Decide whether you need a full ERP/MES or a quality point solution
Start here, before you look at any vendor name. Some tools on this list, like iBase-t Solumina, Infor CloudSuite A&D, and DELMIAWorks, are ERP or MES systems that run the whole shop: work orders, inventory, financials, scheduling. Others, like 1factory, High QA, and Net-Inspect, are quality-management systems built around first article inspection, SPC, and supplier audits, and they assume you already have an ERP for the rest. Buying a QMS point solution when you actually need MRP, or buying a full ERP suite when your problem is FAI paperwork, wastes budget either way.
Decide how much deployment flexibility you actually need
Six of the fifteen vendors here list a cloud-only deployment; nine list hybrid, meaning some mix of cloud and on-premise depending on module or contract. If your IT policy or a customer's flow-down clause requires data to stay on a specific network, hybrid options like those from Aegis FactoryLogix or Global Shop Solutions matter more than feature lists. If you have no on-prem infrastructure to maintain, a cloud-only tool like Cetec ERP or 1factory removes a maintenance burden you'd otherwise own.
Decide who administers the system day to day
A quality engineer running FAI reports needs a different day-to-day interface than a controller running job costing. High QA and 1factory are administered by quality staff; Deltek Costpoint is administered by program accounting. Match the admin role in the listing's "best for" description to the person who will actually own the login, not just the department that requested the purchase.
Decide what it has to talk to
Check what the vendor documents for integration before assuming it connects to your ERP, your CMM, or your label printer. Cetec ERP documents an open RESTful API and a QuickBooks Online integration; High QA documents connectors and an API for ERP and CMM systems without naming which ones. Several listings, including DELMIAWorks and Aegis FactoryLogix, describe ERP or PLM connectivity only in general terms. TODO(editor): verify which named ERPs and CMM brands each vendor actually integrates with before publishing a comparison of integration depth.
Decide which compliance certifications you must document
If you sell into defense primes, AS9100 traceability and CMMC readiness aren't optional. ProShop ERP documents AS9100-oriented traceability and a stated path toward CMMC Level 2; Aegis FactoryLogix states support for AS9100, ISO 13485, and 21 CFR Part 11 together. TODO(editor): confirm which vendors' AS9100 claims are self-reported versus third-party audited before this distinction goes in the table.
Budget beyond the licence
Only Cetec ERP ($50/user/mo, from 50 users) and 1factory ($30-75/user/mo, from 30 users) publish a figure; the other 13 vendors here are quote-only, which usually means the number depends on seat count, modules, and negotiated terms you won't see until a sales call. Quote-only isn't a red flag by itself in enterprise software, but budget time for a proposal cycle, not a checkout page. TODO(editor): check whether any of the quote-only vendors publish implementation or onboarding fees separately from the licence, since that's a common gap in these comparisons.
