PIM comparison
ConnectingTheDots vs Stibo Systems
A product-focused SaaS PIM and a multi-domain MDM platform that includes PIM. How ConnectingTheDots and Stibo Systems 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.
Stibo Systems
In its own words “A leading provider of AI-powered master data management”37
A Danish master data management vendor, founded in 1976 and owned through the Stibo group by the Stibo Foundation. Its STEP platform manages product, customer, business partner, supplier and location data, with PIM, supplier onboarding and syndication packaged as the Product Experience Data Cloud. STEP runs as multi-tenant SaaS on Microsoft Azure, and on-premises releases continue.
“Start with scope: product data alone, or product data next to customers, suppliers and locations. Then test both with your own supplier files.”
What they have in common
Read the differences below against this common ground. Both are credible options for the same broad job.
- Both put supplier onboarding, digital assets and syndication around the product record, and both use AI to map incoming supplier data.
- Both support classification standards such as ETIM, and both build workflows visually, with tasks or assignees and deadlines.
- Both handle sustainability data: ESG and compliance data at ConnectingTheDots, a Sustainability Data Cloud at Stibo Systems.
- Both list a Bynder connector for teams that keep their assets in Bynder.
- Neither publishes prices or a single unit the price is based on.
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
Viamedici
You need multi-domain PIM and MDM with AI features.
ViamediciInformatica 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 | Stibo Systems | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2008, according to its LinkedIn page; its About page says active since 2009. It traded as ID interactive until a 2017 rename.213 | 1976, as part of the Stibo group, which dates back to 1794.32 |
| Headquarters | Zwolle, the Netherlands (Nervistraat 2). The registry lists ID Interactive B.V., with ConnectingTheDots as its trading name.45 | Headquarters in Aarhus (Højbjerg), Denmark. Offices include Atlanta, Reading, Hamburg, Utrecht, Bengaluru and Sydney.3233 |
| Ownership | A private limited company (B.V.). Co-founder Max Schrevelius is named as an owner. We found no announced outside investment.53 | A subsidiary of Stibo Software Group, part of the Stibo group, which is 100% owned by the Stibo Foundation.6834 |
| Chief executive | Arnout Schutte, co-founder and managing director. Co-founder Max Schrevelius is commercial director.67 | Adrian Carr, since December 202135 |
| 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 | 600 employees in 18 offices; 14 of the Fortune 100 and 42 of the Fortune 500 as customers. Revenue of DKK 1.31 billion in FY 2025-26.3236 |
| Delivery | SaaS, as described by ConnectingTheDots. The hosting provider and data region are not published.87 | Multi-tenant SaaS on Microsoft Azure. On-premises STEP is still released.3955 |
| 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 on stibosystems.com.31 |
| Security certifications | Not published: no security certification named on the ConnectingTheDots pages we checked. | ISO 27001, certified by DNV, and a SOC 2 attestation. The page does not state the SOC 2 type.38 |
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 keeps to product data, with no customer or location domains, and includes Import & Onboarding and Publishing & Channels in both of its plans; it lists no print module or channel analytics. Stibo Systems runs PIM as the Product Experience Data Cloud on STEP, next to customer, business partner, supplier and location data, and adds STEP Publisher for InDesign and digital shelf analytics as modules.
