Xentral vs. JTL 2026 - The Honest Comparison

Xentral or JTL? The Short Answer

JTL-Wawi if you use JTL-Shop and are technically experienced. Xentral if you want cloud, Shopify, and modern automation.

Rule of thumb: JTL if you are already in the JTL ecosystem and can manage your own servers. Xentral if you think cloud-first, use Shopify, and want modern automation.

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"Should I stick with JTL or switch to Xentral?"

This is a question I'm hearing more and more often lately — especially since JTL introduced its new pricing model in September 2024. Some existing customers report price increases of up to 550%. That's prompted a lot of people to reconsider.

Over the past few years I have accompanied both JTL and Xentral implementations, and I have carried out dozens of migrations from JTL to Xentral. I'd like to share that experience here so you can make an informed decision.

"JTL is like a Linux server — powerful, but you need to know what you're doing. Xentral is like a Mac — it just works, and you can focus on your business." — Fabian, XentralExperte.at

Disclaimer: I work as an Xentral consultant, but I try to keep this comparison as objective as possible. For some use cases JTL is genuinely the better choice — and I tell my clients that too.

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When Does This Decision Come Up?

The question "Xentral or JTL" typically arises in three situations.

Situation 1: JTL users with problems. You've been using JTL for years, but the Shopify connector keeps causing issues, the new pricing structure frustrates you, or you finally want to move to the cloud — without server maintenance. The JTL connector for Shopify is a frequent topic in the forums.

Situation 2: New businesses. You're just starting out, or recently founded your company, and are evaluating established ERP systems for e-commerce. Both names keep coming up, but you don't know which one suits you better.

Situation 3: Upgrading from Billbee or Excel. You started with simple tools and now need a proper system. You want to understand whether JTL or Xentral is the right next step.

No matter which situation you're in — the information below will help you decide. I'm not just comparing features; I'm also explaining what the differences mean in day-to-day work.

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What Is the Difference Between Xentral and JTL?

Before we get into the details, here's a brief overview of both systems.

JTL-Wawi — The Established On-Premise ERP

JTL-Wawi has existed since 2008 and has established itself as one of the leading providers for German e-commerce merchants. The system is on-premise-based, meaning you install it on your own server (or a rented one) with a Microsoft SQL database.

The JTL ecosystem is extensive. Alongside the inventory management solution JTL-Wawi, there is JTL-Shop (your own webshop), JTL-WMS (professional warehouse management), JTL-POS (point-of-sale system), and numerous extensions. Anyone working entirely within the JTL ecosystem has a well-integrated system.

JTL's strength lies in the depth of its features and the control you have over your data. You have your own server, your own database, and can theoretically customize everything. The downside: you are also responsible for updates, backups, and maintenance.

In September 2024, JTL introduced a new pricing model that divided the community. The free version is limited to 500 items, and many features now require paid "order packages."

Xentral — The Cloud-Native ERP

Xentral was conceived as a cloud solution and has developed into the leading cloud ERP for mid-sized e-commerce businesses. With investments from Sequoia and Tiger Global, Xentral has ambitious growth plans and over 2,000 customers.

What sets Xentral apart is its focus on automation. The no-code automation platform called "Xentral Flows" enables complex workflows without any programming. Add to that a comprehensive API that makes Xentral the heart of a modern tech infrastructure.

The customer base consists mainly of growing D2C brands and SMEs. Well-known names such as YFood, KoRo, and The Nu Company use Xentral as their central system.

Cloud-native means: no server maintenance, automatic updates, access from anywhere. The downside: you give up some control and become dependent on the vendor.

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Feature Comparison in Detail

Now let's get specific. I'll compare the most important feature areas and explain what the differences mean in practice.

Cloud vs. On-Premise — The Fundamental Decision

This decision is fundamental and influences everything else. JTL-Wawi is classic on-premise software: you install it on a Windows server with Microsoft SQL Server. That could be your own office server, a rented root server, or a cloud VM.

The costs for this are often underestimated. A decent server with a SQL license costs at least €50 per month, often more. On top of that comes the time investment for maintenance, updates, and backups. If something goes wrong, you're responsible.

There are also JTL cloud options, but these cost extra (from €100/month) and are not as mature as the on-premise version.

Xentral is cloud-native. You open a browser, log in, and work. No installation, no server maintenance, no manual updates. This saves time and hassle — but you also give up control. Your data resides with Xentral (in German data centres), and you depend on the vendor.

