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Fashion · head to head

Shima Seiki vs Stoll

Shima Seiki logo

Shima Seiki

Fashion

Knit design and visualization software

From
$250/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stoll logo

Stoll

Fashion

Knit design and knitting machine solutions

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Shima Seiki the Internet Archive's capture of Shima Seiki's homepage on 29 December 2020 named five distinct product categories, Knitting Machines, Design System/Software, CAD/CAM Systems, Inkjet Printing Machine, and PLM Solutions, all sold via an Inquiry form with no price figure published.; Stoll no pricing available; the flat knitting machine business has been discontinued
  • They diverge on capability: Shima Seiki covers Stitch pattern creation, Stoll covers Pattern creation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shima Seiki and Stoll actually diverge.

Attributes where Shima Seiki and Stoll differ
AttributeShima SeikiStoll
Starting price$250/month$300/month
Founded19621880

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Fashion).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Shima Seiki

  • Stitch pattern creation
  • Color selection
  • Machine control
  • Visualization
  • Shima Seiki machines
  • CAM systems
  • Japanese language support
  • Chinese language support

Only in Stoll

  • Pattern creation
  • Machine programming
  • Stitch simulation
  • Stoll machines
  • CAD systems
  • German language support
  • Spanish language support

Both cover

  • Knit design
  • Production planning
  • User authentication
  • Desktop deployment
  • Windows support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Shima Seiki

  • Knit designnot Stoll
  • Machine programmingnot Stoll

Stoll

  • Flat knitting machine manufacturing (legacy/discontinued)not Shima Seiki
  • Knitting machine spare parts and servicenot Shima Seiki

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Shima Seiki

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Shima Seiki's homepage on 29 December 2020 named five distinct product categories, Knitting Machines, Design System/Software, CAD/CAM Systems, Inkjet Printing Machine, and PLM Solutions, all sold via an Inquiry form with no price figure published.

Stoll

  • No pricing available; the flat knitting machine business has been discontinued
  • Production site in Reutlingen closed as of October 31, 2025
  • Only spare parts and legacy service support remain available

Pricing, plan by plan

Shima Seiki

$250/month
  • Essential$250/month
    • Basic design
    • Standard features
  • Professional$500/month
    • Advanced design
    • Integration
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full solution

Stoll

$300/month
  • Basic$300/month
    • Basic design
  • Advanced$600/month
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full solution

Which should you pick?

Choose Shima Seiki if

  • You need stitch pattern creation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want color selection.
Shima Seiki review

Choose Stoll if

  • You need pattern creation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want machine programming.
Stoll review

Questions people ask

Is Shima Seiki or Stoll better?
Neither clearly leads. Shima Seiki starts at $250/month and Stoll at $300/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shima Seiki or Stoll?
Shima Seiki starts at $250/month and Stoll at $300/month.
Does Shima Seiki or Stoll run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Shima Seiki best used for?
Shima Seiki is most often used for knit design, machine programming. Of those, knit design and machine programming are not what Stoll is typically brought in for.
What can Shima Seiki do that Stoll cannot?
Shima Seiki covers Stitch pattern creation, Color selection, Machine control, Visualization. Stoll covers Pattern creation, Machine programming, Stitch simulation, Stoll machines. Both handle Knit design, Production planning, User authentication, Desktop deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stoll: Is STOLL still selling knitting machines?

No, STOLL's flat knitting machine business has been discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed on October 31, 2025. Only spare parts availability and legacy service support remain.

Source
Stoll: Where can I get spare parts for STOLL machines?

STOLL spare parts remain available through their support channels. The company has consolidated service operations under KARL MAYER ownership. Customers should contact STOLL's helpline or webshop for parts availability.

Source
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