Top Inventory Management Apps for Efficient Business Operations


inventory management apps

For small business owners, managing everything from daily operations to inventory can be overwhelming. Keeping track of inventory and ensuring profitability are vital, yet challenging tasks. This is where inventory management apps come into play, offering a much-needed solution.

These apps simplify the process of tracking inventory, making it automatic and hassle-free. Picture your business smoothly running with inventory being managed digitally, without the need for manual counting. This convenience is a game changer. However, the big question is: which inventory management app is the best fit for your business needs?

We’re glad you asked! This article will walk you through different inventory management apps, showing you what’s out there and how they can help your small business. By the time you finish reading, you’ll have all the info you need to pick the app that’s just right for your business’s inventory needs.

What is an Inventory Management App?

An inventory management app is a powerful tool that serves as a central hub for all your inventory-related activities. It’s not just about counting what’s in stock; these apps bring a range of functionalities to streamline your inventory processes, benefiting both business owners and customers. Here’s a closer look at what an inventory management app can do:

  • Accurate Inventory Counts:
    • Keeps precise track of inventory numbers.
    • Ensures up-to-date data for quality control and customer satisfaction.
  • Versatility in Scale:
    • Suitable for small stockrooms or large-scale enterprises.
    • Adaptable to managing inventory across various locations and sizes.
  • Comprehensive Features:
    • Inventory tracking: Monitors item levels and movements.
    • Low stock alerts: Notifies you when items need replenishing.
    • Sales tracking: Keeps an eye on sales trends and patterns.
    • POS integration: Links with sales systems for seamless transactions.
  • Advanced Management Tools:
    • Supply chain management: Oversee the entire supply chain process.
    • Warehouse management: Streamline warehouse operations.
    • Inventory data management: Organize and analyze inventory data.
    • Item kitting: Bundle products for promotions or packages.
    • Expense management: Track and control inventory-related expenses.

The key to getting your hands on these benefits is finding an effective and simple small business inventory software that’s easy to deploy and use. With the right app, managing inventory becomes less of a chore and more of a strategic advantage.

Finding the Best Inventory Management Apps for Your Business

Rest assured, there’s an inventory management app that’s perfect for your business. There are factors for you to consider as you review the information. Factors include the number of users, inventory volume, equipment, app integration, app cost and type of inventory items to track. Also, consider the system where you want to use the app—whether it be on your smartphone or the web.

Best Inventory Management Apps

Your company required an inventory tracking system yesterday. To save you from sifting through the extensive selection of inventory management apps, we have done the hard work for you and put together a list of 20 of the best options available.

Now you can check out all the apps in one place and decide which is the best fit for your company. These apps will help you keep track of your inventory, make better decisions about what to sell, and ultimately help your business grow!

Sortly App

inventory management apps - Sortly

The Sortly app is one of the best inventory management apps out there, and it allows you to keep track of your stock in multiple positions. It’s flexible, affordable and you can have it working in no time flat. Any changes or updates to your system can be made through the mobile app, allowing you to manage your stock anywhere.

Available on: iOS, Android and desktop

Key features:

  • API and third-party integrations
  • Low stock notifications
  • Multi-warehouse management
  • Historial and product trend reporting
  • QR code support
  • Audit alerts
  • In-app inventory scanner

Pricing: They have a free plan that includes 100 transaction entries/month. Their standard plans run from $49/month (includes 2,000 transaction entries/month) to $119/mo (unlimited limited transaction entries).

Zoho Inventory App

inventory management apps - Zoho inventory app

Zoho Inventory is part of the company’s suite of CRM apps and enables you to effectively manage your stock and warehouses. The dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of your purchases, total sales, low stock levels, and packed items. A significant advantage of Zoho Inventory lies in its capability to integrate with approximately 2,000 apps supported by Zapier. In addition to being a robust inventory tracker, the app seamlessly connects with eCommerce platforms such as eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify.

