How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Zoho Inventory is the best all-round pick for small sellers, with a free tier and strong order management.
- Sortly suits equipment-heavy teams that want simple visual tracking with photos and QR codes.
- inFlow suits B2B sellers and wholesalers who need structured ordering and a customer portal.
- Square for Retail suits brick-and-mortar stores already running on Square POS.
- Cin7 Core suits multichannel brands outgrowing basic tools, with deep automation.
- Fishbowl suits manufacturers and distributors already on QuickBooks.
- Katana suits small manufacturers that also sell direct to customers.
- Odoo Inventory suits businesses that want one system that can grow into a full ERP.
- Match the tool to how you sell first, then to your budget. Paying $349 a month for features a free plan nearly covered is the most common overspend in this category.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Zoho Inventory | Small sellers who want the most for the least | See website | Yes |
 Sortly | Visual tracking of equipment and supplies | $49 per month | Yes |
 inFlow | B2B sellers and wholesalers | See website | No |
 Square for Retail | Stores already running on Square | Free | Yes |
 Cin7 Core | Multichannel brands outgrowing basic tools | $349 per month | No |
 Fishbowl | Manufacturers on QuickBooks | $229 per month | No |
 Katana | Small manufacturers and DTC brands | Free | Yes |
 Odoo Inventory | Businesses wanting one system | Free | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best inventory management software for small business
#1Zoho Inventory
Best for: Small sellers who want the most for the least4.4/5 on
G2 (91 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit zoho.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Zoho Inventory is the best all-round pick for small sellers in 2026. The free plan covers 50 orders a month with real features, including purchase orders, multi-channel selling, and basic warehousing. Paid plans add batch and serial tracking with expiration monitoring, which suits food, pharma, and cosmetics sellers.
The trade off is pricing clarity. Published paid prices conflict across sources, from $29 to $39 per month, so confirm on the vendor site before you buy. Order limits on lower tiers also push growing sellers upward. For value, Zoho Inventory is the benchmark.
What we like- Genuinely free plan for 50 orders a month
- Strong order management
- Multi-channel selling
Watch out for- Published paid prices conflict across sources
- Order limits on lower tiers
- Advanced warehousing needs higher plans
#2Sortly
Best for: Visual tracking of equipment and supplies4.3/5 on
G2 (27 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit sortly.com
Starting price$49 per month
Free planYes
Sortly is the simplest visual tracker, suited to teams tracking equipment, supplies, and materials. Photos and QR codes identify items at a glance, and mobile-first check-in and check-out logs show who took what and when. The free plan covers 100 items, and the Advanced plan costs $49 per month.
The limits are order features. The Advanced plan omits purchase orders and stock counts, and item caps on lower tiers push larger teams upward. For visual tracking of physical items, Sortly is the cheapest way to start.
What we like- Simplest visual tracker
- Photo and QR stock tracking
- Mobile-first check-in and check-out logs
Watch out for- Advanced plan omits purchase orders and stock counts
- Item caps on lower tiers
- Less suited to high-volume ecommerce
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
inFlow packs more core features per dollar than most rivals for B2B sellers and wholesalers. A B2B showroom portal lets customers order directly, multi-level bills of materials support light manufacturing, and paid tiers include unlimited orders and integrations. It suits wholesale, field service, and in-house manufacturing workflows.
The trade off is pricing. Published prices conflict across sources, from $99 per month billed annually to $129 or $161 per month, so confirm on the vendor site. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial. For B2B structure, inFlow is the best value above the free tier.
What we like- B2B showroom portal
- Multi-level bills of materials
- Unlimited orders and integrations on paid tiers
Watch out for- Published prices conflict across sources
- No free plan, only a 14-day trial
- Per-tier pricing rises with team size
#4Square for Retail
Best for: Stores already running on Square4.5/5 on
G2 (99 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squareup.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Square for Retail offers genuinely free, POS-native inventory for brick-and-mortar counters. Stock counts update in real time as sales ring up, multi-location counts stay in sync, and the point of sale is built in rather than bolted on. Paid plans start from $49 per month per location for advanced features.
The limits are ecosystem lock-in. Square for Retail works best inside the Square ecosystem and is weaker for pure ecommerce sellers. For stores already running on Square, it is the obvious pick.
What we like- Genuinely free POS-native inventory
- Real-time multi-location counts
- Built-in point of sale
Watch out for- Paid plans from $49 per month per location
- Best inside the Square ecosystem
- Weaker for pure ecommerce
#5Cin7 Core
Best for: Multichannel brands outgrowing basic tools4.3/5 on
G2 (350 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit cin7.com
Starting price$349 per month
Free planNo
Cin7 Core suits multichannel brands outgrowing basic tools. It syncs stock across sales channels, includes a warehouse app for picking and packing, and integrates with over 200 carriers for shipping. Automation handles routine reordering and channel updates that manual tools cannot.
The trade off is cost. Entry pricing is $349 per month, with order caps and an annual contract, which only makes sense above roughly $1M in annual revenue. For growing omnichannel brands, Cin7 Core is the best step up.
