> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hub.equipme.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hub.equipme.io/equipme/offer-management/service-portfolio/products-vs.-services.md).
# Products vs. Services
Before you start building your portfolio, it helps to know where equipme draws the line between a *Product* and a *Service*. Both appear in the same catalog area, both can be published to customers, and both can be ordered – but they are built for different use cases.
A service gives you full flexibility. A product keeps things simple.
The key difference is not what you sell – it’s how configurable the offer needs to be.
***
#### What is a Product?
A product is the fastest and most lightweight way to publish an offer in equipme. It is ideal for cases where you know exactly what is being delivered, how much it costs, and there is nothing the customer needs to choose or configure.
A good way to think about it:
**One product = one offer, without variations.**
There are no options, no versions to swap, no price adjustments per customer. It’s a “what you see is what you get” type of offering.
Products are perfect for:
* accessories or peripherals
* simple hardware with a fixed price
* one-time items with no subscription logic
* offers where configuration would only slow things down
A product is a clean, reduced setup for whenever you want to publish something quickly and without complexity.
***
#### How is this different from a Service?
A service is the more flexible building block in equipme. It is designed for situations where customers can select options, where pricing may vary, where different roles or SLAs apply, or where multiple components are bundled into one offering.
Services support:
* customer-specific pricing
* options and variants
* subscription or renewal logic
* different offer configurations per client
In many real-world scenarios, services form the foundation of a scalable managed service business. They make it possible to sell the same offer in different versions, tailor it to customers, and evolve it over time.
Services are ideal for:
* structured managed service packages
* subscription-based offers
* bundled hardware + software combinations
* offers with SLAs, logic or automation behind them
If an offer needs flexibility, it belongs as a service. If it needs simplicity, it belongs as a product.
***
#### Putting both together
Many portfolios use both – and that’s intentional.
You might publish hardware as a product, and then offer installation or support as an optional service. You might create a service bundle that contains exactly one product. Or you might keep things pure and sell software-only services without any physical component at all.
equipme doesn’t force a model. It lets you choose based on what you want the experience to be.
A product is the fast lane. A service is the flexible layer.
Both complement each other – but they aren’t meant to replace one another.
Last updated 11 days ago
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