NetSuite vs IFS – Which is right for your business in Norway?

Choosing the right ERP system is one of the most strategic technology decisions a growing business can make. In Norway, two strong contenders are NetSuite and IFS — both offering powerful features, but with very different philosophies and technical foundations.

If you're looking for a scalable solution to manage growth and operations, handle intercompany actions, and support modular expansion without incurring heavy infrastructure costs or system complexity, this comparison is for you.

Oracle NetSuite is a cloud-native ERP system built for growth-oriented, multi-entity organizations. Designed to be modular and composable, NetSuite allows you to activate only the features and modules you need, without the burden of custom-built or heavily integrated third-party components.

- No Hosting Costs: Fully SaaS-based with automatic upgrades and no infrastructure maintenance 

- No Frankenstein Architecture: All modules (financials, CRM, inventory, projects) operate on one unified platform

- Intercompany Automation: Easily manage multi-entity transactions, eliminations, and consolidated reporting

- Composable ERP: Build a flexible ERP environment with scalable modules

- Antire AI Agents: Automate workflows, alerts, and forecasting with Antire’s ready-made AI capabilities

- Microsoft Stack Synergy: Deep integration with Teams, Power BI, Outlook, and Azure

- Global Scalability: Native support for 200+ countries and tax jurisdictions

IFS is a well-established ERP platform known for its strength in field service, asset management, and project-based industries such as aerospace, energy, and manufacturing. Originally an on-premise solution, IFS has moved to cloud offerings but often involves hybrid hosting and extended implementation timelines.

IFS strengths:

- Strong for capital-intensive and asset-heavy businesses
- Deep functionality in service management and maintenance
- Industry focus: manufacturing, defense, energy, aviation

However, IFS may involve:

- Higher complexity and cost for implementation
- Custom integrations with third-party or legacy tools
- On-premise or hybrid hosting (vs. NetSuite’s cloud-native SaaS)
- A more monolithic architecture requiring IT involvement to evolve

Choose NetSuite If:

- You need a fully cloud-based solution with no hosting or maintenance overhead

- You want a modular, composable ERP that grows with your business

- You require intercompany functionality across multiple legal entities

- You plan to implement AI-driven automation via Antire

- You need strong integration with Microsoft 365, Power BI, and Azure

Choose IFS If:

- You're in a heavy asset-based industry like aerospace or utilities

- You require advanced field service or maintenance scheduling

- Your IT team is prepared to manage custom infrastructure and integration

How Antire can help

At Antire, we help Norwegian businesses evaluate, implement, and scale ERP solutions like NetSuite. We bring:

• Deep expertise in composable ERP strategy
• Custom AI agents tailored to NetSuite workflows
• Seamless integration with Microsoft products
• Migration planning and support for companies moving from IFS or other platforms

IFS is a strong ERP for asset-heavy industries with deep service needs. But for fast-growing, multi-entity businesses looking for a modern, cloud-native, AI-enabled, and modular ERP, NetSuite offers a powerful and cost-effective path forward — without the burden of complex architecture or infrastructure.

Contact Antire to find out how NetSuite can help you simplify operations, automate workflows, and scale globally.