# Carbon vs. NetSuite

> NetSuite is a finance-first ERP that bolts manufacturing on through add-ons. Carbon is manufacturing-native — ERP, MRP, MES and QMS on one data model — so quoting, planning, the shop floor, quality and accounting share one record instead of a chain of SuiteApps and integrations.

## Scope & fit

| | Carbon | NetSuite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Manufacturing ERP + MRP + MES + QMS | General-business cloud ERP; manufacturing is an add-on |
| Built for | Discrete manufacturers, from prototype to rate production | Multi-entity finance, distribution and services |
| ERP + MES on one model | One record from quote to shipped, traceable part | ERP core; shop floor via SuiteApps or third-party MES |

## Manufacturing depth

| | Carbon | NetSuite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shop-floor execution (MES) | Yes | Add-on or partner MES |
| Quality (QMS) | Nonconformance, dispositions, calibration, first-article | Add-on or third-party |
| MRP & live capacity planning | Capacity and forecasts update as the floor reports | Infinite scheduling; finite needs Advanced Mfg add-on |
| Product configurator (CPQ) | Parametric BoM, routing and price per order | CPQ add-on; strains on deep option trees |
| Serial & batch traceability | Full genealogy, built in | Add-on |
| 3D CAD / STEP viewer | Yes | No |

## Platform & ownership

| | Carbon | NetSuite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deployment | Cloud or self-host | Cloud only |
| Full ownership of the code | Yes — the entire codebase is yours | No — proprietary |
| API coverage | Full backend over REST — every table | SuiteTalk SOAP + REST; shared concurrency limits |
| AI / agent-ready (MCP) | Hosted MCP over the full backend, read & write | MCP via add-on SuiteApp; behind license |
| ITAR / GovCloud / CMMC | ITAR, GovCloud & CMMC / NIST 800-171 ready | Commercial cloud; no GovCloud residency |

## Getting started

| | Carbon | NetSuite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Implementation | Self-serve; live in days | Partner-led; typically many months |
| Pricing | $40–$100 / user / mo, published | Quote-based; negotiated annually |

## Where NetSuite still fits

If your center of gravity is finance — many legal entities, heavy multi-currency consolidation, or a distribution or services business where the shop floor is secondary — NetSuite is a proven system of record. If manufacturing is the point, Carbon is built for the way you actually make it.

## You may be outgrowing NetSuite if…

- **The shop floor lives in spreadsheets.** NetSuite records the transaction, not the operation. If jobs, routings and quality still run outside the ERP, you're paying to integrate what should be one record.
- **Every change is a consulting engagement.** Customizations mean SuiteScript and a partner. With Carbon the source is yours, and every capability is one API call away.
- **The bill only ever goes up.** Modules, add-ons and per-seat pricing negotiated behind a sales team. Carbon's pricing is public and starts at $40 per user per month.

## Why manufacturers choose Carbon

- **Manufacturing-first, not finance-first.** NetSuite starts from the ledger and bolts manufacturing on as modules. Carbon starts from the part — the BoM, the routing, the operation — with accounting rolling up from what actually happens on the floor.
- **Open and API-first.** NetSuite opens a curated slice of itself through SuiteScript and SuiteTalk, and steers you to its built-in assistant. Carbon puts the whole backend — every table — on an open REST API and MCP, self-hostable, so you point Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor at your live data.
- **Live capacity planning.** NetSuite plans on scheduled MRP runs. Carbon's capacity and demand update the moment the floor reports progress, so the plan you're looking at is the plan that's true.
- **No implementation army.** NetSuite lands through a partner and a multi-month implementation. Carbon starts free for 30 days on published, per-user pricing — no sales call, no consultants required to make a change.

Start a 30-day free trial at https://app.carbon.ms, see pricing at https://carbon.ms/pricing, or read the source at https://github.com/crbnos/carbon.