Tool profile
CONTACT Software: cost, fit and limits
CONTACT Software is a German software company whose CONTACT Elements platform provides product lifecycle management, project management, manufacturing execution and service tools, with an assistant called Fourier AI. It is aimed at manufacturers in automotive, machinery, high-tech and consumer products that want cloud or on-premises PLM.
What to know first
CONTACT sells a configurable platform rather than a priced package, and the site shows no prices, only a try-for-free link. What it does describe in detail is Fourier AI, including where embeddings are stored and which cloud processes queries. Cloud and on-premises editions can be switched in either direction. Expect a quote, an implementation project and a conversation about hosting.
CONTACT Software at a glance
| Maker | CONTACT Software GmbH, Germany |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Free trial only |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI Product Lifecycle Management Software in 2026, rank 3 of 10 |
| Website | contact-software.com |
Who CONTACT Software is best for
European manufacturers
The privacy policy names CONTACT Software GmbH in Bremen, Germany, and the cloud page describes a sovereign European option with STACKIT, which suits buyers with data residency requirements.
Companies wary of cloud AI
Fourier AI keeps data in your instance as embeddings and sends only selected snippets to a European cloud, which gives a security team a concrete data flow to review.
Automotive and machinery suppliers
The site lists automotive, machinery, high-tech, logistics and consumer products among its industries, with Bosch, BMW, Honda and thyssenkrupp named as customers.
Teams that may move between cloud and on-premises
The cloud page states that products are available on-premises or via the CONTACT Cloud and that a switch in either direction is possible at any time.
CONTACT Software plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Try for free | Free | A sign-up link on the home page offers a trial. The text we read gives no duration or limits. |
| SaaS cloud | Quote | A pre-configured PLM solution for quick starts, with the provider running infrastructure and installing updates, upgrades and patches automatically. |
| On-premises | Quote | The same platform on a customer's own infrastructure, with the option to move to the CONTACT Cloud at any time. |
| Managed services and hosting | Quote | The services section lists cloud hosting and managed services, with a sovereign European cloud offered together with partner STACKIT. |
Checked November 2026.
What CONTACT Software does
- Fourier AI assistant
- The assistant answers product questions using the system's data and can run tasks in the context of objects. Answers include source references, and it respects the roles and rights of the logged-in user.
- Listed AI use cases
- The site lists an engineering assistant, in-system translation, a 24/7 customer support chatbot, multimodal 3D similarity search and AI analysis of manufacturing data. Several of these run inside the same platform.
- Hybrid AI architecture
- Data stays within the company as embeddings in a vector database in your instance, while computing power comes from the Fourier Cloud, hosted by AWS on European soil.
- Model orchestration
- Fourier AI combines several large language models with CONTACT's own specialized models, and an orchestration service chooses the model best suited to each request. The page lists ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Anthropic as the outside models.
- Open interfaces
- The platform is described as built on open interfaces and open source software, and the MES description mentions connecting ERP with the shop floor. That openness is the platform's stated route to interoperability along the digital thread.
How CONTACT Software handles your data
CONTACT's AI page says your data is converted into embeddings stored in the vector database inside your own CONTACT Elements instance, that relevant embeddings are sent to the Fourier Cloud for each query, and that information processed there is neither stored nor used for third-party purposes. The Fourier Cloud and all AI models are described as hosted by AWS on European soil. The cloud page says development and operation of the cloud solution are ISO 27001 certified, and the privacy policy names CONTACT Software GmbH at an address in Bremen. The AI page names several outside language models, so ask which one handles your queries.
Where CONTACT Software falls short in practice
- No prices published. The site shows no price or plan table, only a try-for-free link and cloud models. Budgeting requires a sales conversation, and implementation cost depends on how much the platform is configured.
- AI features depend on the release. Fourier AI is stated as available from CONTACT Elements 15.9, with semantic processing of your data arriving in 2026.2. A customer on an older release must upgrade before using it.
- Third-party models in the chain. Fourier AI uses outside large language models alongside CONTACT's own, selected by an orchestration service. Security reviews should cover which model providers see query content.
Works with
Alternatives to CONTACT Software
CONTACT Software: common questions
Where does CONTACT Fourier AI process my data?
The AI page says the Fourier Cloud and all AI models are hosted by AWS on European soil, and that embeddings of your data are stored in your own instance. Only relevant embeddings are sent for each query. Review it with your security team.
Can CONTACT Elements run on premises?
Yes. The cloud page says products are available on-premises and in the CONTACT Cloud, and that a switch in either direction is possible at any time. A SaaS edition is offered for quick starts. A SaaS edition is meant for quick starts, with updates installed automatically for the customer.
Does CONTACT hold ISO 27001?
The cloud page says the development and operation of its cloud solution are ISO 27001 certified. It also says TÜV Nord tool-qualified the platform under ISO 26262. The security team page we read did not list certifications. Ask for the certificate scope and date.
Which language models does Fourier AI use?
The site says Fourier AI combines several large language models, naming ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Anthropic, with CONTACT's specialized models, such as one for 3D similarity search. An orchestration service picks the model for each request. Ask which one handles your queries.
Does CONTACT publish its prices?
No. The pages we read show a try-for-free link but no prices or plan names. Cost depends on the modules, cloud model and implementation, so request a quote and ask whether Fourier AI is included. A trial link exists, but its terms were not on the page.