What Planware does

Planware is a German software company founded in 1989 and headquartered in München, Germany, specializing in CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) solutions for B2B capital goods manufacturers. The company's browser-based platform enables medium-sized and large enterprises to configure complex product variants, calculate prices automatically, and generate multilingual quotes. Core technology consists of a modular architecture including Planware CPQ Server (central configuration platform), Planware CPQ net (web-based sales system), Product Designer (form-based administration), Developer Studio (custom application development), and complementary features such as Guided Selling, Product Finder, and Channel Portal. The platform supports bidirectional integration with ERP systems (notably SAP), CRM platforms, and maintains compliance with GDPR requirements. With over 250 active customers across more than 50 countries and a reference list dominated by European capital goods manufacturers (e.g., Oerlikon Barmag, Windmöller & Hölscher, Wagner Group, Glaston), Planware is positioned as one of Europe's most experienced CPQ specialists in the mechanical and plant engineering vertical.

Planware operates a sales-led, subscription-based business model targeting enterprise customers in the capital goods sector. Revenue is generated through software licenses and recurring maintenance contracts that include functional enhancements and adaptations to operating systems, databases, and browsers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is established through consultative engagement. The company distributes through direct enterprise field sales supplemented by web-based self-service configuration and a channel portal for dealers and sales partners. Planware has been part of the JustRelate Group since early 2022, joining an integrated software suite that includes Scrivito CMS, PisaSales CRM, and Neoletter marketing automation. The parent group employs 150+ people and serves medium-sized and large companies plus public sector organizations across digital experience platform requirements.

The company's core competitive position rests on three decades of domain specialization in capital goods configuration, an installed base of enterprise customers with embedded product knowledge and ERP integration infrastructure, and inclusion in the broader JustRelate digital experience platform ecosystem. Documented customer outcomes include 30-50% reduction in quote generation time for standard machines (Oerlikon Barmag) and construction glass quotes generated in 15-30 minutes versus half a day to one day previously (Glaston). No AI/ML capabilities are currently described in the product offering, representing a potential strategic gap relative to competitors integrating AI into CPQ workflows.

Name

Planware

Legal name

Planware

Website

https://planware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Planware is a German CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software company founded in 1989, serving B2B capital goods manufacturers across Europe with browser-based product configuration, price calculation, and multilingual quote generation. Acquired by JustRelate Group in 2022, it operates within an integrated digital experience platform suite.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Configure Price Quote (CPQ) Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

CPQ (Configure-Price-Quote) & Quote-to-Cash CRM Extensions (HDAEAFAK)

Keywords

• CPQ software
• Product configuration
• Quote generation
• Capital goods software
• Configure price quote

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Standard software licenses for the Planware CPQ system with maintenance and updates included. Customers receive functional enhancements and adaptations to operating systems, databases, and browsers as part of software maintenance contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Planware develops and sells a browser-based CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software platform that enables B2B capital goods companies to manage product configuration, automated price calculation, and multilingual quote generation. The platform consists of a core CPQ engine plus modules for sales/quote management, central configuration, product administration, and custom application development, with integrations into ERP systems such as SAP.

Product overview

Planware is a CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software platform consisting of a unified core system (Planware CPQ) and several integrated modules. The core platform provides product configuration, price calculation, and quote generation for B2B capital goods companies. The modular architecture includes Planware CPQ net (web-based sales/quote management), Planware CPQ Server (central configuration platform), Planware CPQ Product Designer/Assistent (form-based product administration), and Planware CPQ Developer Studio/Editor (development environment for custom configurations). Additional features include Guided Selling, Product Finder, and Channel Portal functionality. The system integrates with ERP systems (notably SAP), CRM platforms, and supports multilingual quote generation. Part of the JustRelate Group software suite since early 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Planware CPQ net: Easy-to-use web-based sales system for quote management, product selection, and automatic calculation and quote generation.
• Planware CPQ Server
• Planware CPQ Product Designer
• Planware CPQ Developer Studio

