PowerHub vs Base. OMS Comparison for eCommerce Order Management

As online sales grow, order management quickly becomes one of the most important processes in an eCommerce business. At the beginning, a marketplace panel, an online store, manual courier labels and a spreadsheet may be enough. The challenge begins when orders start coming from multiple channels and the team needs to manage statuses, documents, shipments, customer communication, returns, stock updates and ERP synchronisation at the same time.

This is where an OMS, or Order Management System, comes in. Its role is to centralise orders and automate everyday operational tasks. A well-implemented OMS not only brings order to sales operations, but can also reduce the cost of handling each order.

One of the most recognisable solutions in this category on the Polish market is Base. PowerHub is developing its own Orders module, also designed for merchants running multichannel sales. Both systems have a similar goal, but they differ in feature scope, approach to automation, pricing model and development direction.

In this article, we compare PowerHub and Base from the perspective of OMS functionality. The goal is not to point to one universally best solution, but to help merchants understand which tool is better suited to their current stage of growth, cost structure, workflows and scaling plans.

What exactly is an OMS?

An OMS is a system for managing orders from different sales channels. In practice, it means one place where the team can see orders from marketplaces, online stores, phone orders, in-person sales and often B2B channels as well.

A good OMS should support the entire order lifecycle:

• importing the order from the sales channel,
• verifying payment and customer details,
• assigning an order status,
• passing information to the warehouse,
• generating sales documents,
• creating a shipment and label,
• sending the tracking number back to the marketplace or store,
• sending messages to the customer,
• handling returns, complaints or corrections.

If a company sells only through one store and handles a small number of daily orders, such a system may not be critical. But if sales happen across several marketplaces, multiple countries or at a higher order volume, an OMS becomes one of the key operational tools.

PowerHub and Base – two systems, similar goal

Base is a mature eCommerce system known for its wide range of integrations, advanced Order Manager, automation features, offer management, warehouse functions, shipments, invoicing, communication and API. It is a well-established and widely recognised solution used by many eCommerce teams.

PowerHub is building an alternative focused on multichannel sales, process automation, handling multiple marketplaces and online stores, warehouse work, RMA returns, ERP integrations and a more predictable cost model as order volume grows.

Both solutions can handle orders from multiple channels. The differences appear in the details: how teams work with statuses, how packing is handled, how OMS connects with RMA, how pricing is structured and which features are available in specific plans.

Order centralisation

Both PowerHub and Base allow orders from marketplaces and online stores to be imported into one panel. This is the core function of every OMS.

In Base, the Order Manager allows users to import orders from multiple marketplace accounts and online stores. The system also allows phone orders and in-person orders to be added, which is important for companies combining online and offline sales channels.

PowerHub works in a similar way: orders from marketplaces, online stores, phone sales and in-person sales are collected in one view. The key difference is that PowerHub presents order management as part of a broader operational process that includes warehouse, shipments, documents, RMA, customer communication and forwarding orders to a store or ERP system.

For merchants, this means that both systems solve the problem of scattered orders. However, if a company is looking for more than just an order panel and wants a central operations hub for the entire fulfilment process, it is worth looking closely at how OMS connects with other modules.

Automatic actions and order statuses

Automation is one of the most important areas of comparison.

Base offers automatic actions that can change statuses, send messages to customers, issue invoices, create shipments and print documents. This is one of the strongest parts of the system and one of the key reasons why many companies use Base in daily order handling.

PowerHub also builds the Orders module around automatic actions. The system can change order statuses, send messages, issue invoices, create shipments and print labels. Importantly, PowerHub allows users to create their own order statuses, assign actions to them and adjust the process to the real workflow of the company.

In practice, automation should answer one question: how many times per day does an employee need to click manually for an order to move to the next stage?

If a team manually changes statuses, generates invoices, creates labels, sends messages, checks payments, forwards orders to ERP and updates tracking numbers in marketplaces, a well-configured OMS can deliver a very fast return on investment.

In this area, Base and PowerHub are functionally close. The differences will mainly depend on the merchant’s process, number of channels, packing workflow and integrations with other systems.

