The 7 Best Inventory Management Software Apps For 2022

The best inventory management software provides your business with more than just a way to track your products. With the right system, you’ll also be empowered to track your customers and vendors, connect your sales channels, create purchase orders and invoices, and more. In the end, the right inventory management system will save you money despite the upfront cost involved.
Of course, every business has unique inventory management needs. That’s why we’ve researched the inventory management system packages best suited to different industries. Whatever your type of small business, we want you to have access to the best inventory management software for small businesses.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
Other Featured Options:
- Vend by Lightspeed: Best for businesses looking for a great inventory and POS combo.
- TradeGecko: Best for international businesses.
Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
Table of Contents
Best Inventory Management Software
You want the very best inventory management software for your small business. To find it, you must consider pricing, available features, and what kind of business the software is designed to serve. No matter what type of business you’re running, we’ll help you find the best inventory control for your unique needs.
1. Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory |
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Best for smaller businesses.
If you’re looking for a high degree of control, including the ability to set products to automatically re-order from your suppliers when your inventory falls below your chosen threshold, start your search for the best inventory management software with Zoho Inventory.
Zoho Inventory’s expansive capabilities include warehouse management, in-app barcode management, order management and fulfillment, invoice and purchase order creation, streamlined customer and vendor management, reporting features, and more.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Reasonable monthly cost
- Extensive integrations
- Free plan
Cons
- Limits on shipping volume
- Somewhat limited reporting
Zoho Inventory Pricing
Zoho offers a free plan that maxes out at 20 shipping labels per month. You can also choose among three paid plans that range from $39-$199 per organization per month (if you pay annually) and $49-$249/organization/month (if you pay monthly). Each plan comes with limits on the numbers of online and offline orders, shipping labels, and tracking.
Additionally, Zoho offers the following add-ons:
- Orders & Shipping Labels: $5/month for 50 additional orders and 50 shipping labels.
- Additional Warehouses: $9/month for an additional warehouse (or $90/per year).
You can activate a free 14-day trial to test how well Zoho’s inventory management software matches your business needs. And if you happen to run a nonprofit, you can take advantage of a 15% discount on Zoho Inventory.
Zoho Inventory Features
Zoho Inventory comes with a rich set of built-in features, including inventory management tools that allow you to create listings, kit items together, and even set products to automatically reorder from suppliers when inventory falls below a set threshold.
Here are some other features you’ll find with Zoho Inventory:
- Manage multiple warehouses
- Barcode scanning
- Multi-channel order management & fulfillment
- Invoice and purchase order creation
- Streamlined customer and vendor management
- Sales order creation
- Dropshipping
- Multilingual & multi-currency
- Backorders
- eCommerce
- CRM software
- Accounting features
- Returns
- Inventory reports
When To Use Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory is built to be scalable. That means you can start with the free plan and sign up for a higher subscription tier as your business grows. However, large businesses may find the limited number of shipping labels on each plan and the relatively simple reporting to be too constraining. While Zoho Inventory is a worthwhile tool, it may be best suited for smaller businesses.
2. Square Inventory
Square Inventory |
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Best for small retailers, restaurants, and businesses that already use Square.
Square is well known for its payment processing and POS services. Its inventory management function may be less well known, but that should change since Square offers a decent set of features at a price anyone can afford: free.
Although Square’s free inventory features won’t be sufficient for larger, multilocation businesses, many others will find just what they need. Especially for small businesses already in Square’s target audience, Square’s stock management features and integrations with Shopventory and Stitch Labs are well suited to fill their needs.
Pros
- Free
- Easy setup
- Unlimited items
Cons
- Some features are lacking
- Not suited for large businesses
Square Inventory Pricing
Square offers basic inventory and reporting features for free. It’s hard to find a better deal than that. Of course, if you’re looking for additional features, such as employee management, you’ll need to purchase add-ons.
