Best Inventory Management Software Shortlist
Here’s the shortlist of the best inventory management software tools available. Read on for detailed summaries of each.
- Fishbowl - Best for large-scale manufacturing and warehousing
- SkuVault - Best for small e-commerce businesses
- Linnworks - Best automation and workflows
- Cin7 - Best all-in-one for multi-channel sellers
- Shipstation - Best shipping and inventory combo
- Netsuite by Oracle - Best for enterprises
- Flowtrac - Best mobile inventory tracking
- Katana - Best all-in-one manufacturing system
- Infoplus - Best for reporting features
- Zoho Inventory - Best free option for small shippers
- inFlow - Best for tracking product costs and profit
- Lightspeed Retail - Best retail inventory and POS
I’ve compared 12 of the best inventory management tools to help you find the right one for your business. I’ll cover all their key features and their pros and cons, along with pricing.
What is Inventory Management Software?
Inventory management software helps businesses track their inventory and make better decisions about purchasing and stocking. It provides a record of a business’s existing stock and is also used for inventory optimization, automatic reorders, and supply chain tracking.
Overview of the 12 Best Inventory Management Software
Let’s dive into these inventory management software tools. I’ll cover key features, strengths, weaknesses, and pricing.
1. Fishbowl - Best for large-scale manufacturing and warehousing
Fishbowl Inventory (not to be confused with the professional community and social network, Fishbowl) is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution designed for manufacturing and warehousing organizations.
You can easily track and categorize by serial number, creation date, expiration date, lot number, or tag number. With multi-location tracking, Fishbowl gives you more inventory visibility in one place.
Why I picked Fishbowl: I think Fishbowl’s all-in-one approach to manufacturing and fulfillment saves time and effort for businesses that need full visibility and traceability. I love that it gives businesses a full history of each product and automation workflows cut down on manual tasks.
Fishbowl can automate processes for creating purchase orders, stock counts, barcode scanning, and financial reporting, among others. For manufacturers and other large-scale organizations, these operating efficiencies can pay off quickly.
Fishbowl Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include allowing you to trace items back to lot number, creation and expiration dates, and assembly stages, as well as multi-location inventory tracking. In my opinion, Fishbowl is a good fit for businesses that sell perishable products or need to maintain high compliance standards.
You also have the option to measure inventory in different ways (weight and number of units, for example).
Integrations are available for 40+ tools, including Amazon, eBay, FedEx, Hubspot, Quickbooks, Salesforce, Shopify, and Xero.
Pricing: From $4,395 for 2 users
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Easy to set up and implement
- Custom part tracking for increased traceability
- Offers add-ons for a point-of-sale product, Salesforce integration, and shipping solutions
Cons
- Limited reporting functionality
- Software purchase only includes customer support for one year
2. SkuVault - Best for small e-commerce businesses
SkuVault is an e-commerce inventory management system that enables even small businesses to understand their inventory cycles and implement features like barcode labels and quantity buffers.
Why I picked SkuVault: I selected SkuVault because it specifically fills the needs of small e-commerce businesses that want to become more organized and strategic in how they track and stock inventory. It makes automation achievable without a ton of tech resources.
Popular with apparel, beauty, and home goods brands, it’s designed to reduce manual counts and give businesses the data they need to make smart purchasing decisions.
SkuVault Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include proactive Replenishment Reports, which combine current inventory levels with sales forecasts and other data to identify purchase needs. I also like that the kitting and bundling capabilities allow small sellers to increase transaction sizes without complicating their inventory data.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Salesforce, ShipStation, Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Quickbooks, and dozens more. Plus, sellers using Fulfillment By Amazon can manage orders within SkuVault.
Pricing: From $359/month for 2 users
Trial: Product demo available
Pros
- Responsive support team
- Integrates smoothly with major e-commerce outlets
- Intuitive interface
Cons
- Limited customization
- Lackluster mobile experience
3. Linnworks - Best for automation
Inventory management software allows businesses to leave constant manual counting and spreadsheets behind, but Linnworks takes it a step further. It automates warehouse management and inventory control processes with barcode scanning, low stock alerts, and automatic reorder points. More automation means more efficient operations, as well as less human error.
Why I picked Linnworks: Most small and mid-sized e-commerce businesses rely on several major sales channels, which can make consistency and inventory a challenge. Linnworks offers automated inventory syncing across channels and warehouse locations, giving businesses a single source of truth.
Linnworks Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include multi-variable stock forecasting based on historical data, seasonal trends, and similar products. I was impressed with the ability to manage multiple suppliers within Linnworks, setting default lead times for different suppliers or even different products.
