Key points
- Cloud: access from anywhere, automatic updates and backups, yearly fee, needs internet.
- Desktop: works offline, data on your PC, usually a one-time fee plus optional yearly support.
- Multiple branches and field staff favour cloud.
- Unreliable internet and a single location favour desktop.
- Some businesses use both, or a hybrid.
Side by side
| Factor | Cloud ERP | Desktop ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Internet | Needed (a basic connection or hotspot) | Not needed for daily work |
| Access | From any computer or phone | From the office PC or local network |
| Data location | Vendor’s servers | Your own computer |
| Backups | Usually automatic | Your responsibility |
| Updates | Automatic | Installed by you or the vendor |
| Branches and salesmen | Easy: everyone on one system | Harder: needs sync |
| Pricing | Yearly subscription | One-time licence plus optional yearly support |
When cloud is the better choice
- You want to check the business from your phone.
- You have more than one location or field staff.
- You don’t want to manage backups and updates.
- Your internet is reasonably reliable.
When desktop is the better choice
- Your internet is unreliable.
- You prefer data stored in your own premises.
- You have one location and prefer a one-time purchase.
- Your team works from one office on a local network.
Costs over time
Cloud spreads cost over years; desktop has a bigger first payment and smaller yearly costs. Compare over three to five years, including backups, hardware and support. See cloud vs desktop costs.
Hybrid options
Some desktop editions can sync between head office and branches, or between offline and online. Ask the vendor how this works and what it costs.
Milaan ERP offers both
Milaan ERP is available as a cloud edition from ₹12,999 a year and a desktop edition from ₹9,999 one-time, before GST. Features differ by plan, so check pricing.
Five businesses, five choices
| Business | Situation | Usually chooses |
|---|---|---|
| Small medical store in a town | One counter, patchy internet, owner always present | Desktop |
| Supermarket with two branches | Owner wants to see both stores from home | Cloud |
| FMCG distributor | Salesmen in the market, office and godown | Cloud |
| Small factory | One office, several PCs on a local network | Desktop with LAN, or cloud |
| Garment showroom | Busy counters, reliable broadband, owner travels | Cloud |
Questions to ask yourself about internet
- How often does the internet go down at your shop or office, and for how long?
- Do you have a backup, like a mobile hotspot?
- Do staff need the software when they are away from the shop?
- Would a short outage stop billing, or just reports?
Security, in both cases
Cloud keeps data off the shop computer and backs it up automatically; desktop keeps data in your premises but makes backups your job. Either way, give every user their own login and limit rights. See data security in cloud ERP.
Changing your mind later
Choosing one doesn’t lock you in for ever. Data can usually be exported from one and imported into the other. Many businesses start on desktop and move to cloud when they open a second location or hire field staff.
A quick decision guide
| If this is true for you | Lean towards |
|---|---|
| You have more than one location | Cloud |
| You want to check the business from your phone | Cloud |
| Your internet is often down for hours | Desktop |
| You prefer a one-time purchase | Desktop |
| You don’t want to manage backups | Cloud |
| Data must stay on your own computer | Desktop |
If your answers are split, talk it through with us. Some businesses run desktop at the counter and add cloud later as they grow.