Packing and warehouse work

In many eCommerce companies, the most expensive mistakes do not happen in the order panel, but in the warehouse. A wrong product, incorrectly packed parcel, missing parcel photo or delayed dispatch can generate costs, returns, disputes and negative reviews.

Base offers a Packing Assistant that helps employees correctly pick and pack products. The module uses EAN or SKU barcode scanning, informs the employee about mistakes and can take a photo of the parcel as proof.

PowerHub develops the AI Packing Assistant as part of the Orders module and warehouse processes. The assistant guides the employee step by step through packing, verifies EAN or SKU, enables a parcel photo to be taken as proof of shipment, supports label printer integration and customer notifications.

From an operational perspective, both approaches address the same problem: reducing packing errors. In PowerHub, however, it is worth noting the broader connection between packing, warehouse work, custom statuses, RMA and automation of the entire workflow.

For companies with a simple shipping process and a small team, both systems may be sufficient. For companies with multiple warehouses, many channels, different picking scenarios and a larger number of employees, what matters more is how the OMS works with WMS, RMA and the shipment module.

Shipments and carriers

Shipping is one of the most practical tests of an OMS. Importing an order is not enough. The system must quickly create a shipment, select a carrier, print the label, pass the tracking number back to the marketplace and inform the customer.

Base allows users to create parcels directly from the Order Manager, individually or in bulk. The system can print labels, order a courier, send the tracking number to the marketplace and store, and send the customer a tracking link.

PowerHub also allows users to generate labels, select carriers, arrange pickups and monitor shipment status directly from the order list. An important element is automatic carrier assignment based on rules, such as country, parcel size, order value or delivery method.

In both systems, shipments are strongly connected with automation. The difference for merchants may come from the list of supported carriers, the markets where the company sells and the cost of maintaining integrations in a given subscription model.

Invoices, receipts and documents

In an OMS, sales documents should be created without manually copying data. This applies to VAT invoices, receipts, corrections, pro forma invoices and shipping documents.

Base allows users to issue receipts, VAT invoices, pro forma invoices and corrections for orders individually or in bulk, including through automated rules. The system can also send documents to online accounting services.

PowerHub allows users to generate VAT invoices, receipts and corrections directly from the order. It supports automatic document creation after a status change, integration with accounting systems, fiscal printers and sending documents to customers.

In practice, both systems meet the basic requirements for document handling. Differences may appear in more complex accounting processes, integration with a specific ERP system, fiscalisation requirements and international sales handling.

Customer communication

Good customer communication reduces the number of support questions. Customers want to know whether their order has been accepted, paid, packed, shipped and when it will arrive.

Base offers e-mail and SMS templates that can be sent from the order card, from the order list or through automatic actions. The system also provides an order information page where the customer can check purchase details, download an invoice, ask a question or track the parcel.

PowerHub also supports e-mail and SMS templates, communication history assigned to the order, dynamic payment links and an order page for the customer. In the context of PowerHub’s development, it is also important that customer communication can become increasingly connected with AI features and communication in the buyer’s local language.

For merchants, the most important thing is not simply having templates, but being able to automate them at the right moments. Messages after order acceptance, packing, dispatch or delay should be sent without manual work.

Returns and RMA

Returns are one of the areas that often determine the quality of the entire customer service process. Many OMS systems handle outgoing orders well, but are weaker when it comes to post-purchase processes.

Base provides functions related to orders, documents, communication and post-sales processes within its broader eCommerce ecosystem.

PowerHub clearly positions the RMA module as part of the OMS ecosystem. The Orders module is connected with handling returns and complaints, automatic creation of correction documents, stock updates, return statuses and customer communication.

For industries with high return rates, such as fashion, footwear, electronics, home and garden, RMA should not be treated as an add-on. It should be an integral part of the operating system. In this context, PowerHub may be particularly interesting for merchants who want to connect orders, warehouse, documents and returns in one workflow.