Integrations include Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Bigcommerce, Wish, Quickbooks, Wayfair, WooCommerce, FedEx, and ShipBob. Linnworks offers more than 100 direct integrations at no additional cost.
Pricing: From $200/month for 2 users
Trial: Product demo available
Pros
- Automatic multi-channel, multi-location inventory sync
- Exceptional customer support
- Extensive knowledge hub and user community
Cons
- Servers can be slow
- Steep learning curve
4. Cin7 - Best all-in-one for multi-channel sellers
Cin7 is an inventory management and growth platform with more than 8,000 customers worldwide. Along with tracking and managing inventory, it claims to increase sales through multi-channel management, integrations, and automation.
Why I picked Cin7: It gives businesses the ability to manage inventory, orders, and fulfillment in one system. Its hundreds of integrations and open API allow you to share data efficiently.
It offers two versions of the system: Cin7 Core for smaller businesses and Cin7 Omni for enterprises.
Cin7 Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include custom inventory fields, tax and landed costs, reporting, and mobile stocktaking. Cin7 also offers more than 100 customizable reports to help you understand inventory, as well as cash flow, sales forecasts, and more. I like that Cin7 gives you a library of reports so you can start learning from your data faster.
Integrations include ShipStation, Shopify, Xero, Magento, Square, BigCommerce, Salesforce, Mailchimp, HubSpot, and hundreds more.
Pricing: From $325/month for 5 users
Trial: Free trial available
Pros
- Full mobile functionality
- 24/7 live customer support
- Customizable reports library
Cons
- Poor onboarding reviews
- Clunky user interface
5. ShipStation - Best shipping and inventory combo
As its name suggests, ShipStation is first and foremost a shipping platform for retailers, helping them find the most economical ways to fulfill orders. But the platform also offers inventory and stock management.
Why I picked ShipStation: E-commerce businesses and other retailers praise ShipStation for its fulfillment capabilities. For businesses already using it, managing inventory in the same place is easy and efficient.
For the many small makers and artists that use ShipStation for shipping, the inventory software is a nice bonus.
ShipStation Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include the ability to allocate stock for to-be-shipped orders. One of my favorite features is that users can create hierarchies to determine which order takes priority. ShipStation also enables inventory alerts and allows mobile device inventory management.
Integrations include UPS, Square, eBay, Amazon, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Constant Contact, Etsy, Wix, and Zendesk. ShipStation’s partner marketplace lists more than 400 e-commerce, fulfillment, and accounting tools.
Pricing: From $9.99 for 50 shipments
Trial: 30-day free trial
Pros
- Intuitive user experience
- Integrated with major e-commerce platforms.
- Easy carrier pricing comparison
Cons
- Poor customer service
- No kitting or bundling capabilities
6. Netsuite by Oracle - Best for enterprises
Netsuite is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution by software giant Oracle. Initially focused on ERP and financials, it now has inventory management functionality and commerce features.
Why I picked Netsuite: While Netsuite isn’t a quick and easy solution, its diverse features and customizability make it a good investment for larger businesses. Enterprises that want to be able to understand large-scale, multi-location inventories can get a detailed view in Netsuite.
Businesses already using Oracle products might find it an easy addition to their toolset.
Netsuite Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include real-time company-wide inventory counts across locations, warehouses, and 3rd party logistics providers. Netsuite also uses data like lead times and preferred stock levels to automatically create tasks and alerts for purchasing.
A small but impactful feature is the ability to update sub-items automatically by updating the parent item. For example, if I updated the description of a T-shirt that comes in different sizes and colors, it updates the description for all sub-items (size small in gray, size medium in pink, etc.)
Integrations include Shopify, BigCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, and ShipStation.
Pricing: From $99/user/month, plus $999/month license
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Very flexible and customizable
- Numerous add-ons available (HR, CRM, project management, etc)
- Sophisticated user role and permissions
Cons
- Limited reporting capabilities
- Implementation fee
7. Flowtrac - Best mobile inventory tracking
Flowtrac is an inventory management software that also allows you to track assets and works-in-process. The cloud-based solution can be accessed across desktops, smartphones, and barcode scanners, but you can also choose Flowtrac as an on-premise system. Some of the system's top industries are government, construction, and the nonprofit sector.
Why I picked Flowtrac: Among all the inventory management systems I reviewed, Flowtrac has the best mobile app and mobile experience. Businesses can save time and money when teams aren’t limited to desktops.