Square Inventory Features
Although it’s not the most feature-rich inventory management software, that lack of advanced functionality is more than offset by the program’s affordability. That’s not to say Square Inventory is inadequate; its feature set includes the basic tools you’ll need. You’ll find the following inventory features in Square’s free program:
- Unlimited items
- Print bar code labels
- Low-stock notification
- Item categories
- Manage vendors
- Bulk transfer across locations
When To Use Square Inventory
If you’re running a small retail establishment or quick-service eatery, Square’s free inventory features should be enough to satisfy the needs of your business. If your business grows to the point where you need something more robust, you can always upgrade to Square for Retail or Square for Restaurants if you intend to remain in Square’s business ecosystem.
Get Started with Square Inventory
3. Cin7
Cin7 Inventory |
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Best for mid- to large-sized businesses with complex inventory needs.
New Zealand-based Cin7 is business inventory management software offering an all-in-one solution with countless robust features. The software’s relatively high cost may put Cin7 out of the reach of startups and most smaller outfits, but that’s okay, because Cin7 delivers more than small businesses typically will need. It’s a scalable solution that’s ideal for complex businesses selling on multiple channels or in more than one location.
Cin7 is one of the few companies operating in this space whose user reviews are almost entirely positive and enthusiastic. With amazing feature depth, supreme customizability, and a long list of big-name integrations, Cin7 packs quite a punch.
Pros
- Feature-rich
- Strong customer service
- Generous limits
- Includes eCommerce
Cons
- Expensive
- Slightly buggy
Cin7 Pricing
Cin7 is a premium product, and the pricing reflects that — though there is a 10-day free trial period. Users can choose from three subscription plans: eCommerce ($295/month), Wholesale ($295/month), and Multichannel ($450/month). All prices listed apply for the first 12 months and presumably will rise after that.
Each of these plans can be upgraded to Plus level, unlocking even more features and functions. Plus pricing for the eCommerce and Wholesale plans starts at $495/month, though you’ll need to contact Cin7 for a custom quote. Pricing for Multichannel Plus is available only by contacting Cin7 directly. Cin7 does not offer a free trial, although you can schedule a free demo.
Cin7 Features
Cin7’s advanced features will take some time to find your way around. Inventory management experience is definitely a plus here. Thankfully, you can schedule an appointment with a company representative to walk you through the system if you need some one-on-one assistance.
Let’s go through just some of the tools Cin7 gives you. Some of these features are not available on all plan levels:
- Cloud-based inventory management
- Inventory planning
- Accurate costing
- Barcode inventory
- Batch, FIFO (first in, first out), and serial tracking
- Consignment, dropshipping, and return inventory management
- Real-time reporting and insights
- Customizable reports
- Custom inventory fields
- Automated inventory management
- Preorder and backorder management
- Multiple warehouses
- Sales order entry
- POS
- eCommerce order management
When To Use Cin7 Inventory
Many Cin7 users note in their reviews that the software seemed tailored for their own type of business. In truth, any mid- or large-sized retailer would stand to benefit from Cin7’s advanced business features. From inventory management to POS, warehouse management, third-party logistics, and eCommerce, Cin7 has it all.
4. Shopify
Shopify |
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Best for eCommerce inventory management.
You probably know Shopify for its SaaS eCommerce software. It’s one of our favorite online store providers, and for good reason. However, Shopify’s inventory management system is well-developed enough to warrant attention on its own.
Shopify’s inventory features place it at the top of the heap when it comes to eCommerce inventory. Combine that with Shopify’s POS, payment processing, gateway, and marketing features, and you have one formidable package for merchants.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Numerous integrations
- Attractive templates
Cons
- Add-ons often necessary
- Variable customer support
Shopify Pricing
Shopify offers three subscription plans: Basic Shopify ($29/month), Shopify ($79/month), and Advanced Shopify ($299/month). Discounts are offered for annual and biennial subscriptions, and you can test out the software with a free 14-day trial period.
Shopify Features
Shopify’s list of features could fill a whole article. We’ll pay particular attention to the inventory features here.
