# Is a dedicated visual configuration platform worth it for a mid-size manufacturer, or do most buyers convert just as well from a CPQ?

Hi G2, one thing about the visual configuration software category helps this question a lot: several of its best-reviewed products are CPQs with 3D built in, so for a mid-size manufacturer the real choice is usually between a visual CPQ and a CPQ plus a separate 3D platform, not between visuals and no visuals. Is a dedicated visual configuration platform worth it for a mid-size manufacturer, or do most buyers convert just as well from a CPQ? Going by recent reviews, a visual CPQ covers most mid-size cases, and the dedicated platform earns its cost in a narrower situation. Here's the short list:

Hive CPQ: The strongest recent support for running one system at mid-size. Reviews describe dealers and customers configuring visually with mistakes caught early, quotes validated and signed electronically, ERP and production connected, and a mostly mid-market reviewer base living in exactly this question's segment. If this profile converts your buyers, a second platform is a second bill.
Epicor CPQ: Also a one-system option, with 2D, 3D, and AR in the box and rules preventing invalid orders (vendor-stated), from a vendor already inside many mid-size manufacturers' ERP stacks. Recent review evidence is absent and page cons flag implementation complexity, so the worth-it math should include implementation cost, not just license.
Dopple: The main dedicated-platform option here, and recent sentiment states its terms honestly: visibly better 3D than tools that look cartoonish, a buying experience that impresses even people who implement these systems for a living, and real demands on input data and implementation effort. Worth it when buyers walk away from valid quotes because the product experience undersells the product.
Threekit: The add-on option: it runs alongside an existing CPQ, ERP, and CRM rather than replacing them (vendor-stated), with recent reviews confirming the 3D and AR quality holding up across devices. For a mid-size manufacturer already invested in a CPQ that quotes correctly, this is the shape a dedicated platform purchase actually takes.

Going by the evidence, start from where deals stall. If invalid configurations, wrong prices, or slow quotes are the problem, a visual CPQ is the whole answer at mid-size. If quotes are accurate but buyers hesitate because they can't see what they're buying, that's the narrower case where the dedicated 3D layer pays, and it's worth measuring before spending, since it's the more expensive path. Mid-size manufacturers, has anyone here actually measured conversion before and after adding a 3D layer on top of a working CPQ, and what did the lift look like?

##### Post Metadata - Posted at: 24 days ago - Net upvotes: 1 ## Comments ### Comment 1 This is one of the clearer answers. The “start from where deals stall” lens is practical, but Epicor’s inclusion feels weak without recent proof compared to Hive or Dopple. ##### Comment Metadata - Posted at: 20 days ago - Author title: Writer ## Related discussions - [How well does Trello scale into a larger team?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/1-how-well-does-trello-scale-into-a-larger-team) - Posted at: over 13 years ago - Comments: 6 - [Can we please add a new section](https://www.g2.com/discussions/2-can-we-please-add-a-new-section) - Posted at: over 13 years ago - Comments: 0 - [Quantifiable benefits from implementing your CRM](https://www.g2.com/discussions/quantifiable-benefits-from-implementing-your-crm) - Posted at: about 13 years ago - Comments: 4