CompareMasterControl vs SimplerQMS
est. $25–72k/yr
Basic from $25k a year; Vendr contracts $72–117k
Choose it if: You run a larger, multi-site device or combined device-and-pharma quality organisation and need a configurable, validated system for documents, training, CAPA and audits.
Watch out: Prices, hosting location and exit terms aren't published, and design controls, risk files and software development support are weak for device R&D teams.
from $17.5k/yr
Minimum $17,500 a year covers up to 15 users
Choose it if: You run a small or mid-sized device or pharma company, write your SOPs in Microsoft Word, and want implementation, validation and training included in one yearly price.
Watch out: Design controls, risk and software lifecycle are managed as documents with no native traceability, and contracts auto-renew with a 90-day notice period and a 5% yearly price rise.
| MasterControl 5.3 | SimplerQMS 7.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and buying | ||
| AffordabilityHow we score affordabilityEstimated yearly cost for a 10-person team, including required fees. | 4.0 est. $25–72k/yr Basic from $25k a year; Vendr contracts $72–117k | 7.0 from $17.5k/yr Minimum $17,500 a year covers up to 15 users |
| Price transparencyHow we score price transparencyWhether the vendor publishes its prices on its own website. | 2.0 No public price Per-user prices published until 2019 | 6.0 Starting price only Services included; licence prices not published |
| Try before you buyHow we score try before you buyWhether you can try the product yourself before talking to sales. | 5.0 No free trial Recorded demos and live demo | 7.0 Free trial Guided trial after a call; interactive tours |
| Contract and lock-inHow we score contract and lock-inMinimum term, whether you can take all your data with you at no extra cost, and other lock-in risks. | 4.0 Term not published Auto-renews; exit file format unstated | 8.0 Annual Auto-renews, 90-day notice; export to Excel/CSV plus files |
| EU data residencyHow we score eu data residencyWhether your data can be hosted in the EU, and how clearly that's documented. | 3.0 Not stated AWS, location 'Global'; public DPA and subprocessor list | 8.0 EU or US, selectable Public DPA; no current subprocessor list |
| Budget predictabilityHow we score budget predictabilityHow well you can predict future bills: price-increase clauses, price history and the cost of adding users. | 5.0 Renews at then-current fees No cap in the terms; priced per named user | 7.0 Fixed 5% increase every January Starter entry price up 27% since 2024 (now covers 15 users) |
| Product | ||
| Compliance coverageHow we score compliance coverageHow much of ISO 13485, FDA and EU MDR the system covers out of the box, based on its documentation. | 8.0 Validation tools included; ISO 27001 | 8.0 Validation package and ISO 27001; no UDI or eMDR features found |
| Design controls and traceabilityHow we score design controls and traceabilityHow well requirements, risks, tests and software lifecycle are linked, and whether the design history file is generated for you. | 2.5 Design and risk only as documents; no Jira or Git link found | 3.5 Design, risk and software files are documents; no trace links |
| UsabilityHow we score usabilityEase-of-use ratings from G2 or Capterra, adjusted for what users repeatedly report. | 8.0 4.1 / 5 on Capterra Ease of use, 540 reviews; G2 7.8/10 | 8.0 8.3 / 10 on G2 13 ratings |
| Service | ||
| Support and onboardingHow we score support and onboardingSupport ratings from review sites, plus whether onboarding help is included in the price. | 8.0 4.5 / 5 on Capterra Customer service, 540 reviews; G2 8.6/10 | 8.0 9.4 / 10 on G2 13 ratings |
| Community sentimentHow we score community sentimentOverall review-site rating, adjusted for what independent users say in communities. | 8.0 4.5/5 on Capterra (540 reviews); Reddit split | 8.0 4.5/5 on Capterra (36 reviews) |
| Time to go liveHow we score time to go liveHow long it usually takes until your team can work in the system, and whether templates are included. | 6.0 About 90 days Vendor figure for the Qx Starter package | 7.0 5–8 weeks Vendor estimate; ISO 13485 templates included |
Scores are out of 10. The better side of each row is highlighted. How we score
| MasterControl | SimplerQMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in document editor | Not confirmed yetDocuments can come from any authoring tool; no documentation of a built-in editor | NoDocuments are written in Microsoft Office, not in a built-in editor |
| Edit in Word or Google Docs | Partly or add-onRoute files from any software; no documented Word or Google co-editing | YesWord, Excel and PowerPoint via Microsoft 365 and a Word add-in; Microsoft 365 licences required |
| SOP templates included | Partly or add-onPreconfigured forms and workflows in Qx Starter; no SOP set | YesISO 13485 and 21 CFR 820 template packages included |
| Jira or Git integration | Not confirmed yetNo Jira or Git integration found | Partly or add-onJira named on marketing pages; no documented integration |
| IEC 62304 software features | Not confirmed yetNo IEC 62304 features found | Not confirmed yetOnly a generic 'supports alignment with IEC 62304' claim |
| Validation package included | YesVxT and Validation on Demand included; URS and TPQ in Qx Starter | YesValidation plan, report and IQ/OQ/PQ included; revalidated each release |
| Public API | Partly or add-onAPI Toolkit (REST); documentation gated | Partly or add-onAPI stated and API keys in admin settings; no public documentation |
| Single sign-on (SSO) | YesOkta SSO for login; e-signature needs a separate password | YesMicrosoft Entra ID and Google Workspace on all licence types |
| Supplier portal | Partly or add-onNon-users can access documents; suppliers can mark up BOMs | Not confirmed yetNo supplier portal found |
| Training with quizzes | YesRole-based exams; AI exam generator | YesMultiple-choice quizzes with a quiz report |
| FDA MDR or EU vigilance reporting | Partly or add-oneMDR form with FDA XML claimed on product page; no EU vigilance found | Partly or add-onVigilance reportability assessment; reports filed outside the system |
| AI features | YesDocument and event summaries, translation, SOP Analyzer; ISO 42001 | YesAI-generated change summaries when sending documents for approval |
| Clause | Requirement | MasterControl | SimplerQMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2.4 | Control of documents | ||
| 4.2.5 | Control of records | ||
| 6.2 | Training and competence | ||
| 7.3 | Design and development | ||
| 7.3.9 | Change control | ||
| 7.4 | Supplier qualification and control | ||
| 7.5 | Production records (DMR/DHR) | ||
| UDI | UDI management (EU MDR, FDA) | ||
| 8.2.2 | Complaint handling | ||
| 8.2.3 | Regulatory reporting (FDA MDR, EU vigilance) | ||
| MDR 83 | Post-market surveillance | ||
| 8.2.4 | Internal audit | ||
| 8.3 | Nonconforming product | ||
| 8.5.2 | Corrective action (CAPA) | ||
| ISO 14971 | Risk management file | ||
| IEC 62304 | Software lifecycle | ||
| Part 11 | Electronic signatures |
We haven't written a verdict for this pair yet. The comparison above comes from our research on each system; the full reviews explain each score.