PIM comparison
Akeneo vs ConnectingTheDots
Two PIM-first SaaS platforms with supplier onboarding and a DAM around the product record. How Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots differ on scope, data model, channels, AI, architecture and pricing, from public sources only.
Same category, two different emphases
Akeneo
In its own words “The Product Experience (PX) company”5
A French PIM vendor with open-source roots. It sells a SaaS suite it calls the Product Cloud: the PIM at the centre, with digital asset management, supplier onboarding and channel activation around it, and since the PricingHUB acquisition in 2026, pricing as well.
ConnectingTheDots
In its own words “Good product data starts before your PIM.”24
A Dutch PIM vendor based in Zwolle, run by ID Interactive B.V. under the ConnectingTheDots name. It sells a SaaS PIM in two plans, with an Import & Onboarding layer that maps and validates supplier data before it reaches the PIM, and AI agents for classification, enrichment and translation. It is aimed at retailers, wholesalers and brands; its published customer cases include Wehkamp, de Bijenkorf and ANWB.
“Both cover the core PIM job. Start from where your supplier data comes from and where it has to go, then test both on that route.”
What they have in common
Read the differences below against this common ground. Both are credible options for the same broad job.
- Both are PIM-first and product-focused: neither line-up has customer or location master data domains.
- Both are sold as SaaS run by the vendor.
- Both offer supplier onboarding and a DAM around the product record, packaged in different ways.
- Both run AI agents inside the PIM and use AI to structure incoming supplier data.
- Neither publishes a full price list, and neither lists a print module in its line-up.
When to look beyond both
You want a fully MACH, composable PIM with AI built in.
Bluestone PIM
Ergonode
You need multi-domain PIM and MDM, or GDSN and retailer compliance drive the project.
Syndigo
Stibo Systems
You need multi-domain PIM and MDM with AI features.
Viamedici
Informatica Product 360
You want commerce and PIM in one platform, with AI built in.
Crystallize
Pimcore
At a glance
The basic facts side by side. Every cell links to the public page it comes from.
| Akeneo | ConnectingTheDots | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 20131 | 2008, according to its LinkedIn page; its About page says active since 2009. It traded as ID interactive until a 2017 rename.252426 |
| Headquarters | Registered office in Nantes, France. Offices in eight cities, including Boston and Sydney.21 | Zwolle, the Netherlands (Nervistraat 2). The registry lists ID Interactive B.V., with ConnectingTheDots as its trading name.2728 |
| Ownership | Venture-backed. A $135M Series D in March 2022, led by Summit Partners with Alven and Partech, took total funding to $196M.3 | A private limited company (B.V.). Co-founder Max Schrevelius is named as an owner. We found no announced outside investment.2826 |
| Chief executive | Romain Fouache4 | Arnout Schutte, co-founder and managing director. Co-founder Max Schrevelius is commercial director.2930 |
| Size, in the vendor's own words | 400+ employees, 900+ enterprise customers, 200+ partners1 | 50+ implementations, as stated by ConnectingTheDots. Its LinkedIn page lists 51-200 employees. No customer count published.2425 |
| Delivery | SaaS on Google Cloud. The open-source Community Edition is still released for self-hosting.1417 | SaaS, as described by ConnectingTheDots. The hosting provider and data region are not published.3130 |
| Published pricing | Growth shows “starting at $0” a year next to a free trial. Advanced and Premium are quote only.8 | No prices published. PIM and PIM Enterprise are quoted per proposal, with implementation as a separate one-off cost.33 |
| Security certifications | ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type I14 | Not published: no security certification named on the ConnectingTheDots pages we checked. |
Factor by factor
Eight factors, each with how the two approaches differ. Open a factor for the sourced facts and the questions to ask both vendors. Nothing here is scored.
How a capability is deliveredDescribes packaging, not quality.
- In the platform
- Separate module
- Apps or partners
- Not offered
- Not publicly documented
01 · How they differProduct scope and packaging
Akeneo sells a modular Product Cloud in which supplier onboarding and shared catalogues are add-ons, PX Insights is included in Premium and an add-on below it, and PricingHUB adds pricing. ConnectingTheDots includes Import & Onboarding and Publishing & Channels in both of its plans, and adds ESG and compliance data such as EPR exports and Digital Product Passports.
