Open Mercato vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 - CRM/ERP Comparison 2026

Last updated: March 2026

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive CRM and ERP platform, valued by large corporations for its deep integration with the Office 365 and Azure ecosystem. It's a powerful tool, but also complex, expensive and demanding in terms of specialist resources for implementation and maintenance.

For SMEs, Open Mercato delivers the same core capabilities -customer management, sales pipelines, business process automation -at a fraction of the cost. Implementation takes around 10 weeks instead of many months, and the absence of per-user licence fees means costs don't scale with your team.

Below is a detailed comparison of both systems to help you make an informed decision.

Comparison Table

Criterion	Open Mercato	Dynamics 365
Licence	Open source (free)	Per-user subscription
Price per user	EUR 0 / mo	from ~$65 to $95+ / user / mo
Customisation	Full -source code access	Power Platform / C# extensions
Hosting	Self-hosted or cloud -your choice	Azure cloud (Microsoft)
Open source	Yes	No
Vendor lock-in	None	High (Microsoft ecosystem)
Office 365 integration	Via API (Outlook, Teams)	Native, built-in
Implementation time	8-12 weeks	3-12 months

Cost Comparison

Users	Open Mercato (yearly)	Dynamics 365 Sales (yearly)
10 users	~EUR 700 - 1,400 (hosting)	~EUR 8,800 (Professional, $65/user/mo)
25 users	~EUR 1,200 - 2,400 (hosting)	~EUR 22,000
50 users	~EUR 1,800 - 3,500 (hosting)	~EUR 44,000

* Open Mercato costs cover infrastructure only. No licence fees. Dynamics 365 costs based on Sales Professional ($65/user/mo) and Enterprise ($95/user/mo) pricing, 2026.

When to choose Dynamics 365

Large organisation (500+ people) deeply integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem
You need native integration with Office 365, Teams and Azure
You require advanced ERP modules (finance, manufacturing, supply chain)
You have a dedicated IT team with Microsoft certifications

When to choose Open Mercato

SME (5-200 people) looking for CRM/ERP without growing licence costs
You want full control over data and source code
You need fast implementation (weeks, not months)
GDPR compliance and EU-hosted data matter to you
You don't want to be locked into a single technology vendor

Want to see how Open Mercato fits your business?

Book a free 30-minute call. We'll analyse your needs and show you how much you can save compared to Dynamics 365.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Open Mercato and Microsoft Dynamics 365?

Open Mercato is an open-source system with no licence fees and full access to source code. Dynamics 365 is Microsoft's closed ecosystem with per-user fees from EUR 60/month. Open Mercato offers greater flexibility and lower TCO.

Can Open Mercato replace Dynamics 365?

Yes, in most SMB scenarios. Open Mercato covers CRM, ERP and B2B Commerce. Dynamics 365 has an edge in very large enterprises with extensive Microsoft ecosystems. For companies up to 200 users, Open Mercato is often the better choice.

How much does Open Mercato cost vs Dynamics 365?

Dynamics 365 starts at EUR 60/user/month (Sales Professional) plus implementation costs from EUR 50,000. Open Mercato: implementation from EUR 3,500, no licence fees. With 25 users, you save up to EUR 18,000 per year on licences alone.

Is migration from Dynamics 365 to Open Mercato possible?

Yes. We migrate contacts, opportunities, orders, products and history from Dynamics 365. The process is zero-downtime -your old system runs until the moment we switch over.

How long does Open Mercato implementation take vs Dynamics 365?

Open Mercato implementation takes 8-10 weeks. Dynamics 365 typically takes 4-12 months. Faster implementation means faster ROI and lower project risk.