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
PIM is part of the Product Experience Data Cloud, built on the STEP platform.40
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
Customer, business partner, supplier and location data run on the same STEP platform, each as its own Data Cloud.39
Supplier onboarding
Import & Onboarding collects, maps and validates supplier feeds before they reach the PIM. Supplier data onboarding is in both plans.1110
Product Data Onboarding, with a supplier portal, validation rules and AI-driven data mapping.42
Digital assets
Syndication
Publishing & Channels sends channel-specific data by push, feed or API, with templates for Amazon, Bol and Kaufland. Included in both plans.1410
Product Data Syndication, a service in the Product Experience Data Cloud.43
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
No separate sharing portal. Suppliers and external partners can work on their own part of the catalogue, and a wholesale portal can be fed as a channel.1614
PDX Digital Catalog for sharing authorised content with retailers, and API delivery to global partners.44
Print and publishing
No print module in the line-up. The publishing page shows a catalogue channel but does not describe print or PDF output.914
STEP Publisher, a plug-in that places product data and assets in Adobe InDesign, including whole catalogues.49
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, families, variants and relations with fields per language, market and channel, with category trees that can follow GS1 or ETIM. Stibo Systems models object types for products, entities, assets and classifications linked by references, supports TecDoc, BMEcat, ETIM and ECLASS, and scores completeness per object.
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
Data quality
Business rules and validations per product type, checks at import that send failing records to a work queue, and completeness reports per product and channel.121115
Validation rules, data profiling and a weighted completeness score per object.45
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
The STEP Workflow Designer, a graphical editor of states and transitions with assignees, deadlines and mandatory data.57
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, reaches GDSN data pools through a GS1 Connector (Qmica), and lists commerce integrations such as Shopify, Shopware, commercetools and Lightspeed. Stibo Systems syndicates to retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and The Home Depot, reaches data pools through 1WorldSync, and lists Intershop, Sitecore, VTEX and Salesforce B2B in its connector gallery.
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
Publishing templates for Amazon, Bol and Kaufland, with channel-specific prices and mappings. A GS1 Connector (Qmica) delivers GDSN records to data pools.1420
Product Data Syndication reaches retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and The Home Depot, and data pools through 1WorldSync. A partnership with NIQ Brandbank covers 700 retailers and wholesalers in 39 markets, as stated by Stibo Systems.43
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 has published no statement on MCP. Stibo Systems has run an MCP Server since June 2026 and announced its AgentWorkx agent platform in September 2026, which its platform page lists as coming soon.
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 does not publish its hosting provider, region or stack, offers an open API with feeds and webhooks, and integrates with SAP Business One. Stibo Systems runs on Microsoft Azure or on premises, is built in Java, offers REST and GraphQL APIs, and builds its own IDoc connectors for SAP R/3, ECC and S/4HANA.
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.
Java. Custom extensions are Java plug-ins built with the Extension API.60
APIs
Extensibility
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
ConnectingTheDots sells two plans, PIM and PIM Enterprise, quoted per proposal with implementation as a separate one-off cost, and lists no self-hosted edition. Stibo Systems publishes no named tiers, splits its offer into Data Clouds per domain, and still releases on-premises STEP.
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 published on stibosystems.com.31
Packages
PIM and PIM Enterprise. Enterprise adds multiple brands and markets, advanced governance and audit trails, and high-volume automation.10
No named tiers. The offer is split into Data Clouds per domain: Product Experience, Customer Experience, Business Partner, Supplier, Location and Sustainability.39
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 records, domains, users or environments.
Open source
No open-source edition. The terms grant a non-exclusive licence to use the software in object code and prohibit decompiling.29
Self-hosted licence
No self-hosted edition is listed. The general terms mention client-managed servers on which the software runs, but no such offer is described.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 works with partners in three collaboration models (referral, reseller and implementation partner), without published tiers or a partner count. Stibo Systems listed 70 partners in its directory when checked, in Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze tiers, and partners such as Cantor and Sitation sell their own tooling for STEP.
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
70 partners in the partner directory when we checked, in implementation and referral roles across four regions.67
Partner tiers
No tiers published. Three collaboration models (referral, reseller and implementation partner), chosen with each partner, with training and certification.28
Partner-built tooling
The GS1 Connector carries Qmica's name and uses validated GS1 data from Qmica; who builds it is not stated. We found no other partner-built tooling.2018
Partners sell their own tooling for STEP, such as Cantor's Companion and Sitation's Plezio Connect.67
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 Gartner's 2026 Magic Quadrant for PIM, and we found no IDC or Forrester PIM placement for it. Stibo Systems announced Leader placements in the same Gartner edition and in IDC MarketScape reports for PIM, and cites Leader placements in MDM reports from Gartner and Forrester.
