As SAP ECC nears its 2027 end-of-support deadline, enterprises face a pivotal decision. This advisory outlines what third-party SAP support is, why it is gaining traction, how it compares to SAP's official support, the risks and trade-offs involved, and how organisations can leverage it to reduce costs while planning a future SAP roadmap on their terms.
Standard support for SAP ECC 6.0 is scheduled to end in 2027, with SAP offering costly extended support until 2030. After these dates, SAP will no longer provide patches, legal/regulatory updates, or fixes for ECC. Analysts estimate nearly half of SAP's customers will still be running ECC by 2027.
Migrate to S/4HANA before support ends (high cost, high complexity, high risk). Pay SAP for extended ECC support until 2030 with approximately 2% fee premium. Or run ECC past 2027 with a third-party support provider stepping in. End-of-support for ECC is a major inflection point that forces ITAM and procurement teams to evaluate support strategies balancing cost, risk, and flexibility.
Third-party support for SAP refers to outsourcing your SAP software maintenance to an independent provider rather than relying on SAP itself. These firms (Rimini Street, Spinnaker Support, Support Revolution, and others) offer maintenance services for SAP ECC and other SAP products once you leave SAP's official support.
Break-fix issue resolution: diagnosing and fixing software bugs or performance issues. Regulatory updates: tax, legal, and regulatory changes (payroll tax tables, VAT changes) to keep ECC compliant. Customisation support: troubleshooting and fixing custom code and integration issues, something SAP's standard support does not cover. Security and patches: monitoring for vulnerabilities and developing necessary patches or workarounds. Ongoing helpdesk: 24/7 support with defined SLAs and often a dedicated team familiar with your environment.
You continue to own and use your SAP licences (ECC is typically perpetual). You cease paying SAP's annual maintenance. You pay the third-party provider for support services instead. Providers employ former SAP engineers and product experts. Some providers pledge to support SAP ECC well into the 2030s and possibly 2040. Used by many Fortune 500 firms. A legitimate, well-established industry.
SAP annual support fees are typically 20 to 22% of initial licence cost. Third-party providers generally charge around 50% of SAP's fee for comparable coverage. Enterprises often achieve maintenance savings of $1 million or more per year depending on their SAP spend. Moreover, third-party contracts often lock prices for multiple years, avoiding inflation-based hikes.
With third-party support, there is no hard end date for using ECC. You can run your stable SAP ERP system for as long as it continues to deliver value. Third-party providers will continue to support ECC well past 2027, helping you avoid a rushed, high-risk upgrade or the steep fees of SAP's extended support.
Customers often report better support quality from third-party vendors than from SAP. Dedicated engineer or small team assigned to your account, faster response times (e.g., 15-minute response for critical issues), and deeper understanding of your environment. They also troubleshoot customisation and integration issues: a "one-stop" support that SAP never provided without extra consulting fees.
Third-party contracts can be tailored to your specific needs and allow flexibility as your system footprint changes. You can target a 3 to 5 year stable period on third-party support, then switch to S/4HANA when it truly makes sense for the business, not due to vendor pressure.
| Aspect | SAP Official Support | Third-Party Support |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | 20 to 22% of licence value (rising). Extra +2% premium for extended support after 2027. | ~50% of SAP's fee (10 to 15% of licence value). Multi-year fixed pricing common. |
| Support coverage | Standard SAP software issues and security patches. Does not include custom code fixes. Ends after support period. | Covers current software version indefinitely. Includes bug fixes, regulatory updates, and customisation support. No hard end date. |
| Upgrades and new features | Entitles you to version upgrades and enhancement packs while under support. New features only in S/4HANA. | No new software or version upgrades from SAP. You remain on ECC 6.0 but avoid forced upgrades and choose your own timing. |
| Service level and response | Standard SLA; custom code issues out of scope. Enhanced support (MaxAttention) costs extra. | Personalised 24/7 support with dedicated engineers. 15-minute P1 response. Covers custom code and performance issues holistically. |
| Cost of staying vs leaving | Continuous fees and eventual costly migration. Extended support adds further expense. | Greatly reduces run-rate costs and allows deferring migration expense. Returning to SAP later may require back-maintenance or new licences. |
| Vendor relationship | Direct relationship with SAP. Access to support portal, updates, and vendor backing. | Relationship with SAP may become strained. Must rely on third-party for all support. Expect SAP pushback and retention offers. |
You will not receive new versions, enhancement packs, or innovations from SAP for ECC. If your business requires new ERP functionality, you will need to build it in-house, purchase add-ons, or wait until a future S/4HANA upgrade. You are in "maintenance mode": great for stability, but not for getting new features.
Once off SAP support, you will not get official SAP security patches. A third-party provider will create fixes or mitigations for critical vulnerabilities, but this requires trust in their expertise. Apply all final SAP patches before leaving, and ensure the provider has a strong track record with compliance updates.
If you leave SAP support and later decide to implement S/4HANA, there may be financial implications. SAP historically does not allow a "holiday" on maintenance without penalty. You might have to pay a reinstatement fee or lose credit for old licences. Model this scenario: even factoring in such costs, many find third-party support still saves money in the interim.
While you escape SAP's timeline pressure, you become reliant on the third-party vendor. Choose a reputable provider and negotiate escape clauses or short-term contracts. Consider the provider's long-term viability. You will be running ECC potentially for many years.
Prepare for pushback from SAP. Account executives may attempt retention offers: from small discounts, to bundling deals (RISE incentives), to reminders that future re-licensing will be costly. Communicate at a high level about your decision and evaluate any counter-offer objectively. Aim to leave on good terms. You may still use SAP in the future.
