Glossary comparison
EMS vs ODM: what is the difference?
The difference
An original design manufacturer designs the product as well as building it, and may sell the same design to several brands. An EMS provider usually builds to the customer's design.
An electronics manufacturing services provider builds and tests products to the customer's design. An ODM also does the design, so it chooses the components.
The two terms
EMS
Contract manufacturers that assemble printed circuit boards and finished electronic systems for brand owners, buying components on the brand's behalf or to its approved vendor list.
ODM
A manufacturer that designs as well as builds a product which another company sells under its own brand. Unlike an EMS it controls the schematic and therefore the component selection, making it a decision maker for chip vendors.
Side by side
| Field | EMS | ODM |
|---|---|---|
| Stands for | Electronics Manufacturing Services | Original Design Manufacturer |
| Type | Acronym | Acronym |
| Domain | Business & Market | Business & Market |
| Group | Business models | Business models |