E-Commerce & Retail
Xentral or JTL? Both systems from the E-Commerce & Retail segment – neutrally contrasted: suitability profile, prices, ratings, strengths/weaknesses and DACH compliance.
Last editorial review: July 2026How we rate
At a glance
Where Xentral and JTL lead across the recorded metrics – derived purely from the data.
Xentral
4 advantages- Better avg. user rating4,5 vs. 3,8
- Manufacturing & production
- Services & projects
- DACH compliance
JTL
1 advantages- Cheaper entry pricefrom €99/month vs. Start edition €0, Advanced from ~€99/month
Suitability profile compared
How strongly both systems cover the typical areas of use – the curated editorial assessment (scale 0–3) as a radar and as exact bars.
- E-commerce & retail
- XentralspecialistJTLspecialist
- Manufacturing & production
- XentralbasicJTLno focus
- Services & projects
- XentralbasicJTLno focus
- International reach
- XentralbasicJTLbasic
- DACH compliance
- XentralspecialistJTLstrong
Scale 0–3, a curated editorial assessment. The same yardstick as in the ERP finder.
Facts side by side
| Xentral | JTL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | from €99/month | Start edition €0, Advanced from ~€99/month |
| Pricing model | Volume-based subscription (by order volume), unlimited users | Since 04/2026 subscription-/edition-based (Start/Advanced/Pro/Enterprise) |
| Company size | approx. 5-50 employees, scaling into the lower mid-market | Small to mid-sized online retailers (SMEs) |
| Deployment | Cloud (SaaS) | Hybrid (on-premise + cloud via hosting) |
| Hosting | DE (AWS Frankfurt) | DE (self-hosted) / partner cloud |
| Origin | Germany | Germany |
| Founded | 2008 (Xentral brand since 2017) | 2008 |
| Employees | approx. 150-200 | over 200 |
| Trial | 14 days free, no credit card - access ends automatically. | JTL Start permanently free (no time limit); no separate time-limited trial phase. |
| Minimum term | Monthly, annual or 2-year contract depending on the offer; Scale plan with flexible contracts. | Monthly or 12-month term with automatic renewal. |
| Support / SLA | Tiered SLAs (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm): standard Prio-1 emergency response within 2 hrs, Business support first response within 8 hrs, Priority support (add-on) Prio 1 within 1 hr with resolution in 24 hrs. | Edition-dependent support levels with shorter response times in higher editions; consulting requests within 24 hrs. Specific SLA times not publicly disclosed. |
Prices are approximations (as of 2026) and should be checked with the vendor before deciding.
User ratings side by side
Average across the linked third-party portals – the linked source is authoritative in each case.
What sets each system apart
The distinctive features that set both systems apart within the segment.
Xentral positions itself as a fully integrated cloud ERP for growing DACH online retailers - a step above lean order-management tools like Billbee, yet leaner and more brand-focused than the marketplace specialist plentyONE or the on-premise-based JTL.
- A full-fledged cloud ERP delivered as pure SaaS: it covers orders, warehousing, shipping, purchasing and light manufacturing, without a Windows client like JTL and without being limited to pure order management like Billbee.
- Deep automation and customization through Xentral Flows, 200+ ready-made integrations and an open REST API with app store - end-to-end no-code automation from the order all the way to the DATEV handover.
- A pronounced D2C and brand orientation with prominent reference customers (including YFood and KoRo) plus VC backing and a large partner network - a scaling ERP for direct-to-consumer brands rather than primarily a marketplace or multi-store specialist.
- Deliberately designed for collaboration with the tax advisor: no in-house financial accounting, but deep DATEV integration as an official partner - unlike the built-in bookkeeping of reybex and plentyONE.
JTL is the most widespread and functionally deepest e-commerce inventory management system in the DACH region, but among its segment rivals it stands out as the only system with an on-premise core (Windows/MS SQL) rather than pure cloud SaaS.
- A complete native retail stack from a single source - Wawi, PIM, JTL-Shop, WMS, POS, eazyAuction and the Fulfillment Network mesh together without relying on third-party modules.
- Professional warehouse logistics (JTL-WMS with a packing table and mobile devices) that go well beyond the stock management of the cloud rivals.
- Permanently free entry via the Start edition (€0) plus, with over 50,000 customers and 500+ service partners, the largest ecosystem and community network in DACH retail.
- On-premise data sovereignty: the core runs locally with its own MS SQL database, while the competitors are operated exclusively as hosted SaaS.
Head-to-head: the assessment
Both perspectives honestly side by side – where one system leads and where the other counters.
Xentral against JTL
The key difference is the operating model: JTL-Wawi is at its core an on-premise Windows application with MS SQL, whereas Xentral is pure cloud SaaS with no server maintenance of your own. JTL is more widespread (over 50,000 customers), offers a free Start edition and very deep warehouse logistics (JTL-WMS), but in return demands more in-house IT effort; since 1 April 2026 JTL has also switched to a subscription model and raised prices (Advanced €119, Pro €369/month). Xentral wins on maintenance-free cloud and user convenience, JTL on warehouse depth, market reach and entry-level cost.
