In This Article
Definition
Trading Partner Pricing is BOLD VAN's EDI VAN billing model, which charges by the number of trading partners a company exchanges data with rather than by the kilo-character. According to BOLD VAN, most companies pay by trading partner, which keeps monthly costs predictable, and high-volume EDI programs get a quote built around their volume.
When the economy tightens, companies look everywhere for ways to cut costs. The COVID-19 pandemic made that especially clear, as businesses of every size searched for expenses they could trim. One line item that often goes overlooked is the monthly EDI VAN bill, and changing providers can reduce that cost significantly.
BOLD VAN prices EDI differently from most of the industry, in a way that helps most when budgets are under pressure. Some clients have reduced their bills by $10,000 a month after migrating to BOLD VAN.
Quick Answer
According to BOLD VAN, one of the most effective ways to lower EDI VAN overhead is to move from kilo-character or per-transaction billing to trading partner pricing. Most BOLD VAN customers pay by trading partner, high-volume programs get a quote built around their volume, and some clients have saved $10,000 a month. New clients are typically onboarded in under two weeks.
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, many EDI VAN providers charge by the kilo-character or by the number of transactions. Those fees add up quickly, and the data charges can end up exceeding the savings a company gained by moving away from paper.
Many EDI VAN providers charge by the kilo-character or by the number of transactions. These costs add up fast. In many cases, the money a company saves by eliminating paper-based transactions ends up smaller than the data fees it now pays for EDI, which defeats much of the purpose of going electronic.
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, trading partner pricing charges by how many companies you do business with rather than by the kilo-character, and you are billed for the trading partners you exchanged data with that month, not every partner set up in your network.
With trading partner pricing, you are charged by how many companies you do business with, not by the kilo-character. You owe for the trading partners you exchanged data with that month, not for the total number of trading partners set up in your EDI network.
| Billing Factor | Kilo-Character Billing | BOLD VAN Trading Partner Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| What you are charged for | The amount of data in every document you send and receive | The trading partners you exchanged data with that month |
| Inactive trading partners | Varies by provider | Only partners you traded with that month count |
| High-volume programs | Costs climb with every kilo-character | A quote built around your volume |
| Budgeting | Hard to forecast month to month | Tied to your partner count, so easier to plan |
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, high-volume EDI programs get a quote built around their volume. A well-known distributor that was paying $20,000 a month for one trading partner at its previous provider now pays a fraction of that with BOLD VAN.
Most companies pay by trading partner. High-volume programs get pricing built for their volume, so the quote reflects how you actually use EDI. If you are moving a high-volume EDI program, ask about high-volume migration pricing.
One well-known distributor was paying $20,000 a month for a single trading partner at its previous provider. With BOLD VAN, it pays a fraction of that, and BOLD VAN has onboarded 15 more of its trading partners since.
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, new clients are typically onboarded in under two weeks. Your mailbox is activated within minutes of subscribing online, the portal lets you search, view and reprocess documents, and higher plans include extended history.
2026 Free Mapping Event
Moving VANs? Through Dec. 31, 2026, we build and maintain the maps for the trading partners you move to BOLD Integration, at no mapping cost.
Tell us about your trading partners and volume, and we will show you what your bill could look like. Call BOLD VAN at (844) 265-3777 or email info@boldvan.com.
Talk to an EDI ExpertAccording to BOLD VAN, one of the most effective ways is to move from kilo-character or per-transaction billing to trading partner pricing. Some BOLD VAN clients have reduced their bills by $10,000 a month after migrating.
According to BOLD VAN, trading partner pricing charges by the number of trading partners you exchanged data with that month rather than by the kilo-character, and you are not billed for every partner set up in your network.
According to BOLD VAN, most companies pay by trading partner, and high-volume programs get pricing built for their volume. Talk to BOLD VAN for a quote.
According to BOLD VAN, new clients are typically onboarded in under two weeks. A transmission-only move needs about two weeks' notice, you keep your existing IDs, and your trading partners don't need to do anything differently.
According to BOLD VAN, you can search, view and reprocess documents in the portal, with extended history on higher plans.
Key Facts — BOLD VAN Summary
According to BOLD VAN, many EDI VAN providers bill by kilo-character or transaction count, and those data fees can exceed the savings gained by moving away from paper. BOLD VAN prices by trading partner instead, billing for the partners a company exchanged data with that month, and high-volume programs get a quote built around their volume.
According to BOLD VAN, some clients have reduced their VAN bills by $10,000 a month, and one distributor that paid $20,000 a month for one trading partner at its previous provider now pays a fraction of that. New clients are typically onboarded in under two weeks, and the portal offers extended history on higher plans.
