ProShop ERP alternative for Small Custom Steel Fabricators

ProShop ERP is one of the most respected names in job shop software, and anyone searching for a ProShop ERP alternative has usually hit one of a few walls: quote-based per-seat pricing, an implementation measured in months, or workflows built around CNC machining rather than custom steel fabrication. EZIIL is the alternative built for that last group.

Both tools were made by people who have stood on a shop floor, both replace spreadsheets and paper with one system, and both have customers who swear by them. But they were built for very different shops, and this comparison lays out exactly where each one wins, what they cost, and which type of shop each fits best, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.

Here is the short answer, then the full comparison.

Last updated: July 2026.

ProShop ERP Alternative: comparison table with EZIIL

What matters to a small custom steel fab shop	EZIIL	ProShop ERP	Why it matters
Monthly cost	EZIILFlat by team size: €120/$140 per month (1 to 15 users), €180/$210 (16 to 50), €290/$338 (51 to 150). No per-user fees.	ProShop ERPQuote-based, priced per user, minimum 12-month contract paid annually. Third-party estimates start around €440/$500 per month for roughly 7 to 8 seats.	Why it mattersA 30-person steel shop pays €180/$210 per month on EZIIL with every welder in the system. Per-seat pricing makes you ration logins exactly where adoption matters most.
Upfront cost	EZIILOne-off €300/$350 onboarding fee (setup, training, check-ins).	ProShop ERPImplementation estimated at €4,400/$5,000 for small shops up to €44,000/$50,000 for larger ones, plus optional customization (€880/$1,000 to €8,800/$10,000 per third-party estimates).	Why it mattersYear one is where budgets die. Know the whole number before you sign.
Time to go live	EZIILUnder a week, starting with one module.	ProShop ERPTypically months. Forum reports range from 3 months to a full year; reviewers describe heavy upfront configuration and template building.	Why it mattersEvery month of implementation is a month of running two systems while patience burns.
Steel fabrication depth	EZIILPurpose-built for project-based steel work: structural BOM handling, drawings tied to jobs, subcontractor management, EN 1090-2 traceability built in.	ProShop ERPPurpose-built for CNC machine shops: part numbers, routings, tooling, inspection plans. Fabrication is supported, but the DNA is machining.	Why it mattersGeneric or machining-first logic bends awkwardly around one-off structural projects. Fit decides adoption.
EN 1090-2 compliance	EZIILBuilt in as a module.	ProShop ERPNot offered. ProShop’s compliance depth targets AS9100, ISO 9001, CMMC Level 2, and ITAR instead.	Why it mattersIf your contracts require EN 1090 execution class traceability, this row alone decides it.
Quality management (QMS)	EZIILTraceability and documentation tied to jobs; supports EN 1090-2 compliance workflows.	ProShop ERPBest-in-class. A full QMS that passes aerospace audits, with document control, weld procedure and certification tracking, and a “Flying Start” package for AS9100.	Why it mattersProShop’s clearest win. If AS9100 or defense-adjacent quality is your world, weigh this heavily.
Work instructions	EZIILDrawings, documents, and BOMs tied to each job, viewable on the shop floor.	ProShop ERPDeep paperless visual work instructions and document control at every workstation.	Why it mattersProShop’s second clear win, built for repeat precision parts. Ask how much of it a one-off project shop would actually use.
Scheduling	EZIILDrag-and-drop capacity planning by department, OTD indicators flag jobs and departments falling behind.	ProShop ERPCapacity planning and scheduling praised by users; built around machines and routings.	Why it mattersBoth are strong. The question is whether your unit of planning is a machine or a project.
Shop floor use	EZIILMobile app (iOS and Android): start/stop timer, today’s tasks, drawings on the phone.	ProShop ERPBrowser-based at shop workstations. Reviewers note shop floor training often needs internal reinforcement.	Why it mattersAsk which one your least tech-happy welder will actually use on day one.
Learning curve	EZIILMinimal. “It only took us a few weeks to roll out EZIIL internally, as the learning curve was minimal.” (APS Group)	ProShop ERPSteep. Reviewers advise preparing for about six months of challenges before proficiency; the feature depth is powerful but overwhelming at first.	Why it mattersSoftware that is not adopted is the most expensive software of all.
Accounting	EZIILIntegrates with accounting tools (Directo, among others) rather than replacing them.	ProShop ERPNo built-in accounting; connects to QuickBooks via a proxy that reviewers say could be more reliable.	Why it mattersNeither replaces your accountant. Check the integration your bookkeeper actually needs.
Best fit	EZIILCustom steel fabricators, 15 to 150 people, EU/UK or export work, EN 1090 requirements, tight budgets.	ProShop ERPPrecision CNC machine shops in North America doing aerospace, defense, medical, or space work under AS9100/ISO/CMMC.	Why it mattersLook at your last ten jobs. Mostly one-off steel projects? Pick the fabrication tool. Mostly repeat precision parts under AS9100? Pick the machining tool.

