Comparison

{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
  "$id": "https://artifacts.apis.io/mspsoftware-net/json-schema/mspsoftware-net-comparison-schema.json",
  "title": "Comparison",
  "description": "The two listings a /compare page shows, with the feature checklist rows it puts side by side.",
  "x-generated": "2026-10-29",
  "x-method": "derived",
  "x-generator": "derive-json-schema.py",
  "x-source": "openapi/mspsoftware-directory-api-openapi.json#/components/schemas/Comparison",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "a": {
      "$ref": "#/$defs/SoftwareDetail"
    },
    "b": {
      "$ref": "#/$defs/SoftwareDetail"
    },
    "features": {
      "type": "array",
      "description": "Every feature of the two primary categories, merged by name, with each side's mark.",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "name": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "a": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "yes",
              "no",
              "unknown"
            ]
          },
          "b": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "yes",
              "no",
              "unknown"
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "eligible": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "Whether the pair is worth comparing: a shared category, at least 5 marked features on each side, and a price or a review on one of them. The comparison page is noindex and unlinked when false."
    },
    "url": {
      "type": "string",
      "format": "uri",
      "description": "The comparison page, with the two slugs in alphabetical order."
    }
  },
  "$defs": {
    "FaqItem": {
      "type": "object",
      "title": "FaqItem",
      "properties": {
        "question": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "answer": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Plain text, markdown stripped."
        }
      }
    },
    "Rating": {
      "type": [
        "object",
        "null"
      ],
      "title": "Rating",
      "properties": {
        "average": {
          "type": "number",
          "description": "Mean rating, one decimal place, out of 5."
        },
        "count": {
          "type": "integer",
          "description": "Published reviews counted in the average."
        }
      }
    },
    "ReportedPricing": {
      "type": "object",
      "title": "ReportedPricing",
      "description": "One (unit, currency) aggregate, only ever shown at 3 or more independent reporters.",
      "properties": {
        "unit": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "What MSPs reported paying per: endpoint, technician, user, mailbox."
        },
        "currency": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "n": {
          "type": "integer",
          "minimum": 3,
          "description": "Independent reporters behind the aggregate."
        },
        "median_minor": {
          "type": "integer",
          "description": "Median monthly price in minor units, normalised to one month."
        },
        "low_minor": {
          "type": [
            "integer",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "Lowest reported monthly price in minor units."
        },
        "high_minor": {
          "type": [
            "integer",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "Highest reported monthly price in minor units."
        },
        "window_months": {
          "type": "integer",
          "enum": [
            12,
            24
          ],
          "description": "How far back the reports behind this aggregate reach."
        },
        "latest_month": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Month of the most recent report, as YYYY-MM."
        },
        "auto_renew_yes": {
          "type": "integer",
          "description": "Reporters who said the contract auto-renews."
        },
        "auto_renew_n": {
          "type": "integer",
          "description": "Reporters who answered the auto-renewal question at all."
        },
        "typical_notice_days": {
          "type": [
            "integer",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "Median notice period to cancel, in days."
        },
        "min_quantity_reported": {
          "type": [
            "integer",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "Smallest quantity any reporter bought at this price."
        }
      }
    },
    "ReviewSummary": {
      "type": [
        "object",
        "null"
      ],
      "title": "ReviewSummary",
      "description": "Aggregate only. Never an individual review, never a reviewer identifier.",
      "properties": {
        "average": {
          "type": "number",
          "description": "Mean rating, one decimal place, out of 5."
        },
        "count": {
          "type": "integer"
        },
        "distribution": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "Five entries, 5 stars first.",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "star": {
                "type": "integer",
                "minimum": 1,
                "maximum": 5
              },
              "count": {
                "type": "integer"
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "SoftwareDetail": {
      "type": "object",
      "title": "SoftwareDetail",
      "properties": {
        "slug": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "The product name in lower case with hyphens, e.g. \"datto-rmm\"."
        },
        "name": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "tagline": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "summary": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "The lead paragraph of the listing page, plain text."
        },
        "description": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "The vendor description, plain text, markdown stripped."
