Software isn't tooth brushes. The simpler and more specialized it is the cheaper it is to maintain. The more complex it is the harder it is to maintain.
Software R&D is a fixed cost. An ERP package with its at most 10,000 installations amortizes that cost on far fewer users than Linux with its millions of licensed installs.
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I'd hardly call a $400 per year per seat contract top dollar.
There is software out there that is both much worse and costs in the tens to hundreds of thousands per seat per year.
There are economies of scale for widely-used software.
Reality disagrees.
Software isn't tooth brushes. The simpler and more specialized it is the cheaper it is to maintain. The more complex it is the harder it is to maintain.
Software R&D is a fixed cost. An ERP package with its at most 10,000 installations amortizes that cost on far fewer users than Linux with its millions of licensed installs.