Before comparing: the three criteria that matter
- Pricing model. Per-charger fee (cost grows with your network), revenue share, or flat rate. With 2 chargers it hardly matters; with 30, it defines your margin.
- Open standards. If the platform uses standard OCPP, your chargers aren't locked in: migrating means changing one URL. Be wary of anyone who won't say this clearly.
- Fit with your operation. Local tax compliance (in Spain: Verifactu and TicketBAI), app-less payment for walk-in customers, white label if you're an installer, roaming if you want coverage.
The platforms, one by one
Monta — the best driver app in northern Europe
Danish, very polished, with a large roaming network of its own and easy onboarding for installers. Its ecosystem revolves around its driver app. Best for: operators whose drivers value an established app, especially in northern Europe. Watch out for: per-connected-charger pricing and an ecosystem centred on the Monta brand, not yours. Detailed comparison here.
AMPECO — the deepest enterprise white label
Bulgarian, hardware-agnostic, with roaming, smart charging and a very deep integration ecosystem. Best for: CPOs in their scaling phase, with hundreds of points and their own technical team. Watch out for: per-point pricing with minimums and a sales process with an implementation project — oversized for small networks. Detailed comparison here.
ChargePoint (be.ENERGISED) — the global giant
Hardware + software + services from the world's largest network; be.ENERGISED is compatible with hundreds of charger models. Best for: large corporations and public networks that want a single end-to-end vendor. Watch out for: enterprise pricing structure and less agility for the small operator.
Driivz — the utilities' CSMS
Israeli (Vontier group), strong in advanced energy management and in very large utility and fleet networks. Best for: utilities and national CPOs with deep systems integration. Watch out for: it's a full enterprise project; there is no self-service.
Etecnic (EVcharge) — Spain's turnkey integrator
A veteran Spanish company combining its own software with engineering, installation and maintenance. Best for: public administrations and projects that want a single contractor from start to finish. Watch out for: the software is tied to the engineering project; if you only want the platform, you pay for the bundle.
Virta — the shared-risk model
Finnish, a pioneer of European roaming, with a commercial model that can include revenue sharing instead of only fees. Best for: medium European operators who want to start with contained investment and broad roaming coverage. Watch out for: revenue sharing gets expensive when your network performs well, and the visible brand tends to be Virta's.
askacharge.com — for small and medium operators who want their own brand
Ours — so we'll tell you exactly where it fits. Best for: operators with 1 to ~100 chargers, installers reselling a white-label CSMS, and businesses with parking (hotels, restaurants, campsites, fleets, offices) in Spain. Flat €20/month with unlimited chargers, instant online sign-up, OCPP 1.6J/2.0.1 (tested with the Open Charge Alliance's OCTT), OCPI 2.2, a roaming hub with free sign-up and 1% per session, app-less QR payment, and automatic Verifactu/TicketBAI on every charge. Not for: networks of hundreds of points with enterprise tenders — that's what the first four on this list are for.
Summary table
Third-party details are based on public information as of this article's date; commercial models change — always check current terms with each vendor.
The advice that applies to all seven
Demand standard OCPP and try before you sign anything: connect one of your real chargers to the candidate platform and run a full cycle (activate, charge, collect payment, invoice). Any serious CSMS lets you do this in a trial period. If they ask for a lock-in contract before you've seen your charger working, that's a bad sign.