        },
        "editor_note": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "deprecated": true,
          "description": "Deprecated. Always null; editorial notes are not public."
        },
        "vendor": {
          "type": "object",
          "properties": {
            "slug": {
              "type": "string"
            },
            "name": {
              "type": "string"
            },
            "url": {
              "type": "string",
              "format": "uri"
            },
            "claimed": {
              "type": "boolean",
              "description": "Whether a verified vendor account holds this vendor."
            }
          }
        },
        "primary_category": {
          "type": [
            "object",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "Null while the primary category is not published.",
          "properties": {
            "slug": {
              "type": "string"
            },
            "name": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          }
        },
        "secondary_categories": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "Up to two further published categories the product is also listed under.",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "slug": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "name": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "url": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "uri"
        },
        "website_url": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "uri"
        },
        "pricing_url": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "format": "uri"
        },
        "featured": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Deprecated: the same value as sponsored."
        },
        "sponsored": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "The product has a live paid placement somewhere on the site."
        },
        "sponsorship_label": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "enum": [
            "Sponsored",
            null
          ],
          "description": "The label the site shows on a paid placement: \"Sponsored\" when sponsored is true, else null."
        },
        "created_at": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "date-time",
          "description": "When the listing was first published."
        },
        "updated_at": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "date-time",
          "description": "Moves only when the content or facts of the listing actually change."
        },
        "editor_reviewed_at": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "format": "date-time",
          "description": "When MSP Software last checked the facts against the vendor site."
        },
        "facts": {
          "type": "object",
          "description": "Vendor-published facts. A null means the vendor does not publish one, never a guess.",
          "properties": {
            "starting_price": {
              "$ref": "#/$defs/StartingPrice"
            },
            "free_trial": {
              "type": [
                "boolean",
                "null"
              ]
            },
            "free_version": {
              "type": [
                "boolean",
                "null"
              ]
            },
            "pricing_plans": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                  "name": {
                    "type": "string"
                  },
                  "priceMinor": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Integer minor units (pence, cents)."
                  },
                  "currency": {
                    "type": "string"
                  },
                  "unit": {
                    "type": "string",
                    "description": "What the plan price is charged per."
                  },
                  "period": {
                    "type": "string",
                    "enum": [
                      "month",
                      "year"
                    ]
                  },
                  "highlights": {
                    "type": "array",
                    "items": {
                      "type": "string"
                    }
                  }
                }
              }
            },
            "support_options": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "training_options": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "deployment": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "platforms": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "typical_sizes": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "description": "MSP sizes, in technicians, that report using it."
            },
            "hq_country": {
              "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
              ]
            },
            "founded_year": {
              "type": [
                "integer",
                "null"
              ]
            }
          }
        },
        "feature_list": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "Grouped by category, since a product can carry secondary categories.",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "category": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                  "slug": {
                    "type": "string"
                  },
                  "name": {
                    "type": "string"
                  }
                }
              },
              "features": {
                "type": "array",
                "items": {
                  "type": "object",
                  "properties": {
                    "key": {
                      "type": "string"
                    },
                    "name": {
                      "type": "string"
                    },
                    "supported": {
                      "type": "string",
                      "enum": [
                        "yes",
                        "no",
                        "unknown"
                      ]
                    },
                    "note": {
                      "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                      ]
                    }
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "integrations": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "What this vendor lists as an integration.",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "name": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "url": {
                "type": "string",
                "format": "uri"
              },
              "integrates_with_slug": {
                "type": [
                  "string",
                  "null"
                ],
                "description": "Set when the integration is itself a listing on this site."
