An independent advisory comparing Rimini Street and Spinnaker Support, the two leading Oracle third-party support providers. Covering cost savings, service quality, legal considerations, and transition strategies for CIOs and sourcing leaders evaluating alternatives to Oracle's standard support programme.
Oracle's standard support typically costs 22% of the licence price annually, with annual increases of approximately 4 to 8%. Over time, these compounding increases create a significant and growing cost burden, often exceeding the original licence investment within five years.
Third-party support providers charge roughly half that amount and often keep fees flat with no annual uplift. But the appeal goes beyond cost alone: independent support allows companies to extend the life of stable Oracle systems without forced upgrades, receive more personalised service from dedicated veteran engineers, and even receive support for customisations and older versions that Oracle no longer covers.
Third-party support is now a mainstream strategy used by thousands of enterprises globally. Gartner research confirms average savings of around 50% on annual support costs. The decision is not just about cost. It is about gaining control over your upgrade timeline, receiving support for customisations Oracle will not touch, and freeing budget for strategic initiatives.
Rimini Street (founded in 2005) is the largest independent Oracle support provider. The firm supports virtually all Oracle products, from E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, and JD Edwards to Oracle Database and middleware, and typically reduces support fees by about 50%.
Rimini offers 24/7 global support with veteran engineers dedicated to each client. After an early legal dispute with Oracle (Oracle v. Rimini Street), Rimini modified its processes to ensure full licence compliance, allowing customers to use its service without legal risk. Courts have affirmed that Oracle customers have the right to choose independent support providers.
Founded 2005, publicly traded (RMNI) with global presence. Supports all major Oracle products and versions. 24/7 support with dedicated veteran engineers. Approximately 50% savings on Oracle support fees. Legal precedent established through Oracle v. Rimini Street litigation. Also supports SAP and Salesforce products, making it suitable for multi-vendor estates.
Spinnaker Support (founded in 2008) is another top provider, known for its flexible and customer-centric approach. It supports all major Oracle systems and likewise saves clients around 50% on support costs.
Spinnaker is praised for high-touch service, dedicated engineers and rapid response times, and for willingness to tailor contract terms. The firm also provides its own security patches and tax/regulatory updates, and offers audit support to keep clients secure and compliant outside Oracle's official support.
Founded 2008, private company with highly customer-centric approach. Supports all major Oracle systems. High-touch service with rapid response times. Approximately 50% savings on Oracle support fees. Flexible, tailored contract terms without rigid multi-year commitments. Proprietary security patches and regulatory updates developed independently.
| Aspect | Oracle Support | Third-Party Support (Rimini / Spinnaker) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost. | ~22% of licence per year (plus ~4 to 8% annual increase). | ~50% of Oracle's fee. Minimal or no annual increase. |
| Support scope. | Standard features only. No support for custom code or modifications. | Includes customisations, integrations, and out-of-support versions. |
| Updates and upgrades. | Access to Oracle's official patches, security fixes, and new version releases. | No Oracle patches or new releases. Provider delivers own fixes and workarounds. |
| Support duration. | Limited. Support ends unless you pay for Extended Support or upgrade. | Indefinite. Supports your Oracle version as long as you need. |
| Service model. | Tiered ticket system. Standard SLAs. Will not troubleshoot custom code. | Dedicated named engineers. Faster response. Supports full environment including customisations. |
| Upgrade path. | Full access to new versions and releases. | No new versions. Must return to Oracle support (with back-fees) to upgrade. |
| Security updates. | Quarterly Critical Patch Updates (CPUs). | Provider-developed virtual patches and security workarounds. |
Many enterprises find the trade-off acceptable, especially if their Oracle environment is stable and they do not need immediate access to new features. Third-party support works best for mature, stable systems where the priority is operational continuity and cost control rather than chasing Oracle's latest release cycle.