Available on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Web

Key features:

  • Multi-location support
  • Reporting and Analytics; Inventory forecasting
  • PO management
  • Smartphone camera captures barcode information
  • Serial and batch tracking to monitor stock movements
  • Item list for adding SKUs, grouping items and item kitting
  • CRM, eCommerce and accounting integration

Pricing: Zoho offers a free basic version that provides limited access to premium features, alongside four subscription tiers priced between $25 and $239. Additionally, these plans include optional add-ons for purchase, such as extra users, orders, and warehouses.

SAP Inventory Manager App

The SAP company has been around since the 70s, so it’s no wonder they have a pretty comprehensive mobile app to manage stock and optimize warehouse and stockroom operations. The SAP Inventory Manager is an extremely customizable app and it’s designed for businesses of all sizes and offers tools to manage inventory levels like barcode scanning, order tracking and management, supplier management and more.

Available on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Key features:

  • Accept and distribute received goods by PO
  • Pre-pick products by work orders
  • Stock tracking by bin, stock location or work order
  • Digitally issue, transfer or return material
  • View reporting tools through the dashboard
  • Stock takes for conducting cycle counts and inventory counts

Pricing: Free but must have SAP Enterprise.

Delvrd

Delivrd is a cloud-based inventory collaboration platform. Its inventory management software is robust enough to handle and track stock item movements and order fulfillment for anyone from small eBay sellers to large eCommerce retailers. The app has a wide array of tools, and it integrates with a large number of global carriers and shipping providers to make order fulfillment accurate and easy.

Available on: Web

Key features:

  • Barcode printing and scanning
  • Third-party integrations.
  • Profit and loss reporting.
  • Alerts, notifications
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Count, receive, issue and transfer stock
  • Purchase order management
  • API

Price: Delivrd offers a basic free inventory software plan a paid plan and a custom plan—their free plan is very limited, though, and only allows 10 products, 1 user and a few other basic tools. If you want to upgrade to a paid plan, their most popular one is priced at $49.99/month/user.

Inventory Now App

Perfect for retailers who need to see a snapshot of their stock or a certain number of items in a particular segment is Inventory Now. What this means is that you can monitor and track stock items as they make their way through their end-to-end lifecycle where they bought, received, stored, sold, shipped and delivered—all in real-time.

Available on: iOS and desktop

Key Features:

  • Barcode scanner support (data can be imported into iOS devices, such as an iPhone)
  • Order Tracking of individual sales or purchase orders.
  • Check out and collect payments with Paypal Here or Square Point of Sale
  • Reconciliation exported to Dropbox
  • Create/view/export invoices and receipts
  • Sales and profit activity tracking

Price: You can try the Inventory Now app for free and that option allows you to manage up to 20 items without an account. Paid plans range from $7/month to $99/month. You get discounts with an annual plan.

SOS Inventory App

SOS Inventory has an intuitive interface and its software program integrates with QuickBooks Online, giving you much better management of inventory, orders and manufacturing than with QuickBooks by itself. The mobile app also integrates with several shipping vendors and major e-commerce shopping carts. .

Available on: iOS and desktop

Key features:

  • Advanced stock management
  • Purchase Orders
  • Management of stock in multiple locations
  • Item kitting
  • Bin and backorder tracking
  • Dropshipping

Pricing: SOS Inventory offers a 14-day trial and 3 paid plans that range from $49.95 to $149.95

Jumpstock App

Jumpstock manages your stock and prevents stockouts by allowing you to easily record, move, and track your materials. The platform is ideal for health systems and hospitals with 200 beds or more, as well as supply chain leaders. The app also helps enforce pre-negotiated purchasing contracts to guarantee optimal pricing from vendors.

Available on: iOS, desktop and Android

Key Features

  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Inventory Optimization
  • Item kitting
  • Product Identification
  • Reorder Management
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Supplier Management

Pricing: Requires a JumpStock license that is available from Jump Technologies. Pricing is specific to the features you need to use.

On Shelf App

Bars, lounges and small retailers with fast and furiously moving products like to use the On Shelf app because it allows them to quickly see what items are in stock and which ones need to be ordered. Besides that, you can use the app to easily see what items are flying off the shelf and ones that have been sitting there for a while collecting dust. You can also use On Shelf for creating, customizing and managing invoices and POs.