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 Stibo Systems.68
IDC MarketScape, latest PIM or MDM edition
We found no IDC MarketScape for PIM that includes ConnectingTheDots, and no ConnectingTheDots statement on one.
The Forrester Wave, latest PIM or MDM edition
We found no Forrester Wave for PIM that includes ConnectingTheDots, and no ConnectingTheDots statement on one.
Leader in The Forrester Wave: Master Data Management Solutions, Q2 2025, as announced by Stibo Systems.69
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
- product data is the whole scope, and supplier feeds need validating before they reach the PIM
- products go to Bol, Kaufland or Amazon, and to shops on Shopware or Lightspeed
- items, price lists and stock should flow in from SAP Business One
- the team wants two plans to choose from, with onboarding and publishing in both
Teams tend to shortlist Stibo Systems when
- product, customer, supplier and location data should run on one platform
- SAP R/3, ECC or S/4HANA exchanges material, customer and vendor master data through IDocs
- print catalogues in Adobe InDesign should come from the same record as the webshop
- the platform should run on Microsoft Azure or on premises, extended with Java plug-ins
Expert view
ConnectingTheDots or Stibo Systems: it depends on your requirements
Looking only at product data, ConnectingTheDots and Stibo Systems cover the same tasks: both put supplier onboarding, digital assets and syndication around the product record, both use AI to map incoming supplier data, and neither publishes prices. The differences show up in scope and landscape: ConnectingTheDots keeps to product data as SaaS, while Stibo Systems runs PIM as one Data Cloud on STEP next to customer, supplier and location data, on Azure or on premises.
ConnectingTheDots' Import & Onboarding layer and workflow agents suit retailers, wholesalers and brands that want product data checked before it enters the PIM, with two plans to choose from. Stibo Systems' STEP platform suits organisations that want product data mastered next to other domains, with IDoc connectors to SAP and print to InDesign. Neither strength matters unless it answers a requirement you can name.
What works best for you depends on your unique requirements. Settle which data domains are in scope first, then test both with your own products, supplier files and ERP data. Get in touch and we will happily help you shape that test, vendor-neutral.
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.
- Stibo Systems
Stibo Systems says it is a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for PIM.
Stibo Systems - Stibo Systems
Stibo Systems releases STEP 2026.3, including a self-service MCP server
Administrators can switch on the Consumer MCP Server from the self-service UI, and the new interface gains AI assistance. Stibo says 2026.3 is available on SaaS only.
Stibo Systems - Stibo Systems
Stibo Systems launches AgentWorkx for governed MDM agents
The first release includes an Upload Anything agent and a Content Optimizer agent inside STEP.
Stibo Systems - Stibo Systems
Stibo Systems launches an MCP server for master data
The server lets AI agents query governed master data through the Model Context Protocol.
Stibo Systems - Stibo Systems
Stibo Systems reports DKK 1.31 billion in revenue
For fiscal 2025/26 revenue reached DKK 1.31 billion, up 6 percent, and SaaS revenue rose 17 percent.
Stibo Systems - 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 Stibo Systems?
ConnectingTheDots is a product-focused PIM sold as SaaS in two plans, with an Import & Onboarding layer that maps and validates supplier data before it reaches the PIM. Stibo Systems is a master data management vendor whose STEP platform runs product, customer, business partner, supplier and location data, with PIM packaged as the Product Experience Data Cloud, on Microsoft Azure or on premises. Which difference matters depends on how many data domains you want on one platform and on your IT landscape.
Do ConnectingTheDots and Stibo Systems 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, with implementation as a separate one-off cost. Stibo Systems publishes no prices on stibosystems.com and splits its offer into Data Clouds per domain. Ask both which metrics drive cost and compare offers over three to five years.
