Spending hours manually updating spreadsheets to keep track of inventory is a thing of the past. With automation on the rise, the resources available to manage your inventory are at an all-time high—and at price points that are viable for businesses of all sizes. By using software or an app to manage your physical inventory, you minimize the likelihood of stockouts and missed sales.
What to look for in an inventory management app
When you search the Shopify App Store for inventory apps, thousands of results will populate. There are a few key variables you can look for to ensure you choose the software that best serves your business. Narrow your options by looking for these features:
-
Real-time inventory management. Inventory apps need to track your stock levels in real time to provide an accurate snapshot of how much product you have at any given time.
-
Cross-integration for multiple locations. Managing inventory between warehouses or retail stores ensures all locations are accounted for and inventory numbers are easily accessible via your desktop computer and mobile device.
-
Low stock alerts. Even if you keep a close eye on inventory, it’s useful to have a reminder when stock levels dip below your reorder points.
-
Comprehensive analytics. A firm understanding of your sales data can reveal popular inventory items and help your forecast demand.
Top inventory management apps for ecommerce
As a small business owner, inventory control may seem like a daunting task, especially as you grow and add more products to your catalog. The list below will help you save time and easily identify the best inventory management app for your specific needs.
Shopify
Shopify inventory management is fully integrated into both Shopify Admin and POS, providing a seamless solution designed for entrepreneurs of all sizes. You can manage your inventory directly within Shopify or integrate it with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Shopify gives you complete control and visibility over your stock across all sales channels—both online and offline. This way you can grow confidently without worrying about overselling or stockouts.
Shopify’s inventory management system centralizes essential tasks like creating and tracking purchase orders, receiving and transferring stock, making adjustments, and generating reports—all in one platform. It syncs inventory in real time across online, POS, and multiple locations. There are also automations like low-stock alerts via Shopify Flow to help you reorder on time. Plus, Shopify’s AI-enabled commerce assistant, Sidekick, provides smart assistance to guide you through tasks and surface key inventory insights.
Pricing: All inventory capabilities available in admin are included in your Shopify subscription. To access in-store inventory management workflows, your locations have to be subscribed to POS Pro.
Prediko
Prediko boasts automated out-of-stock notifications, recommended restock notifications, and robust inventory reporting, making it ideal for small businesses looking to streamline inventory workflows. Advanced features include AI-driven sales forecasting at the individual product and broad category level, and a simple purchase order management system.
Pricing: Prediko pricing starts at $119 per month for businesses making less than $500,000 in revenue annually.
Katana
Katana provides a view of customer purchases, inventory levels, and purchase orders to your suppliers in one user-friendly dashboard. Plus, Katana has the added benefit of syncing with accounting apps like QuickBooks to provide analytics on the relationship of order volume and profitability.
Pricing: The Starter tier, designed for small businesses with one inventory location, is $199 per month. If your business has multiple warehouses or you’re looking to scan barcodes for SKU organization, the Standard tier is $399 per month.
Thrive
Known for seamless integration with leading point-of-sale systems, including Shopify, Thrive is an inventory management software ideal for business owners with multiple storefronts and sales channels. Stock control is a cinch with barcode scanning functionality and automated reordering. Plus, the advanced reporting capabilities will give you a clear picture of profitability and demand.
Pricing: Thrive offers a Standard package for up to two locations with a volume of 3,000 transactions per month, priced at $99 per month. Larger companies with several locations and higher volume may need the Professional or Elite tiers, priced at $249 and $499 per month, respectively.
Stock Sync
Stock Sync is a robust inventory app that goes beyond simple functions like real-time inventory syncing and low stock alerts. If you already have inventory data stored within an Excel spreadsheet or Google Sheets, Stock Sync can automatically transfer and organize it. It also provides pricing formulas based on demand to stay competitive within your industry.
Pricing: Stock Sync offers a free plan to get acquainted with functionality, but this tier lacks automation, meaning you will have to manually update all inventory changes. The Pro and Business plans, differing by your monthly volume, are fully automated and priced at $15 and $25 a month.
Veeqo
Prevent overselling and stock discrepancies with Veeqo, an inventory management system and shipping assistant that makes order fulfillment and deliveries effortless. Working with a wide selection of shipping carriers, Veeqo calculates which warehouse is closest to your customer, if there is stock at that warehouse, and what carrier has the best delivery times. Plus, a dedicated team is available for any hangups you may experience 24/7.
Pricing: Veeqo is free to download, with charges for individual in-app services.
Restock Rocket
Restock Rocket is one of the best inventory apps for notifying your customers of restocked items. Fans of your brand can stay connected by signing up for email or mobile phone notifications. Restock Rocket allows customers to navigate from emails directly to checkout for preorders and quick sales. The email newsletter button is customizable to match the aesthetic of your store, and analytics are available to give you insight into popular products and trends.
Pricing: The free version is great for small, self-starter businesses looking to send out 30 restock notifications a month. Brands sending around 1,000 or 3,000 restock notifications monthly will need to upgrade to the Lite or Standard versions, priced at $10 and $29 a month, respectively.
Trunk
Avoid overselling on different sales channels by using Trunk, one of the best inventory managers for small to mid-sized businesses offering their products on a variety of ecommerce systems. Trunk is known for integration with eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify, giving you peace of mind that, regardless of where your customers find your brand, the stock on hand is accurate. Plus, when you connect your various sales channels, Trunk will automatically group items with the same SKU, saving you time organizing your catalog.
Pricing: The Pro Plan offers full functionality on a sliding scale, from $35 for 100 orders a month to $329 for 10,000 orders a month.
Syncio
Syncio is designed to minimize the workload of managing multiple ecommerce shops on Shopify and Woocommerce. It offers real-time synchronization of custom field edits such as inventory numbers, product descriptions, and pricing across all stores. Sales orders, order fulfillment, and low-stock notifications are automated, alerting you to any changes or hang-ups that need your attention.
Pricing: Syncio is free for up to 25 products, but businesses with larger inventory will need to upgrade to the Starter Plan at $19 per month (up to 100 products), Traction Plan at $29 per month (up to 500 products), or Growth Plan at $39 per month (up to 1,000 products).
QuickSync
If you have multiple stores on various ecommerce platforms, or simply want to transfer your existing inventory list to a new storefront, QuickSync is the tool for you. QuickSync is compatible with Square, Shopify, Clover, Etsy, and more, funneling all orders into one dashboard and transferring inventory, pricing, and product information across all platforms.
Pricing:Contact Quicksync for pricing, as it is tailored to the specific needs of your business.
506 EasyScan
506 EasyScan is an inventory and warehouse management tool that helps high-volume merchants automate fulfillment workflows using barcode scanners. The app provides tools for inventory optimisation, including barcode-verified picking and packing, bin location tracking, and barcode aliases. It also enables users to manage purchase and transfer orders while creating custom label templates and SKU generation rules.
Pricing: The Basic plan costs $9.99 per month.
Inventory management app FAQ
What is the best app to keep track of inventory?
The best inventory app for your business is one that fits your budget, is compatible with your existing ecommerce systems, and scales with your brand as it continues to grow. Many of the highlighted apps in this article offer free trials, so you can explore the functionality that best serves your needs before investing in a subscription.
Can people use Shopify as an inventory management system?
Yes, Shopify has a built-in inventory management system, and the Shopify app store offers third-party apps that provide additional functionality and automation.
Does Square sync with Shopify?
While there is no native Square integration on Shopify, you can easily use apps like QuickSync to transfer your Square inventory, including pricing and product details, to Shopify. You can also use it to manage both platforms at the same time.
