SAP offers two packaged routes to S/4HANA in the cloud: RISE with SAP and GROW with SAP. They are often presented as interchangeable, but they suit different organisations and lead to different end states. Here is how they compare. This article is part of our complete SAP ECC to S/4HANA migration guide.
| Area | RISE with SAP | GROW with SAP |
|---|---|---|
| Typical customer | Large, complex enterprises | Midsize and fast-growing organisations |
| S/4HANA edition | Mostly Cloud Private Edition | Cloud Public Edition |
| Flexibility | Higher, with broader extension options | Standard processes, clean core by design |
| Path from ECC | Conversion or new implementation | Usually a new implementation |
| Updates | Planned upgrades | Regular, automatic |
When RISE with SAP fits
You run a large, complex ECC landscape with significant custom processes, you want to preserve parts of that investment, and you need the flexibility of Private Edition. RISE bundles software, hosting and technical operations, which simplifies contracts — but the custom code and data work still has to be done. See migrating custom ABAP code.
When GROW with SAP fits
You are a midsize or growing organisation willing to adopt standard best-practice processes. Public Edition’s preconfigured processes and continuous updates make deployment faster and keep the core clean from day one. It is a natural fit for the late starters covered in S/4HANA for the mid-market.
RISE lets you bring more of your past with you. GROW asks you to leave more of it behind. Both can be the right answer.
ESS ENN Associates Enterprise Solutions Team
Questions to settle before choosing
- How much of your current process design is genuinely differentiating?
- How much custom code do you actually use?
- Are you prepared to adopt standard processes in exchange for speed and continuous updates?
- Where will extensions live? In both cases, SAP Business Technology Platform is the recommended home for custom logic.
- What commercial incentives are available? SAP has offered adoption credits and transition options; confirm current terms directly with SAP.
Either way, aim for clean core
Whichever route you take, the long-term value comes from a standard core with extensions on BTP, which is what lets SAP’s AI agents and continuous updates work. See clean core, SAP BTP and Joule agents, and for budgeting, S/4HANA migration cost and timeline.
ESS ENN Associates supports SAP S/4HANA programmes with AI-assisted assessment, custom-code and data remediation, and testing, through our AI agent development, data engineering and legacy modernisation teams. For an independent view of RISE or GROW for your organisation, Contact us.