Flowtrac Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include flexible barcode scanning functionality for fixed assets and inventory, but Flowtrac also supports RFID tagging and doorway readers. I noticed that the inventory and order logs can display changes by date, time, and user. Warehouse managers can generate labels for bins, shelves, and aisles to expedite picking.
Integrations include Quickbooks, ShipStation, Shopify, Salesforce, Xero, FedEx, UPS, and WooCommerce. You can add to Flowtrac’s 100+ integrations with the REST API.
Pricing: From $100/user/month
Trial: Product demo available
Pros
- Onsite onboarding and training
- Mobile app
- Fixed asset tracking
Cons
- Rigid importation templates
- Cannot delete products or users
8. Katana - Best all-in-one manufacturing system
Katana is a cloud-based manufacturing software that offers live inventory management, production planning, and multichannel order management. Popular among furniture companies, custom craft makers, and industrial machinery providers, it provides an end-to-end solution for manufacturers to produce and sell their products.
Why I picked Katana: While many retailers and e-commerce businesses purchase and resell products, companies that manufacture goods have different inventory needs. By allowing you to separately track raw materials, work in process, and finished goods, Katana brings the entire product lifecycle to one system.
The tool is also well-organized and easy to navigate.
Katana Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include the Katana Shop Floor App, which allows you to assign incoming resources and materials to specific orders. I was pleased to see the platform also supports food and beverage manufacturers with batch tracking, expiration dates, and other compliance features.
Integrations include Quickbooks, Xero, Shopify, Amazon, 2Ship, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, eBay, Magento, Pipedrive, ShipStation, and Wix. With their open API and documentation, you can also build your own Katana integrations.
Pricing: From $99/month for one user
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Job prioritization for custom orders
- Labor time and cost tracking
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Limited customization
- Lack of advanced reporting
9. Infoplus - Best for 3rd party logistics and warehouses
Infoplus is a cloud-based inventory management software for e-commerce and logistics providers. It serves as your hub for inventory, order management, and fulfillment. With customization scripts, warehouses and 3rd party logistics (3PL) providers can build their unique workflows.
Why I picked Infoplus: While there are many options for retailers and e-commerce sellers, I wanted to highlight Infoplus because of its strong warehouse management features. Software capabilities related to shipping and receiving management, picking, and automated routing are crucial for third-party logistics companies that many retailers rely on.
Infoplus Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include inventory lost control with ID tags and allocation rules. Infoplus has automatic quality control workflows, such as weight verification and barcode scanning, to minimize human error. I love that it provides granular control over each stage of the fulfillment process, which allowed me to mold Infoplus to specific use cases.
Integrations include PayPal, Shopify, Quickbooks, Squarespace, ShipStation, WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, Authorize.net, and Braintree.
Pricing: From $395/month
Trial: No free trial
Pros
- Custom reporting features
- Mobile app
- 3PL billing automation
Cons
- Requires coding for customization
- Slow servers
10. Zoho Inventory - Best free option for small shippers
Many of the inventory management solutions on this list offer free trials, but Zoho has a truly free plan that includes two users and 50 orders per month. For a small business, this is an accessible path to inventory and order management with an intuitive interface.
Why I picked Zoho Inventory: Best known for its customer relationship management (CRM) system, Zoho now offers a full suite of accounting, commerce, and customer service tools. If you already use other Zoho products, Zoho Inventory is an easy way to track the goods you use Zoho to sell.
Zoho Inventory Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include a centralized real-time inventory count that's linked to all major e-commerce channels, and the ability to create product variants for different colors or styles—ideal for clothing retailers.
The item kitting functionality allows sellers to bundle popular items and I found the fulfillment workflow straightforward.
Integrations include Zoho Commerce, Shopify, UPS, USPS, FedEx, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Mailchimp, Hubspot, and Salesforce.
Pricing: From $59/month for 3 users and 1500 orders
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Multi-currency buying and selling
- Automatic reordering
- Automatic SKU generator
Cons
- No Xero or Intuit integrations
- Limited customization options
11. inFlow - Best for tracking product costs and profit
inFlow is an inventory management system that helps businesses monitor and balance products in stock, orders, and replenishment.
Why I picked inFlow: It compiles financial reporting data from the company’s purchasing, raw materials, work in process, and finished goods to improve its accuracy and accessibility.
By centralizing your inventory and purchasing data, inFlow makes it easy to track product costs and eliminate hurdles in the fulfillment process.
Plus, inFlow definitely scores some points for its low setup fees and flexible contract options. It has an attractive and intuitive user interface too.
inFlow Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include the ability to view which specific items are on backorder, which have been reserved, and the latest goods received—so you can manage your inventory and cash flow more effectively.
