Your connection to every marketplace

Linnworks vs. ChannelEngine: Which marketplace integrator fits your needs?

Overview

Linnworks and ChannelEngine are two leading platforms designed to enhance ecommerce operations through marketplace integrations. While both offer valuable features, they cater to different business priorities and strategies.

ChannelEngine serves brands and retailers looking for marketplace expansion, combining advanced automation, seamless integrations, and scalability to support growth in the UK, Europe, and beyond.

Linnworks, on the other hand, supports businesses managing inventory, orders, and warehouse operations, offering support for select UK and European marketplaces.

This comparison overview will help you identify which platform best fits your ecommerce goals and growth ambitions.

Feature	Linnworks	ChannelEngine
Marketplace integrations	70+ (focus on west-Europe)	950+ (global presence)
Geographic reach	UK focus and limited European reach	Global (Europe, Americas, APAC, etc)
Order management	Core solution	Supported but secondary
ERP/PIM integrations	Limited	Comprehensive
Mirakl-based marketplace integrations	Available for additional costs	All integrated without extra fees
Logistics partnerships	Growing ecosystem	Extensive partner network
AI-Capabilities	Not available	AI-powered category mapping and product bundling
Repricer	Available only through 3rd-party integrations.	Advanced native repricer included
Channel-fulfillment options	FBA, MCF	FBA, MCF, ZFS, WFS, fbAY, One Fulfillment, LVB, FBC, and more
Fulfillment switching option	Manual intervention required	Automatically switch between self-fulfillment and marketplace fulfillment if stock runs out
Vendor settlements	Not supported	Supported
Marketplace KPIs	Not supported	Comprehensive KPI tracking for marketplaces is included

Scale your global marketplace business with confidence

950+

marketplaces and online sales channels

11+ million

products sold constantly via ChannelEngine

42%

GMV growth in the first year

10K

brands sold using ChannelEngine

What does ChannelEngine do?

Strengths:

Extensive UK and global marketplace coverage: Supports a comprehensive range of UK marketplaces alongside connections to over 950 global marketplaces, enabling businesses to expand local and international.
Seamless integration: Effortlessly integrates with ERP, PIM, ecommerce platforms, and Mirakl-based channels, providing a unified marketplace solution tailored for UK brands and retailers as well as global sellers.
Offers advanced fulfillment automation, stock override functionality, and diverse fulfillment integrations such as FBA, MCF, WFS, ZFS, and more, ensuring businesses can efficiently manage both local and international operations.
Includes extensive support for logistics, warehousing, entity creation, and marketing, as well as features like product bundling to simplify inventory management and drive sales.
Data-driven optimization and pricing: Features advanced analytics, performance tracking tools, and a dynamic native repricer, helping businesses optimize marketplace performance and pricing strategies for both UK and global marketplaces.

Limitations:

Tailored for marketplace growth: While ChannelEngine supports robust order management, its primary focus is on enabling marketplace expansion and scalability rather than a logistics-centric approach.
Designed for growth-focused businesses: Businesses primarily emphasizing warehouse operations and logistics may find that ChannelEngine is more aligned with sales growth than backend logistics management.
Comprehensive features for advanced users: ChannelEngine’s extensive capabilities are designed for businesses seeking international expansion. However, an expert onboarding team supports the platform to ensure a seamless transition for users of all experience levels.

Choose ChannelEngine if:

Want to grow your e-commerce revenue.
You want to sell across a comprehensive range of UK marketplaces as well as global channels.
You need flexibility and automation in fulfillment strategies.
You require robust ERP, PIM, and ecommerce platform integrations.
You value a full ecosystem tailored to drive ecommerce growth, with a strong emphasis on local UK online sales channels.

What does Linnworks do?

Strengths:

Robust backend management: Comprehensive OMS, IMS, and WMS functionalities streamline inventory, order, and warehouse operations, catering to logistics-heavy businesses.
Logistics-centric expertise: Ideal for businesses emphasizing warehouse efficiency and fulfillment processes.
Strong UK presence: Well-suited for businesses with operations primarily in the UK and does some support some other European marketplaces.
Streamlined solutions for retailers and brands: Offers tools to simplify backend processes, such as inventory tracking and order workflows, making it a preferred choice for businesses focused on operational control.

Limitations:

Limited marketplace reach: While Linnworks integrates with over 70 sales channels, it lacks agility in adding new marketplaces. This limitation is particularly evident for businesses requiring support for niche marketplaces, where Linnworks falls short in providing seamless or timely integration options.
Scaling constraints: The primary focus on UK markets limits its scalability for businesses aiming to grow across European or global marketplaces.
No automated switching between fulfillment options: Lacks functionality to dynamically switch fulfillment options when stock depletes, which can impact operational flexibility.
Added costs: Charges extra for integrations like Mirakl, unlike competitors offering these as standard features.
Narrow ecosystem: Strong in logistics but offers fewer tools and partnerships for businesses prioritizing marketplace growth and global expansion.

Choose Linnworks if:

Your primary focus is backend management of inventory, orders, and warehouse operations.
You are satisfied with a solution that focuses on a limited range of UK marketplaces and select European operations.
Logistics and warehouse efficiency are your top priorities, rather than rapid marketplace growth or niche marketplace support.

Why ecommerce leaders choose ChannelEngine:

Don't take our word for it - Here's what our customers say

Remco N.

CEO

Retail
(11-50 employees)

Laia C.

Marketplace Specialist

Furniture industry
(501-1000 employees)

Charlotte V.

Marketplace Manager

Retail
(51-200 employees)

Simplify the Transition from Linnworks to ChannelEngine

Switching from Linnworks to ChannelEngine is designed to be seamless, with personalized guidance from our Customer Success and Delivery teams. Our process ensures minimal disruption while unlocking enhanced capabilities for your business.

Our switching guide

We help our customers:

Streamlined migration: ChannelEngine’s experts manage the transition of your data, including inventory, orders, and product listings, ensuring a smooth migration process.

Tailored onboarding: Benefit from hands-on training, step-by-step onboarding sessions, and access to the ChannelEngine Academy, enabling your team to master the platform quickly.

Expanded marketplace reach: Access over 950 marketplaces and sales channels globally, providing unparalleled opportunities for growth and expansion.

Advanced automation tools: Leverage features like stock override automation, pricing optimization, and product bundling to simplify operations and boost efficiency.

User-friendly platform: Transition to an intuitive interface with comprehensive analytics and performance tracking, designed to simplify and enhance your marketplace management experience.