What each vendor sells around the product record, and how it is packaged. Packaging decides what is in the licence, what costs extra, and who you call when something breaks.
Core PIM
The PIM, with Import & Onboarding in front of it and modules for the data model, workflows and AI, publishing, reporting and user management.32
Master data beyond products
Product data only: no customer, supplier or location domains in the Product Cloud line-up.7
Supplier onboarding
Digital assets
Syndication
Channel performance analytics
No channel performance or digital shelf analytics in the line-up. Reporting covers data quality, completeness and progress per channel.38
Sharing with partners
Print and publishing
Other modules
PricingHUB, acquired in June 2026, runs as a separate business unit inside Akeneo.10
Ask both vendors
- Which of our requirements are in the base subscription, and which are separate modules, add-ons or partner apps?
- Who supports a partner app when it breaks: you, the partner or us?
- Can we add a module later without a new implementation project?
02 · How they differData model and governance
Akeneo organises products into families of attributes, with variants, associations, reference entities and industry family templates. ConnectingTheDots models entities, product families, attributes, variants and relations, with fields per language, market and channel and category trees that can follow GS1 or ETIM.
How products, variants and relationships are modelled, and how each platform keeps data complete and approved. This decides how much of your catalogue fits without workarounds.
Modelling approach
Families of attributes, variants, categories, associations and reference entities, with industry family templates.9
Entities, product families, attributes, variants and relations, with contextual fields per language, market and channel. Category trees can follow GS1 or ETIM.35
Data quality
Data Quality Insights is part of the Product Cloud.7
Workflow and governance
Collaboration and rights features from the Advanced package, enterprise governance in Premium.8
Ask both vendors
- Model our three hardest products live: a configurable item, a bundle and a spare part with fitment data.
- How do completeness rules differ per channel and per locale?
- What does a change to the data model cost once we are live?
03 · How they differSyndication and channels
Akeneo sells channel activation as a product of its own, which it says reaches 500+ retailers and marketplaces, and lists connector apps for Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce and Shopify. ConnectingTheDots publishes through templates for Amazon, Bol and Kaufland, delivers GDSN records through a GS1 Connector (Qmica) and lists integrations for platforms such as Shopify, Shopware and commercetools.
How product content leaves the PIM: to your own webshop, to marketplaces and retailers, and to commerce platforms. If the number of channels is your bottleneck, this factor weighs more than the editing screens.
Delivery to retailers and marketplaces
Activation, which Akeneo says reaches 500+ retailers and marketplaces.7
Commerce platform connectors
Connector apps for Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce and Shopify, listed as add-ons in the package table.8
Integrations listed for Shopify, Magento and Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Shopware, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, commercetools and Lightspeed. The page does not say who maintains each one.41
Ask both vendors
- Show a live feed to one marketplace we use, including what happens when the channel rejects an item.
- Which channel connectors do you maintain yourselves, and which do partners maintain?
- When a retailer changes its template, who updates the mapping, and at what cost?
04 · How they differAI features
Akeneo runs a Data Architect Agent and Agentic Ziggy, which coordinates specialised agents, and offers an MCP server for outside AI tools. ConnectingTheDots runs agents for classification, enrichment, translation and channel checks as workflow steps, and publishes no statement on MCP access.
What AI does inside each product, as announced by the vendor. Vendors ship AI features several times a year, so read this as a snapshot and test on your own data.
Agents in the platform
AI in onboarding
AI extraction of product data from images and PDFs, from July 2025.11
Access for outside AI tools
An MCP server that reads and writes products, families and assets.13
Not published: no statement on an MCP server or other access for outside AI tools.
Ask both vendors
- Which AI features are in the subscription, and which are priced per use or per credit?
- Run the enrichment on ten of our real products and show what a reviewer still has to correct.
- Where is our data processed, and is it used to train models?
05 · How they differArchitecture and integrations
Akeneo runs on Google Cloud, on PHP and Symfony, with REST, GraphQL, an Event Platform and an App Store for extensions. ConnectingTheDots does not publish its hosting provider or stack, and offers an open API, feeds and webhooks; we found no public API documentation or app store.
How each platform is hosted, built, extended and connected to ERP, commerce and DAM systems. This is where IT teams spend most of their evaluation time.
Hosting
Technology
PHP and Symfony, with MySQL and Elasticsearch.16
Not published: no statement on the languages, frameworks or databases behind the platform.