Shippinging orders to stores, ERP and suppliers

Not every company wants to handle an order in the OMS from beginning to end. Sometimes the OMS should act as an integration hub that imports an order from a marketplace and forwards it to an online store, ERP, WMS, supplier or fulfilment operator.

Base allows orders from marketplaces to be forwarded to an online store or ERP system. The merchant can use the Order Manager or treat Base as a connector that passes sales data further.

PowerHub also allows orders to be forwarded to a store, ERP or dropshipping supplier. It additionally supports phone and in-person orders, payments, custom printouts and keyboard shortcuts for fast operational work.

This is an important strategic difference: in modern eCommerce, an OMS does not always have to be the place where the entire fulfilment process happens. Sometimes it should act as an orchestrator that decides where the order should go next.

Integrations and sales scaling

Base is very strong in terms of brand recognition and the breadth of its integration ecosystem. This is a major advantage for companies selling on many marketplaces, using multiple carriers and needing ready-made connections with popular tools.

PowerHub is also developing a broad ecosystem of integrations with marketplaces, online stores, carriers, ERP systems, WMS systems and supporting applications. An important element of PowerHub’s communication is no limitation on the number of connected marketplace and online store accounts in subscription plans, as well as access to many integrations as part of the subscription.

This can be significant for companies running many marketplace accounts, multiple brands, several stores or sales across different markets. In this model, the cost and convenience of maintaining many integrations become just as important as the list of available channels itself.

OMS feature comparison

The table below shows the key areas worth comparing before choosing an OMS.

How to choose an OMS? Selection criteria

Before choosing an OMS, it is worth starting not with the price list, but with the process. The best system is not the one with the longest feature list, but the one that best fits the way your team works.

Number and type of sales channels

If you sell through one online store, your needs will differ from those of a merchant handling Allegro, Amazon, eBay, Empik, Kaufland, eMAG and several online stores at the same time.

It is worth checking whether the system:

• supports your current sales channels,
• allows multiple accounts of the same marketplace to be connected,
• includes integrations in the subscription,
• supports international sales,
• synchronises orders, stock and prices at the required frequency.

Process automation

A good OMS should remove repetitive tasks from the team. Order centralisation is only the beginning. What matters is whether the system can automatically:

• change statuses,
• issue documents,
• generate labels,
• select carriers,
• send customer messages,
• forward orders to ERP,
• update tracking numbers in marketplaces.

Warehouse and packing

If the company has its own warehouse, special attention should be paid to picking and packing. This is where costly mistakes most often occur.

When choosing an OMS, it is worth checking whether the system:

• supports EAN/SKU scanning,
• includes a packing assistant,
• allows parcel photos to be taken,
• integrates with a label printer,
• works with WMS,
• supports different picking models.

Returns and complaints

An OMS should handle not only shipping, but also post-purchase processes. Especially in industries with a high number of returns, RMA should be part of the entire workflow, not a separate manual process.

It is worth asking whether the system:

• imports returns from marketplaces,
• automatically updates stock,
• generates correction documents,
• allows return statuses to be created,
• supports communication with the customer during the complaint process.

Total cost, not only subscription

Pricing is important, but it should not be the only criterion. Implementation cost, support, additional integrations, team workload, mistakes and manual process maintenance should also be included.

In practice, a cheaper system can be more expensive operationally if it requires more manual work. A more expensive system can be more cost-effective if it helps avoid hiring another person to handle orders.

OMS implementation step by step

OMS implementation should not start with connecting integrations. First, the process must be understood, and only then transferred into the system.

Step 1. Audit the current process

At the beginning, it is worth describing how order handling works today:

• where orders come from,
• who handles them,
• where statuses are changed,
• how invoices are created,
• how labels are generated,
• how customer communication works,
• how returns are handled,
• where errors and delays appear.

This stage often shows that the biggest problem is not a lack of people, but too many manual tasks.

Step 2. Choose channels and integrations

Next, you need to decide which sales channels should be connected first. It is not always worth starting with everything at once. A safer approach is to launch the most important channels, test the process and then add more.