My experience: For most e-commerce businesses, cloud is the better choice today. The time saved on server maintenance is worth more than the theoretical control over your own infrastructure. Only if you have special compliance requirements or an IT team with server expertise does on-premise still make sense.

Shopify Integration — A Critical Point

The Shopify integration is an area where Xentral has a clear advantage. The JTL forum contains numerous threads about problems with the Shopify connector. One user describes "massive problems" — slow syncs (30 minutes for 1,700 items), variant errors, and support ping-pong between JTL and the connector developer.

The problem: the JTL connector for Shopify is not a native JTL development but a third-party product. When something doesn't work, JTL points to the connector vendor, who points back to JTL. As a user, you're caught in the middle.

Xentral Connect, on the other hand, is a middleware for shop connections developed by Xentral itself. When something doesn't work, there is one point of contact. The sync runs in real-time, variants are transferred cleanly, and the integration is significantly more mature.

My experience: If Shopify is your main channel, I would advise against JTL. The integration is too error-prone, and the support too fragmented. With Xentral Connect I've had no noteworthy problems in any migration.

Automation & Workflows

This is one of the biggest differences. JTL has workflow features, but they are primarily intended for simple automations. Xentral Flows, by contrast, is a fully-fledged no-code automation platform.

One user describes Flows in the Xentral forum as "intuitive like a flowchart" — you can see visually which conditions lead to which actions. You can map complex logic: if customer is from country X AND order value exceeds Y AND item belongs to category Z, then use shipping method A and email template B.

Examples of Flows I implement regularly:

• Automatic customs processing for international shipments based on goods value and destination country
• Warehouse location assignment according to item category and turnover frequency
• Escalation for orders that remain in "open" status for more than 24 hours
• Automatic supplier orders when stock falls below the minimum level

With JTL workflows, this is theoretically possible but considerably more effort to configure and less flexible.

For more, see my Xentral Flows Automation Guide.

Warehouse Management & WMS

JTL has had a traditional advantage in warehouse management: JTL-WMS is a mature, professional warehouse management system designed for complex warehouses with pick-by-light, conveyor technology, and multi-client capability.

If you have a large warehouse with 5,000+ square metres, conveyor technology, and complex processes, JTL-WMS is an excellent choice. Very few cloud systems come close to this level of depth.

Xentral has an integrated warehouse management solution that is sufficient for 80% of e-commerce businesses. Storage locations, batch tracking, serial numbers, scanner support — all present. For a 500-square-metre warehouse with 3–5 employees, it is perfectly adequate.

My assessment: JTL-WMS for large warehouses with complex logistics. Xentral for everything else. Most of my clients don't use an external WMS because Xentral's warehouse management meets their requirements.

Accounting & DATEV

Accounting integration is an area where Xentral clearly excels. Both systems can create DATEV-compatible CSV exports — that is the baseline. But Xentral goes significantly further.

Xentral supports DATEV Unternehmen Online natively. This means documents are automatically transferred to the tax advisor's cloud, with correctly linked PDFs. No manual exports, no rework.

With JTL, the DATEV export works, but it is less deeply integrated. Many users report that the accountant or tax advisor still has to perform manual follow-up work.

From practice: A client came to me because his accountant was spending 1.5 days every month preparing JTL exports. After migrating to Xentral, it takes 2 hours. The time savings alone paid back the migration costs within 6 months.

For more, see: Xentral DATEV Export Troubleshooting

Support & Onboarding

The JTL forum is very active and there are many experienced users who help. But users are often "left to their own devices," as some forum members report. JTL offers official support, but for more complex questions users are referred to partners.

Xentral takes a different approach: the onboarding team actively accompanies new customers and, where needed, refers them to agencies (like mine) for implementation. Support is professional, sometimes a little slow with complex requests, but overall well rated.

The Capterra ratings speak clearly: Xentral scores 4.5/5 across 42 reviews, JTL 3.8/5 across 6 reviews. Naturally more reviews are more meaningful, but the trend is unambiguous.

Source: Capterra Xentral vs. JTL Comparison

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The Price Comparison — What Does It Really Cost You?

The pricing models of JTL and Xentral are very different, which makes a direct comparison difficult.

