PIM comparison
ConnectingTheDots vs inriver
Two PIM-first SaaS platforms that use AI to map incoming supplier data. How ConnectingTheDots and inriver differ on scope, data model, channels, AI, architecture and pricing, from public sources only.
Same category, two different emphases
ConnectingTheDots
In its own words “Good product data starts before your PIM.”1
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.
inriver
In its own words “Product information orchestration for the AI era”35
A Swedish PIM vendor, majority-owned by Thomas H. Lee Partners since 2022. Its platform runs as multitenant SaaS on Microsoft Azure and puts weight on how content leaves the PIM: syndication, digital shelf analytics and print from the same record.
“Both put the product record first. Choose on how your supplier data arrives, where your content has to go, and what your IT landscape runs on.”
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, and neither lists a self-hosted or open-source edition.
- Both onboard supplier data through a layer of their own and use AI to suggest mappings.
- Both offer visual workflow tools and AI agents inside the PIM, and both connect to Bynder.
- Neither publishes prices: both quote after reviewing requirements.
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.
| ConnectingTheDots | inriver | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2008, according to its LinkedIn page; its About page says active since 2009. It traded as ID interactive until a 2017 rename.213 | 200731 |
| Headquarters | Zwolle, the Netherlands (Nervistraat 2). The registry lists ID Interactive B.V., with ConnectingTheDots as its trading name.45 | Global headquarters in Malmö, Sweden. Offices in Munich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Chicago and Davao.32 |
| Ownership | A private limited company (B.V.). Co-founder Max Schrevelius is named as an owner. We found no announced outside investment.53 | Thomas H. Lee Partners took a majority stake in May 2022. Verdane kept a significant stake.33 |
| Chief executive | Arnout Schutte, co-founder and managing director. Co-founder Max Schrevelius is commercial director.67 | Rohit Goyal, since April 202434 |
| Size, in the vendor's own words | 50+ implementations, as stated by ConnectingTheDots. Its LinkedIn page lists 51-200 employees. No customer count published.12 | 300+ employees, 1,600+ brands, 300+ partners31 |
| Delivery | SaaS, as described by ConnectingTheDots. The hosting provider and data region are not published.87 | Multitenant SaaS on Microsoft Azure. We found no self-hosted edition.38 |
| Published pricing | No prices published. PIM and PIM Enterprise are quoted per proposal, with implementation as a separate one-off cost.10 | No prices published. inriver says every plan is customised.37 |
| Security certifications | Not published: no security certification named on the ConnectingTheDots pages we checked. | ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27701:2019, SOC 2 Type II38 |
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
ConnectingTheDots includes Import & Onboarding and Publishing & Channels in both plans, has a DAM component of its own and adds ESG and compliance data. inriver ties capabilities to four plan tiers, with syndication and Brand Store from Core, digital shelf analytics from Professional and InDesign print as a module, and connects to DAMs such as AEM Assets, Aprimo and Bynder.
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.9
Master data beyond products
Product-focused: no customer or location master data domains in the module line-up. The data model builds golden records from several sources.912
Product data only: no customer, supplier or location domains in the module line-up.35
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.15
Sharing with partners
Print and publishing
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
ConnectingTheDots models entities, product families, variants and relations, with fields per language, market and channel and category trees that can follow GS1 or ETIM. inriver models configurable entity types linked to each other, with Product, Item and Resource as the common core types.
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
Entities, product families, attributes, variants and relations, with contextual fields per language, market and channel. Category trees can follow GS1 or ETIM.12
Entity types made of fields, with link types between entities. The common core types are Product, Item and Resource.39
Data quality
Workflow and governance
Visual workflows where each step is done by a person, an AI agent or the workflow, with tasks, notifications and deadlines. The pricing table lists advanced governance and audit trails for Enterprise only.1310
A Visual Workflow Builder, released in March 2026.46
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
ConnectingTheDots publishes through templates for Amazon, Bol and Kaufland and lists integrations for platforms such as Shopify, Magento, Shopware and commercetools. inriver delivers through Syndicate Advance by API, file, partners or managed service, adds ChannelEngine's marketplace network and builds adapters for Adobe Commerce, SAP Commerce Cloud and Salesforce B2C Commerce.
