How we compare
The results follow fixed rules based on the providers' information. This page explains which rules these are and where their limits lie.
1. Your requirements
In the software finder you choose your sales channels and your order volume. Everything you select – channels and special requirements such as warehouse, DATEV or returns – is a requirement that must be met. We always check the core functions Order processing, Stock sync, Invoices.
Your answer to “What matters most to you?” adds disclosed preferences. They never change the fit, only the order among equally suitable providers:
- Low costs: Among equally suitable options, the calculated monthly price decides first.
- Simple & automated: Preferences: runs in the browser, automation rules, stock reservation, unlimited users.
- Lots of features: Preferences: warehouse & pick-pack, shipping labels, returns, purchasing, e-invoicing, DATEV, multiple warehouses, API.
The quick-start profiles (Beginner, Growing multichannel seller, Pro with warehouse) only set a visible preset that you can change at any time. The same applies to the presets on our topic pages.
Margin scheme (§ 25a UStG)
The switch for used goods has two levels:
- Automated processing: Purchase and sale are matched per item, the margin is calculated and reported for bookkeeping. Requirements: Margin scheme, Purchase ↔ sale, Automatic margin, Report. Preferences: Serial number/IMEI, § 25a returns, Mixed orders.
- Invoices only: Invoices without VAT shown and with the § 25a note are enough for me; I calculate the margin myself. Requirements: Margin scheme. Preferences: Purchase ↔ sale, Automatic margin, Report.
We rate a provider as “automated” if invoicing, matching of purchase and sale, calculation of the margin and reporting are documented by the provider. You'll find the comparison of all sub-criteria on the margin scheme page.
2. What an entry means
Every entry about a provider has one of the following statuses. This lets us distinguish clearly between “missing” and “we don't know”.
| Status | Meaning | Effect on requirements |
|---|---|---|
| available | The provider explicitly mentions the feature or channel. | met |
| Add-on | Available at extra cost. For requirements, we include the price of the add-on in the costs. | met |
| partial | Only available to a limited extent; the limitation is stated in the note. | open – please check |
| Beta | Available as a beta version. | open – please check |
| announced | Announced but currently not usable. | not met |
| not available | Not available according to the provider, e.g. because the provider publishes a complete list of supported channels. | not met |
| not documented | The provider doesn't mention it. That doesn't mean it's missing – we just couldn't document it. | open – please check |
For preferences, “available” counts one point, “add-on”, “partial” and “beta” half a point each, everything else zero. We don't include add-ons for preferences in the costs but show them as “at extra cost” – unless the add-on is already included for a requirement; then it counts fully.
3. The right plan
For each provider we check all plans:
- Do the published limits fit? For example, maximum orders, revenue or number of channels. All selected channels that the provider can connect are counted.
- How well does the plan meet your requirements and preferences?
- What does it cost at your order volume?
We choose the plan that best meets the requirements; in a tie, a plan with a published price comes before “on request”, then the one with more preferences, then the cheaper one.
4. The costs
We calculate with the base fee, included orders, costs for additional orders or order packages and required add-ons – all per month, excluding VAT. Depending on the available data, we show:
- a calculated amount if all necessary prices are published,
- a range if the provider only publishes prices for certain volumes (we don't interpolate),
- a minimum price (“from”) if components such as order or revenue surcharges are not published,
- “on request” if there is no published price.
We compare prices cautiously. An uncertain price must never end up ahead of a provably cheaper offer because of an optimistic minimum. Therefore:
- Calculable prices – exact or as a range – are compared using the highest possible amount, i.e. the upper limit for a range.
- Minimum prices (“from”) come after them, because their actual amount is open-ended.
- “On request” comes last. An unknown amount is never counted as €0.
We only show “Provably the cheapest solution” if a provider's upper limit is below the minimum price of all other suitable providers. If a price comes from a third-party source instead of the provider, this is noted next to the price.
Switching and growth
If you tell us which software you use today, we compare it with the best alternative in the ranking – the order doesn't change. We only state a saving if both prices can be calculated, and then as a range. The growth preview calculates the same requirements at double and triple the volume and re-selects the plan each time.
5. The ranking
The default sorting is Best fit. Providers are compared in exactly this order; each step only decides if the previous one is equal:
- Fit: first providers that meet all requirements with documentation, then those with open points, finally those with gaps
- fewer unmet requirements
- fewer open requirements
- more points for preferences (with the priority “Low costs”, price comes before preferences)
- lower price according to the cautious price rule (see section 4)
- more room for growth within published plans
- alphabetical
You can choose two further sort orders yourself. Providers with gaps always come last:
- Lowest price: according to the cautious price rule from section 4.
- Most features: by feature points across all 19 features in our catalogue for the selected plan (available = 1, add-on/partial/beta = 0.5).
We deliberately don't give percentages or star ratings: the data isn't precise enough for that. We don't rate usability as long as we haven't tested the products systematically ourselves.
6. Advertising and partners
The calculation knows no provider names and no partnerships. Partners cannot buy their position. An ad may appear above the ranking; it is clearly labelled as an “Ad”, sits outside the numbered positions and is only shown if the provider meets all your requirements. If the provider is already ranked first, it is not shown. The reasons in the ad only appear if they match your selection and are backed by provider sources. More under About us & funding.
7. Up-to-dateness
Every source has a check date. If it is older than 90 days, we point this out in the provider profile. You'll find all sources under Sources.