This blog post reviews the four best inventory management software in 2024 that can benefit businesses of different sizes and needs. It provides an overview of each system and summarizes standout features, target users, and pricing to help businesses evaluate each option.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade outdated processes or implement a comprehensive system for the first time, this review highlights some of the most capable inventory management platforms available today.
While there are many solutions that offer retailers inventory management services, these four provide solid examples of that fit different retail systems. Read on for an in-depth look at these software solutions to determine which one may fit your retail business needs.
10 Best Inventory Management Systems
Solution | Best For | Price | Processing Fees | Key Features |
KORONA POS | Retail businesses, QSRs, ticketing businesses | Core: $59/mo Retail: $69/mo Add-ons: $10-$50 | None (Processing-agnostic) | Automated inventory tracking, multi-location capabilities, barcode return system, integration with eCommerce, robust support, steep learning curve. |
Ordoro | Online merchants (order fulfillment) | Free Advanced: $59/mo Premium: $149/mo | None | Shipping integration, kitting, and bundling, inventory adjustments, dropshipping management, multi-warehouse management. |
Lightspeed | Serialized tracking (e.g., electronics, apparel) | Lean: $119/mo Standard: $169/mo Advanced: $249/mo Enterprise: Custom | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | Omnichannel management, B2B catalog automation, rapid price management, robust reporting, customizable checkout, and little flexibility in payment processing. |
Adobe Commerece - Magestore | Adobe Commerce merchants | Custom pricing based on business complexity | None (Magento integration-based) | Real-time inventory tracking, multi-location stock transfers, SKU/serial number management, barcode management, omnichannel fulfillment, and setup challenges for beginners. |
Zoho POS | Multi-channel selling (eCommerce integration) | Free Standard: $29/mo Professional: $79/mo Premium: $129/mo Enterprise: $299/mo | 2% for third-party payments | Multi-channel sales, warehouse management, serial/batch tracking, automation workflows, customer management, inconsistent customer support, and affordable pricing. |
Lavu POS | Restaurants | Basic: $59/mo Starter: $129/mo Growth: Custom | Lavu Pay, specific processors used | Real-time inventory, KDS integration, mobile iPad POS, menu management, cash discount function, offline capability, third-party integrations, occasional glitches, steep learning curve. |
Shopify POS | Omni-channel retailing | Basic: $32/mo Shopify: $92/mo Advanced: $399/mo Plus: $2300/mo | 2%-0.6% based on plan and usage | Purchase orders, stock management, barcode scanning, customer profiles, customizable checkout, multi-currency support, seamless eCommerce integration, limited offline functionality, and high hardware costs. |
Celerant POS | Growing businesses with multi-channel sales | Retail: $125/mo eCommerce: $250/mo All-in-One: $350/mo Stratus Enterprise: Custom | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 | Product management, cross-channel sync, offline functionality, complex setup, inventory adjustment logs, vendor catalog imports, scalable for omnichannel. |
MicrosBiz POS | Appliance and electronics stores | Standard: $60/mo Enterprise: $90/mo Custom: Custom | None (Uses third-party processors) | Work order management, bundled items and kits, serial number tracking, QuickBooks integration, cloud-based access, robust inventory features, occasional performance lag, and limited advanced reporting. |
Sortly | Manufacturing, aviation, and construction | Free, Advanced: $49/mo Ultra: $149/mo Premium: $299/mo Enterprise: Custom | None (No built-in payment processing) | Visual inventory tracking, barcode, and QR code scanning, bulk edits, activity history, check-in/check-out system, data import/export, lacks in-depth reporting, no built-in payment processing, user-friendly |
1. KORONA POS: Best Overall Retail Inventory Solution
KORONA POS overview
KORONA POS is a strong option for retail businesses. Its features, including automatic inventory tracking, low stock notifications, and integration with online stores, can help businesses optimize stock levels, reduce overstocking, and ensure they have the products customers need, making it a valuable asset for retail success.
Pros
- Unlimited free trial
- Processing-agnostic
- Excellent customer support
- Robust inventory tracking
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Not ideal for complex menus
- No warehouse management
Korona POS Pricing
Core
$59/mo
- Various reporting
- Product data base
- Promotions and gift cards
Retail
$69/mo
- Barcode automation
- Supplier interface integration
- Real-time tracking
Adds-on
From $10 to $50
- KORONA Plus
- KORONA Integration
- KORONA Invoicing
KORONA POS is a cloud-based point of sale and inventory management solution crafted for retail businesses of varying sizes. Serving three primary verticals—retail, QSRs, and ticketing businesses—this retail inventory management software is particularly well-suited for a diverse range of enterprises such as liquor stores, vape shops, tobacco and smoke shops, convenience stores, toys & hobby stores, bakeries, and coffee shops.