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
Commerce platform connectors
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.18
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
ConnectingTheDots runs agents for classification, enrichment, translation and channel checks as workflow steps, and publishes no statement on MCP access. inriver runs Inspire agents for generation, translation, enhancement and enrichment, and has offered an MCP server since October 2025.
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
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
ConnectingTheDots is SaaS and does not publish its hosting provider or stack; it offers an open API, feeds and webhooks and a SAP Business One integration. inriver runs on Microsoft Azure on .NET, with a REST API, C# extensions and a connector for S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition certified by SAP.
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
Not published: no statement on the languages, frameworks or databases behind the platform.
.NET. inriver publishes a .NET package for its Remoting API.41
APIs
Extensibility
SAP S/4HANA
A SAP Business One integration pulls items, bills of materials, price lists and stock into the PIM. SAP S/4HANA is not named on the integration pages.1918
A connector for S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, certified by SAP on BTP and sold as an add-on in the SAP Store.44
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
Neither publishes prices. ConnectingTheDots quotes two plans, PIM and PIM Enterprise, with implementation as a separate one-off cost; inriver customises every plan across its Foundation, Core, Professional and Enterprise tiers.
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
None. ConnectingTheDots makes a proposal after reviewing requirements.10
None. inriver says every plan is fully customisable.37
Packages
PIM and PIM Enterprise. Enterprise adds multiple brands and markets, advanced governance and audit trails, and high-volume automation.10
Foundation, Core, Professional and Enterprise, with capabilities added per tier.37
Pricing unit
No single unit: product range, data sources, sales channels and automation needs set the price. Implementation is a separate one-off cost.10
Not published: no statement on whether price follows products, users or channels.
Open source
No open-source edition. The terms grant a non-exclusive licence to use the software in object code and prohibit decompiling.29
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
ConnectingTheDots publishes no tiers or partner count and agrees one of three collaboration models with each partner: referral, reseller or implementation partner. inriver states 300+ partners in Platinum, Gold and Silver tiers, and partners such as abilex, Avensia and Aperture Labs sell implementation accelerators.
Who implements the platform, and with what. The partner you pick shapes the project as much as the software does.
Partner network
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.28
300+ partners, as stated by inriver.31
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
ConnectingTheDots is not among the 16 vendors in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM, and we found no IDC or Forrester coverage of it. inriver announced Leader placements in that Gartner edition and in the IDC MarketScape for PIM 2024-2025.
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
Not among the 16 vendors in the edition, per Gartner's report.30
Leader, as announced by inriver.50
IDC MarketScape, latest PIM or MDM edition
We found no IDC MarketScape for PIM that includes ConnectingTheDots, and no ConnectingTheDots statement on one.
Leader in the IDC MarketScape for PIM 2024-2025, as announced by inriver.51
The Forrester Wave, latest PIM or MDM edition
We found no Forrester Wave for PIM that includes ConnectingTheDots, and no ConnectingTheDots statement on one.
Strong Performer in the Q4 2023 edition.52
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 ConnectingTheDots when
- supplier feeds should be mapped and validated before they reach the PIM, with failing records sent to a work queue
- content goes to marketplaces such as Amazon, Bol and Kaufland, with prices and mappings per channel
- category trees should follow GS1 or ETIM, and the DAM should sit in the same platform as the PIM
- the team keeps ESG evidence with validity dates, EPR exports and Digital Product Passports next to the product record
Teams tend to shortlist inriver when
- products have relationships that need their own records, such as products, items and resources
- the team wants to see how content performs on the digital shelf, next to syndication from the same platform
- print catalogues and data sheets in InDesign should come from the same record as the webshop
- the IT landscape runs on Microsoft Azure and .NET, or on SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Expert view
ConnectingTheDots or inriver: it depends on your requirements
Measured against the core PIM job, ConnectingTheDots and inriver cover the same ground: both are PIM-first SaaS for product data, both onboard supplier data with AI-suggested mappings, both build workflows visually, and neither publishes prices. The differences show up around the record: in how supplier data comes in, in how content reaches channels, print and the digital shelf, and in what each platform runs on.
ConnectingTheDots, with Import & Onboarding in front of the PIM, marketplace templates and ESG data, suits retailers, wholesalers and brands that take in data from many suppliers. inriver, with syndication, digital shelf analytics and print from the same record on Microsoft Azure, suits teams whose bottleneck is getting content out to many places. 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 import a real supplier file, model your hardest products and publish to one of your channels. We are glad to help you set up that test, so get in touch with us.