JTL against Xentral
Both target DACH multichannel retailers, but Xentral is true cloud SaaS with a broader ERP scope (including light manufacturing and services) and a volume-based subscription. JTL offers more e-commerce depth, a stronger WMS and a free start, but in return demands a Windows server and more IT resources. Anyone who wants pure cloud without their own infrastructure is better off with Xentral; anyone who needs warehouse and functional depth, with JTL.
When Xentral, when JTL?
The concrete use scenarios in which each system is the better choice.
Choose Xentral when …
- Online retailers with shop + marketplaces looking to automate order/shipping processes
- Growing D2C/e-commerce SMEs escaping the chaos of siloed tools
- Retailers needing DE hosting, DATEV export and e-invoicing
Rather not when: Companies with very complex manufacturing/financial accounting or group requirements · Large organizations with >50 heavy users without an ERP team/partner
Choose JTL when …
- Online retailers with several channels (marketplaces + own shop)
- Retailers with their own warehouse and a need for professional warehouse logistics
- SMEs with IT resources or a JTL service partner
Rather not when: Businesses that absolutely want pure cloud/SaaS without a Windows server · Classic B2B/manufacturing companies outside the e-commerce focus
Plans & prices compared
The editions of both systems side by side. Additional costs for implementation, add-ons and support apply depending on the vendor.
- Launchfrom €99/month
Starter package: up to 1,200 orders/year, max. €500,000 revenue, 1 shop + 1 marketplace, warehousing/shipping, invoicing & DATEV export; 24-month term
- Starterfrom €349/month
Growing retailers: approx. 500 orders/month included, up to 5,000 products, service package, unlimited users
- Businessfrom €649/month
Most popular: higher volume, up to 10,000 products, dunning, cost centers, SEPA, unlimited users
- Profrom €849/month
High volumes: unlimited products, advanced Flows/automations, prioritized support
- Start€0
Free, unlimited users, fully functional Wawi, free shop (max. 500 items), 30+ marketplaces, community support
- Advancedfrom €99/month (annual)
Everything in Start plus 1 Pro shop with unlimited items, up to 3 POS tills, Bronze support
- Profrom €329/month (annual)
Everything in Advanced plus 3 Pro shops with add-on modules, 5 POS tills, mobile warehouse devices, Silver support
- Enterpriseon request
Unlimited Pro shops and POS tills, all-round support with callback service (Gold)
DACH compliance compared
DATEV, GoBD, e-invoicing, hosting and language determine practical viability in the DACH region – here both systems directly side by side.
| Xentral | JTL | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting & data protection | Cloud on AWS, data center in Frankfurt; ISO 27001/27018, data held in Germany. | Core on-premise (Windows + MS SQL); cloud only as hosted on-premise (RDP) via partners with DE data centers. |
| DATEV | Official DATEV partner; automatic export of invoices, credit notes and payments. | No native DATEV integration; connection via third parties (JTL2DATEV, JERA accounting interface). |
| GoBD | Audit-proof invoicing with an immutable journal/document trail. | GoBD via accounting/DATEV interfaces and audit-proof archiving; POS with TSE (KassenSichV). |
| E-invoicing | ZUGFeRD and XRechnung inbound and outbound (outbound since January 2025). | ZUGFeRD and XRechnung natively from JTL-Wawi 1.9.6.0 (issuing); receiving partly via add-on solutions. |
| Language & support | German-language interface and support (vendor based in Augsburg). | German-language software, documentation (JTL-Guide) and support; large DACH partner network. |
Strengths & weaknesses
Strengths
- Native, broad shop and marketplace connectivity (e-commerce focus)
- Unlimited users and strong process automation in warehousing/shipping
- High flexibility/customizability and an open API
- German compliance: DE hosting, DATEV, GoBD, e-invoicing
- Quick to get started for SMEs
Weaknesses
- Setup/customizing often only feasible with external help
- Usability/UI and documentation rated below average in places
- Support response times and performance under criticism
- Limits with complex accounting and scaling beyond ~50 users
Strengths
- Strong e-commerce focus with deep native marketplace/shop connections
- Complete stack from a single source: Wawi, PIM, shop, WMS, POS, shipping, FFN
- Professional warehouse management (WMS) and packing table
- Cheap/free entry, good price-performance ratio
- Very large partner and community network in DACH
Weaknesses
- Windows/MS SQL dependency at the core; no true SaaS (cloud only via hosting/RDP)
- Higher technical setup and operating complexity
- User interface that feels somewhat dated in places
- Repeated price increases; accounting (DATEV) only via third parties
Verdict per system
Verdict on Xentral
Choose it when an e-commerce/retail SME in the DACH region wants a quickly deployable, integrated cloud ERP with strong shop/marketplace connectivity and DE compliance; less suitable for complex manufacturing or enterprise-scale operations.
Ideal for: Growing e-commerce and multichannel retailers in the DACH region looking for a quickly deployable, integrated inventory management system.
Full profile of XentralVerdict on JTL
In DACH online retail, one of the strongest and most widespread inventory management systems with high e-commerce depth and a large partner network. The key caveat is the deployment reality: the core is on-premise (Windows/SQL), true SaaS still in transformation.
Ideal for: Online retailers with multichannel sales and their own warehouse looking for a deeply integrated e-commerce inventory management system with professional warehouse logistics.
Full profile of JTLXentral or JTL – which fits you?
In a free initial consultation we narrow down the right system for your requirements – vendor-independently.