The idea for PingPrice, an app that compares supermarket product prices, first emerged one morning in 2014. At the time, Christophe Echement, the founder, had already launched Belate.be, a service that helped users claim refunds for train delays. Seeing what he had achieved using public data, he asked himself a new question: “Why not do the same for supermarkets?” The idea took root but was then set aside… until it came back to life during the Covid-19 pandemic and truly took off.
PingPrice addresses a clear need: allowing consumers to compare prices transparently. “I like knowing whether I’m paying the right price. And if I’m paying more, I want to know and understand why.” Thanks to its database, the app lets users scan a product, see its current price, track its historical evolution, and check if it’s on promotion elsewhere. “Our goal is to empower people to make informed purchases.”
“I’m like the Robin Hood of Prices”
This pursuit of transparency sometimes causes friction. “When we publish that a supermarket claims to have lowered prices, but it’s not entirely true, they don’t like it,” Christophe explains. He recounts honest discussions with several chains but insists: “We remain fully independent. No supermarket funds us. We keep our freedom.”
While the app is free for users, PingPrice is financially sustainable through a B2B model. It offers companies services related to price data collection and analysis. “We monitor prices daily, providing reports, alerts, and historical data.” The team collects around six million prices per day across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. This work is automated: their robots operate mainly at night to avoid overloading websites and to ensure all data is ready and up to date when users wake up.
User feedback is invaluable. Some regret that their specific store isn’t included. Christophe explains: “We try to clarify that prices are often identical by region, even if their exact store isn’t scanned.” Although covering every supermarket is unrealistic, the team constantly seeks solutions. Christophe particularly appreciates the recognition he gets in the field: “When someone I don’t know tells me ‘I know PingPrice,’ it makes me genuinely happy.”
Several new features are in the pipeline: a gauge indicating whether a product is at its lowest price and a “promotions” section based on keywords. “This gives consumers an additional layer of information. They won’t be fooled.”
PingPrice’s future also lies in France, a market six times larger than Belgium, offering enormous opportunities. A report on TF1 is scheduled to boost their visibility, alongside participation in VivaTech 2025. Technically, the team is preparing to migrate to more powerful servers: “We want everything to be smooth. And for that, we’re also looking to attract new investors.”
If Christophe could have dinner with anyone, he wouldn’t name a celebrity but rather: “Every time I talk to an entrepreneur, it recharges my batteries. Because we all know it’s never smooth sailing.”
When asked for the best advice he ever received, he answers without hesitation: “Confront the market as soon as possible. It’s not what you think that matters; it’s what people want.” And his message to entrepreneurs: “Resilience is fundamental. You have to push through and never give up.”