| Consideration | Risk Level | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Licence compliance. | Medium. | It is legal to use third-party support, but stay within Oracle licence terms. Oracle may audit customers who leave its support. Work with your provider to remain audit-ready and compliant. |
| Loss of official patches. | High. | After leaving Oracle, you stop getting official patches. Ensure your provider can promptly deliver critical bug fixes and security updates, particularly crucial for meeting security and regulatory requirements. |
| Future upgrade costs. | High. | If you may need a new Oracle version later, plan for the cost of rejoining Oracle support. Oracle typically charges back-fees or penalties. Many companies stay on third-party support until they migrate to a different platform or cloud solution. |
| Contract terms. | Medium. | Scrutinise the contract. Ensure coverage, SLAs, and fees are clearly defined. Aim for flexibility (adjust or exit annually) so you are not over-committed. Have legal or procurement experts review terms before signing. |
| Oracle retention tactics. | Medium. | Oracle will likely counter with discounts or pressure to retain your business. A 15% Oracle discount rarely matches the ~50% third-party savings. Use third-party quotes as negotiation leverage regardless. |
If you leave Oracle support and later need to return, Oracle will typically require payment of all back-support fees for the period you were off support, plus a reinstatement penalty (often 150% of the annual fee). This can completely offset years of savings. Plan your long-term strategy before switching. Most successful transitions are part of a broader move to cloud or platform retirement, not a temporary cost measure.
Begin evaluating third-party support options well in advance of your Oracle support renewal date. This ensures time to assess providers and manage the transition without rushing.
Document all your Oracle systems and their support costs to identify where third-party support would have the biggest impact. Use this to estimate savings and build a strong business case.
Engage both Rimini Street and Spinnaker Support. Receive detailed proposals and consult with reference customers to compare service quality, expertise, and responsiveness.
Do not accept the first offer. Negotiate multi-year discounts, caps on fee increases, and flexibility to scale or cancel services if you retire systems.
Time the switch with your Oracle support renewal. Before the cutover, download any necessary Oracle resources and train your IT staff on the new support process.
Work with an independent licensing advisor (like Redress Compliance) who has no commercial relationship with either third-party provider or Oracle, ensuring unbiased guidance.
Gather your Oracle support invoices and contract renewal dates to determine your current support status. This shows the baseline cost and timeline for a potential switch.
Reach out to Rimini Street and Spinnaker Support for evaluations. Share your Oracle product list and discuss your support needs. Compare their offerings and pricing side by side.
Present the plan to executives and system owners. Emphasise the major savings (typically 50%+) and improved support quality to get everyone on board.
Choose a provider and finalise the contract. Ensure all critical systems are covered and service levels meet your requirements. Have legal and procurement teams review the agreement.
Notify Oracle of cancellation to avoid auto-renewal. Coordinate with the new provider on the support cutover date and knowledge transfer process. Update your internal helpdesk processes.
Oracle support contracts typically auto-renew unless cancelled within a specific notice period (often 30 to 90 days before renewal). Missing this window means you are locked in for another year. Calendar your cancellation deadline well in advance and confirm cancellation in writing.
Yes. Oracle's contracts do not forbid customers from using third-party support. It is legal as long as you remain compliant with your licence terms. Both Rimini Street and Spinnaker Support ensure no Oracle intellectual property is violated and will help you stay audit-compliant. The Oracle v. Rimini Street court rulings have affirmed customers' right to choose independent support providers.
On average, about a 50% reduction in annual support fees. Large enterprises can save millions of dollars over a few years by switching to third-party support, freeing budget for other priorities. Additionally, third-party contracts typically eliminate Oracle's automatic annual increases (4 to 8%), so savings compound over time.
You will not get Oracle's official patches, but third-party providers develop their own fixes for critical issues. They deliver ongoing bug fixes, security patches (virtual patches), and regulatory updates to keep your system safe. You will not receive new Oracle features, but your current software will remain stable and secure under their support.
Nearly all on-premises Oracle products can be covered. Both providers support Oracle's major application suites (E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, Siebel), Oracle Database, middleware platforms, and more, including older versions that Oracle no longer supports. Verify your specific software versions with the provider, but in general these firms cover the full Oracle portfolio.
You can return to Oracle support, but Oracle will typically charge a reinstatement fee plus back-payment for the period you were off support. This can be expensive, so plan for it if you anticipate a future upgrade. Many companies using third-party support avoid this scenario by staying on their existing Oracle version until they move to a new system or cloud platform. Rejoining is possible, just budget for the re-entry cost.
Redress Compliance has no commercial relationship with any third-party support provider or with Oracle. Our advisory is 100% independent. We help you evaluate, negotiate, and transition with confidence.