Compare/PIM/Akeneo vs. Salsify

Akeneo
vs.
Salsify

Salsify offers a clean and intuitive user interface along with effective Digital Asset Management and robust syndication capabilities, making it a strong choice for brands seeking streamlined content distribution. However, users have reported that importing files can be slow, especially when multiple imports are queued, and the platform may be temporarily unavailable during scheduled maintenance.

On the other hand, Akeneo provides mass editing and automation features, as well as both Community and Enterprise Editions to cater to different business sizes. Nevertheless, some users find it complex for small to medium-sized businesses and note integration difficulties with external systems. Understanding these distinctions will assist you in selecting the PIM solution that best aligns with your organization's requirements and resources.

Akeneo

Mass Editing and Automation Features
Community and Enterprise Editions
Robust Import and Export Capabilities
Strong Community Support

Complexity for SMBs
Challenges with Multi-Environment Deployment
Integration Difficulties with External Systems
Limited Customization in Community Edition

What is Akeneo

Akeneo (click for in depth review) streamlines the process of collecting, managing, and enriching product information in a single, centralized platform. It’s available as an open-source Community Edition and a feature-rich Enterprise Edition, catering to smaller businesses and large-scale global brands.

Akeneo enables effective organization and improvement of internal product data practices, enhancing overall data quality.

Usecases for Akeneo

Ideal for businesses that sell through multiple channels (online, physical stores, marketplaces) and need a single source of truth for product data such as fashion, beauty, consumer electronics, and home goods brands and retailers.

Salsify

Clean and intuitive user interface
Effective Digital Asset Management
Robust syndication capabilities to various retailer and distributor channels
Extensive Knowledge Center

Importing files or uploading data can be slow, especially when multiple imports are queued ahead
During scheduled maintenance, the platform may be temporarily unavailable
Additional costs for customizations
Response times for bug fixes can vary

What is Salsify

Salsify is a Product Experience Management (PXM) platform that enables brands, retailers, and distributors to centralize product content, connect across the digital shelf, and automate processes to deliver engaging product experiences across various channels.

Usecases for Salsify

Full

None

Partial

Integration

Akeneo

Salsify

Crystallize

Core

Official website

https://www.akeneo.com/

https://www.salsify.com/

https://crystallize.com

Core focus

PIM and Product Experience Management (PEM)

Product Experience Management (PXM) platform integrating PIM, DAM, content syndication.

Headless commerce platform with integrated PIM, APIs, and GraphQL

Open-source availability

Community Edition, OSL 3.0

A proprietary SaaS solution

Deployment options

On-premise, private cloud, and SaaS (Enterprise editions)

Cloud-based SaaS solution

SaaS (cloud-based) only

Pricing model

Free community edition / Paid enterprise/SaaS editions with advanced features

Subscription-based pricing

Free plan / tiered subscription pricing based on usage and features

Target company size

Mid-market to enterprise. Also used by growing SMBs

Suitable for businesses of varying sizes

Mid-market to enterprise, especially for developer-driven, headless commerce projects

Technology stack

PHP/Symfony-based for Community. Cloud-based tech for Enterprise/SaaS

Cloud-native architecture

API-first, GraphQL-based, headless architecture

Feature breadth

Primarily PIM/PEM. Workflow tools, marketplace extensions

Pxm, PIM, DAM, content syndication, enhanced content, GDSN data pool

PIM + CMS + DAM + headless commerce engine, subscription commerce

DAM (Digital Asset Management)

Available with Enterprise Edition or via integration

Integrated DAM

Automatic transcoding to modern formats and streamable video. Served from global CDN.

Commerce capabilities

Integrates with platforms such as Magento, Shopify

Supports content syndication

Native headless commerce engine, subscriptions, and APIs for flexible frontends

Integrations & ecosystem

Robust ecosystem, connectors for ERP, commerce, DAM, marketplaces

Pre-built connectors and APIs for integration with major ecommerce platforms

Developer-focused integration with frontend frameworks, GraphQL layers for composable commerce

Ease-of-use / UI

Complex. Improved UI and workflows

User-friendly and intuitive interface

Developer-centric interface / technical learning curve but straightforward for dev teams

Scalability & performance

Scales well for mid-market to large organizations

Cloud-based infrastructure that scales resources according to usage

Scalable, suitable for enterprise performance-driven commerce projects, headless deployments

Primary use cases

Centralizing product data, improving product experience consistency, omnichannel distribution

Centralizing and managing product information, syndicating content across channels, and analyzing digital shelf performance

Building headless commerce experiences with integrated PIM, fast product data APIs, and custom frontends

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Data

Cloud native

API integration

REST API, read only

REST API and GraphQL

GraphQL API read and write

Data Import API

GraphQL

Data Import

CSV, XLSX

JSON, CSV, XLS

GraphQL, JSON, CSV, XLS, XML + import SDK in TypeScript

Data export

JSON

GraphQL, CSV, JSON, XLS, XML, TypeScript SDK

Users

User management

Adding, removing, editing, and assigning roles

Roles & permissions management

Granular control

Notifications

Via event driven Webhooks

User communication

Commenting on products

Intergration

With workflows and Webhooks directly

Product

Multi-tenant support

Revision history

Seeing the user and the scope of changes on the product and comparing both versions

Restoring the previous version

Versions of product

Configurable products with variants

Up to 3 variants

Product relations

Products grid

Export to PDF

Multilanguage in product info

Automatic translator

Developer work required

Intergration

Open-source plugin

Multichannel

Digital Asset Management (DAM) cell

Photo upload. No editing, but it is possible with paid add-ons

Integrated DAM

Automatic transcoding to modern formats

CDN for delivering assets

Scheduling

With configuration and development

Support for SEO

Mass edit action

Product preview

Multichannel preview natively supported

Tech

Built with

Symfony 5.4, MySQL, RESTful API

TypeScript

Hosting (or Deployments)

Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based

Cloud

Cloud native. API + Web-based access

Licenses

Open Source (OSL 3.0)

SaaS licensing

Enterprise SLA for Cloud / MIT license for open-source code

Architecture

API-centric architecture

Cloud-native architecture

Event based architecture with horizontal scaling

Integrations

Native Add-Ons and third-party plugins

Pre-built and Third-party via API

Full flexibility to Third-party via API

Toolset

PIM

PXM / PIM / DAM

PIM / DAM / CMS / Commerce / Subscription

Who is it for?

Enterprise

Enterprise / SMEs

Enterprise / SMEs / Agencies

Pricing

Tiers

Free / Enterprise

No free tier. Subscription-based pricing, customized based on factors like number of seats, product records, and additional functionalities

Free / Usage-based metered pricing

Support

Community

Email / Tickets

Phone

Depending on plan

Live 24/7

Depending on plan

Training

Available options

Documentation / Videos / In Person / Webinars

Certification / Documentation / Livestreams / Videos / In Person / Online training sessions

DISCLAIMER: The comparison pages on this website are based on publicly available information and are intended for informational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date content , we make no representations or warranties regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information presented. Readers are advised to consult the official websites of the respective platforms for the most current details, as features and specifications are subject to change without notice.