APIs
REST (OpenAPI), GraphQL and an Event Platform for change events.19
Extensibility
Apps and custom apps through the App Store, plus UI extensions.19
Ask both vendors
- Which connectors for our ERP and commerce platform are yours, and which are built by partners?
- What are the API rate limits, and how long does a bulk import of our full catalogue take?
- Where is our data hosted, and can we choose the region?
06 · How they differPricing and licensing
Akeneo shows its Growth package starting at $0 a year next to a free trial, quotes Advanced and Premium, and keeps a free open-source Community Edition. ConnectingTheDots publishes no prices and quotes PIM and PIM Enterprise per proposal, with implementation as a separate one-off cost.
How each vendor packages its offer and what moves the price. Compare offers over three to five years, including modules, connectors, partner work and your own team, not on the first-year licence.
Published prices
Growth shows “starting at $0” a year next to a free trial. Advanced and Premium are quote only.8
None. ConnectingTheDots makes a proposal after reviewing requirements.33
Packages
Growth, Advanced and Premium. Supplier Data Manager and Shared Catalogs are add-ons in all three.8
PIM and PIM Enterprise. Enterprise adds multiple brands and markets, advanced governance and audit trails, and high-volume automation.33
Pricing unit
Not published: no statement on whether price follows products, users or channels.
No single unit: product range, data sources, sales channels and automation needs set the price. Implementation is a separate one-off cost.33
Open source
Community Edition, free under the OSL-3.0 licence. The latest release, v2026.4, came out in August 2026.17
No open-source edition. The terms grant a non-exclusive licence to use the software in object code and prohibit decompiling.52
Self-hosted licence
Support for self-hosted Enterprise Edition 7 ended on 30 September 2026. Enterprise customers move to SaaS for SLA-backed patches.18
No self-hosted edition is listed. The general terms mention client-managed servers on which the software runs, but no such offer is described.52
Ask both vendors
- Which metrics drive the price: products, users, channels, locales, API calls or modules?
- How are renewals priced, and is there a cap on increases?
- What does year three cost if our catalogue doubles?
07 · How they differPartners and implementation
Akeneo states 200+ partners and lists apps built by Akeneo and by partners in its App Store, without describing partner tiers. ConnectingTheDots publishes no tiers or partner count and agrees one of three collaboration models with each partner: referral, reseller or implementation partner.
Who implements the platform, and with what. The partner you pick shapes the project as much as the software does.
Partner network
200+ partners, as stated by Akeneo.1
Implementation partners, agencies, system integrators and technology partners. The partners page shows six logos: WoodWing, Qmica, PIMvendors, PIMDAMPET, Tweakwise and Bynder. No partner count published.51
Partner tiers
Not described on the pages we checked.
No tiers published. Three collaboration models (referral, reseller and implementation partner), chosen with each partner, with training and certification.51
Ask both vendors
- Which certified partners in our region have delivered a project like ours in the last two years?
- What does your own team do during the implementation, and what is left to the partner?
- Can we speak to two customers in our industry?
08 · How they differAnalyst coverage
Akeneo announced Leader placements in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM and the IDC MarketScape for PIM for Commerce 2024-2025. ConnectingTheDots is not among the 16 vendors in that Gartner edition, and we found no IDC or Forrester coverage of it.
Where analyst firms placed each vendor in recent editions, as announced by the vendor or the analyst. Analysts weigh criteria you may not share, so read this as a map of the market, not a ranking for your project.
Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM, 2026
Leader, as announced by Akeneo.6
Not among the 16 vendors in the edition, per Gartner's report.53
IDC MarketScape, latest PIM or MDM edition
Leader in the IDC MarketScape for PIM for Commerce 2024-2025, as announced by Akeneo.22
We found no IDC MarketScape for PIM that includes ConnectingTheDots, and no ConnectingTheDots statement on one.
The Forrester Wave, latest PIM or MDM edition
Strong Performer in the Q2 2021 edition. We found no Akeneo statement on the Q4 2023 edition.23
We found no Forrester Wave for PIM that includes ConnectingTheDots, and no ConnectingTheDots statement on one.
Ask both vendors
- Which of the analyst's criteria match our requirements, and where did you score lowest?
