JTL Alternative: Top 7 Systems for 2025 (Plus the Smarter AI Option)

The JTL Shock: Why Everyone's Searching for Alternatives

For many online retailers in the DACH region, 2024 marked a year of upheaval. JTL-Software, the long-standing market leader for cost-effective e-commerce solutions, radically changed its pricing structure. With the introduction of new editions (Start, Advanced, Pro, Enterprise) and the elimination of flexible booking options, some merchants faced cost increases of 400% to 500%.

The search volume for JTL alternative has exploded since then. But here's a word of caution: migrating your merchandise management system (Wawi) is essentially performing "open-heart surgery" on your business. Data loss, workflow disruptions, and months-long project phases are very real risks.

This article isn't your typical comparison piece. We won't just list software options. We'll analyze whether you actually need to tear out your entire infrastructure—or whether your real problem lies somewhere else entirely: namely, with your conversion rate and the way your shop sells.

The Core Problem: Do You Need a New Wawi or Better Sales?

Before we examine the software alternatives, we need to make a strategic distinction that most comparisons miss entirely. When you're searching for JTL competition, what's actually bothering you?

Backend Problems (ERP/Wawi)

• Is warehouse management too complex for your needs?
• Are server costs too high (Windows requirement)?
• Is the interface too outdated (those 'gray windows')?
• Solution: You need a genuine ERP alternative like Weclapp or Xentral

Frontend Problems (Shop/Sales)

• Are your revenues too low despite decent traffic?
• Is the JTL shop design no longer contemporary?
• Is the mobile experience poor and frustrating customers?
• Solution: You don't need a new Wawi—you need a better frontend or a sales upgrade through AI

Top JTL-Wawi Alternatives (Focus: Backend & Efficiency)

If your pain points truly lie in administration, costs, or usability of JTL-Wawi, these are the best alternatives for 2025. Each serves a different type of merchant with distinct needs and budgets.

1. Billbee: The Price-Performance Champion for Multichannel

For merchants shocked by the new JTL prices who primarily need to process orders from Amazon, eBay, and their own shop, Billbee is often the first choice.

The Concept: Billbee isn't a classic, heavy ERP system—it's a lean middleware solution for order processing. It excels at connecting multiple sales channels without the complexity of traditional warehouse management systems.

Costs: Extremely transparent pricing according to OMR. There's a base fee of €9/month, then you pay usage-based per order (e.g., €48 for 100 orders, €125 for 500 orders).

• No server installation required (runs in browser)
• No hidden costs for modules—all interfaces included
• Ideal for 'smaller' merchants (up to ~5,000 orders/month)
• Not suited for complex warehouse logistics like chaotic storage or route optimization found in JTL-WMS

Drawbacks: According to JTL-Software, Billbee offers less workflow automation capabilities compared to JTL, and it lacks full warehouse management system depth.

Bottom Line: The best JTL alternative if you want to save costs and your logistics processes are manageable.

2. Weclapp: The Cloud Favorite for Teams

Weclapp has established itself as one of the most popular ERP solutions in the German SME sector and has been awarded 'ERP System of the Year' multiple times.

The Concept: A pure cloud ERP that excels particularly in usability and integration of CRM (customer management) and project management features.

Costs: The model is based on user licenses. 'ERP Commerce' starts at approximately €39-179 per user/month depending on the package and contract duration, as noted by Zeeg.

• Modern, intuitive interface (no more 'Windows 98' look)
• Platform-independent (runs on Mac, iPad, Windows)
• Strong integrated CRM—traditionally a weaker point for JTL

Drawbacks: According to Kennersoft, migrating from JTL to Weclapp is complex because the data structures are very different. Additionally, costs can quickly exceed JTL when you have many employees since it's charged per user.

Bottom Line: Ideal for merchants who embrace remote work and want a modern interface.

3. Xentral: The Next-Gen Solution for D2C Brands

Xentral is frequently used by fast-growing startups and brands featured on shows like 'Shark Tank.' It positions itself as the automation powerhouse.

The Concept: Lean ERP with a focus on automation and interfaces to modern tools (Slack, Pipedrive, Shopify).

• Extremely powerful process automation ('auto-shipping')
• Built for scaling: grows with you from 1,000 to 100,000 packages
• Modern API-first architecture for easy integrations

Critical Points: In 2023/2024, there was increasing criticism about support quality and price increases following investor involvement, according to Trustpilot. Reports about bugs after updates became more frequent in forums.

Bottom Line: A powerful warehouse management system like JTL, but more modern. Suitable for companies with budget and IT affinity.

Top JTL-Shop Alternatives (Focus: Frontend & UX)

Perhaps you're satisfied with JTL-Wawi in the backend, but JTL-Shop 5 is driving you crazy? Outdated designs, difficult customizations, and poor mobile performance are common complaints. Here are the alternatives for your 'storefront.'

1. Shopify: The International Standard

Shopify is the opposite of JTL-Shop: it's closed-source, hosted in the cloud, and extremely easy to use.

Why switch? You no longer want to worry about hosting, updates, and security. Everything is handled for you.

The catches: According to Netgrade and Knowmates:

• Transaction fees: If you don't use Shopify Payments, you pay up to 2% penalty fee on every sale
• Ongoing costs: While JTL-Shop was often a one-time purchase, Shopify monthly app costs quickly add up to €300-500
• Data: Servers often aren't located in Germany (consider GDPR implications, though Shopify has improved here)

2. Shopware 6: The German Engineering Standard

Those who love JTL's flexibility but want more modern technology often end up with Shopware.