Available on: iOS

Key features:

  • Items and product categories displayed with a barcode reader
  • Customer-specific tracking, including buying history
  • Analysis and sales reports
  • Log a sale function updates inventory
  • Sync your data between multiple users and devices
  • Send and print reports

Pricing: In-app purchases start at $4.99/user or you can pay $49.99 to add multiple users.

Stock Control 2 App

Warehouse managers will like Stock Control 2, which allows them to stay on top of inventory items across multiple locations and multiple groups. This aspect of this inventory management system comes in handy when you’re managing stock for a couple of different businesses or if you keep track of personal inventory but want it separated from your business. Other inventory management tools allow the generation of item list catalogs that you can print or send by e-mail.

Available on: iOS & Mac

Key features

  • User-friendly search tools
  • Shortage alerts; low stock notification of items
  • Import or export data to a .csv file
  • Manage inventory for multiple businesses
  • Location sorting; item listing
  • Statistics and reports
  • Manage quantities in various storage locations

Pricing: There is a free version, but it limits you to 15 items; it’s $26.99 for the full version.

Veeqo App

Veeqo is a cloud-based platform that has built-in shipping that works with shipping platforms like FedEx, UPS and USPS to manage and ship your orders. The platform also has Amazon-like fulfillment capabilities to speed up dispatch operations. Veeqo also allows total real-time sales transparency across all of your sales channels in one location.

Key features:

  • 21+ direct integrations to sales channels and popular marketplaces
  • Multi-channel order management
  • Analytics, forecasting tools
  • Barcode labels, scanner, digital picking
  • Imports and manages bulk shipping orders
  • Parcel and inventory tracking, delivery confirmation

Available on: iOS, Android, desktop site

Pricing: $160-$260

inFlow Inventory App

inventory management apps - inFlow app

Product-based businesses will like how the inFlow Inventory app helps you manage inventory tracking, orders and shipping all in one place. For example, you can use your smartphone or the inFlow Smart Scanner to transfer, pick, receive and adjust your inventory. You can also use the app’s accounting integration to push all your financials directly to QuickBooks Online.

Key Features:

  • Barcoding/RFID
  • 3PL Management
  • Backorder management
  • Product management and optimization
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Backorder Management
  • Cost Tracking
  • Cataloging/Categorization

Available on: iOS, Android, desktop (Windows & Linux)

Pricing: They offer a free 14-day trial. There are three paid plans available, all of which include features for inventory, purchasing, and sales. The pricing ranges from $89.00 per month for 2 users to $499 per month for 10 users with unlimited inventory locations.

Cin7 Inventory and POS App

The Cin-7 Inventory and POS app connects all your accounting, order, and shipping workflows, making your business easier to run. The app also integrates with eCommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento and WooCommerce. Detailed reporting on stock levels and sales allows you to easily keep track of items and update your online marketplace so that you never stock out or oversell.

Available on: iOS, Android

Key features:

  • Advanced multi-channels
  • Integrates with Quickbooks
  • Order management
  • B2B eCommerce
  • Built-in EDI
  • Reports and forecasting

Pricing: They offer three flexible paid plans along with a custom paid plan. The small business plan, designed for merchants selling products to consumers online, costs $299 per month. The next tier is the business plan, priced at $539 per month, which is tailored for product sellers concentrating on wholesale or B2B sales.

Inventory Control with Barcode Scanner App

Good for startups and small businesses is the simple to use and highly customizable Inventory Control with Scanner by Starkode Limited. The app comes with barcode scanner tools that help you maintain a robust inventory management system. Inventory tracker apps let you can scan items for quick and accurate tracking to keep your stock organized and readily available.

Available on: iOS

Key features:

  • Supports multiple languages and currencies.
  • EAN and UPC barcode support
  • Price list and invoice reports
  • iCloud Support lets you sync data between other apps and devices
  • Organize important data through sort and group list feature
  • Customizes your item, merchant and storage categories

Pricing: Starkode offers a free trial and 2 paid plans: professional (Single User, $14.99/month) and Enterprise (3 users, $29.97/month). You save 10% with an annual plan.