Step 3. Configure order statuses

Statuses should reflect the real workflow. Good statuses help the team understand what is happening with the order and what should happen next.

An example order process may look like this:

• new order,
• paid,
• ready for picking,
• being picked,
• packed,
• shipped,
• delivered,
• return / complaint.

Step 4. Configure automatic actions

After statuses, it is time for automation. This is what generates the greatest time savings.

The most common automations include:

• sending e-mail and SMS messages,
• generating documents,
• creating shipments,
• changing statuses,
• printing labels,
• forwarding orders to ERP or store,
• updating tracking numbers.

Step 5. Test on real orders

The best OMS test is not a feature presentation, but a real order processed from beginning to end. It is worth checking the full workflow:

• order import,
• picking,
• packing,
• document creation,
• label generation,
• tracking number forwarding,
• customer communication,
• potential return handling.

Step 6. Train the team

Even the best OMS will not work well if the team does not understand the process. It is worth preparing short instructions, assigning roles and clearly defining who is responsible for each stage.

Step 7. Optimise after the first few weeks

After a few weeks, it is worth returning to the configuration and checking:

• which actions are still performed manually,
• where employees lose the most time,
• which statuses are unnecessary,
• where errors appear,
• which automations should be added.

An OMS is not a one-time configuration. It is a system that should grow together with the company.

Cost comparison: subscription and implementation

The cost of an OMS should be analysed from two perspectives: monthly subscription and implementation costs. Only by combining these two areas can we understand the real cost of entering and maintaining the system.

PowerHub pricing

The PowerHub pricing model is based on clear monthly order volume thresholds.

In PowerHub’s pricing, it is important that the main modules are included in the subscription: Orders, Sales, Warehouse, invoices, sales documents, carrier integrations, Packing and Picking Assistant, and in higher plans also AI features, PH Assistant, Repricer, priority support and API/SLA support elements.

PowerHub also offers a 30-day free trial with access to all features. This lowers the entry barrier because merchants can test the system on their own process before making a purchasing decision.

Base pricing

The public Base pricing model includes three main levels:

In practice, the Base Business plan means that the cost grows with the number of orders. For businesses with strong seasonality, it is worth calculating the cost not only for an average month, but also for peak months such as Black Friday, December or promotional seasons.

Example subscription comparison: PowerHub and Base

To compare costs as clearly as possible, let us take the upper limit of each PowerHub order volume range and calculate what the monthly cost of Base would be using the public Business model: PLN 149 fixed fee + PLN 0.79 for each order.

Important: according to the official Base pricing model, Enterprise applies to companies exceeding 5,000 monthly orders or PLN 1 million monthly GMV. Therefore, for volumes of 10,000 and 15,000 orders, the Base calculations below are indicative. They show the cost according to the Business formula, but in practice a company may be moved to individual Enterprise pricing.

* For volumes above 5,000 orders, Base may qualify the company for Enterprise pricing with an individual quote. The values PLN 8,049 and PLN 11,999 are therefore indicative calculations based on the Business formula, not guaranteed Base prices for this scale.

How were the costs calculated?

For PowerHub, the current subscription thresholds were used:

• Free – PLN 0 up to 100 orders per month,
• Start – PLN 99 up to 1,500 orders per month,
• Growth – PLN 199 up to 5,000 orders per month,
• Professional – PLN 399 up to 10,000 orders per month,
• above 10,000 orders – PLN 399 + PLN 0.03 for each additional order.

For Base, the Business plan formula was used:

For example:

• 1,500 orders: PLN 149 + 1,500 × PLN 0.79 = PLN 1,334,
• 5,000 orders: PLN 149 + 5,000 × PLN 0.79 = PLN 4,099,
• 10,000 orders: PLN 149 + 10,000 × PLN 0.79 = PLN 8,049,
• 15,000 orders: PLN 149 + 15,000 × PLN 0.79 = PLN 11,999.

Annual comparison

* For volumes above 5,000 orders, Base may qualify the company for Enterprise pricing with an individual quote, so the calculation is indicative.

What does the comparison show?