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.
- inriver
inriver announces a Leader placement in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM
The announcement cites the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Product Information Management Solutions.
inriver - inriver
inriver and OrigoVero partner on item-level passports
OrigoVero said on 22 August 2026 that the two companies had signed a technology partnership linking inriver product records to item-level digital product passports.
OrigoVero - inriver
inriver ships its Summer 2026 release for AI-driven product commerce
The release adds an in-platform enrichment assistant, expanded MCP endpoints, and more catalog automation.
inriver - inriver
SAP certifies inriver's S/4HANA Cloud connector on BTP
SAP certified the connector as built with SAP Business Technology Platform and integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.
inriver - 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 ConnectingTheDots and inriver?
Both are PIM-first SaaS platforms with AI in supplier onboarding and agents in the PIM. ConnectingTheDots puts Import & Onboarding in front of the PIM in both of its plans, has its own DAM component, publishes to marketplaces such as Bol and Kaufland and manages ESG and compliance data. inriver runs on Microsoft Azure and ties syndication, digital shelf analytics and its Brand Store to plan tiers, with InDesign print as a module. Which difference matters depends on your suppliers, your channels and your IT landscape.
Do ConnectingTheDots and inriver publish their prices?
No. ConnectingTheDots 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. inriver says every plan is customised, across its Foundation, Core, Professional and Enterprise tiers, and does not publish the unit the price is based on. Compare offers over three to five years.
How do the AI features of ConnectingTheDots and inriver compare?
ConnectingTheDots runs agents for classification, enrichment, translation and channel checks as workflow steps, with suggestions a person can review, edit and revert, and uses AI in Import & Onboarding to suggest mappings. It publishes no statement on MCP. inriver's Inspire engine runs agents for generation, translation, enhancement and enrichment, maps onboarding data with AI and offers an MCP server for outside AI tools. Test both on your own products.
Do ConnectingTheDots and inriver include a DAM?
ConnectingTheDots has a DAM component for images, manuals, documents and videos linked to products, plus a two-way Bynder connector it developed for teams that keep Bynder. inriver states no native DAM and integrates with AEM Assets, Aprimo and Bynder. If your assets already live in a DAM, ask both to show the connection to it.
Do ConnectingTheDots and inriver connect to SAP?
ConnectingTheDots has a SAP Business One integration that pulls items, bills of materials, price lists and stock into the PIM, and does not name SAP S/4HANA on its integration pages. inriver has a connector for S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, certified by SAP on BTP and sold as an add-on in the SAP Store. Ask both to show the connection with your own SAP system.
How do you choose between ConnectingTheDots and inriver?
Write down your requirements first. Then run a scripted demo in which both vendors import a real supplier file, model your own products and publish to one of your channels. Compare the offers over three to five years, including plan tiers, modules, implementation 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
- 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
- inriver About
- inriver Contact and offices
- PR Newswire inriver announces growth investment from Thomas H. Lee Partners Published 19 May 2022
- inriver inriver appoints Rohit Goyal as CEO Published 23 Apr 2024
- inriver inriver PIM product overview
- inriver Homepage
- inriver Plans
- inriver Data security
- inriver Community Data model: entities, link types, fields and CVLs
- inriver Community Integrating inriver: an overview
- NuGet inRiver.Remoting.iPMC package Published 8 Sept 2026
- inriver Integrations
- inriver inriver earns Microsoft Certified Software designation Published 6 May 2026
- inriver inriver SAP cloud connector certified on SAP BTP Published 28 May 2026
- inriver inriver raises the bar for product data control Published 1 Oct 2025
- inriver inriver advances agentic AI in product information management Published 24 Mar 2026
- inriver inriver extends PIM to AI commerce Published 30 Jun 2026
- inriver inriver adds Tom Ebling to its board and partners with ChannelEngine Published 28 May 2025
- inriver Solution partners
- inriver inriver recognized as a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM Published 15 Oct 2026
- inriver inriver recognized as a Leader in the 2024-2025 IDC MarketScape for PIM Published 17 Dec 2024
- inriver The Forrester Wave: PIM, Q4 2023