Tharstern Alternative - How Printlogic Compares to Tharstern
Tharstern is one of the longest-established Print MIS systems in the UK market. It was acquired by EFI in 2019, and in 2022 EFI sold its entire productivity software division - including Tharstern - to Symphony Technology Group, where it now operates under the eProductivity Software (ePS) brand. For print businesses evaluating Tharstern today, that ownership history matters. Printlogic is independently and privately owned, built on a monthly subscription with no contracts and no upfront costs. This page compares both systems directly.
| Feature | Printlogic | Tharstern |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-native (no installation) | ✓ | Partial - cloud hosting available but not built cloud-first |
| Monthly subscription, no contract | ✓ | ✗ - significant upfront investment required |
| Free onboarding and training | ✓ | ✗ - implementation charged separately |
| Free support included | ✓ | Paid support tiers |
| Customisations included | ✓ | Charged separately |
| Upgrades included | ✓ | Depends on support contract |
| Print estimating and quoting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Job tracking and production | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web2Print portal | ✓ | ✗ |
| Print broker support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile access | ✓ | ✗ |
| Xero / Sage / QuickBooks integration | ✓ | Sage only |
| Independently owned | ✓ | ✗ - owned by Symphony Technology Group (ePS) |
Switching from Tharstern? We import your data.
Migrating your order history, customer records, and job data to Printlogic is included as part of onboarding. You don't start from scratch. Your existing data - however long you've been running your current system - comes with you.
Where Tharstern wins
- Long-established system with deep UK commercial print knowledge
- Comprehensive enterprise-level features for large, complex operations
- Strong professional services team for implementation
- Extensive reporting for high-volume production environments
Where Printlogic wins
- Truly cloud-native - built in the cloud from day one in 2001, not retrofitted
- No contracts, no upfront fees - one monthly subscription covers everything
- Onboarding, training, support, and customisations all included
- Web2Print portal included - Tharstern does not offer this
- Print broker management built in
- Mobile access - manage jobs from the shop floor or off-site
- Privately owned - no acquisition risk, no investor-driven price increases
- Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, MYOB, and more - broader accounting integrations
- Faster implementation - typically days, not months
The Bottom Line
Tharstern is a solid system with a long track record, particularly suited to large UK commercial printers that need deep enterprise workflow features and have the budget for significant upfront investment. The concern for buyers today is ownership. Tharstern has changed hands twice since 2019 - from EFI to Symphony Technology Group - and with each acquisition comes pressure to increase prices, reduce support headcount, and slow feature development in favour of margin. Printlogic has been independently owned since 2001. The pricing hasn't changed structure, support is still free, and the roadmap is driven by customers rather than investors. If you run a small-to-mid-size print business and want a cloud-native MIS with predictable monthly costs and no surprises, Printlogic is the better fit. If you run a large enterprise with complex multi-site workflows and an implementation budget, Tharstern is worth evaluating - but ask them directly about the ePS roadmap before you sign.
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