SimpliServ or velo.port? A comparison for bike workshops leaving paperwork behind

velo.port is the default choice in many German bike workshops: cloud-based, industry-specific, with inventory, repair orders and POS. SimpliServ competes for the same working day but takes a fundamentally different approach to pricing and customer communication. This comparison covers both — including where velo.port remains the better answer.

The core difference: base price plus modules, or one plan

velo.port works with a base tariff and many small add-ons. According to the public velo.port price list, the main access includes three concurrent workstations; a one-off setup fee, the cloud TSE, each additional workstation, permission management, online booking, webshop import, dunning and the DATEV interface are separate line items.

That produces a familiar experience: the entry price looks right, while the actual monthly invoice only emerges from the sum of the checkboxes.

SimpliServ bundles those same building blocks into tiers. Pro costs €119 per month and includes five users, the cash register, inventory with serial numbers, online appointments, dunning, time tracking and shop connections. Add-ons exist, but they cover exceptions such as extra locations or staff scheduling rather than everyday operation.

Where velo.port scores

velo.port is built tightly around German bicycle retail. For businesses whose revenue hangs on individual industry interfaces and that take in bikes only, that can fit; in SimpliServ, your own connections can be added from Business upwards via the open API and the MCP connector.

For everyone else the picture turns quickly. The specialisation ends at the bicycle, and the pricing model moves the real bill into the add-ons: POS, online booking, permission management, dunning and every additional workstation cost extra. What starts as a EUR 99 system is rarely a EUR 99 system in daily use.

Where SimpliServ wins

Customers check instead of calling. The customer portal works without a login: status link, cost estimate approval in the browser, automatic notification when the bike is ready via WhatsApp, SMS or email. In workshops with high repair volume this is the most noticeable daily difference.

Every invoice is already an e-invoice. Structured ZUGFeRD data sits inside the PDF automatically, with sequential numbering and write protection. Nobody has to choose a format.

More than bikes. The same software covers e-scooters, automotive, electronics and general service, so mixed businesses avoid a second system.

Open to the outside. From Business upwards there is API access and an MCP connector for custom integrations and AI tooling, plus workflows that trigger recurring steps automatically.

Adaptable without project costs. Custom fields, templates and forms, your own roles and permissions, a workflow builder from Business, plus API and MCP connector: you shape the software around your process instead of the other way round. No consultant hours, no developer needed.

Cheap and predictable. Entry costs EUR 49 per month, currently EUR 19 for the first four months on an annual plan; Pro with five users is EUR 119, initially EUR 49. Setup and data migration are handled by SimpliServ (worth EUR 199, currently free), there is no per-workstation licence and no minimum term after the trial.

Built for bike retailers, not merely adapted to them

SimpliServ is cut for two-wheel businesses: frame and serial numbers on the vehicle, spare part ordering straight from the system via the VeloConnect link, inventory with storage locations and stocktaking, repair intake with photos and signature on a tablet, online booking for service slots, and rentals. The same software also covers e-bikes, e-scooters and whatever else the workshop takes in.

Modern rather than grown over time. SimpliServ runs in the browser — at the counter, on a tablet in the workshop, on a phone on the road. No installation, no server in the back room, no annual version a technician has to roll out, no disruptive update windows that halt the shop: new features are simply there, included in the price. The interface is built for speed rather than menu trees, and new staff get by without a week of training.

Migrating from velo.port: the decisive point

velo.port stores data in the vendor’s cloud rather than locally, so building your own export is not trivial. SimpliServ maintains a dedicated migration tool for exactly this case: it reads only your own tenant data through the running, logged-in velo.port session and transfers customers, vehicles and the complete document history — including the original invoice PDFs in their familiar layout. Nothing is written back into velo.port.

The goal is deliberate: velo.port can be switched off completely afterwards without losing your document archive.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my old invoices when switching?

No. The migration transfers document history including original PDFs, so retention obligations remain covered. Confirm the specific retention requirements with your tax advisor.

What about frame numbers and vehicle history?

Vehicles and serial numbers are first-class records in SimpliServ with full service history, and they are included in the migration.

Isn't SimpliServ too large for a one-person workshop?

That is what Starter is for, at €49 per month with intake, jobs, quotes, invoices and appointments. The cash register can be added on.

How long does switching take?

Usually one to two days until you are operational. SimpliServ handles import and setup.

Conclusion

velo.port remains a solid choice for pure bicycle businesses living off those industry interfaces. In every other case SimpliServ wins: one price instead of a sum of modules, five users included, POS and online booking without surcharges, customers who see their own status — and every invoice an e-invoice automatically.

The strongest argument is the switch itself: the migration brings customers, vehicles and the complete document history including the original invoice PDFs, so velo.port can be shut down entirely afterwards. See pricing or compare features.