In the PowerHub model, the cost grows by thresholds and remains predictable: the merchant knows how much they will pay at a given order volume. In the Base Business model, the cost grows linearly with each order, and after a certain scale the company may move to individual Enterprise pricing.

For smaller stores up to 100 orders per month, both systems may be free. Differences become visible as order volume grows, especially at 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 monthly orders.

However, subscription cost is only one part of the calculation. When choosing an OMS, implementation, configuration, support, integrations, team workload and operational errors should also be included. Only the sum of these elements shows the real cost of handling orders in a given system.

Implementation cost

The subscription is only part of the cost. The second element is implementation.

In practice, OMS implementation may include:

• process audit,
• account configuration,
• connecting marketplaces and stores,
• carrier integration,
• status configuration,
• automatic action setup,
• invoice and document configuration,
• ERP or WMS integration,
• process testing,
• team training,
• post-launch optimisation.

PowerHub includes additional support services in its pricing, such as account audit, account configuration, settings verification, configuration transfer and employee training. Additional technical support plans are also available: Standard, Business and Max.

Base also offers professional services such as system implementation, consulting and training, account audit and account configuration. This shows that in both cases implementation should be treated as a project, not only as registering in an application.

How to calculate the real OMS cost?

To compare both systems fairly, it is worth collecting the following data:

• monthly order volume,
• peak season order volume,
• number of active offers,
• number of products in the catalogue,
• number of users,
• number of marketplace accounts,
• number of carrier accounts,
• need for ERP / WMS integration,
• technical support cost,
• implementation cost,
• team workload cost,
• cost of packing errors, returns and complaints.

Only the sum of these elements shows which system is actually cheaper for a given sales model.

When is PowerHub worth choosing?

PowerHub is worth considering if you:

• want to manage orders from multiple channels in one panel,
• want strong connection between OMS, warehouse, shipments, documents and RMA,
• want to build custom statuses and workflows for your specific operating model,
• care about packing automation, EAN/SKU verification and reducing warehouse errors,
• operate multiple marketplace accounts or plan sales across many markets,
• want to test the system for 30 days without a credit card,
• are looking for a pricing model based on order volume thresholds,
• want to use a Free plan up to 100 monthly orders,
• need a system developing toward automation of the entire sales process.

PowerHub may be especially interesting for merchants who do not want to treat OMS as a separate order panel, but as part of an operational eCommerce hub.

The key difference: order panel or operational hub?

The simplest comparison looks like this:

Base is a strong and mature tool for order centralisation, operational automation, shipments, documents, communication and integration with many systems.

PowerHub is moving toward an operational sales hub, where orders are connected with warehouse, shipments, RMA, automation, multiple marketplace accounts, order forwarding to ERP and sales scaling across many markets.

This does not mean one approach is objectively better. It means the choice should depend on the problem the company wants to solve.

If your main challenge is organising orders and automating basic tasks, Base may be sufficient.

If your challenge is managing the entire operational process from order import, through packing, documents, shipment, RMA and ERP integration, PowerHub may better fit your company’s growth direction.

FAQ: OMS questions and answers

Summary

PowerHub and Base solve a similar problem: they help eCommerce companies centralise orders and automate daily work. Both systems offer features needed in a modern OMS: sales channel integrations, automatic actions, statuses, shipments, documents, customer communication and packing support.

Base has the advantage of maturity, recognition and a broad ecosystem. It is a good choice for companies that want to use a proven market standard and already have processes adapted to this environment.

PowerHub focuses on connecting OMS with the entire operational sales backend: warehouse, RMA, shipments, documents, multiple marketplace accounts and a predictable pricing model. It is a solution for companies that want not only to handle orders, but to build a scalable operating system for multichannel sales.

The best choice does not depend on which system has a longer feature list. It depends on which one better addresses the real problems of your team, your sales channels and your cost structure.

If you want to see how PowerHub can improve order handling in your company, start a free trial and compare it on your own processes. The best OMS test is not a feature presentation, but one real order processed from import, through packing, to shipping and documents.