I found the label designer and barcode generator easy to use, allowing you to receive products and pick quickly and accurately.
Integrations include WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wish, eBay, Amazon, Quickbooks, Shopify, Squarespace, Xero, Zapier, and Salesforce.
Pricing: From $110/month for 2 users and 100 orders
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Assembly cost tracking
- User-friendly interface
- Barcode generation and scanning
Cons
- Limited roles and permissions
- Upcharges for full functionality
12. Lightspeed Retail - Best retail inventory and POS
Lightspeed Retail’s multi-location inventory system automatically syncs with e-commerce channels and data from in-store point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Why I picked Lightspeed Retail: While other solutions on this list can be used for brick-and-mortar retail inventory, Lightspeed Retail’s included POS system works for managing inventories of companies with both virtual and physical storefronts.
With your POS and inventory systems connected, your employees will have better visibility into what’s in stock.
Lightspeed Retail Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include the ability to sell both online and in person, and to have data from both incorporated into inventory counts and sales forecasts. I’m a big fan of the reporting features because you can create inventory reports for high-spending customers and promptly identify low stock levels.
Lightspeed also allows you to track inventory items across multiple stores or warehouse locations.
Integrations include Mailchimp, Quickbooks, Shipday, Shopify, Xero, WooCommerce, Perkville, and Homebase.
Pricing: From $89/month
Trial: 14-day free trial
Pros
- Includes a POS system
- 24/7 support
- Integrates inventory with e-commerce
Cons
- Complex pricing for the toolset
- Disappointing customer support
Other Inventory Management Software Options
Here are some other inventory management options that didn’t quite make the list:
- Inventory Planner by Sage - Best for wholesale businesses
- Netstock - Best for supply chain management
- Finale Inventory - Best small business order management
- GOIS Pro - Best for construction companies
- Marketman - Best for hotels and restaurants
- ArbiMed Inventory - Best for healthcare providers
- CyberStockroom - Best drag-and-drop interface
- Extensiv - Best for dropshippers and outsourced fulfillment
- Ordoro - Best automated purchasing
- Agileron - Best POS + inventory for mobile businesses
- Bellwether Purchasing Software - Best for high-value products
Selection Criteria for Inventory Management Software
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best inventory software for this article:
Core Functionality
More than anything else, inventory management software should help you keep track of the products you have on hand. I looked for tools that can automate parts of the inventory process, and interface with sales channels and fulfillment to streamline operations.
Inventory management software should also be able to::
- assign inventory costs using specific cost methodologies (e.g. First in First Out (FIFO), Last in First Out (LIFO), average cost)
- track and manage raw materials inventory, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods inventory
- track inventory across multiple warehouses or locations
- update and adjust inventory values for shrinkage, spoilage, and obsolete items
- maintain appropriate stock levels for different types of inventory
Key Features
Beyond just tracking inventory numbers, I chose tools that offered other important features like:
- inventory cost reports
- custom alerts for low-stock items and slow-moving inventory
- multi-location tracking
- inventory costing reports
- materials purchasing and budgeting tools
- RFID identification and tracking
- cost variance analysis
- quantity variance analysis
Usability
How easy is it to set up the system and get started? Is the interface intuitive and easy to navigate? Does the tool eliminate repetitive manual tasks (or just create new ones)? I always look for well-designed tools that power users and new employees can both work with. I paid special attention to the home dashboards and noted how each software used product tours and popups to guide new users.
Customer Service
Along with usability, the quality and availability of customer service have a big impact on successful adoption. I compared what support channels different systems offered and what hours they were in service, as well as reading feedback from user reviews.
Pricing
Different software providers offer different pricing structures. Some have flat license fees, some have monthly payments, and others price their product based on the number of users or transactions.
I chose software that I thought provided good value at a number of different price points, ranging from basic tools for $9.99 per month to premium solutions starting at $999 per month.
Most of the inventory management systems on this list cost between $59 and $300 per month.
Integrations
The most accurate inventory and the best insights come from combining different data sources. What’s more, modern commerce is multi-channel. My selections took into account how each software integrates with major e-commerce channels (like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify) and business tools (such as email tools and CRMs).
People Also Ask
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about inventory management software and why businesses need it.
What is the difference between inventory management software and warehouse management software?
What are the benefits of inventory management software?
What are the most popular inventory management systems?
Summary
The best inventory management system is the one that works for your industry, your business, and your team. Many of the tools I selected have features for different stages of the production, sales, and fulfillment process. It’s worth considering which of those stages you want to manage in your inventory software.
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