JTL-Wawi Pricing 2026

Since September 2024, JTL has had a new pricing model:

Important: These prices are for the software licence only. Additional costs include:

• Server costs: €50–150/month for a decent server with SQL
• Order packages: From €19/month for Shopify and marketplace orders
• JTL-WMS: Extra licence if required
• JTL Cloud: From €100/month if you don't want your own server

The price increases for existing customers have caused a great deal of criticism. Some forum members report increases of up to 550%.

Xentral Pricing 2026

Important with Xentral:

• Unlimited users included in all packages
• Cloud hosting included
• Automatic updates included
• No server costs
• Connects (Shopify, WooCommerce) cost extra

More details: Xentral Costs & Pricing 2026

Calculation Example: 1,000 Orders, 5 Users

With JTL Advanced + server:

• JTL Advanced: €99
• Order package (Shopify): €19
• Server (root server with SQL): ~€50
• Total: approx. €170/month

With Xentral Starter:

• Xentral Starter: €349
• Shopify Connect: approx. €49
• Total: approx. €398/month

The difference is therefore approx. €230/month in favour of JTL. But:

What Do You Get for the Extra Cost with Xentral?

• No server maintenance: The time saved is worth real money
• Automatic updates: No manual patching
• Better Shopify integration: Fewer problems, fewer support tickets
• Xentral Flows: Automations that save working hours
• Better DATEV integration: Saves time in accounting
• No vendor lock-in to the JTL ecosystem: More flexible shop choices

If the automations and better DATEV integration together save you 10 hours per month (at €30/hour = €300), Xentral suddenly becomes the cheaper option.

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Who Is Better Served by JTL?

I openly tell my clients when JTL is the better choice for them. That is the case when:

You use JTL-Shop. If your webshop runs on JTL-Shop, the integration with JTL-Wawi is unbeatable. Xentral doesn't make sense there.

You need JTL-WMS. If you have a complex large warehouse with conveyor technology, pick-by-light, and multi-client capability, JTL-WMS is one of the best WMS systems on the market.

You have the IT know-how for self-hosting. If you or your team can handle server administration and want control over your own infrastructure, on-premise is a valid option.

You need full data control. For some businesses it is important for compliance reasons that data resides on their own servers.

The typical JTL customer looks like this:

• Businesses with JTL-Shop as the main channel
• Logistics companies with complex WMS requirements
• Technically experienced merchants with an IT background
• Businesses with on-premise requirements

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Who Is Better Served by Xentral?

Xentral is worthwhile when:

You use Shopify. The Xentral Shopify integration is stable, fast, and well-supported. That is a clear advantage over JTL.

You want cloud without server management. If you don't have an IT department and don't want to maintain servers, cloud is the right path.

You want modern automation. Xentral Flows enable complex automations without programming. That saves time and reduces errors.

You plan to grow quickly. Xentral scales with you — without having to upgrade or migrate servers.

You want active onboarding support. Xentral accompanies new customers and refers them to setup partners where needed.

The typical Xentral customer looks like this:

• D2C brands with a Shopify store
• Growing e-commerce businesses
• Businesses without their own IT department
• Multi-channel merchants with a modern tech stack

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5 Signals That You Should Switch from JTL to Xentral

Signal 1: Your Shopify Integration Is Causing Problems

If the JTL connector constantly produces sync errors, variants aren't being transferred correctly, or you're being passed back and forth between JTL support and the connector developer — it's time.

Signal 2: Server Maintenance Is Getting on Your Nerves

If you're checking backups at night, if updates cause stress, if performance problems arise and you don't know why — then cloud is the better choice.

Signal 3: The Price Increases Are Frustrating You

If your JTL subscription suddenly costs 200% more and you're wondering whether that's justified — then you should explore alternatives.

Signal 4: You're Doing Too Much Manually

If your team keeps repeating the same manual steps, if automations in JTL hit their limits, if you think "that should surely happen automatically" — then you need Flows.

Signal 5: Onboarding Was Frustrating

If you were "left to your own devices" when implementing JTL, if support tickets went unanswered, if you had the feeling you had to figure everything out yourself — then Xentral's guided approach is attractive.

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Case Study: JTL to Xentral Migration

Here is an anonymised report from one of my projects:

Starting situation: An online shop for electronics accessories, using JTL-Wawi since 2019 and Shopify as the main channel since 2022. Monthly volume of around 1,800 orders, 4 employees, a 200-square-metre warehouse.

The problems: The Shopify sync sometimes took 30 minutes for a full reconciliation. Variants were mapped incorrectly, leading to wrong deliveries. The server in the back office was ageing, and a replacement would have cost €3,000 plus migration. Then came the price increase from JTL's new model.