Can you self-host ConnectingTheDots or Stibo Systems?
ConnectingTheDots lists no self-hosted edition: it describes its PIM as SaaS, and its general terms mention client-managed servers without describing such an offer. Stibo Systems still releases on-premises STEP, with change logs up to release 2026.3, next to multi-tenant SaaS on Microsoft Azure. Neither offers an open-source edition.
How do the AI features of ConnectingTheDots and Stibo Systems compare?
Both use AI to map supplier data during onboarding. ConnectingTheDots runs AI agents for classification, enrichment, translation and channel checks as steps in the customer's workflows, with suggestions that can be reviewed, edited and reverted. Stibo Systems announced AgentWorkx in September 2026, starting with Upload Anything and Content Optimizer agents and listed as coming soon, and has run an MCP Server for outside AI tools since June 2026. Test both on your own products.
How do ConnectingTheDots and Stibo Systems connect to SAP?
ConnectingTheDots offers a SAP Business One integration that pulls items, bills of materials, price lists and stock into the PIM; SAP S/4HANA is not named on its integration pages. Stibo Systems builds IDoc connectors for SAP R/3, ECC and S/4HANA, covering material, customer and vendor master data. Ask both to show the connector for your own SAP system in the demo.
How do you choose between ConnectingTheDots and Stibo Systems?
Write down your requirements first, and decide whether you are buying a PIM or the start of a master data programme. Then run a scripted demo in which both vendors model your own products, import a real supplier file and connect to your ERP. Compare the offers over three to five years, including modules, connectors and implementation.
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
- Stibo Systems Homepage
- Stibo Systems About Stibo Systems
- Stibo Systems Locations
- Stibo The Stibo group
- Stibo Systems Leadership: Adrian Carr
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems reports record fiscal year as demand for trusted, AI-ready data accelerates Published 25 Jun 2026
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems celebrates 50 years Published 5 May 2026
- Stibo Systems Security and compliance
- Stibo Systems STEP, the Trusted Intelligence Platform
- Stibo Systems Product Experience Data Cloud
- Stibo Systems Product information management
- Stibo Systems Product data onboarding
- Stibo Systems Data sharing
- Stibo Systems Data quality
- Stibo Systems Data modeling
- Stibo Systems Data integration
- Stibo Systems Connectivity gallery
- Stibo Systems Connector: Adobe InDesign
- Stibo Systems Connector: Intershop
- Stibo Systems Connector: SAP material master (MATMAS)
- Stibo Systems Connector: SAP DEBMAS
- Stibo Systems Connector: SAP CREMAS
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems launches solution on Microsoft Azure Marketplace Published 15 May 2023
- Stibo Systems documentation Stibo Systems product documentation
- Stibo Systems documentation STEP on-premises change logs
- Stibo Systems documentation STEP Workflow Designer (STEP 2026.3)
- Stibo Systems documentation REST API V2 enhancements and changes (release 2026.1)
- Stibo Systems documentation Configuring extensions on SaaS environments (STEP 2026.1)
- Stibo Systems Academy DEV 253: Extension API
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems rolls out new AI capabilities Published 23 Jul 2025
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems launches MCP Server to connect enterprise master data to AI agents Published 29 Jun 2026
- Stibo Systems MCP Server
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems announces agentic AI engine, AgentWorkx Published 29 Sept 2026
- Stibo Systems Partners
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems launches Partner 360 program Published 13 May 2025
- Stibo Systems Find a partner
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Product Information Management Solutions Published 15 Oct 2026
- Stibo Systems Stibo Systems named a Leader in The Forrester Wave for MDM, Q2 2025 Published 5 Jun 2025
- Stibo Systems IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Retail Product Information Management Applications 2025
- Stibo Systems IDC MarketScape: Worldwide PIM Applications for Commerce 2024-2025