Epicor Kinetic On-Prem Alternative: Options Before the On-Prem Sunset
Epicor has set a timeline to sunset on-premise Kinetic. The final on-prem release is expected around January 2028, active support ends December 31, 2029, and new innovation is already cloud-only. For shops that chose on-prem on purpose, whether for cost, control, or because customer drawings aren't supposed to leave the building, that's a forced decision with a date on it.
Kinetic is a full ERP, with reported pricing of about $125–200 per user per month plus a ~$1,500/month base and implementations reported at $75,000–300,000, and it's widely considered more system than a shop under 30 people needs. Traveler is a different shape: quote-to-invoice software for 2–20 person shops, with a Shop Server you own outright for $4,250 ($6,500 for Shop Server Defense). Traveler is pre-launch, and the Shop Server ships after Traveler Cloud; Epicor is a mature ERP with decades of production use. Details are at /shop-server.
| Feature | Traveler | Epicor Kinetic (on-prem) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat per shop: $109/mo Cloud, or one-time Shop Server ($4,250; Defense $6,500) | Per-user subscription plus base fee (cloud); on-prem license terms not published |
| Entry price | $109/mo, or $1,090/yr | ~$125–200/user/mo + ~$1,500/mo base (reported) |
| Per-seat pricing | No — unlimited users on every edition | Yes — ~$125–200/user/mo (reported) |
| Implementation | None — self-serve setup, no implementation fee | ~$75K–300K (reported) |
| Minimum users | None | Not published |
| Quoting | Quantity breaks, routed or fast quotes, bar-stock math, last-3 material prices, online acceptance | Included in the ERP |
| Job travelers | Generated from the quote, QR code per op, cloned from the last run on repeats | Included in the ERP |
| Scheduling | What's-late / what's-next list at launch; drag-drop board with TV mode planned | Included in the ERP |
| Quality / FAI / certs | Gage cal, quality logs, C of C; FAI/AS9102, NCR/CAPA, audit binder in development — included in price | Not published |
| QuickBooks | One-way push of invoices and customers (QuickBooks Online; Desktop via connector) | Not published |
| On-prem option | Yes — Shop Server $4,250 or Shop Server Defense $6,500, one-time, on your LAN (ships after Cloud) | Until the sunset: final on-prem release ~Jan 2028, active support ends Dec 31, 2029 |
| Where new features ship | Same software on Cloud and Shop Server | Cloud only |
| Contract terms | Monthly or annual; one-click full export on every edition | Not published |
Traveler is in early access; its column is committed launch pricing and design. Competitor details come from published pricing and public user reports — corrections welcome.
The Epicor on-prem timeline
Per Epicor's announced timeline, as reported by CIO.com: the final on-premise Kinetic release is expected around January 2028, active support for on-prem ends December 31, 2029, and new innovation goes to the cloud product only. Your current install doesn't stop working on those dates, but updates and active support do, and every new feature between now and then lands in cloud first.
That gives on-prem shops a few years of runway, which is the right amount of time to choose deliberately rather than default into whatever the renewal paperwork says.
Your realistic options
Four paths: (1) move to Epicor's cloud and keep the system your people know; (2) stay on the final on-prem release past active support and accept the risk; (3) move to another full ERP that still offers on-prem; (4) if you're a smaller shop that was overbought, move to a system sized for you.
If you were on-prem because of CUI or ITAR data, check the compliance side of option 1 before you sign. A cloud service storing covered defense information under DFARS 252.204-7012 has to meet FedRAMP Moderate or equivalent. Epicor's status on that isn't covered in our research, so ask Epicor directly and get the answer in writing.
What Traveler is, and isn't, for an Epicor shop
Traveler is not a like-for-like Kinetic replacement. It doesn't do accounting, multi-site MRP, or the breadth of a full ERP. It covers the job shop loop: quotes with quantity breaks, travelers generated from the routing, scan-based floor tracking, per-job material with heat-lot traceability, shipping paperwork, and a one-way invoice push to QuickBooks.
For a 5–20 person shop that bought Epicor years ago and uses a fraction of it, that may be the better fit. The Shop Server runs on a fanless box on your LAN with unlimited users and keeps working with the internet unplugged, and you own it. Shop Server Defense ($6,500) adds a hardened configuration designed around FIPS-validated encryption, MFA, and audit logging, an encrypted backup drive with keys you hold, a NIST SP 800-171 control mapping, and US-persons-only support. All of that is designed, not shipped; Traveler is in early access.
When Epicor Kinetic (on-prem) is the better pick
Stay with Epicor, on its cloud or on the final on-prem release, if you're 30+ people, you run Epicor's financials, MRP, or multiple sites, and your team has years invested in it. A full ERP that already runs your business is worth more than license savings, and you have until the end of 2029 before active on-prem support ends. Moving to an early-access product only makes sense if your shop is small enough that most of Kinetic goes unused.
Want this handled without the spreadsheet?
Traveler Cloud is quote-to-invoice for small machine shops at $109/month flat, unlimited users. It's in early access — leave your email and we'll bring you in by wave. No sales calls.
Free, no signup: 5-Year Cost: Cloud vs On-Prem Shop Software →
Straight answers
▸When does Epicor Kinetic on-prem end?
Per Epicor's announced timeline, as reported by CIO.com, the final on-prem release is expected around January 2028 and active support ends December 31, 2029. New innovation is cloud-only. Confirm the dates that apply to your contract with Epicor.
▸Is there an on-prem alternative to Epicor for a small shop?
Several full ERPs still sell on-prem licenses. For 2–20 person shops, Traveler's Shop Server is a one-time $4,250 box on your LAN with unlimited users, or $6,500 for Shop Server Defense. It's pre-launch and ships after Traveler Cloud.
▸Can Traveler replace Epicor's accounting?
No. Traveler never does accounting. It pushes invoices and customers to QuickBooks one way. If you depend on Epicor's financials, Traveler isn't a full replacement.
▸Can I bring my Epicor data into Traveler?
Customer and part CSV importers come first, so anything you can export from Epicor as CSV can be mapped in with a preview. A dedicated Epicor importer isn't planned yet; tell us what history you need and we'll scope it.