- List unlimited products and unlimited images
- Product variations
- Bulk import/export
- Multilingual and guest checkout
- Automatic shipping rates
- Customer segmentation
- Dropshipping
- Point of sale
- Marketing and SEO features
- Web hosting
Shopify also integrates with Stocky, an inventory management product for brick-and-mortar retailers. It’s available for free to users who have Shopify POS enabled and use Shopify POS Pro for at least one store location.
When To Use Shopify Inventory
If you’re already using Shopify, you’ll want to take advantage of the inventory management features. Also, if you’re looking to set up an online store and you anticipate having considerable inventory management needs, the Shopify platform warrants your strong consideration.
5. QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online |
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Best for businesses looking for a great inventory + accounting combo.
Intuit QuickBooks has long been a powerhouse in the accounting software arena. QuickBooks Online, Intuit’s cloud-based accounting solution, boasts 2.2 million users and a host of great accounting features and integrations. But while QuickBooks Online is best known for accounting, it also offers strong support for inventory management.
Let’s go through what QuickBooks Online provides from an inventory perspective.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Advanced invoicing features
- Numerous integrations
- Good tax support
Cons
- Occasionally unintuitive
- Expensive
QuickBooks Online Pricing
QuickBooks Online offers four subscription plans that start at $25/month and go up to $150/month, depending on the number of users and the features you access. To access the inventory features, you’ll want to sign up for one of the top-tier plans: QuickBooks Plus ($70/month) or QuickBooks Advanced $150/month).
QuickBooks Online frequently offers a discount on its website, so be sure to check for promotions before you sign on to a QuickBooks plan. You can also sign up for a free 30-day trial before you purchase, although if you access the free trial you will not be eligible for discounts.
QuickBooks Online Features
Here’s what QuickBooks Online has to offer in terms of inventory management, at the Plus and Advanced levels:
- Save default sales prices, purchase prices, SKU numbers, images, and item descriptions
- Create item bundles for easy invoicing
- Set re-order points and see current stock level when creating invoices
- Invoicing
- Estimates
- Client portal
- Contact management
- Expense tracking
- Bank reconciliation
- Chart of accounts
- Accounts payable
- Order and print checks
- Project management
- Time tracking
- Reports
- Budgeting
When To Use QuickBooks Online
It’s true that businesses requiring advanced inventory capabilities may not find what they need with QuickBooks Online. However, if you’re a small- to mid-sized businesses looking for inventory management features in your SaaS accounting software, QuickBooks Online should serve your business well.
Get Started with QuickBooks Online
6. Vend
Vend by Lightspeed |
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Best for businesses looking for a great inventory and POS combo.
Vend was launched in 2010, making it one of the first cloud-based point of sale systems. It’s one of our highest-rated POS solutions, and it also includes a very capable inventory management system.
When considering all the robust and scalable retail management features provided, Vend is a great fit for small stores and large enterprises alike.
Pros
- Loyalty program
- eCommerce integrations
- Multistore capability
- Free trial & free plan available
Cons
- Basic reporting tools
- Expensive monthly cost
Vend Pricing
Vend offers various subscription levels, so you don’t have to pay for more features than you need. Before you buy, you can test Vend with a free 14-day limited trial. In addition to the free plan, Vend offers these plans: Lite ($99/month), Pro ($129/month), and Enterprise (contact the company for a custom quote).
Vend Features
Vend’s inventory management system allows you to do the following:
- Add, remove, and edit inventory items
- Track stock levels and any special taxes, costs, or prices for your products
- Import/export your inventory to/from a CSV file
- Import, create, and print barcode labels
- Purchase order management
- Multi-channel inventory management
- eCommerce integration (Pro and Enterprise plans only)
- Loyalty program
- Customer management
- Price books
- Flexible interface
- Transaction options
- Reporting
When To Use Vend
Businesses looking for strong inventory management features in their accounting software have good reason to consider Vend. Users like it for its intuitive simplicity, its relative affordability, and, indeed, its robust inventory management system.
Get Started with Vend by Lightspeed
7. TradeGecko
TradeGecko |
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Best for international businesses.
