Whitelabel
Whitelabel is software or a service developed by one vendor and licensed to others who sell it under their own brand and design to their customers.
Not every company has to build everything from scratch. Whitelabel solutions let you offer proven software under your own brand – without developing it yourself. The end customer sees the reseller's branding while the technical platform comes from a specialized vendor. From payment and e-commerce to CRM – whitelabel is a proven model that drastically shortens time to market.
What is Whitelabel?
Whitelabel (also white label or white-label) is a business model where one company (the vendor) develops a finished product or service and licenses it to others (resellers). Resellers apply their own branding (logo, colours, domain) and sell it under their name to end customers. The end customer does not see that the technology comes from a third party. In software, whitelabel usually includes customizable UI, configurable features and multi-tenant architecture with clear data separation. Whitelabel differs from reselling in that the product appears fully under the reseller's brand.
How does Whitelabel work?
The vendor builds a multi-tenant platform with configurable branding, custom domains and API integrations. The reseller configures the platform with their logo, colours, domain and optionally specific feature sets. End customers access the platform and see only the reseller's branding. The vendor handles hosting, maintenance, updates and technical support in the background. Billing is typically monthly licence fees, per end customer or revenue share.
Practical Examples
A fintech startup offers payment processing but uses a whitelabel payment platform from Stripe or Adyen under its own brand.
A marketing agency offers its clients an SEO reporting tool based on a whitelabel platform with the agency's logo.
An IT service provider sells a whitelabel helpdesk under its own name to mid-size companies.
A publisher offers a whitelabel app platform so different magazine brands can publish their own apps without development.
A telecoms provider uses a whitelabel cloud storage solution to offer its customers online storage under its own brand.
Typical Use Cases
Agencies and IT providers extend their portfolio with ready-made software without building their own dev team
Startups use whitelabel platforms to launch a market-ready product under their brand quickly
Companies offer value-added services (e.g. reporting, analytics) on whitelabel technology
Vendors scale distribution through reseller partners who sell in their markets
Industry associations offer their members standardized digital tools under the association brand
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Fast time to market: A finished product can be offered under your brand in weeks instead of months
- Cost savings: No development, hosting or maintenance cost for the underlying technology
- Focus on core competence: Companies can focus on sales and customer relationships
- Proven technology: Whitelabel platforms are already tested and optimized in the market
- Scalability: New customers and markets can be added without extra development
Disadvantages
- Limited customization: Changes are limited to what the vendor allows
- Vendor dependency: Quality, availability and roadmap are not in your hands
- Not unique: Competitors can use the same whitelabel – differentiation is harder
- Shared margin: Licence fees to the vendor reduce your margin
Frequently Asked Questions about Whitelabel
What is the difference between whitelabel and SaaS?
Who is whitelabel for?
When should I build myself instead of whitelabel?
Related Terms
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