Choosing an ERP system is an important decision — but it is not as hard as some people make it sound.
Many business owners go one of two ways. Some pick a system quickly without evaluating it properly and regret the choice later. Others delay the decision for so long that the chaos simply continues.
This guide gives you a clear framework for comparing your options and choosing correctly.
Before you start: define what you actually need
The biggest mistake is choosing a system based on advertising, or on a recommendation from someone in a completely different sector.
Start by working out what you genuinely need.
Answer these questions first: - How many of your employees will use the system? - Do you carry inventory that needs managing? - Do you have more than one branch? - Do you have physical point-of-sale terminals? - Are you registered for Value Added Tax (VAT) and do you need Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) compliance? - What monthly budget do you have available for the system?
The answers tell you exactly what you are looking for.
Criterion one: ZATCA compliance
This one is non-negotiable in 2026.
Questions you must ask: - Does the system issue both simplified and standard electronic invoices? - Does it generate a ZATCA-compliant QR code on every invoice? - Does it support the Phase Two requirements set by ZATCA? - Is that support included, or does it come as a separate paid add-on?
A warning: some systems say they support ZATCA when in practice they only cover Phase One. Ask explicitly about Phase Two.
Criterion two: ease of use
An ERP system your employees never use is a system you should not have bought in the first place.
How do you assess ease of use? - Ask for a free trial — never buy without trying - Put an ordinary employee in front of the system with no prior training - How many minutes did it take them to issue an invoice? - How many steps does it take to add a new product to inventory? - Can they teach themselves, or do they need a training course?
The benchmark: a new employee should learn the core functions in one day or less.
Criterion three: modules and features
Do not pay for features you do not need. And do not choose a system that is missing features you do need.
A checklist of modules: - Accounting and financial statements: essential for everyone - Sales and invoicing: essential for everyone - ZATCA compliance and e-invoicing: essential if you are registered for VAT - Inventory and warehouses: for anyone holding goods - Purchasing and suppliers: for anyone buying in volume - Human resources and payroll: for anyone with employees - Point of sale (POS): for shops, restaurants and cafes - Branch management: for anyone with more than one branch
Tick off what you actually need, then look for the system that covers it.
Criterion four: price and plans
Price on its own tells you nothing — price against value is what matters.
What should you check in the pricing?
- What does the monthly price include? Is ZATCA compliance included or an add-on?
- Are there one-off setup fees?
- Is technical support included or charged separately?
- Is there a cap on the number of invoices per month?
- Is pricing per user or per company?
- Is there a discount for paying annually?
Snad pricing: - Free: Starter, for a single user - SAR 149 per month: Basic - SAR 399 per month: Pro, with 5 users, all ten applications, ZATCA compliance and the option to remove the watermark - Additional user: SAR 20 per month or SAR 200 per year, on Basic and Pro
One essential note: every Snad application (accounting, invoicing, sales, purchasing, inventory, point of sale, HR and payroll, calendar) is available on every plan; the only differences are the number of users, the number of applications and ZATCA compliance. - The first 30 days are free on all plans
Criterion five: technical support
The moment something breaks is the moment of truth.
Questions you must ask about support: - Is support offered in Arabic? - Which support channels are available: WhatsApp, email or phone? - What are the support hours: business hours only, or around the clock? - What is the average response time? - Is there a knowledge base or a library of explainer videos?
Snad provides support over WhatsApp in Arabic — the channel business owners find easiest to use.
Questions to ask before you buy
Before you commit to anything, put these questions to the vendor:
1. Can I try the system before buying? Any good system should accept a free trial with no strings attached.
2. Can I export my data if I decide to leave? Your data belongs to you — make sure you can get it back.
3. What is on the product roadmap? A system that stops evolving turns into a burden.
4. Are there reference customers I can speak to? A vendor confident in its product will not refuse that request.
5. What happens to my data if your service shuts down? An important question for any cloud system.
Frequently asked questions
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