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5 Best Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses

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Best Budget-Friendly Option
Ordoro
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Starting Price

$0/month

Free Trial

15 days

Software Highlight

Massive discount son shipping and shipping insurance are available

Best for Retail
Lightspeed Retail
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Starting Price

$89/month

Free Trial

14 days

Software Highlight

Point-of-sale (POS) hardware included

Best for Manufacturing
Fishbowl Advanced
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Starting Price

Contact for quote

Free Trial

14 days

Software Highlight

The system tracks raw goods through the manufacturing process

Most User-Friendly
Sortly
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Starting Price

$0/month

Free Trial

14 days

Software Highlight

Software is easy to use

Best Onboarding and Customer Support
Brightpearl
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Starting Price

Contact for quote

Free Trial

None

Software Highlight

A dedicated Customer Service Manager is assigned to each account

If you've been counting your stock by hand, spending countless hours wandering your warehouse or updating tedious spreadsheets, you're probably looking for a better system that shows you the items you have available at a glance. Inventory management software could be the solution to your problem.

The right software can streamline operations, keep your customers happy and help you make sound business decisions. But, there are countless options on the market to research and compare. With that in mind, we've done some of the legwork for you so that you can improve your inventory management as quickly as possible.

Read on to see our recommendations for the best inventory management software for small businesses.

Our Top Picks for the Best Inventory Management Software

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Best Inventory Management Software Reviews

Best Budget-Friendly Option: Ordoro

Pros
  • Affordable monthly plans as low as $0 per month
  • Many integrations with popular applications
  • Phone and email support with paid plans
  • Unlimited shipping labels with all plans
  • Discounts on shipping and shipping insurance
Cons
  • No mobile app
  • Information about the company's reputation is limited
HIGHLIGHTS
Price Per Month
$0-$149+
Free Trial
15 days
Mobile Application
None

Why we chose this software: Ordoro may be a great e-commerce solution for startups because businesses can get started for free, and its paid plans are affordable. Plus, while the software won’t break the bank, it still has some impressive inventory management features.

Ordoro allows you to:

In addition, as an Ordoro customer, you can get up to an 89% discount on shipping with select carriers and up to 60% off shipping insurance via the company’s partnership with Shipsurance.

Ordoro offers a 15-day free trial and three different plan options:

Free Advanced Premium
Monthly Price $0 $59 $149
Shipping Labels Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Users 1 Unlimited Unlimited
Sales Channels 1 Unlimited Unlimited
Support Email only Email and phone Email and phone
Automation No Yes Yes
Advanced Analytics No Yes Yes
Quickbooks Online Integration No No Yes
API Access No No Yes

Ordoro’s biggest drawback is that it doesn't yet have a mobile app. Plus, it’s hard to find online customer reviews about the product.

Pro tip: If you’re running your business on a shoestring budget, you may want to learn about the best free accounting tools.

Best for Retail: Lightspeed for Retail

Pros
  • POS hardware available
  • Excellent onboarding process and ongoing support
  • Discount available if you use Lightspeed Payments
  • Multi-channel selling (online and offline)
  • Multi-location inventory management
Cons
  • Integrations available are to lesser-known applications, but an open API exists
HIGHLIGHTS
Price Per Month
$89-$319+
Free Trial
14 days
Mobile Application
Android and iOS

Why we chose this software: Lightspeed for Retail lets you sell on multiple channels (online and offline) and manage inventory across multiple locations. Purchasing the software also gives you access to its POS hardware.

You can use Lightspeed for Retail on your computer or mobile device to do things like:

While Lightspeed for Retail integrates with other accounting and e-commerce applications, these are lesser-known solutions. Fortunately, customers can use the company’s open API to develop connections with the software of their choice.

Lightspeed offers a 14-day free trial and four plan options:

Lean Standard Advanced Enterprise
Monthly Price With Lightspeed Payments $89 $149 $269 Contact for quote
Monthly Price Without Lightspeed Payments $139 $199 $319 Contact for quote

Using the company's payment processing software, Lightspeed Payments, will get you a discount on your monthly software subscription. However, you’ll have to pay a per-transaction processing fee (2.6% plus $0.10).

All four plans come with the core program, but you’ll need to purchase the Standard or Advanced plan if you want to integrate your accounting system or sell items online. The Advanced plan also features enhanced reporting capabilities.

The Enterprise plan, which caters to high-volume sellers, includes everything in the Advanced plan plus perks like preferred Lightspeed Payments rates and personalized consultation services.

Lightspeed’s customer support is excellent. Company representatives are available 24/7 via phone, email or online chat. The firm also provides a dedicated Account Manager and one-on-one onboarding.