Products and services

• Planware CPQ Modern, powerful product and quote configurator for B2B suppliers of capital goods. Enables sales staff and customers to configure complex product variants in any language, automatically calculates correct prices, and generates quotes. Targeted at medium-sized and large manufacturing and capital goods companies.
• Planware CPQ net Easy-to-use web-based sales system that manages quotes, performs product selection, and automatically generates calculations and quotes. Operates as a pure browser application without plugins, enabling on-site quote generation from any location with internet access.
• Planware CPQ Server Central platform for product and quote configuration. Modifications are centrally managed; updates are immediately available after release. Interfaces to databases, browsers, and operating systems are maintained centrally.
• Planware CPQ Product Designer (Assistent) User-friendly, form-based component for maintaining products, components, prices, texts, rules, and dependency relationships. Enables development and modification of product portfolios and performance components.
• Planware CPQ Developer Studio (Editor) Development environment for creating individual configuration applications. Implements customer-specific design calculations, special workflows, interface design, and functional requirements. Can be used by customers for independent further development.
• Planware Channel Portal Portal for dealers and sales partners to offer configurable products. Exclusively for registered customers with optional additional configuration parameters and individual discount systems, seamlessly integrated into corporate websites.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-50% reduction in quote generation time for standard machines
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• JustRelate GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Planware has been part of JustRelate Group since early 2022. JustRelate offers an integrated software suite for digital experience platforms including Planware CPQ, Scrivito CMS, PisaSales CRM, and Neoletter (email marketing and marketing automation). Planware can be incorporated into a digital experience platform for guided selling or complex CRM requirements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• PROS: PROS provides AI-driven pricing and CPQ solutions for B2B manufacturers and distributors. Comparable to Planware in addressing complex configuration and pricing, with a particular emphasis on dynamic price optimization.
• Conga (formerly Apttus): Conga offers CPQ, CLM, and document automation for mid-market and enterprise B2B. Overlaps with Planware in quote/contract generation and Salesforce ecosystem deals, though Conga is broader and less specialized in capital goods configuration.
• Vendavo: Vendavo provides B2B price optimization and management, often complementary to or overlapping with CPQ in industrial manufacturing. Comparable to Planware in serving complex manufacturer pricing challenges, though less focused on rule-based product configuration.
• Oracle CPQ (BigMachines): Oracle's CPQ Cloud, originating from the BigMachines acquisition, serves complex B2B quoting needs within Oracle's broader CX/ERP suite. Overlaps with Planware in industrial accounts already standardized on Oracle.
• Salesforce CPQ / Revenue Cloud: Market-leading CPQ solution natively integrated into Salesforce CRM, targeting a broad range of B2B sales organizations. Competes with Planware in larger enterprise deals where Salesforce is the system of record, though less specialized in complex industrial configuration.
• SAP CPQ (formerly CallidusCloud): SAP's CPQ offering, tightly integrated with the SAP Sales Cloud and ERP suite. Competes with Planware wherever SAP is the customer's backbone, and Planware already integrates bidirectionally with SAP — making SAP both partner and competitor.

Direct peers

• Tacton: Stockholm-based CPQ vendor focused on complex, engineer-to-order manufacturers — the closest direct competitor to Planware in terms of customer profile (industrial OEMs), product depth (variant configuration, rules-based engines), and European mid-market/enterprise positioning.
• Configure One (PTC): Configure One, acquired by PTC, offers ETO/CPQ for complex discrete and process manufacturers. Highly comparable to Planware on product functionality and target customer, with the added scale of PTC's PLM/IoT ecosystem.
• FPX: FPX delivers CPQ specifically tailored to industrial manufacturers and engineered products. Direct overlap with Planware on configuration of complex variants, dealer/distributor pricing, and ERP integration in mid-market and enterprise industrial accounts.
• KBMax (Cincom CPQ): CPQ platform specializing in complex product configuration for industrial manufacturers and engineered products, overlapping directly with Planware's capital goods use cases around visual configuration, rules-based pricing, and ERP integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planware-beratung-software-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Planware