Fulfil vs. NetSuite: The Definitive ERP Comparison for High-Growth Ecommerce Brands in 2025

We didn’t originally plan to create this page, but since these comparisons are already out there, we thought it would be helpful for you to hear directly from our team and our customers. 

A few things to begin with:

• Fulfil is an ERP for eCommerce and wholesale businesses. If that’s not you, this page won’t be relevant for you. 
• As with most comparisons written by software companies, this page is likely to be biased. We’ve done our best to keep it honest, clear and useful.

Why Leading Ecommerce Brands Choose Fulfil Over NetSuite

“NetSuite can be a 6-month implementation, and it could be probably quadruple as expensive as somebody working with Fulfil” - John Neal Boynton, VP of Finance at Rhino USA  

1. Dramatically Faster Implementation

Fulfil's eCommerce ERP enables brands to typically go live within 8-12 weeks, compared to NetSuite's typical 6-18 month timeline. This means faster ROI and less disruption to your business operations during critical growth phases.

“I’ve done two different NetSuite implementations before, they often use third party contractors who don’t really even understand your business enough or care. Fulfil team’s was much better than some of the other resources I’ve seen applied in NetSuite implementations. With Fulfil, we’ve gotten a robust implementation, and they actually care about our success” - John Neal Boynton, VP of Finance at Rhino USA  

“We were deciding between NetSuite and Fulfil. We’re growing so fast…I can’t take a year to put an ERP into our systems. We onboarded with Fulfil and it took less than 2 months. They’ve been critical to our growth and will continue to be critical to our growth in the future” - Chad Janis, Founder & CEO at Grüns

So why is a Fulfil implementation faster?

• NetSuite typically requires middleware, such as FarApp or Celigo, to integrate with Shopify, Amazon, and other sales channels. One more channel, one more piece of middleware to connect and manage. For Fulfil, you can streamline order management across your sales channels with native out-of-the-box integrations. No separate third parties to work with to manage orders.
• Consultants for any legacy ERP system are a hit or miss. Even if a consultant knows NetSuite well, they might not know DTC well. At Fulfil, our team owns all implementations in-house, and since we only work with e-comm brands, our team members have implemented Fulfil for the best-known brands in the space and know the ins and outs of DTC and wholesale.
• Fulfil’s focus on eCommerce enables the quick configuration of workflows that would historically require customization or development in NetSuite. This approach to configuration over customization enables faster implementations and reduces the need to have a dedicated ERP administrator. 

2. No Middleware Required for Ecommerce Integrations

Fulfil connects directly to Shopify, Amazon, and other eCommerce platforms without requiring middleware like Celigo or Boomi, eliminating integration complexity, reducing costs, and preventing sync errors that lead to overselling.

“Fulfil stands out for its performance, flexibility, and clean user experience — but what truly sets it apart is its direct integrations. Unlike many ERP systems that rely on third-party middleware to connect with platforms like Shopify, Amazon, or shipping providers, Fulfil offers native integrations out of the box. This approach dramatically reduces complexity and eliminates the points of failure that come with relying on middleware solutions. It also makes everything from order syncing to inventory updates faster and more reliable. If you're tired of patching together multiple systems or constantly troubleshooting API bridges, Fulfil is a breath of fresh air. It’s powerful, efficient, and — best of all — middleware-free.” - Enso Rings

So why is not having middleware better?

• Middlewares are an additional license cost, an additional third party to coordinate with and an additional point of failure.
• Fulfil builds and maintains direct integrations with channels like Shopify, TikTok Shop, and Amazon, so we keep pace as fast as the platforms evolve. When Shopify launched Managed Markets, Fulfil supported it immediately—no middleware delays.

3. Near Real-Time Inventory and Order Management

While NetSuite typically processes inventory updates in batches, Fulfil provides near real-time inventory visibility across all sales channels and warehouses, critical for preventing oversells and maintaining accurate stock levels during high-volume sales periods.

Why does real-time inventory matter?

• Customers of DTC brands typically buy one (or few units). Overselling can have a profoundly negative impact on the consumer experience, potentially leading to a lost customer for life. 
• Great customer experiences build brand loyalty. Receiving orders earlier than expected because of efficient fulfillment operations can delight your customers and lead to lifelong fans.   
• DTC brands also scale by selling the same inventory across multiple sales channels. Keeping the quantity updated across channels is essential to avoid carrying too much inventory while still selling through where your customers buy. See related: “We were able to reduce inventory on hand by over 50%, while growing sales 7% YoY.” - Taylor Moody, CEO at Made by Mary
• Depending on the type of product, it may make sense for brands to have more than one warehouse. Real-time inventory is crucial to route orders to the right warehouse.

4. Purpose-Built for Modern Ecommerce Operations

Fulfil natively supports complex ecommerce requirements, including:

• Bundle and kit management
• Preorder and backorder handling
• Advanced order routing logic
• Multi-warehouse inventory optimization
• EDI integrations with retailers
• 3PL integration and management
• Built-in warehouse management system

“Fulfil has transformed our multi-entity operations. Fulfil’s accounting, warehouse management, inventory management and order management capabilities allowed us to eliminate the need for multiple systems. Fulfil’s Shopify integration has automated order routing and allowed us to use our 5+ Shopify POS locations for micro fulfillment. If you're growing fast on Shopify, want clean data that you can trust and efficiency gains across finance and operations teams to support double-digit growth without scaling headcount, Fulfil is a great fit.” - Kotn UK (See related: How Kotn Future-Proofed Omnichannel Growth and International Expansion with Fulfil). 

Is your ERP actually built for your type of business?