Best for Manufacturing: Fishbowl Advanced

Pros
  • Fast set-up time (4-6 weeks on average)
  • Solid user training and customer support
  • Customizable bill of materials and inventory reporting
  • Material resource planning, work order management and production scheduling capabilities
  • Integration with many well-known applications
Cons
  • Must contact sales for pricing information
HIGHLIGHTS
Price Per Month
Contact for quote
Free Trial
14 days
Mobile Application
Android and iOS

Why we chose this software: Fishbowl Advanced caters to manufacturing businesses by supporting the entire production process.

With this software, you can:

In addition, Fishbowl Advanced integrates with many other applications you may use in your business, including Amazon, DHL, eBay, FedEx, Hubspot, Quickbooks, Salesforce, Shopify, USPS, UPS Ready, Walmart, WooCommerce and Xero.

The company also offers fast implementation (four to six weeks, on average) and hands-on customer support. As a Fishbowl customer, you’ll receive a dedicated Account Manager and ongoing training opportunities. You can also reach customer service via phone, email or online chat.

Our biggest knock against this software provider is that it doesn’t publish pricing information online, so you must contact its sales department for a quote. However, a Fishbowl representative told us the company offers a 14-day free trial.

Most User-Friendly: Sortly

Pros
  • Easy-to-use
  • As low as $0 per month
  • In-app QR code and barcode scanning to count inventory
  • Low-stock alerts
  • Real-time reporting
Cons
  • No integrations with other applications
  • Customer support is limited to email unless you purchase an Enterprise-level plan
  • Software doesn't process sales or shipping transactions
HIGHLIGHTS
Price Per Month
$0-$149+
Free Trial
14 days
Mobile Application
Android and iOS

Why we chose this software: Sortly offers a simple and intuitive inventory management system for business owners who don’t need the bells and whistles of more complex software.

While Sortly doesn’t facilitate sales, track shipments, serve as a customer relationship manager (CRM), integrate with other apps or have available add-ons, it does allow you to:

Sortly offers a 14-day free trial and four plan options:

Free Advanced Ultra Enterprise
Monthly Price $0 $49 $149 Contact for quote
Entries* 100 2,000 10,000 Unlimited
Users 1 2 5 10+
Custom Field(s) 1 10 25 Unlimited
Support Online help center and email Online help center and email Priority email Priority email

*Entries are unique items in your inventory or folders you use to organize your stock. You can save up to 60% if you pay for a year’s worth of service at a time.

The software’s greatest drawback is its limited customer support options. Unless you’re an Enterprise-level customer, you’ll have to consult articles on the company’s website, use its customer support chatbot or contact the company via email. And even if you qualify for phone support, you must schedule conversations in advance.

Pro tip: Since Sortly only handles inventory management, you may want to look into the best invoicing and billing software or the best accounting software for small businesses.

Best Onboarding and Customer Support: Brightpearl

Pros
  • Hands-on customer support
  • Add unlimited users at no additional cost
  • Highly-rated (4.6/5 stars) on Trustpilot
  • Integrated POS system syncs inventory counts across all sales channels
  • Integration with many popular applications
Cons
  • Must contact sales for a quote
  • No free trial
  • No Android mobile application
HIGHLIGHTS
Price Per Month
Contact for quote
Free Trial
None
Mobile Application
iOS only

Why we chose this software: Brightpearl offers a superior onboarding experience and top-notch support. Customers benefit from a dedicated Customer Success Manager, new-user training, 24/7 assistance, ongoing business consulting, and access to an online learning platform.

In addition, the software has an integrated POS system that syncs your inventory across all of your sales channels, making it a good potential solution for retailers and wholesalers. It also helps you:

Plus, Brightpearl integrates with many popular applications, such as Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, WooCommerce, Square, Stripe, FedEx, DHL, UPS, USPS, Shipstation, Quickbooks, Xero and Sage. (Sage owns Brightpearl.)

Unfortunately, the software provider doesn’t offer a free trial. However, you can see the inventory management solution in action if you book a demo. Then, if the product seems like a viable option for your business, you can ask Brightpearl for a price quote.

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Other companies we considered

Zoho Inventory

Pros
  • Multi-channel selling
  • 14-day free trial
  • Android and iOS mobile applications are available
  • Integration with many other applications
  • Currency conversion capabilities
Cons
  • Higher monthly cost for top-tier plans
  • Poorly rated on Trustpilot (1.8/5 stars)
  • No weekend customer support

Why we didn’t choose this software: While Zoho Inventory is a popular software solution, we couldn’t overlook the company’s poor Trustpilot rating. Plus, if you have a problem on the weekend, you’ll have to wait until Monday to get assistance.

