared: "The only difference is that the old software cost us $599/month and Netsuite is costing us $4000+/month."
Add-On Modules and User Licenses Add Up Fast
Users often find that basic features require expensive add-on modules not mentioned during initial sales presentations. Licensing fees can also be a burden for growing businesses.
A verified G2 user in management explained: "The sales team is deceptively unclear about what it can and cannot do without purchasing additional umteen add-on modules that are required to do A, B, C."
A verified TrustRadius user in finance & accounting pointed out: "Even the most basic systems within NetSuite required significant configuration and customization" and stressed that "licensing costs are significant if you want to use it as a true ERP with all employees provided access."
NetSuite Technical Features: Power vs. Complexity
Professional reviews note NetSuite's customization options. Forbes Advisor mentions that customization for SuiteCloud lets businesses "tailor the platform to meet your business needs and preferences."
But users often feel that accessing this flexibility requires serious technical know-how.
A Financial Systems Manager warned: "A dedicated NetSuite team is required to manage the platform effectively even with our basic needs."
Gibriel S., a software developer, commented: "NetSuite does not support access to things like the browser's DOM, nor can we add custom HTML/CSS/JS to anything beyond an inline HTML field."
System Slowdowns and Outages
Users report ongoing performance issues that hurt daily operations. System slowdowns and shortages can strike that impede your ability to handle transactions.
Brianna B., an Enterprise Application Engineer, shared: "The uptime percent is a complete lie. Netsuite has gone completely down for my company consistently every couple of months."
Tara F., an Owner Relations Advocate, noted: "One of the key drawbacks we've experienced is the system's slowness, particularly noticeable toward the end of the day."
What Types of Business Should (and Shouldn't) Choose NetSuite
Bringing together professional analysis and real user experiences shows a clear pattern about NetSuite's fit for different business sizes and technical abilities.
Industry experts confirm NetSuite delivers enterprise-grade functionality with features for complex operations. Users back this up. NetSuite can handle sophisticated financial management, multi-subsidiary operations, and extensive integrations when properly set up.
But user experiences also show big challenges around implementation complexity, ongoing support quality, and total cost that hit smaller organizations the hardest.
Getting both perspectives helps you make a smart decision about whether NetSuite matches your business requirements, technical resources, and budget. The platform's strength lies in serving larger organizations with dedicated technical teams and complex operational needs. Smaller businesses often struggle with NetSuite’s implementation costs and complexity.
Your ERP success depends not just on choosing powerful software, but picking a solution that matches your organization's size, technical abilities, and growth path. Our expert staff at Stellar One has helped scores of businesses to evaluate these factors and find the right fit for their unique situations.
Ready to explore which ERP options match your business size and technical resources? Check out our guide to the Best ERP Software for 2025 to find solutions designed for your specific business needs.