Where each tends to fit
Teams tend to shortlist Akeneo when
- the team wants a modular Product Cloud, with packages to start from and products such as Activation or PX Insights to add later
- developers want GraphQL, change events and an App Store, or already work in PHP and Symfony
- an open-source edition matters, for a pilot or for a self-hosted setup
- pricing should come from the same vendor as product data, through PricingHUB
Teams tend to shortlist ConnectingTheDots when
- many suppliers send product data in their own formats, and feeds should be mapped and validated before they reach the PIM
- the business is a retailer, wholesaler or brand that publishes to marketplaces such as Amazon, Bol and Kaufland
- the team manages ESG and compliance data, such as EPR exports or Digital Product Passports, next to the product record
- the team wants AI agents to run as steps in its own workflows, with suggestions a person can review, edit and revert
Expert view
Akeneo or ConnectingTheDots: it depends on your requirements
Early in a selection, Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots sit close together: both are PIM-first SaaS platforms for product data, both put supplier onboarding and a DAM around the product record, and both run AI agents inside the PIM. The differences show up in packaging, in how much each publishes about its stack and APIs, and in the channels each is built to reach.
Akeneo's modular Product Cloud, open-source edition and API-first stack suit teams that want to start from a package and build around the product record with their own developers or apps. ConnectingTheDots, with Import & Onboarding in front of the PIM, marketplace templates and ESG data, suits retailers, wholesalers and brands that take in product data from many suppliers. Neither profile matters unless it answers a requirement you can name.
What works best for you depends on your unique requirements. Write them down first, then ask both vendors to model your own products, import a real supplier file and publish to one of your channels. Get in touch and we will gladly help you set up that test with your own data.
Independent advice that starts from your requirements, not from a platform.
Recent moves
Releases, deals and leadership changes from both vendors, newest first, each with its source.
- Akeneo
Akeneo says it is a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM.
The page cites the Gartner report dated 12 October 2026.
Akeneo - Akeneo
Akeneo appoints customer success, marketing and centre of excellence leaders
Jean Lethuillier joins as vice president of customer success, Carole Offredo as chief marketing officer, and Edouard Dewulf as senior director of the global centre of excellence.
Akeneo - Akeneo
Akeneo Summer Release adds Agentic Ziggy
The release adds an agent layer so teams can coordinate agents that enrich and govern product data.
Akeneo - Akeneo
Akeneo acquires PricingHUB and adds pricing to its Product Cloud.
PricingHUB continues as a dedicated business unit inside Akeneo.
Akeneo - Akeneo
Akeneo ships its Spring 2026 release for an adaptive Product Cloud.
The release adds responsive catalog modeling and feeds discovery signals back into the product record.
Akeneo - ConnectingTheDots
ConnectingTheDots partners with Qmica on product data.
On 27 January 2026 the companies said they will combine the PIM with Qmica commerce tools for product data flows.
ConnectingTheDots
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots?
Both are PIM-first SaaS platforms with supplier onboarding and a DAM. Akeneo sells a modular Product Cloud on Google Cloud, keeps an open-source Community Edition, sells supplier onboarding as an add-on and, since 2026, owns the pricing platform PricingHUB. ConnectingTheDots puts Import & Onboarding in front of the PIM in both of its plans, publishes to marketplaces such as Bol and Kaufland, and manages ESG and compliance data. Which difference matters depends on your suppliers, your channels and your IT landscape.
Do Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots publish their prices?
Partly. Akeneo's package page shows the Growth package starting at $0 a year next to a free trial, and Advanced and Premium are quote only. ConnectingTheDots publishes no prices: it makes a proposal for PIM or PIM Enterprise after reviewing requirements, based on product range, data sources, sales channels and automation needs, with implementation as a separate one-off cost. Compare offers over three to five years.
Can you self-host Akeneo or ConnectingTheDots?
Akeneo still releases its open-source Community Edition, which you can host yourself. Support for the self-hosted Enterprise Edition 7 ended on 30 September 2026, after which Enterprise customers move to SaaS. ConnectingTheDots lists no self-hosted edition; its general terms mention client-managed servers, but no such offer is described on the pages we checked.
How do the AI features of Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots compare?
Akeneo's agents sit under its Data Architect Agent and Agentic Ziggy, it extracts product data from images and PDFs with AI, and its MCP server lets outside AI tools read and write products. ConnectingTheDots runs agents for classification, enrichment, translation and channel checks as workflow steps, and its Import & Onboarding layer uses AI to recognise formats and suggest mappings. It publishes no statement on MCP. Test both on your own products.