What we like- Multichannel sync with warehouse app
- 200+ carrier integrations
- Strong automation for growing brands
Watch out for- $349 per month entry price
- Order caps and annual contract
- Overkill below about $1M annual revenue
#6Fishbowl
Best for: Manufacturers on QuickBooks4.0/5 on
G2 (274 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit fishbowl.com
Starting price$229 per month
Free planNo
Fishbowl suits manufacturers and distributors already on QuickBooks. Deep QuickBooks integration keeps stock movements, costs, and accounting in sync, and the Advanced tier adds manufacturing workflows. It is the standard pick for QuickBooks-centric warehousing.
The limits are cost and plan structure. Entry pricing is $229 per month billed annually, manufacturing needs the Advanced tier from $595 per month, and there is no free plan. For QuickBooks-based manufacturers, Fishbowl is the best fit.
What we like- Deep QuickBooks integration for warehousing
- Manufacturing on Advanced tier
- Strong inventory control
Watch out for- $229 per month entry price billed annually
- Manufacturing needs Advanced from $595 per month
- No free plan
#7Katana
Best for: Small manufacturers and DTC brands4.4/5 on
G2 (117 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit katana.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Katana suits product businesses that also manufacture. Raw-material-to-finished-goods tracking follows materials through production, and the free tier covers 30 SKUs for small makers getting started. Paid tiers include unlimited users, which helps teams that grow headcount without growing seat costs.
The trade off is price. Paid plans start from $299 per month, manufacturing is an add-on on some tiers, and sales orders are usage-billed. For small manufacturers and direct-to-consumer brands, Katana is the best manufacturing-first pick.
What we like- Free tier for 30 SKUs
- Raw-material-to-finished-goods tracking
- Unlimited users on paid tiers
Watch out for- Paid plans from $299 per month
- Manufacturing is an add-on on some tiers
- Usage-billed sales orders
#8Odoo Inventory
Best for: Businesses wanting one system4.4/5 on
G2 (65 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit odoo.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Odoo Inventory suits businesses that want one system that can grow into a full ERP. The inventory app is free as a single app, with forecasting and auto purchase orders, and the full suite adds sales, accounting, and manufacturing at $38.90 per user per month. Open-source Community hosting is free for self-hosted users.
The limits are setup and per-user cost. Self-hosting needs technical skill, and the full suite price scales with users. For businesses planning to run everything in one system, Odoo Inventory is the best long-term pick.
What we like- Free single app
- Path to full ERP
- Forecasting and auto purchase orders
Watch out for- Full suite costs $38.90 per user per month
- Self-hosted Community version needs technical skill
- Setup takes effort
How we chose
We compared free-tier generosity, order limits, channel coverage, manufacturing depth, accounting integrations, and total cost at realistic volumes. Tools that are free in name but unusable without paying scored lower than tools with genuinely useful free tiers. We favored tools that match a clear selling model and noted where published prices conflict. We did not test any tool hands-on, and prices here reflect published list prices that vendors change often.
Buying guide: what to check before you pay
Start with how you sell. Online sellers suit Zoho Inventory, brick-and-mortar stores suit Square for Retail, wholesalers suit inFlow, and manufacturers suit Katana or Fishbowl. Next, check free-plan limits against your volume. Zoho free covers 50 orders a month and Sortly free covers 100 items, which is enough to start but not to scale. Ask about accounting integration too, since Zoho Inventory syncs natively with Zoho Books, Fishbowl with QuickBooks and Xero, and inFlow with QuickBooks Online. The integration keeps cost of goods and stock movements in sync with your books. Check barcode scanning as well, since scanning pays for itself quickly above a few hundred SKUs. Finally, test with real stock. Import a sample of your catalog, run a purchase order through to sale, and count stock before you commit, since setup friction reveals itself only with real data, not in a demo, for any team today.
Frequently asked questions
Is there really free inventory management software?
Yes. Zoho Inventory free covers 50 orders a month with real features, Sortly free handles simple visual tracking for 100 items, and Odoo offers a free single app. Check each free plan limits against your volume before committing.
How much does inventory management software cost?
Small business tools run free to around $99 a month for Zoho, Sortly, Square, and inFlow. Manufacturing and multichannel tools run $229 to $349 a month for Fishbowl, Katana, and Cin7. Enterprise ERP is quote-based.
Which inventory software is best for small business?
Zoho Inventory for online and multi-channel sellers, Square for Retail for brick-and-mortar stores, Sortly for simple visual tracking, and inFlow for wholesale. The best pick depends on whether you sell online, in-store, or B2B, and on how many SKUs you carry.
Do I need barcode scanning?
Not always, but it speeds up counts and reduces errors. Sortly includes barcode and QR scanning on its free plan, while Fishbowl and Cin7 include mobile scanning on paid tiers. For inventories over a few hundred SKUs, scanning pays for itself quickly.
Can inventory software integrate with my accounting?
Yes. Most tools here integrate with QuickBooks, Xero, or Zoho Books. The integration keeps cost of goods and stock movements in sync with your books, which your accountant will appreciate at tax time.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.