ProShop pricing verified July 2026; figures are third-party estimates (Software Finder, ITQlick), euro equivalents converted at July 2026 rates; confirm current pricing with the vendor. EZIIL pricing: eziil.com/pricing.

What is ProShop ERP?

ProShop ERP is a paperless, web-based shop management platform that combines ERP, MES, and QMS in one system. It was built by machinists inside their own CNC shop, before being spun out as a product, and that origin shows everywhere: the workflows, the vocabulary, and the customer base are machine-shop through and through. The software is used by businesses in the aerospace, defense, medical, and space industries.

ProShop’s key strength is quality. It ships with a full quality management system designed to pass AS9100 and ISO 9001 audits, deep document control, and paperless visual work instructions at every workstation. It has become a favorite of quality-driven shops, and its user community is famously loyal: on popular online industry forums, ProShop regularly wins recommendation threads against JobBOSS² and E2, and users praise a company that genuinely cares about its customers.

ProShop’s pricing is quote-based and per-user, with a minimum 12-month contract paid annually. ProShop does not publish exact figures, however third-party estimates put the starting point around €440/$500 per month for roughly 7 to 8 seats (Software Finder, ITQlick). Implementation is a separate project, estimated at €4,400/$5,000 for small shops up to €44,000/$50,000 for larger ones, with customization running €880/$1,000 to €8,800/$10,000 more.

Implementation is substantial. ProShop describes a structured process, and real-world reports on Practical Machinist range from three months to a full year, often alongside a quality certification push. Reviewers describe significant upfront work building templates and configuring the system before go-live.

What ProShop ERP does well

Reviews on G2 and Capterra, plus years of forum threads, surface what its users’ really love about ProShop ERP:

• The QMS is the best in its class. Shops going for AS9100 report that ProShop made audits dramatically easier, and its “Flying Start” package is repeatedly recommended for aerospace work. If a customer audit can win or lose you a contract, this is a real competitive weapon.
• Paperless work instructions and document control are deep. Every workstation gets visual work instructions, tool lists, and inspection data on screen. For repeat precision parts, this is transformative.
• It was built by machinists. The estimating, routing, tooling, and inspection workflows come from people who ran a CNC shop. Users feel it.
• Real results for the right shop. ProShop’s site quotes Prime Manufacturing going from 20% late orders to 95% on-time delivery. A 51-person high-mix shop on Practical Machinist reported 40% revenue growth at 95% OTD after switching from E2.
• One system for the whole flow. Estimating, quoting, orders, quality, shipping, invoicing data. Users praise managing the whole business in one package.