Ordoro App

The Ordoro app lets you operate and optimize your inventory operations and fulfillment workflows like a large-scale enterprise at a fraction of the cost you’d pay with many other platforms. With it, you get multiple dropshipping methods, a multi-channel approach to sales and inventory management, bulk shipping label-making, product photos and more.

Available on: iOS, Android, desktop

Key features:

  • Barcode system for item-to-order verification
  • Alert for a low inventory item
  • Discounted shipping with USPS (up to 67%)
  • Shipping software includes barcode scanning
  • Sync with sales orders, product quantities; adjusts stock
  • Constructs kits using multiple bundles

Pricing: Ordoro has flex pricing where you get charged with the actual use of the platform vs a flat fee. Their Express plan starts at around $60, but you’ll want the Pro Plan that starts at $499/month if you want all the product management tools and other whistles and bells you need for serious eCommerce shipping.

myStock Inventory Manager App

myStock is full-blown inventory management software that is targeted at small to medium businesses as well as individual organizations. With it, you can manage stock transactions and do costing easily without a huge investment. The application allows a user to keep detailed records of stock on their mobile device as well as update stock movements of multiple inventory centers and locations in real-time.

Available on: iOS, Android, desktop site

Key features:

  • Built-in barcode reader
  • User-definable product categories
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Data import from .csv file for products
  • View product list sorted by code, name or category.
  • Backup and restore to Dropbox

Pricing: Plans start at $4.99 on Amazon and Slideme widgets.

Asset and Inventory Tracker App

The Asset and Inventory Tracker App is an excellent solution for business owners who need to keep track of their assets and stock items at multiple locations. Designed to be used with Ventpix Asset Software, the app also allows you to quickly create a database of items, manage and track your stock levels, add photos of your items, and assign quantities. Smartphone apps allow you to use your iPhone or Android to tap NFC tags or as barcode scanners.

Available on: iOS, Android, desktop computer

Key features:

  • Check-in and out assets or import assets and stock in a custom format
  • Generate and print barcodes in several formats including Codabar and Datamatrix
  • Supports 1-D and 2-D barcode formats, including QR codes.
  • Manage stock, including transfers, stock retakes and reduction
  • Manage deliveries and goods received or dispatched

Pricing: One-time charge of $299 for the server version and $199 for the Windows OS version.

Cashier Live App

inventory management apps - Cashier Live app

Cashier Live App was designed with business retail owners or those operating independent pharmacies in mind. The app’s inventory management and smart point-of-sale features help you keep track of your stock levels, sales data and reports. Its expanded options with Cashier Live services include extensive reporting options; customer tracking.

Available on: iOS or desktop site

Key features:

  • Barcode ticket scanning and label management
  • Integrates with hardware devices like barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers and more.
  • CRM
  • eCommerce and inventory management
  • Email marketing; loyalty program
  • Built-in credit card reader for processing payments.
  • Multi-location; multi-store

Pricing: Free 14-day trial version and paid plans start out at $75/month per store.

Partender: Bar Inventory Software App

inventory management apps -partender

Partender is an inventory management program for bar and restaurant owners. The app helps keep track of liquor, wine and beer stock levels, allowing you to ditch your clipboard system for a rapid inventory counting system. Counting and setup are made faster because employees can use Android and iPhone devices simultaneously to split up the work.

Available on: iOS, Android

Key features:

  • Generate a PO that’s sorted by distributor in Excel
  • Add a full bottle or counts stock items by sequences of smartphone taps
  • Stock item tracker can gauge use and analyze cost and profit
  • Consumption analytics gives you essential inventory information; identifies fast-movers and slow-moving stock,
  • Reconcile with your Point-of-Sale (POS)

Pricing: $249 monthly but as low as $165 monthly with an annual subscription.

Odoo App

Odoo is an inventory management app that is part of a larger software system in the Odoo family. Its comprehensive set of unique double-entry features includes stock level tracking, barcode scanning, product and customer data, sales reports and analysis, as well as accounting and warehouse management. Deliver to customers in one step (delivery order) or several steps: picking, packing, shipping.