Orderhive

Pros
  • 15-day free trial
  • Well-rated on Trustpilot (4.3/5 stars)
  • Integration with many other applications
  • Multi-channel selling
  • Time-saving automation
Cons
  • Higher monthly cost for top-tier plans
  • Some onboarding and technical support services cost extra
  • No iOS mobile application

Why we didn’t choose this software: We think Orderhive by Cin7 could be a great solution for some businesses, but not iPhone or iPad users. In addition, the software gets pricey at the upper tiers, and you may need to pay extra for the customer and technical support you need.

inFlow Inventory

Pros
  • 14-day free trial
  • Money-back guarantee
  • Android and iOS mobile applications are available
  • Integration with many other applications
  • Solid onboarding process and technical support
Cons
  • Higher monthly cost for top-tier plans
  • Limited information about the company's reputation

Why we didn’t choose this software: inFlow Inventory has a lot of potential for manufacturing firms. However, its cost may be prohibitive if you’re on a tight budget. Plus, it's hard to find product reviews from other customers online.

Square for Retail

Pros
  • A free plan is available
  • Auto-syncs inventory across all of your sales channels
  • Facebook and Instagram integration
  • Low-stock alerts
  • Well-rated on Trustpilot (4.1/5 stars)
Cons
  • Runs on iOS only

Why we didn’t choose this software: Square for Retail could be an excellent fit for brick and mortar and online shops alike. However, the software won’t work on Android devices. Plus, we felt that other inventory management software geared towards retail businesses offered more features.

Netsuite

Pros
  • Real-time inventory tracking across all sales channels and locations
  • Forecasting capabilities for inventory needs
  • Low stock and overstock alerts
  • Part of a suite of tools that also handles financial, order, supply chain and warehouse management
  • Android and iOS mobile applications are available
Cons
  • Must contact sales for a quote
  • No free trial
  • Some technical support services cost extra
  • Poorly rated on Trustpilot (2.4/5 stars)

Why we didn’t choose this software: We like that Netsuite is a full enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution comprised of several modules. However, the company isn’t transparent about its pricing and doesn’t offer a free trial. Plus, you may have to pay an additional fee for support services.

Best Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses Guide

The following guide provides additional insight into how inventory management software works, how much it costs and how to choose the right option for your small business.

Main things to know before choosing an inventory management software

No two inventory management software are alike. Some are basic while others are feature-rich, and some are best suited for specific industries, like retail or manufacturing. So, before choosing a solution, you should carefully assess your business needs.

Critical aspects to consider include:

In short, select an inventory management software that caters to your specific circumstances and makes your business more efficient and your life easier.

What is the average cost of inventory management software?

The cost of inventory management software varies widely. If you’re just launching your business or need very few features, you may be able to procure software for little or no money per month.

But, if you have a large-scale operation or want more advanced capabilities, you could end up paying hundreds of dollars per month — or more. Plus, some companies charge an additional fee for ongoing technical and customer support.

Pro Tip: If you need to implement an inventory tracking and management system but are short on funds, you may want to check out the best small business loans.

How does inventory management software work?

At its core, inventory management software tracks the stock you receive and sell. It automatically adjusts inventory levels when you receive products and materials from your suppliers or when customers purchase goods from your physical or e-commerce store. If the software is designed for manufacturing companies, it may also track the components that go into your product throughout the manufacturing process.

Inventory management software lets you quickly see which items you need to order more of (low stock) and which you may need to put on clearance (overstock). That way, you can spend more time growing your business and less time counting goods in your warehouse or storeroom.

Note: Many inventory management solutions are cloud-based. If you want to host more of your company’s data online, you might want to check out the best cloud storage for small business.

Is it worth having inventory management software?

Only you can determine whether an inventory management solution is a worthwhile investment. Consider whether the software can help you save time and energy, reduce errors, increase sales, provide better customer service and ultimately help you grow your business.

Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses FAQs
What is the best cloud inventory management software?
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The right cloud inventory management software for you will depend on your business needs. Each solution offers different features and has clear advantages and disadvantages.

While the software we review in this article are among the best and most popular available, we encourage you to do additional research before making your selection.
How to manage a small business with inventory software
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If you own a small business, inventory software could help you:

  • Forecast stock needs based on sales trends and seasonality
  • Decide whether to sell products at a discounted price or not order them at all
  • Automate processes and create custom workflows
  • Identify your best customers so you can reward them
  • Pro Tip: Review all of the reports available in your software. They are chock-full of data that can inform business decisions and fuel company growth.
How can I set up inventory software in a small business?
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Often, the service provider will help you set up the inventory software for your small business. If you go the do-it-yourself (DIY) route, here are some of the steps can take:

  • Read all available documentation about the set-up process, such as guides or frequently asked questions (FAQs)
  • Go through the configuration process step-by-step
  • Import your current inventory data into the software
  • Integrate your POS system, accounting system and other vital applications as needed
  • Test the software to ensure it functions correctly
  • Watch the system closely for the first several weeks and make adjustments if necessary
  • Contact technical support if needed

How We Chose the Best Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses

When choosing the best inventory management software for small businesses, we considered criteria such as:

Summary of the Best Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses of 2023

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