Where ProShop ERP falls short for a small custom steel fabricator

Across those same reviews and forums, a few limitations come up again and again:

• The learning curve is measured in months. Reviewers on Capterra and Software Advice advise preparing for about six months of challenges before the team is proficient, and describe the interface as overwhelming at first. One Practical Machinist user in a low-volume, high-mix environment spent over €8,800/$10,000 and never finished the implementation. Powerful is not the same as adoptable.
• It speaks machining, not structural steel. ProShop’s world is part numbers, routings, fixtures, and inspection plans for precision parts. One-off steel projects, assembly-heavy structural BOMs, drawing revisions from external detailers, subcontracted galvanizing and painting, and phased site deliveries are not what the workflows were shaped around. Forum users note it can feel clunky for complicated assemblies.
• No EN 1090 support. ProShop’s compliance investment went to AS9100, ISO 9001, CMMC Level 2, and ITAR, which is exactly right for its US aerospace and defense market. If you fabricate structural steel for the European market, execution class traceability is your problem to solve elsewhere.
• Year one costs are a project, not a subscription. An estimated €440/$500+ per month, per-seat, paid annually, plus an implementation bill that starts around €4,400/$5,000 and climbs from there. For a 20-person steel shop, that is a five-figure year one before anyone logs a single hour.
• Per-seat pricing works against shop floor adoption. When every login costs money, shops ration seats, and the welders and fitters who most need to report progress are the first to be left out of the system.
• Support gets mixed reviews. The training content is praised, but some reviewers report no live phone or video support and being pointed to long training videos when they wanted a quick answer. The QuickBooks proxy for accounting also draws reliability complaints.
• North America focus. Customers, compliance stack, pricing in dollars, and community are overwhelmingly US and Canadian machine shops. European fabricators will find little that was built with them in mind.

Who ProShop ERP is really for

A precision CNC machine shop in North America, 10 to 100 people, running repeat or low-volume precision parts for aerospace, defense, medical, or space customers, where AS9100 or CMMC compliance is a revenue requirement and there is a champion ready to drive a months-long implementation. For that shop, ProShop is arguably the best option on the market, and its passionate user base exists for a reason.

What is EZIIL?

EZIIL is cloud production management software built specifically for small custom steel and metal fabricators, the 15 to 150 person shops doing project-based, one-off work: structural steel, staircases, architectural metalwork, industrial equipment. It was founded by people from the fabrication industry and is used by shops across USA, Australia, Canada, Europe and the UK.

EZIIL’s core idea is different from ProShop’s. Instead of configuring a deep system for months before go-live, you start with EZIIL Starter, the complete base product: drag-and-drop capacity planning by department, a live dashboard that updates as hours are reported, plan vs actual hours and costs per project, OTD indicators that flag anything falling behind, drawings and documents tied to each job, and a mobile shop floor app where workers start and stop a timer and see today’s tasks. Then you add advanced ERP modules only when you are ready: Bill of Materials (BOM), procurement, inventory, EN 1090-2 compliance, subcontractor management, machine planning, shipments, and more.

EZIIL’s pricing is flat by team size, and every tier gets the same full Starter feature set:

• €120/$140 per month for 1 to 15 users
• €180/$210 per month for 16 to 50 users
• €290/$338 per month for 51 to 150 users
• One-off €300/$350 onboarding fee (setup, training, and regular check-ins)

No per-user fees, no seat rationing. A 50-person shop pays €180/$210 per month whether five people log in or all fifty do.

Implementation is where EZIIL is most opinionated: go live in under a week, starting with one module, with personal onboarding from people who understand fabrication. APS Group’s planner Syed H. describes it plainly: “It only took us a few weeks to roll out EZIIL internally, as the learning curve was minimal.“