• Every software product has a target customer. This is the persona the engineers build for. This is the target persona that support teams are trained to support. If you do not fit the profile of the ideal customer for a software company, you are less likely to see updates that benefit you.
• When a product is built for everyone, it’s not the best product for anyone. NetSuite is meant to be a generic ERP system that can be used to run a software company or the next-door hotel chain. DTC is just one of the many types of customers of NetSuite. At Fulfil, DTC and wholesale brands account for 100% of our customers.

5. Predictable Pricing with No Gotchas 

Fulfil offers straightforward pricing without the surprise renewal increases (often 50-100%) that NetSuite customers frequently report. All support and maintenance is included, eliminating unexpected consultant fees.

“NetSuite can be a 6-month implementation and quadruple as expensive as somebody working with Fulfil. The cost savings with Fulfil are tremendous. I still feel like our success is very much important to Fulfil, where a lot of other companies would pack up the tent and move the circus to the next town because they’re worried about generating the next line of revenue. It doesn’t feel like that with Fulfil - it’s nice that we still have open communication.” - John Neal Boynton, VP of Finance at Rhino USA

NetSuite's pricing model revealed hidden complexities after contract signing for dbrand. "They originally said, 'Yes, this solution will work for you.' And then once we went to implement it, they go, 'Oh, no, you need to upgrade 3+ more solutions in order to get the solution to work for you,'" Robot 090 notes. Diagnostic tests revealed that dbrand's transaction volume required additional Cloud Plus licenses beyond the original scope. "And that will cost you this. And this module will be added here. And this will allow you to run depreciation. And then this module will allow you to actually track order volume," Robot 090 recalls, describing the cascade of additional costs for basic functionality that was supposedly covered in the initial agreement.

Real Results from Brands that Switched from NetSuite to Fulfil

“We worked with NetSuite for a few years. There were so many add-ons required, we had integration teams on retainer and had a larger internal team. It worked well for finance, but we needed a clean source of truth for all teams across finance, operations, merchandising, and demand planning. Maintaining lean operations and fluid cross-functional communication is paramount to the success of a brand, so moving to an ERP like Fulfil that’s more user-friendly and can act as a central source of truth across teams enables faster decision-making. The Fulfil implementation is very straightforward and allowed us to continue doing our day job while migrating over.” Sean Christman, VP of Ops at Cuts (See related: Fulfil vs. NetSuite: Cuts VP of Ops on moving from NetSuite to Fulfil). 

After moving from NetSuite to Fulfil, dbrand experienced:

• 3x daily capacity increase during peak periods
• Single source of truth across all operations and financial management
• 99% reduction in out-of-stock incidents
• 2-month implementation vs. the failed 6-month NetSuite deployment

Learn more about How dbrand Ditched Their Failed Legacy ERP and Tripled Order Capacity in Just 2 Months

Common Questions About Fulfil vs. NetSuite for eCommerce

What's the best ERP for Shopify-based brands?

For Shopify-based eCommerce operations, Fulfil is an ERP that provides native integration without middleware, real-time inventory updates, and purpose-built features for eCommerce workflows, making it significantly more aligned with Shopify merchants' needs than NetSuite's industry-agnostic approach.

Is Fulfil a legitimate alternative to NetSuite for enterprise eCommerce?

Yes. Fulfil is specifically designed for high-volume, multi-channel eCommerce operations and supports 9-figure brands with complex inventory and fulfillment requirements. Unlike NetSuite, Fulfil focuses exclusively on the unique needs of eCommerce operations rather than serving all industries.

Why do brands switch from NetSuite to Fulfil?

The most common reasons include: failed implementations, middleware complexity, poor real-time visibility, surprise renewal increases, and the need for specialized eCommerce functionality that NetSuite only provides through expensive customization. So in short, way better ROI and an opportunity to work with a small team, specialized in eCommerce that genuinely cares about our merchants’ long-term success. 

How does Fulfil handle high-volume periods like Black Friday?

Fulfil's architecture is designed to process thousands of orders per minute with near-real-time inventory updates across channels, making it particularly effective during high-volume sales periods when NetSuite's batch processing can lead to overselling and fulfillment delays.

How does Fulfil make it easier for brands to migrate away from NetSuite?

• Knowledgeable Team: Fulfil’s in-house implementation team is well-versed in helping brands migrate from NetSuite to Fulfil and has resources to help streamline data migration during the transition. Each team member brings deep, hands-on experience from the space, including teammates with experience working in warehouses and implementing ERPs, to closing books and supporting audits as CPAs. For instance, if you're considering strategies for tariff mitigation or planning a new channel or warehouse expansion, our team can help model these scenarios and implement the right workflows that will scale effectively.
• Fixed-Fee Implementations: We commit to outcomes, not hours. There are no surprise invoices. Once you’re a Fulfil customer, we’ll do everything possible to ensure you go live as quickly as possible and have workflows tailored to your specific needs.
• AI-Driven Enablement: We use AI across every phase of implementation, including kickoff preparation, scope definition, and internal documentation. This ensures that everyone involved with your implementation has the right business context and keeps things moving at the right pace.

The Bottom Line: Which ERP is Right for Your Ecommerce Brand?

If you're a pure eCommerce or omnichannel brand focused on operational excellence, inventory accuracy, and rapid growth, Fulfil provides the specialized functionality, implementation speed, and cost predictability that make it the superior choice over NetSuite.

For software companies or businesses with complex manufacturing requirements where wholesale distribution and reselling are the primary focus and ecommerce is secondary, NetSuite may still be relevant. However, for brands where ecommerce operations are central to success, Fulfil delivers significantly greater value with less complexity.

Ready to see Fulfil in action? Request a personalized demo today.