Helm WMS
East Yorkshire order and warehouse system for ecommerce sellers, free up to 100 orders a month
Quick Overview
| Company | The Despatch Company Ltd |
|---|---|
| Category | Order Management Systems |
| Headquarters | Driffield, United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - United Kingdom |
| Data Location | United Kingdom: the privacy policy states ISO 27001 compliant data centres inside the UK |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Order management, inventory, shipping labels, returns, warehouse picking and packing, self-service returns portal, 500+ channels, 160+ carriers |
| Pricing | Start Up free for up to 100 orders; Business from GBP 245/month; Ultimate from GBP 395; 3PL Fulfilment from GBP 495; Enterprise on request; prices excl. UK VAT with 20% annual discount included |
| Best For | Small UK sellers growing into a packing operation, and 3PLs |
| Replaces | Brightpearl |
Detailed Review
Helm WMS is the product name used by The Despatch Company Ltd, company number 09615192, whose registered office is on the Kelleythorpe industrial estate in Driffield. The pricing page quotes in pounds and states that unlimited users and unlimited integrations are included.
Its entry point is the opposite of Brightpearl's request form: a Start Up plan at no charge for up to 100 orders, with batch dispatch labels and shipment tracking.
From labels to a warehouse
Start Up covers batch dispatch labels, in-flight tracking and dashboards. Business adds a warehousing suite, digital picking and packing, a packing and returns terminal and purchase forecasting.
Ultimate adds branded self-service returns, shift-ready task creation, multi-warehouse support and performance metrics.
Channels and carriers counted by the vendor
The pricing page lists 500+ sales channels and marketplaces and 160+ carriers on every plan. The home page speaks of 650 integrations from day one.
Neither figure was checked channel by channel for this review.
A 3PL tier
A separate Fulfilment plan from GBP 495 a month adds client billing, branded portals and profitability insights, which makes Helm one of the few tools here priced for a company that ships for other brands.
Limitations to Consider
Prices are in pounds excluding UK VAT, and the quoted prices already include a 20% discount for annual contracts, so month-to-month pricing is higher. The free plan stops at 100 orders. The site is English only and the vendor does not name a EU hosting option, only UK data centres. For German-language shop connectors Billbee has more local depth.
Who Should Use Helm WMS
UK ecommerce sellers who start with labels and grow into picking and packing, and small 3PLs that need client billing.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free plan for up to 100 orders
- Unlimited users and integrations stated
- UK data centres, ISO 27001 stated
- Separate 3PL plan
- Public price list
Cons
- Prices in GBP excluding VAT
- Annual discount built into quoted prices
- No EU hosting option stated
- Free plan capped at 100 orders
Alternatives to Helm WMS
Other European order management systems worth comparing before you decide:
Picqer
Netherlands · Arnhem warehouse and order software priced per order, unlimited users
Billbee
Germany · Orders, invoices and stock for small sellers from EUR 9 a month
PlentyONE
Germany · Kassel cloud platform joining PIM, OMS and WMS with 150+ marketplaces
Xentral
Germany · Augsburg ERP built around the order and stock flow of online sellers
See all European order management systems or compare them directly against Brightpearl on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Start Up plan is listed as free for up to 100 orders. Business, Ultimate and the 3PL plan are paid.
The privacy policy of The Despatch Company Ltd states that data is stored in ISO 27001 compliant data centres located inside the UK.
The pricing page lists a Fulfilment plan from GBP 495 per month with client billing, branded portals and profitability insights.