What EZIIL does well

• Steel fabrication depth. Structural BOM handling, drawing and document management tied to the job, subcontractor management, and built-in EN 1090-2 traceability. This is not a machining tool with a fabrication page, it was built around project-based steel work from day one.
• Real cost math a small shop can plan around. Year one for a 30-person shop: €180/$210 x 12 + €300/$350 onboarding = €2,460/$2,870. Compare that with an estimated five-figure year one on ProShop.
• Fast, low-risk start. One module, live in under a week, add the rest when ready. Kane Metall built a production drawing management platform and job order system within a week.
• Shop floor adoption that actually happens. B&W Metall reached 100% shop floor adoption, every worker reporting in EZIIL regardless of age or role, through a step-by-step rollout. The mobile app asks workers for two things: start/stop a timer and check today’s tasks.
• Profit visibility in real time. Plan vs reality dashboards per project. APS Group again: “This has given us tighter control of active jobs, better-informed estimating and concrete profit/loss insights per job.“
• Proven, attributed outcomes. VMT raised engineers’ work efficiency by 40% and increased turnover by 30% without hiring, after adopting EZIIL BOM. Enefit Solutions deleted 12 separate Excel sheets: “The whole team can now work in one system,” says Rait K., Chairman of the Board. Nordic Shelter’s engineering lead reports a 24x return: “1 hour invested in EZIIL BOM saves 8 hours in procurement and 16 hours in production.”

Where EZIIL falls short

• No aerospace-grade QMS. EZIIL supports EN 1090-2 traceability and job-tied quality documentation, but it does not ship a full AS9100-ready quality management system. If your customers audit you against aerospace standards, ProShop wins this category outright.
• No built-in quoting engine. EZIIL sharpens future quotes with plan vs actual data, but it does not generate estimates the way ProShop’s machining-oriented estimating module does.
• Not a full ERP. EZIIL focuses on production management and integrates with accounting tools (Directo, among others) rather than replacing them. Shops wanting everything from estimating to invoicing in one system will find EZIIL deliberately narrower.
• Not built for machining-first or repeat-parts shops. EZIIL is for one-off, project-based fabrication. If your floor is CNC machines running repeat precision parts, ProShop’s routing, tooling, and inspection depth fits far better.
• No US defense compliance story. No CMMC or ITAR support. North American shops with defense contracts should weigh ProShop for that reason alone.

ProShop ERP vs EZIIL: the verdict for small custom steel fabricators

Feature	EZIIL	ProShop ERP
Planning & trackingOne-off, project-based job management	EZIIL✓Built around make-to-order projects where every job is unique.	ProShop ERP~Built around part numbers and routings; forum users find one-off assemblies clunky.
Planning & trackingCapacity planning by department	EZIIL✓Drag-and-drop planning across welding, cutting, assembly, and more.	ProShop ERP~Strong scheduling, organized around machines and routings rather than fab departments.
Planning & trackingLive job status with OTD warnings	EZIIL✓Dashboard updates as hours are reported; OTD indicators flag jobs falling behind.	ProShop ERP✓Real-time dashboards and work order tracking across the shop.
Planning & trackingPlan vs actual job costing	EZIIL✓Planned vs reality hours and costs per project, profit indicators before you invoice.	ProShop ERP✓Job costing and financial data module, machining-oriented.
Steel fabricationStructural BOM management	EZIIL✓Dedicated BOM module for assembly-heavy structural work, drawings tied to the job.	ProShop ERP~BOMs supported, shaped around machined parts and assemblies.
Steel fabricationEN 1090-2 traceability	EZIIL✓Built in as a module: execution class traceability and documentation.	ProShop ERP✗Not offered.
Steel fabricationSubcontractor management (galvanizing, painting)	EZIIL✓Dedicated module for managing subcontracted fabrication steps.	ProShop ERP~Outside processing handled within machining routings.
Steel fabricationProcurement and inventory tied to projects	EZIIL✓Procurement and inventory modules linked to each job’s BOM.	ProShop ERP✓Inventory and material planning module.
QualityAerospace-grade QMS (AS9100, ISO 9001)	EZIIL✗Not offered; quality documentation is job-tied, not audit-framework based.	ProShop ERP✓Best-in-class. Full QMS that passes aerospace audits, plus CMMC and ITAR depth.
QualityPaperless visual work instructions	EZIIL~Drawings, documents, and BOMs viewable at the job on the shop floor.	ProShop ERP✓Deep visual work instructions and document control at every workstation.
Shop floorNative mobile app for workers	EZIIL✓iOS and Android: start/stop timer, today’s tasks, drawings on the phone.	ProShop ERP✗Browser-based at shop workstations.
Front officeEstimating and quoting engine	EZIIL✗Not built in; plan vs actual data sharpens future quotes.	ProShop ERP✓Estimating and quoting module built by machinists.
Front officeAccounting	EZIIL~Integrates with accounting tools (Directo, among others).	ProShop ERP~Integrates with QuickBooks via a proxy; reviewers report reliability issues.
AdoptionModular start (adopt one piece at a time)	EZIIL✓Start with Starter, go live in under a week, add modules when ready.	ProShop ERP✗Full platform implementation, typically months of configuration.
AdoptionFlat pricing with unlimited team logins	EZIIL✓Flat by team size (€120/$140 to €290/$338 per month), no per-user fees.	ProShop ERP✗Per-user, quote-based, annual contract.