Begin with an internal audit of your SAP landscape. What ECC version and enhancement pack are you on? Identify unused components (shelfware) that could be retired. Assess critical customisations. This baseline informs whether third-party support is feasible and attractive.
Align with business leadership on the long-term ERP strategy. If a migration is on the horizon but not immediate, third-party support can be a bridge strategy: saving money now and funding the eventual project. Clarity on this vision helps in vendor negotiations on both sides.
Before leaping, give SAP a chance to sharpen its pencil. Leverage third-party quotes to negotiate concessions: reduced support fees, ability to drop unused licences from your maintenance base, or other incentives. Even if SAP's offer is not enough, you have ensured no option was left unexplored. See SAP Contract Negotiation Playbook.
Treat the move like any critical outsourcing. Compare pricing, scope of services, SLAs, client references, and expertise in your industry or modules. Check how they handle regulatory updates, security patching, and indemnification clauses.
Align the move with your SAP maintenance renewal cycle. Provide SAP with required notice of termination (typically 90 days). Download all relevant support materials from SAP while you still have access. Apply any final patches. Communicate the change to internal teams.
Gather hard numbers on current SAP maintenance costs, potential third-party fees, and migration expenses. A solid cost-benefit analysis is essential for leadership buy-in. Factor in one-time transition costs and any potential future re-licensing costs, but even with those, the business case often remains very attractive.
Evaluate third-party support 12 to 18 months before your ECC support deadline or contract renewal. Do not wait until the last moment. Starting early gives you time to negotiate with both SAP and third-party providers, run due diligence, and plan the transition meticulously.
Double-check that you have perpetual rights to use the software versions you run. Confirm with SAP in writing that discontinuing maintenance does not forfeit your right to use the software. Maximise value before you switch: download latest support packs, documentation, and tools. Implement any last high-value notes. This "last refresh" gives your system a clean baseline.
Include SLAs and penalties for non-performance. Look for an indemnification clause where the provider takes on liability if their support actions trigger any IP claims from SAP. Maintain a clause allowing you to cancel after each contract year without steep penalties. Keep future S/4HANA migration flexibility.
1. Audit all SAP ECC licences and usage. Identify shelfware. Note contractual renewal dates and notice periods. 2. Form a cross-functional team (ITAM, SAP basis, procurement, finance) to evaluate post-2027 options. Discuss retention offers with SAP and reach out to third-party providers. 3. Outline timing, knowledge transfer, downloading SAP support resources, scheduling final patch updates, and communicating the change. 4. Present findings and recommendations to senior management. Get formal approval. Inform SAP in writing. 5. Execute the cutover. Regularly review support performance. Use metrics to report on strategy success.
After December 31, 2027, SAP will no longer provide standard support for ECC 6.0: no new patches, fixes, or legal updates. Companies paying for extended maintenance get support until 2030 at a premium. Companies still on ECC at that point either run "at their own risk" or rely on alternatives such as third-party support to keep systems up-to-date and secure.
Yes. If you own valid licences for your SAP software, you are allowed to choose who provides support. Third-party support is a legitimate industry with well-established providers serving hundreds of SAP clients. Many governments, large enterprises, and regulated industries use third-party support. SAP's terms do not prohibit you from ending maintenance and using an outside firm. Ensure your contract with the provider includes indemnification protections.
Most organisations see immediate savings of 50% or more on annual support fees. If you currently pay $2 million per year to SAP, a third-party provider might charge around $1 million, saving $1 million annually. Over several years, this is substantial. Factor in one-time transition costs and any potential future re-licensing costs, but even with those, the business case often remains very attractive.
You lose access to SAP's updates and SAP's direct help: no new patches, no ability to upgrade to new versions without buying new licences, and no SAP support portal. However, a good third-party provider replaces much of this: they become your helpdesk, provide fixes, and offer regulatory update mechanisms. You do not lose the right to use your existing SAP software. Your licences remain valid.
Absolutely. Using third-party support does not preclude future SAP projects. When you decide to migrate, you might have to negotiate a new licence or conversion deal since you will not have active SAP maintenance. SAP may require back-maintenance payment to reinstate support before a conversion. Many companies find the interim savings still make third-party support worthwhile. Save a portion of the fees you are not paying SAP and earmark that for your future S/4HANA project.
Prepare for retention offers from SAP: discounts, RISE incentives, bundling deals, or warnings about future re-licensing costs. Evaluate any counter-offer objectively against your third-party business case. If SAP's offer closes the cost gap significantly, it may be worth staying. If not, proceed with your plan. Communicate professionally. Provide required notice (typically 90 days). Aim to leave on good terms. Your future SAP relationship may depend on it.
Compare pricing, scope of services, SLAs, client references, and expertise in your industry and SAP modules. Key evaluation criteria: response time SLAs (look for 15-minute P1), regulatory update coverage for your jurisdictions, indemnification clauses protecting against IP claims, security vulnerability response process, custom code support capabilities, and contract flexibility (annual exit options). Major providers include Rimini Street, Spinnaker Support, and Support Revolution.
Redress Compliance provides completely vendor-independent SAP advisory services. We help enterprises evaluate third-party support options, negotiate with SAP, build a support strategy that balances cost, risk, and flexibility, and plan S/4HANA migration timelines. Complete vendor independence. No SAP partnerships, no resale commissions, no third-party support provider affiliations.
SAP Advisory ServicesIndependent SAP advisory helping enterprises evaluate third-party support options, negotiate with SAP, and build a support strategy that balances cost, risk, and flexibility. Fixed-fee engagement models.