Why switch? Headless commerce approach, extremely customizable, huge German community.

The catches: According to YouTube reviews and eRock Marketing:

• Complexity: Shopware 6 is not for beginners. You'll need an agency or strong in-house developer
• Costs: Developing a quality Shopware shop initially costs between €15,000 and €50,000, as eShop Guide reports

The Hidden Alternative: Revenue Upgrade Through AI

Here's the strategic mistake that 90% of merchants make: they search for new software to save costs or manage processes. But what if you could keep your existing system (JTL) and instead solve the actual problem: passive selling?

The Problem: JTL-Shop (and Alternatives) Are Passive Catalogs

Whether you use JTL, Shopware, or Shopify—the principle has been the same for 20 years:

1. Customer arrives on the site
2. Customer sees 5,000 products
3. Customer must use filters ('Color: Red', 'Size: XL')
4. Customer is overwhelmed and leaves

This isn't consultation. This is warehouse management forced onto the customer. You're essentially asking shoppers to do the work that a good salesperson would do in a physical store.

The Solution: AI Product Consultation (Guided Selling)

Instead of investing €50,000 in a migration to Shopware or Xentral (which takes months and carries risks), you can layer an AI consultation system over your existing JTL shop.

How it works: Imagine your shop had a top salesperson working 24/7:

• Instead of filters: The AI asks: 'What are you looking for the jacket for? Skiing or commuting to work?'
• Instead of lists: The AI recommends: 'Take this jacket. It's windproof (great for skiing) but breathable.'

Why This Is the Smart Alternative

1. No migration: You keep the robust JTL-Wawi (which works fine)
2. Immediate ROI: While an ERP migration might save money after years (maybe), Guided Selling often increases conversion rates by 30% to 300% immediately, according to Aiden and Envive AI
3. Differentiation: You no longer compete on price ('Who has the cheapest Wawi?') but on shopping experience

JTL Comparison: Complete Feature Matrix

To help you make the decision easier, we've compared the options in a comprehensive matrix that highlights the key differences in approach, cost, and outcomes.

Deep Dive: When Does Each Switch Make Sense?

Scenario A: Too Small for New JTL Prices

If you have fewer than 500 orders per month and JTL suddenly demands €100+ monthly, Billbee is your salvation.

• Action: Export your product data via JTL's Ameise tool. Billbee imports these relatively cleanly
• Cancel: Your JTL hosting subscription
• Savings: Often several thousand euros per year

Scenario B: Want to Scale and Hate Server Updates

If you have a team of 5-20 people and are fed up with SQL database backups and remote desktop connections, switch to Xentral or Weclapp.

• Warning: Don't underestimate onboarding. Plan for 3 months of parallel operation
• Benefit: You finally have modern infrastructure that investors understand

Scenario C: Backend Works, But Shop Doesn't Convert

This is the most common scenario. JTL-Wawi is powerful, and you've invested years in workflows. A switch would be madness. But the JTL shop looks like 2015.

• Action: Stay with JTL. But install an AI Guided Selling tool
• Effect: You radically modernize the customer experience without touching the backend. You bypass the weaknesses of the JTL shop frontend (confusing filters) by layering an interactive consultation system on top

Practical Tips for Your Decision

Before you cancel any contracts or sign new ones, work through this checklist to avoid costly mistakes.

1. The Feature Gap Analysis

Create a list of all JTL features you use daily (e.g., 'Bill of Materials,' 'Amazon FBA Transfer,' 'Custom Fields'). Check beforehand whether Billbee or Weclapp can handle these. Often a switch fails because of one tiny missing feature.

2. The TCO Calculator (Total Cost of Ownership)

Don't just compare the monthly base fee. Calculate everything:

• JTL: Server costs + Wawi fee + Shop fee + Service partner
• Shopify: Base fee + App costs (often €300+) + Transaction fees (up to 2% of revenue!)
• AI Solution: Monthly SaaS fee (often amortized by the first additional sale)

3. The User Test

Let your warehouse staff test the new software. A slick dashboard for the boss is worthless if the packer in the warehouse needs 3 extra clicks to print a label. Here, JTL (WMS) is often still unbeaten in efficiency.

Why Nobody Talks About Active Sales

In almost all comparisons (see OMR, Capterra), the focus is on administration. 'How do I print invoices?' 'How do I manage inventory?' This is important. But it's cost management.

In 2025, where traffic is expensive (Google Ads prices keep rising), revenue management is more important than ever before.

• JTL and its classic alternatives are tools to manage demand
• AI consultation tools are tools to generate demand

So when you're searching for a 'JTL comparison,' ask yourself: Do you just want to manage differently, or do you want to sell better?

Frequently Asked Questions About JTL Alternatives

Conclusion: Finding Your Perfect JTL Alternative

The warehouse management system landscape has changed drastically in 2024/2025. JTL's price increase was the 'wake-up call' for many to reconsider old structures.

• Switch to Billbee if you're small, flexible, and cost-sensitive
• Switch to Weclapp/Xentral if you need modern cloud infrastructure for your team and have the budget
• Stay with JTL (and add AI) if your processes are complex and actually work well, but you need to get more out of your traffic

The 'best' alternative isn't always new software that does the same thing (just in a different color). Sometimes the best alternative is an upgrade that makes your existing system smarter.

Note: The prices and conditions mentioned are based on late 2024/early 2025 and may change. Please check the current websites of the providers for up-to-date information.