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CMS, CPMS, CSMS: EV Charging Software Terms Explained
Charging software is sold under half a dozen acronyms. Most of them mean the same thing. Here is what each term means, in plain words.
Most of these names mean the same thing
If you are buying software to run EV chargers, vendors will call it a CMS, a CPMS, a CSMS or an EV charging platform. These are different names for the same kind of product: software that connects to your chargers, lets drivers start and pay for sessions, and shows you what every charger is doing.
The software
CMS (charging management system)
The most common name, especially in India. A CMS connects to your chargers, sets prices, takes payments and reports on every session.
CPMS (charge point management system)
The same product, named after the charge point. Common in tenders and in Europe.
CSMS (charging station management system)
The term the OCPP 2.0.1 standard uses for the backend. You will see it in technical documents and in requests for custom builds.
OCPP backend or central system
The part of the software that talks to the chargers. OCPP 1.6 calls it the central system. Our guide What is an OCPP backend? explains how it works.
The standards
OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol)
How a charger and its software talk to each other. If a charger supports OCPP, it can usually work with any OCPP software, so you are not tied to one vendor. Versions 1.6J and 2.0.1 are the ones in use today.
OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface)
How two charging networks share chargers. With OCPI, drivers using another company's app can find and use your charger. This is called roaming. See how roaming works.
The businesses
CPO (charge point operator)
The business that owns or runs the chargers and sets the price. A hotel, a housing society or a public charging company can each be a CPO.
eMSP (e-mobility service provider)
The business that gives drivers the app or card they charge with. Some companies are both a CPO and an eMSP.
What to compare instead of the name
- Which chargers it works with, and which OCPP versions.
- How drivers start and pay: an app, a card, a QR code or WhatsApp.
- Whether the money reaches your own account, and whether there is a per-session cut.
- Whether your chargers can be listed in other networks' apps through OCPI.
- Whether it can carry your own brand.
Savekar's charging management system works with OCPP chargers from many brands, lets drivers charge on WhatsApp with no app, and connects to partner networks through OCPI. Compare the three plans.
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An OCPP backend is the server every networked EV charger reports to. This guide explains what it does, how a charger connects to it, how OCPP 1.6J differs from 2.0.1, and what to look for when you choose one.