Supply chains are changing rapidly. Industrial sourcing is evolving just as fast. Finding the right suppliers is one of the most important steps in procurement, if not the most important.
While ThomasNet has long been a trusted directory, manufacturers today need verified data, global presence, and other AI tools specifically for supplier sourcing & quoting.
In this article, we compare ThomasNet and MESH Works – two leading platforms helping manufacturers connect with suppliers – and explore which is better suited for today’s sourcing teams.
What is ThomasNet?
ThomasNet is one of the oldest online directories for industrial manufacturers and suppliers in North America.
Founded in 1898 as the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers, it evolved into ThomasNet.com, a searchable directory where buyers can find companies by category, product, or location.
Key facts:
Focuses primarily on supplier listings and visibility.
Offers advertising and lead-generation services for suppliers.
Buyers can search and shortlist, but no direct quoting, RFQ automation, or collaboration tools are built in.
Acquired by Xometry in 2021, meaning its data & supplier capabilities now feed into Xometry’s manufacturing marketplace.
What is MESH Works?
MESH Works is a modern AI-powered sourcing & supplier management platform for industrial buyers & manufacturers.
It connects global sourcing teams with vetted suppliers worldwide with in-person MESH Audits to verify supplier capabilities. Also, it offers tools to manage RFQ’s, supplier quoting, selection, & supplier development.
Key Capabilities:
5,000+ Vetted & In-Person Audited suppliers across 40+ countries.
Features like AI RFQ Summarizer, Reverse Auctions & MESH Marketplace.
Focused on helping OEM’s, Tier 1 suppliers, & global sourcing teams in automotive, lighting, energy, construction, agriculture & other industrial sectors.
ThomasNet vs MESH Works: Key Differences
Feature | ThomasNet | MESH Works |
Core Function | Supplier directory | AI-powered sourcing platform |
Supplier Coverage | Primarily North America | 40+ countries |
Supplier Verification | Self-reported | In-person MESH Audits |
Buyer Tools | Directory search | RFQs, Reverse Auctions, Analytics |
AI Capabilities | None | AI RFQ Summarizer, Supplier Match |
Pricing Model | Paid supplier listings | SaaS for buyers |
What is the Supplier Coverage?
ThomasNet focuses primarily on North American suppliers while MESH Works covers suppliers across the world in 40+ countries with a heavy presence across North America, Europe & Asia.
How does Supplier Verification work?
With ThomasNet, suppliers can purchase listings + all listings are self-reported, forcing buyers to do verification on their own.
With MESH Works, we physically verify & in-person audit suppliers across a 45-point evaluation (manufacturing, quality, engineering, logistics) to ensure buyers can quickly validate & trust with our 3rd party in-person verification.
What other Buyer Tools are available?
ThomasNet focus is on marketing suppliers and for buyers, is specifically designed mainly for supplier search & discovery.
With MESH Works, sourcing teams can find suppliers but also use tools like our AI RFQ Summarizer for supplier quoting, Reverse Auctions for cost reductions, & other features built specifically for sourcing teams beyond just supplier discovery.
What is the Cost?
Both ThomasNet & MESH Works are free to register for both buyers & suppliers with additional paid features. ThomasNet’s focus is on paid offerings for suppliers, while MESH Works focus is on paid offerings for buyers.
Why Buyers & Suppliers Choose MESH Works
Buyers who come from regulated industries like automotive, lighting, energy, agriculture, construction, power, gas & others are all increasingly having more requirements for suppliers. This significantly increases the validation required up front, which is where MESH Audits are helpful to quickly validate.
Another reason buyers are choosing MESH is because of its global reach. As supply chains expand into more global footprints, buyers are forced to increasingly look for suppliers in new regions & countries.
Looking to move beyond supplier directories like ThomasNet?
Talk to our Team to see how AI-powered sourcing, verified supplier data, and automated RFQs can transform your procurement process.
FAQ’s
Q1. What are the main differences between ThomasNet & MESH Works?
Ans. ThomasNet primarily covers North America, while MESH Works covers 40+ countries globally including North America. ThomasNet verifies suppliers online, while MESH Works verifies suppliers in-person with MESH Audits (45-point supplier assessment).
Q2. Is MESH Works free to use?
Ans. Yes, buyers can register here & begin searching for suppliers. There are add-on paid tools to access MESH Audit reports, detailed supplier capabilities & more.
Q3. Who uses MESH Works?
Ans. Procurement, Sourcing & Supply Chain teams at OEM’s, Tier 1 suppliers & manufacturers across the world.
Q4. Can MESH Works integrate with existing procurement systems?
Ans. Yes – MESH offers APIs & data exports to connect directly with procurement or ERP platforms.
Q5. What are other alternatives to ThomasNet & MESH Works?
Ans. Alibaba, India MART, Taiwan Trade.
Q6. How does MESH Works verify suppliers?
Ans. MESH employs supplier quality auditors who visit in-person to conduct these audits. We audit them on a 45-question assessment across manufacturing processes, equipment, engineering, quality & logistics with factory photos & videos.
Q7. Can suppliers list themselves on MESH Works like ThomasNet?
Ans. Suppliers can register for free but will not be added to supplier database (MESH Sourcing) until we have qualified & vetted the supplier.