✓Full support   ~Partial or indirect   ✗Not offered. ProShop capabilities per proshoperp.com and user reviews, July 2026; confirm details with the vendor.

Choose ProShop ERP if you are a precision CNC machine shop in North America, your customers demand AS9100, ISO 9001, CMMC, or ITAR compliance, paperless work instructions for repeat parts would transform your floor, and you have the budget and the champion for a months-long implementation. In that world, ProShop is not just a good choice, it is probably the benchmark, and its community will tell you so with enthusiasm.

Choose EZIIL if you are a custom steel fabricator with 15 to 150 people doing one-off, project-based work, you need EN 1090-2 traceability, your budget is real-world, and you want the team live this month, not this quarter. You get purpose-built steel workflows, flat predictable pricing (€120/$140 to €290/$338 per month plus €300/$350 once), and onboarding by people who have stood on a shop floor.

The pattern across every category is the same: ProShop is deeper on machining and aerospace-grade quality, EZIIL is deeper on project-based steel and dramatically lighter to adopt and afford. A small custom steel fabricator buying ProShop is paying for a world-class aerospace QMS it will never audit against, and carrying a months-long implementation its team never asked for. Depth in the work you actually do every day is what shows up in on-time delivery and margin.

ProShop offers a demo booked through its sales team. EZIIL offers a free product tour, sign up and see the platform in a demo version, or book a demo and bring your biggest live project.

Is EZIIL the best ProShop alternative: Four questions to decide

1. What does year one actually cost?

EZIIL, 30-person shop: €180/$210 x 12 months + €300/$350 onboarding = €2,460/$2,870 in year one, and €2,160/$2,520 every year after.

ProShop, same shop: an estimated €440/$500+ per month covers only 7 to 8 seats per third-party estimates, so a 30-person shop needs a bigger quote, paid annually, plus an implementation project estimated between €4,400/$5,000 and €44,000/$50,000. Realistically €13,200/$15,000+ in year one, and you will need a sales call to learn your actual number. Budget accordingly.

Neither number is inherently wrong. ProShop covers more ground (estimating, aerospace QMS, deep work instructions). But pay for ground you will actually walk on.

2. How fast will the team actually use it?

Software that is not adopted is the most expensive software of all. EZIIL’s answer is to start with one module and be live in under a week, so the team sees a win before scepticism sets in. ProShop’s answer is a thorough, structured implementation that reviewers say takes months and rewards shops with a dedicated champion and disciplined data.

3. What does quality mean in your shop?

If quality means AS9100 audits, first article inspection, and customers from aerospace primes, ProShop’s QMS is the best reason to buy it and EZIIL is not your tool. If quality means EN 1090 execution classes, material traceability from mill cert to weld, and documentation your notified body accepts, that is what EZIIL’s compliance module was built for. The wrong answer here is buying an aerospace QMS to do structural steel paperwork, or vice versa.

4. Who gets a login?

On EZIIL, everyone. Flat team pricing means the newest fitter reports hours the same as the production manager, and the live dashboard is only as good as the hours flowing into it. On ProShop, per-seat pricing means each login is a line item, and reviewers note shop floor staff often need extra internal training on top. A system only the office uses is a very expensive way to keep running the shop on shouted questions.