Key Features
- Automated minimum and maximum levels: KORONA POS retail inventory management software stands out with its ability to automatically create minimum and maximum inventory levels for products. While most POS systems require manually setting these levels, which can be extremely tedious for stores with thousands of products, KORONA POS uses order-level optimization to analyze sales over a date range. It looks at how frequently products are reordered from suppliers and recommends ideal minimum and maximum levels.
- Multi-location capabilities: KORONA POS offers powerful multi-store management features making it one of the top retail inventory management systems solutions. With KORONA POS, retailers can simultaneously view and analyze data for individual locations or their entire chain. For example, a retailer with stores on both coasts can compare performance between regions to see what works best in each market. KORONA POS has built-in franchising features that benefit both franchisees and franchisors.
- Barcode-enabled return and exchange system: KORONA POS sets itself apart in retail inventory management with its unique barcode system on receipts. Unlike most POS providers, KORONA’s receipts have a special barcode that proves to be a game-changer. Customers can effortlessly scan this barcode for quick access to their transaction details at the terminal, facilitating processes like exchanges, returns, and resolution of discrepancies. The receipt is seamlessly retrieved from the archive, enabling various management functionalities, including printing copies, processing returns, changing payment methods, or canceling transactions.
- Print labels and tags: KORONA POS lets users print shelf labels and price tags directly from the system. This feature streamlines the labeling process by generating price labels simultaneously with stock receipts. This contributes to efficiency and accuracy in managing product information and pricing.
- Automate counting: The system enables the automation of inventory counting by generating daily or weekly count lists. Moreover, it suggests spreading out annual counts throughout the year, ensuring all items are counted at least once. This approach maintains accurate stock levels and reduces the likelihood of discrepancies.
- Integration with eCommerce platforms: KORONA POS provides seamless integration with various eCommerce platforms. This integration offers a powerful eCommerce solution connecting the physical and online stores. Users can manage various aspects of both stores from the point of sale back office. The system facilitates marketing efforts, allowing users to create promotions, update landing pages, and monitor campaign success directly through KORONA POS.
Pros
- Unlimited free trial: By providing an unlimited free trial, KORONA POS allows potential customers to thoroughly test and evaluate the software’s features without any time constraints, ensuring they can make an informed decision before committing to a purchase.
- Processing-agnostic: KORONA POS can seamlessly integrate with all the leading payment processors. Businesses can accept payments through whichever processor offers the best rates and services for their needs without being locked into a single option.
- Excellent customer support: KORONA POS provides round-the-clock customer support via phone, email, and chat to assist retailers with setup, understanding features, and troubleshooting issues. KORONA POS has excellent reviews of its customer support team across all POS review platforms.
- Robust inventory tracking: KORONA POS offers a distinct advantage to risk-prone businesses such as vape shops, liquor stores, cannabis dispensaries, convenience stores, and wine retailers through its specialized inventory management system. The platform’s features enable these businesses to maintain precise control over their stock, ensuring compliance with stringent regulations governing these industries.
Cons
- Steep learning curve: While KORONA POS is a powerful point of sale system with some in-depth features, some users find its interface and functionality quite complex, leading to a steep learning curve, especially for those new to the software. Mastering all the nuances of KORONA POS, from inventory management to reporting and analytics features, can be a bit challenging initially.
- Not ideal for specific matrix-based items: KORONA POS lacks the functionality to incorporate a sizing matrix, which could render it suboptimal for businesses that necessitate meticulous inventory management based on varying product sizes (clothing stores, etc.).
- No warehouse management: The system does not offer a solution for retailers that need warehouse management or shipping out to wholesale customers.
KORONA POS Pricing
KORONA POS offers a tiered pricing structure with different plans catering to various business needs. Here’s a breakdown of their pricing:
Base Plans:
- KORONA Core: $59 per month
- KORONA Retail: $69 per month
Add-On Modules:
- KORONA Food: +$10 per terminal (for restaurants)
- KORONA Invoicing: +$10 per terminal (for businesses creating invoices)
- KORONA Ticketing: +$50 per gate (for admission-based businesses)
- KORONA Franchise: +$30 per franchise location
- KORONA Integration: +$45 per token (for integrating with other systems)
Additional Notes:
Here are other perks you’ll get with KORONA POS:
- An unlimited free trial, so you can test the software before committing
- 60-day money-back guarantee, giving customers confidence in their investment
- No credit card processing agreements, offering customers flexibility in their payment processing options
- 24/7 in-house support to ensure customers receive timely and knowledgeable assistance whenever they need it
Learn more about KORONA POS’s pricing structure here.
Schedule a KORONA POS Demo Today
Speak with a product specialist and learn how KORONA POS can power your business needs.