How do Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots handle supplier data?
Akeneo's Supplier Data Manager, an add-on in every package, works with templates and approval workflows, and AI can extract data from images and PDFs. ConnectingTheDots' Import & Onboarding, included in both plans, collects, maps and validates supplier feeds before they reach the PIM, and sends failing records to a work queue. Ask both vendors to import one of your real supplier files.
How do you choose between Akeneo and ConnectingTheDots?
Write down your requirements first. Then run a scripted demo in which both vendors model your own products, import a real supplier file and publish to one of your channels. Compare the offers over three to five years, including add-ons, implementation, connectors and partner work.
Read next
How this comparison was built
We compared the two vendors on public information only: their own websites, documentation and press releases, plus reporting that names its source. We did not run either product for this page and we do not score or rank. Where a vendor does not publish something, the page says so instead of guessing.
We have a relationship with every vendor on our platform. None gets preferential treatment: all are compared in the same way, on the same factors, for our customers.
Spotted something out of date? Email info@pimvendors.com and we will check it against the source.
Sources
- Akeneo About us
- Pappers Akeneo SAS company record (RCS 790 672 588)
- Akeneo Akeneo announces $135 million Series D Published 15 Mar 2022
- IT Brief UK Akeneo names three leaders to drive AI commerce push Published 9 Oct 2026
- PR Newswire via Yahoo Finance Akeneo named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM Solutions Published 15 Oct 2026
- Akeneo 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Product Information Management Solutions Published 12 Oct 2026
- Akeneo Akeneo Product Cloud
- Akeneo Compare packages
- Akeneo Akeneo PIM
- Akeneo Akeneo announces acquisition of PricingHUB Published 11 Jun 2026
- IT Brief Australia Akeneo unveils first AI agent and analytics tools for product data Published 30 Jul 2025
- Akeneo Akeneo introduces the first truly agentic product experience platform Published 8 Jul 2026
- Akeneo MCP server overview
- Akeneo Security
- Akeneo Akeneo available on Google Cloud Marketplace
- GitHub akeneo/pim-community-dev
- GitHub Akeneo PIM Community Edition v2026.4 Published 28 Aug 2026
- Akeneo Help Center Everything you need to know about our PIM versions
- Akeneo Akeneo API documentation
- Akeneo Akeneo App Store
- Akeneo Akeneo accelerators for S/4HANA
- PR Newswire IDC and Gartner recognize Akeneo as a global leader in PIM Published 4 Feb 2025
- Akeneo The Forrester Wave: PIM, Q2 2021
- ConnectingTheDots About ConnectingTheDots
- LinkedIn ConnectingTheDots company page
- Emerce Author profile: Max Schrevelius
- ConnectingTheDots Contact
- OpenCorporates ID Interactive B.V. company record (08185975)
- ConnectingTheDots Agentic commerce starts with product data. Not with AI. Published 8 Oct 2026
- ConnectingTheDots Webinar: Import & Onboarding in partnership with PIMvendors.com Published 8 Apr 2025
- ConnectingTheDots Implementation Consultant vacancy
- ConnectingTheDots PIM platform
- ConnectingTheDots PIM pricing and plans
- ConnectingTheDots Import & Onboarding
- ConnectingTheDots Data Model & Structure
- ConnectingTheDots Workflows & AI
- ConnectingTheDots Publishing & Channels
- ConnectingTheDots Reporting & Analytics
- ConnectingTheDots User Management
- ConnectingTheDots Product Information Management
- ConnectingTheDots Integrations
- ConnectingTheDots SAP Business One integration
- ConnectingTheDots GS1 Connector (Qmica)
- ConnectingTheDots Bynder DAM integration
- Bynder Marketplace ConnectingTheDots PIM
- ConnectingTheDots Customer case: Wehkamp
- ConnectingTheDots Customer case: Masimo
- ConnectingTheDots ESG and sustainability data
- ConnectingTheDots AI product data automation
- ConnectingTheDots Supplier data onboarding
- ConnectingTheDots Partners
- ConnectingTheDots Terms and Conditions
- Gartner Magic Quadrant for Product Information Management Solutions Published 12 Oct 2026