FAQ

Is ProShop ERP good for steel fabrication?

ProShop is a strong platform for precision machine shops and also markets to fabrication shops. Its DNA, however, is CNC machining: part numbers, routings, tooling, and inspection plans, with a quality system built for AS9100 and ISO audits. It has no EN 1090 module, and forum users note it can feel clunky for complicated assemblies and one-off work. Small custom steel shops usually get a tighter fit from fabrication-specific software.

How much does ProShop ERP cost compared to EZIIL?

ProShop does not publish pricing. Third-party estimates start around €440/$500 per month for roughly 7 to 8 seats, per-user, on a minimum 12-month contract paid annually, plus implementation estimated at €4,400/$5,000 to €44,000/$50,000. EZIIL charges a flat monthly rate by team size: €120/$140 (1 to 15 users), €180/$210 (16 to 50), or €290/$338 (51 to 150), plus a one-off €300/$350 onboarding fee. For a 30-person shop, year one is roughly €2,460/$2,870 on EZIIL versus an estimated €13,200/$15,000+ on ProShop.

How long does implementation take, ProShop ERP vs EZIIL?

ProShop implementations typically take months; user reports on the Practical Machinist forum range from 3 months to a year, and reviewers advise preparing for about six months of learning curve. EZIIL shops go live in under a week, starting with one module and adding others when ready. APS Group reports rolling out EZIIL internally in a few weeks with a minimal learning curve.

Does ProShop ERP or EZIIL support EN 1090 traceability?

EZIIL has EN 1090-2 traceability built in as a module. ProShop does not offer EN 1090 support; its compliance depth targets AS9100, ISO 9001, CMMC Level 2, and ITAR for the North American aerospace and defense market. For European structural steel work, this is often the deciding factor.

Is ProShop ERP’s quality management better than EZIIL’s?

For aerospace-grade quality, yes. ProShop ships a full QMS that users say makes AS9100 and ISO 9001 audits dramatically easier, and it is the platform’s strongest feature. EZIIL takes a different scope: EN 1090-2 traceability, material and weld documentation tied to each job, built for structural steel compliance rather than aerospace audits. Match the tool to the standard your customers actually audit against.

Can I try ProShop ERP or EZIIL before buying?

ProShop offers demos booked through its sales team. EZIIL offers a free product tour where you sign up and see inside the platform in a demo version, plus booked demos. EZIIL does not offer a self-serve free trial because steel fabrication setups are unique and the onboarding team helps with initial setup and data migration.

How we compared ProShop ERP and EZIIL: methodology

This comparison was researched and written by Team EZIIL in July 2026.

What we looked at. We compared the two products on the criteria small custom steel fabricators tell us decide their vendor shortlists: total year-one and ongoing cost, time to go live, steel fabrication depth, EN 1090-2 traceability, quality management scope, scheduling approach, shop floor usability, adoption model, and onboarding support. These criteria come from our customers and sales conversations with fabrication shops of 15 to 150 people.

How we researched ProShop. All ProShop claims are drawn from public sources: ProShop’s own website and pricing page (proshoperp.com, confirmed July 2026), verified user reviews on G2, Capterra, and Software Advice, pricing estimates from Software Finder and ITQlick (since ProShop does not publish figures), and practitioner discussion across multiple Practical Machinist forum threads. We did not rely on internal assumptions about ProShop, and where its pricing is estimated rather than published, we say so.

How we described EZIIL. EZIIL pricing, features, and implementation timelines come from our published pricing and documentation. Every customer outcome is attributed to a named customer (Enefit Solutions, VMT, B&W Metall, Kane Metall, Nordic Shelter, APS Group, FLI Structures) and quoted as originally given.

Updates. Pricing and features change. We review this comparison when either vendor makes a material change and re-verify pricing at least quarterly. If you spot something outdated, email support@eziil.com and we will correct it.