The migration process: The entire migration took 4 weeks. In the first week we analysed the existing processes and set up the Xentral system. In weeks two and three we imported the master data (5,000 items, 30,000 customers) and built the Flows for order automation. In week four we ran a parallel operation before going live.

The result:

• Shopify sync: from 30 minutes to real-time
• Variant errors: eliminated
• Server costs: eliminated (€150/month saved)
• Accounting effort: from 8 hours to 2 hours per month

The costs:

• Previous JTL costs: ~€450/month (incl. server)
• New Xentral costs: €389 (Starter + Connect)
• Migration costs: €6,500 one-off

ROI: The migration costs paid for themselves in about 4 months — from saved server costs and less working time spent correcting errors alone.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I migrate from JTL to Xentral?

Yes, and it is a relatively common migration path. Items, customers, suppliers, and order history can be transferred. The main effort lies in setting up the new workflows and processes.

How long does the migration from JTL to Xentral take?

Typically 3–6 weeks, depending on complexity. For a shop with 5,000 items and standard processes, 4 weeks is realistic. For complex setups with many custom workflows it can take longer.

Will all JTL data be transferred?

The most important master data (items, customers, suppliers) and the order history can be migrated. Some JTL-specific data (such as internal workflow logs) cannot be transferred, but is generally not needed either.

Is Xentral really better for Shopify?

Yes, clearly. The Xentral Connect for Shopify is more stable, faster, and better supported than the JTL connector. This is one of the main reasons for migrations.

How much does switching from JTL to Xentral cost?

The pure software costs vary by package. Migration costs (with professional support) typically run between €4,000 and €10,000, depending on complexity and number of items. Contact me for an individual quote.

Can I test both systems in parallel?

Yes, both offer trial periods. JTL has a free Start version, and Xentral offers a 14-day trial.

What happens to JTL-WMS during the migration?

If you use JTL-WMS and genuinely need it (complex large warehouse), that could be a reason to stay with JTL. Xentral's warehouse management is good, but not on the same level as JTL-WMS for enterprise requirements.

Is Xentral suitable for large warehouses?

For most e-commerce warehouses (up to approx. 2,000 m²): yes. For large warehouses with conveyor technology and complex logistics: JTL-WMS or a specialised WMS may be the better option.

Do I need a consultant for the migration?

Recommended, but not mandatory. A professional migration prevents data loss and speeds up go-live. Doing it yourself is possible, but time-consuming.

Can I switch back from Xentral to JTL?

Theoretically yes — the data belongs to you. In practice this is rare, because most who migrate are more satisfied with Xentral than they were with JTL.

How does Xentral handle updates?

Updates are applied automatically, usually overnight. Occasionally there are breaking changes that require adjustments — but you don't have to install anything yourself.

Are there hidden costs with Xentral?

Not hidden, but there are additional costs: Connects for Shopify/WooCommerce (approx. €49/month), certain Flows features, and potential consulting costs for complex implementations.

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My Honest Conclusion

After all the details above, here is my personal decision matrix:

My recommendation:

For 80% of e-commerce businesses, Xentral is the better choice today. Cloud-native, modern automation, stable Shopify integration, good support. The higher monthly costs are offset by saved server maintenance, better automation, and fewer errors.

For JTL-Shop users and large warehouses with JTL-WMS, JTL remains the right choice. The ecosystem is deeply integrated, and switching would create more problems than it solves.

If you are currently struggling with JTL and Shopify, you should seriously consider a migration. The connector problems won't get better, and price increases may continue.

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Further Resources

External resources:

• Xentral Help Center — Official Xentral documentation
• JTL Guide — Official JTL documentation
• Capterra: Xentral vs. JTL — Rating comparison
• JTL Forum: Shopify problems — User experiences

Related Articles

• Xentral Costs & Pricing 2026 — The complete cost guide
• ERP Selection for SMEs — Xentral vs. SAP vs. others
• Xentral Flows Automation — What JTL cannot do
• Xentral vs. Billbee — Another comparison
• Xentral Shopify Integration — Shop connection step by step

Next Steps

• Try Xentral for free — 14 days free, all features
• JTL to Xentral Migration — Professional migration
• Free initial consultation — Discuss your situation
• Xentral Setup — Complete setup
• Xentral Integration — Shop connection