Available on: iOS, Android

Key features:

  • Barcode scanners, serial number tracking
  • Double Entry Inventory tracking system
  • Dropshipping and cross-docking
  • Point of sale stock item adjustments
  • Stock transfers
  • Multi-warehousing
  • Invoicing

Pricing: You can choose users at $24/month or pick the individual features you want from an app list for prices that range from $12-$72/month. For instance, you can get Point of Sale for $24/month and CRM for $24/month. Extra integrations work similarly.

 

Nice screenshot for the unique app choices here.

Quickbooks E-Commerce App

QuickBooks is accounting software that offers an inventory management app as part of its QuickBooks Commerce solution. The eCommerce app is designed for small businesses and eCommerce retailers to help manage stock levels, product data, sales orders, invoicing, accounting and shipping from one centralized multi-channel platform.

Available on: Desktop, cloud-based

Key Features:

  • Track and fulfill orders for your sales channels
  • List your product details to multiple channels simultaneously
  • Manage inventory with multiple users across warehouse locations
  • Create a custom online B2B store for wholesale transactions
  • Track income and expenses and maximize tax deductions
  • Automatically calculate sales tax on your invoices

Pricing: QuickBooks Commerce $50/month and QuickBooks Online Essentials $50/month. Users must pair the app with a QuickBooks online subscription.

Detailed Comparison of Top 20 Inventory Management Apps

This table provides a comprehensive overview of each app, including its platform availability, key features, and pricing, to help you decide which app best fits your company’s inventory management needs:

App NameAvailable onKey FeaturesPricing
Sortly AppiOS, Android, DesktopAPI, low stock notifications, multi-warehouse managementFree plan, $49-$119/month
Zoho Inventory AppiOS, Android, Windows Phone, WebMulti-location support, PO management, CRM integrationFree basic version, $25-$239/month
SAP Inventory Manager AppiOS, Android, Windows PhoneOrder tracking, barcode scanning, supplier managementFree with SAP Enterprise
DelvrdWebBarcode scanning, third-party integrations, profit and loss reportingFree plan, $49.99/month/user
Inventory Now AppiOS, DesktopBarcode scanner support, order tracking, reconciliation exportFree trial, $7-$99/month
SOS Inventory AppiOS, DesktopAdvanced stock management, purchase orders, dropshipping$49.95-$149.95/month
Jumpstock AppiOS, Desktop, AndroidInventory optimization, reorder management, supplier managementLicense required, specific pricing
On Shelf AppiOSBarcode reader, analysis and sales reports, inventory updates$4.99-$49.99/user
Stock Control 2 AppiOS, MacUser-friendly search tools, location sorting, statistics and reportsFree version, $26.99 full version
Veeqo AppiOS, Android, Desktop21+ integrations, barcode labels, inventory tracking$160-$260/month
inFlow Inventory AppiOS, Android, Desktop (Windows & Linux)Barcoding, 3PL management, cost trackingFree trial, $89-$499/month
Cin7 Inventory and POS AppiOS, AndroidAdvanced multi-channels, order management, B2B eCommerce$299-$539/month, custom plan available
Inventory Control with Barcode Scanner AppiOSSupports multiple languages, barcode support, iCloud supportFree trial, $14.99-$29.97/month
Ordoro AppiOS, Android, DesktopBarcode system, discounted shipping, stock syncFlex pricing, starts at $60/month
myStock Inventory Manager AppiOS, Android, Desktop siteBuilt-in barcode reader, analytics, data importStarts at $4.99 on Amazon and Slideme
Asset and Inventory Tracker AppiOS, Android, Desktop computerCheck-in/out assets, barcode printing, stock management$299-$199 one-time charge
Cashier Live AppiOS, Desktop siteBarcode scanning, CRM, eCommerce managementFree trial, starts at $75/month per store
Partender: Bar Inventory Software AppiOS, AndroidPO generation, stock item tracking, consumption analytics$249-$165/month
Odoo AppiOS, AndroidBarcode scanners, stock level tracking, invoicing$24-$72/month per feature
Quickbooks E-Commerce AppDesktop, Cloud-basedOrder tracking, inventory management, sales tax calculation$50/month plus QuickBooks subscription

Inventory Management App Free Versions

Many inventory management apps, including several featured in this list, offer a free version. However, these free versions come with limitations, and the specific features can differ from one company to another. If you have 1-3 users engaged in light warehouse activities, most free versions should suffice for your needs. Additionally, if you decide to upgrade later, you can continue using the operating systems you are already familiar with.