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "integrated_by": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "The other direction: listings on this site that name this product as an integration of theirs.",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "slug": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "name": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "url": {
                "type": "string",
                "format": "uri"
              },
              "category": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                  "slug": {
                    "type": "string"
                  },
                  "name": {
                    "type": "string"
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "faqs": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "The FAQ shown on the listing page: generated from the facts first, then the editor-written questions.",
          "items": {
            "$ref": "#/$defs/FaqItem"
          }
        },
        "alternatives": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "Up to four ranked alternatives. The full ranked list, with a feature table, is the page at /software/{slug}/alternatives.",
          "items": {
            "$ref": "#/$defs/SoftwareSummary"
          }
        },
        "reported_pricing": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "$ref": "#/$defs/ReportedPricing"
          }
        },
        "review_summary": {
          "$ref": "#/$defs/ReviewSummary"
        },
        "sub_ratings": {
          "$ref": "#/$defs/SubRatings"
        }
      }
    },
    "SoftwareSummary": {
      "type": "object",
      "title": "SoftwareSummary",
      "properties": {
        "slug": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "The product name in lower case with hyphens, e.g. \"datto-rmm\"."
        },
        "name": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "tagline": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "vendor": {
          "type": "object",
          "properties": {
            "slug": {
              "type": "string"
            },
            "name": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          }
        },
        "category": {
          "type": [
            "object",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "The primary category only. Null while that category is not published.",
          "properties": {
            "slug": {
              "type": "string"
            },
            "name": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          }
        },
        "url": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "uri"
        },
        "rating": {
          "$ref": "#/$defs/Rating"
        },
        "starting_price": {
          "$ref": "#/$defs/StartingPrice"
        },
        "free_trial": {
          "type": [
            "boolean",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "deployment": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "string"
          }
        },
        "featured": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Deprecated: the same value as sponsored."
        },
        "sponsored": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "The product has a live paid placement somewhere on the site."
        },
        "sponsorship_label": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "enum": [
            "Sponsored",
            null
          ],
          "description": "The label the site shows on a paid placement: \"Sponsored\" when sponsored is true, else null."
        },
        "match": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "enum": [
            "product_name",
            "vendor_name",
            "previous_name",
            "parent_vendor_name",
            "domain",
            "tagline",
            null
          ],
          "description": "Present on search results only: the field q matched, the best-ranked one when several do (a slug match counts as product_name). Null when there is no q."
        },
        "placement": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "sponsored",
            "organic"
          ],
          "description": "Present on search results only: \"sponsored\" for the at most two paid placements whose name matches q, shown first and labelled Sponsored; every other result is \"organic\" and ranked without regard to payment."
        },
        "via_vendor": {
          "type": [
            "object",
            "null"
          ],
          "description": "Present on a vendor's products only: the child company that makes this product, or null when the vendor makes it itself.",
          "properties": {
            "slug": {
              "type": "string"
            },
            "name": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          }
        },
        "compare_url": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ],
          "format": "uri",
          "description": "Present on alternatives only: the side-by-side comparison page for this product and the one it is an alternative to, or null when that pair is not comparable."
        }
      }
    },
    "StartingPrice": {
      "type": [
        "object",
        "null"
      ],
      "title": "StartingPrice",
      "description": "The vendor-published entry price. Null when the vendor publishes none.",
      "properties": {
        "minor": {
          "type": "integer",
          "description": "Integer minor units (pence, cents), never a decimal."
        },
        "currency": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "GBP",
            "USD",
            "EUR",
            "AUD",
            "CAD"
          ]
        },
        "unit": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "endpoint",
            "workstation",
            "server",
            "user",
            "technician",
            "site",
            "mailbox",
            "tb",
            "tenant",
            "network_device",
            "connection",
            "client",
            "flat"
          ],
          "description": "What the price is charged per: endpoint, workstation, server, user, technician, site, mailbox, tb, tenant, network_device, connection (a concurrent remote session), client (a managed client organisation), or flat (one price for the account, read as \"per month\")."
        },
        "period": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "month",
            "year"
          ],
          "description": "How often the unit price recurs."
        }
      }
    },
    "SubRatings": {
      "type": [
        "object",
        "null"
      ],
      "title": "SubRatings",
      "description": "Mean of each sub-rating across published reviews, one decimal place out of 5. Null when the listing has no reviews; a field is null when no review scored it.",
      "properties": {
        "ease_of_use": {
          "type": [
            "number",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "features": {
          "type": [
            "number",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "support": {
          "type": [
            "number",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "value": {
          "type": [
            "number",
            "null"
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}