QuickBooks Commerce is a cloud-based inventory management system for small- to medium-sized businesses. Formerly known as TradeGecko, QuickBooks Commerce’s international focus continues to make this software stand out from the competition. The company counts a total of 24,000 users in 104 countries, and to those users, QuickBook Commerce offers a strong inventory management system along with reporting, support for multiple users, seamless integration with top eCommerce platforms, and much more.
Pros
- Good for a variety of business sizes
- Advanced features
- Good value for the cost
- Free trial available
Cons
- Number of users and orders tied to plan level
- Limited features on lower-tier plans
QuickBooks Commerce Pricing
QuickBooks Commerce offers five subscription plans, each with limits on users and orders as well as increasing access to advanced features. That allows you to customize the price you’ll pay for your specific business needs. The plans include Founder ($39/month). Lite ($79/month), Small Business ($199/month), Business ($599/month, and Premium ($799/month). You can test the software with a free 14-day trial, no credit card needed. Prices listed are for annual subscriptions; if you choose to pay monthly, add 20% to the total.
While it’s not unusual to find limits on orders and users on lower-level plans, it’s worth noting that the base plan, Founder, allows only 10 sales orders per month. That limit increases to 100 monthly orders on the next plan up and tops out at 5,000 monthly orders on the Premium plan.
QuickBooks Commerce Features
QuickBooks Inventory offers a basic feature set on its entry-level plans, with increasing access to advanced features as plans go up in level. Here is the starting feature set:
- Multiple currencies
- Zonal shipping rates
- 24/7 email support
- Mobile sales app
- B2B commerce platforms
- Custom inventory, order, invoice, payment, and manufacturing reports
- Automation
Advanced features on the Small Business plan and higher include:
- Multiple warehouses
- Batch & expiry tracking
- Production orders and bills of materials
- Setup assistance & account manager
- Demand forecasting
- API access
- FBA integration
- Warehouse management apps
- Multi-language documents
When To Use QuickBooks Commerce
Limitations on lower level plans may make QuickBooks Commerce unsuitable for smaller businesses. However, large organizations doing international businesses will find a lot to like about QuickBooks Commerce, as will wholesale and direct-to-consumer businesses.
Looking For One Of These Inventory Management Software Tools?
A couple of leading inventory names just missed the cut for our list of the best inventory management software. If you want to expand your search to make sure you’re signing up for the best inventory software, take a look at these heavy hitters.
NetSuite
Netsuite is a world-class inventory management system. This cloud-based ERP (enterprise resource planning) tool offers modular pricing that lets you pay to add the features your business will need. While Netsuite’s ERP and SRP (services resource planning) features are among the best you’ll find anywhere, its high monthly base cost plus per-user fees will put this option out of reach for most small businesses.
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is Intuit’s most advanced QuickBooks inventory package. It offers a remarkable inventory solution for large businesses and industry-specific companies. However, like NetSuite, QuickBooks Enterprise’s cost makes it unsuitable for small businesses.
Choosing The Best Inventory Management Software For Your Small Business
With so many good choices, finding the best inventory management software for your small business should be a breeze. Read our full reviews for detailed information on your top choices from this list, and sign up for a free trial if your top choices have that option available.
Then get started putting inventory management into place for your organization. The sooner you do, the sooner you can start reaping the benefits.
Small Business Inventory Software FAQs
QuickBooks can be an all-in-one business solution, delivering inventory control, accounting, payroll services, and more. Although QuickBooks may be best known as an accounting software system, it also delivers a range of powerful inventory management tools, with products designed for businesses of varying sizes — and budgets.
In Summary: Best Inventory Management Software
- Zoho Inventory: Best for smaller businesses.
- Square Inventory: Best for small retailers, restaurants, and businesses that already use Square.
- Cin7 Inventory: Best for mid- to large-sized businesses with complex inventory needs.
- Shopify: Best for eCommerce inventory management.
- QuickBooks Online: Best for businesses looking for a great inventory + accounting combo.
- Vend by Lightspeed: Best for businesses looking for a great inventory and POS combo.
- TradeGecko: Best for international businesses.
Thanks for sharing this
Thanks for listing out these softwares. These are really helpful.
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