What is the best free inventory app?

It’s hard to beat the free plans that Sortly and the Zoho Inventory App offer. Sortly has a plan that is forever free for a single user, and it includes 100 transactions a month. Zoho’s free plan is similar but you get 2 users, composite items and Shopify integration. These free plans are best for small businesses that do basic warehousing and fulfillment services.

What is the best inventory management app for Android?

Which app is best for your operation depends on which facet of tracking your goods is most important to your company. For example, if you want to integrate with eCommerce sites, look to Zoho, Cin7 Inventory and POS and Veeqo for your inventory management system. Each can handle barcode scanners.

If you do bulk shipping with USPS, Ordoro makes sense with its discounted USPS shipping. Jumpstock, with its inventory management module, is a favorite with newbies. If an item doesn’t have a barcode, it can be entered by item number. As a software solution, users report it is easy to learn. You can include product information too.

What is the best inventory management app?

If it’s important for you to be able to integrate your inventory management software with eCommerce sites, you have a number of choices: Zoho, Veeqo, and Cin7 Inventory and POS all have that capability.

If you need to manage product categories and amounts as items are shipped, you need a specific type of inventory control app. SAP Inventory Manager, Inventory Now, On Shelf, InFlow, and Odoo are reliable picks for this requirement.

If you’re selling direct to a customer, using a Point of Sale system, Cashier Live is a top pick. You can use iOS or the web. You can enter your items in a variety of ways. If you don’t have barcodes on your products, you can invent a unique code for each product, and enter that; then the item is removed from inventory when sold.

Cashier Live includes a customer tracking feature that enables you to store a customer’s purchase history. This data can be utilized to recommend other potential interests or purchases.

Syncing stock levels with sales is a crucial feature for any business. A sales representative who has just secured a big order certainly does not want to discover that the item or items are out of stock. This scenario can lead to losing customers.

A company with several sales representatives will find inventory management apps that instantly deduct stock in response to sales orders extremely useful. Apps that synchronize sales orders with inventory include Zoho, InFlow Inventory, Ordoro, and others. Each sales representative can enter orders using a mobile app on iOS or Android devices.

What’s the best overall, though? Our choices for the best overall inventory management apps are Zoho and Sortly. They both feature full-featured inventory control systems that are fully scalable at rock-bottom prices.

For example, Zoho works well for small businesses, and if growth accelerates, you can connect it with the Zoho ERP system and other Zoho apps to manage large-scale inventory management, accounting, and sales effectively. Conversely, Sortly offers a robust set of tools for approximately $120 per month, making it a valuable option as well.

If you need full-scale supply chain management to go with your products and asset managment, SAP Inventory Manager App with SAP Enterprise will be powerful enough to do the job.

What is the easiest way to track inventory?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to track your goods and assets will vary from B2B. However, some tips on how to best track inventory include using a barcode scanner with an inventory to quickly and easily input stock levels, or utilizing an app that syncs with sales orders in order to keep track of inventory levels in real-time.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to test it out and ensure that it is the best fit for your business before fully implementing it. How do you get started? Make a list of the tools you need, and choose the best mobile app for your specific business needs.

Image: Depositphotos


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Lisa Price Lisa Price is a staff writer for Small Business Trends and has been a member of the team for 4 years. She has a B.A. in English with a minor in journalism from Shippensburg State College (Pennsylvania). She is also a freelance writer and previously worked as a newspaper circulation district manager and radio station commercial writer. In 2019, Lisa received the (Pennsylvania) Keystone Award.