2. Ordoro: Best for Order Fulfillment for Online Merchants
OrDORO POS overview
Ordoro is a top contender for online merchants seeking efficient and streamlined order fulfillment. It provides a comprehensive suite of features, encompassing order and inventory management, shipping integrations, and dropshipping capabilities.
Pros
- Large shipping carrier options
- Easy return label generation
- Seamless integration
Cons
- Limited packing slip customization
- Infrequent eCommerce platform sync
- Not ideal for complex menus
Ordoro POS Pricing
Essentials
Free
- Unlimited shipping labels
- Lowest shipping rates from top carriers
- Up to 1 user
Advanced
$59/mo
- Phone support
- Automation rules and presets
- Advanced analytics
- Add-on module access
- Merchant carrier module
Premium
$149/mo
- All advanced features
- Quickbooks online integration
- API access
Odoro is an inventory management platform ideal for order fulfillment for online merchants. The platform supports FBA inventory sync, 3PL order management, and seamless integration with diverse platforms through an open API.
Key Features
Kitting and Bundling
You can efficiently manage assembled products with Odoro’s kitting and bundling tools. You can create kits by combining components stocked individually, reducing SKU proliferation. It’ll also allow you to assign unique barcodes to kits for tracking through production and sale. For bundled products, link inventory records of included items to keep counts accurate as bundles are created and sold. Odoro, with robust kitting and bundling, streamlines fulfillment of multi-piece orders and reduces waste.
Automatic Inventory Adjustments
Odoro’s automatic inventory adjustments save significant manual effort. When sales orders export, stock levels update in real-time. Automatic inventory writeback ensures real-time updates, while order routing and splitting enhance order processing efficiency. The platform facilitates automatic order tagging, flash shipping, and postage reporting, contributing to streamlined workflows. Real-time profit and loss summaries provide quick insights, and bulk inventory uploads simplify the management of large inventories. These automation tools collectively minimize manual work and boost productivity.
Deep dropshipping management feature
Ordoro offers a comprehensive platform that goes beyond basic inventory management, providing a range of solutions for growing businesses. The deep dropshipping management feature set enables businesses to expand their offerings without extensive warehousing. The platform also supports shipping and package insurance, offering discounted carrier rates of up to 89% off. Additional features include RMAs (Return Merchandise Authorizations) and an integrated shipping and inventory management dashboard, creating a one-stop solution for scalable growth.
Inventory comprehensive visibility and control
Ordoro empowers businesses with comprehensive visibility and control over their inventory, extending beyond mere stock counting. With multi-warehouse management, you can efficiently organize and track inventory across various locations. The platform allows you to set maximum export quantities, percentages, and reserve quantities by sales channels, enabling strategic decision-making. Tracking lead times by suppliers, FBA inventory sync, and integration with Amazon’s FBA/FBM provide a holistic view of inventory movements. Including 3PL order management and an open API supports seamless integration with diverse platforms.
Pros
- Large shipping carrier options: Ordero enables consolidation of various shipping carrier options and pricing details within a single interface for seamless comparison across all major U.S. carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and USPS.
- Easy return label generation: The software generates return labels as required and maintains a comprehensive repository of label data to allow for reprinting or direct email delivery to customers.
- Seamless integration: Orero ensures seamless integration with BigCommerce to promptly notify customers of shipping and tracking information for all eCommerce purchases.
Cons
- Limited packing slip customization: Odoro POS seems to have limited options for customizing packing slip templates, which is crucial for businesses that rely on efficient order tracking and inventory management.
- Infrequent eCommerce platform sync: Odoro POS only syncs with the eCommerce platform once per hour, which can be inconvenient for businesses with high order volumes or time-sensitive operations.
- Lack of integration with Monsoon Commerce: The lack of integration with other software platforms, such as Monsoon Commerce (used for managing Amazon orders), can be a significant limitation for businesses that rely on multiple software solutions to manage their operations.
Ordoro Pricing
Ordoro offers retailers a few simple subscription plans as well as some optional add-on features.
Subscription Plans:
- Essentials ($0/mo): The Essentials Plan offers a comprehensive package at no cost each month. This includes unlimited shipping labels and access to the lowest shipping rates from leading carriers. With provisions for one user, one sales channel, and a single ship-from location, it provides a streamlined solution for businesses to manage their shipping needs efficiently. Additionally, email support is available.
- Advanced ($59/mo): The Advanced Plan, priced at $59.00 per month, builds upon the Essentials Plan by incorporating all its features while, most notably, offering unlimited users, sales channels, and ship-from locations, providing scalability for growing businesses. With the inclusion of phone support, users can access direct assistance when needed. Moreover, automation rules and presets streamline workflows, while advanced analytics offer deeper insights into shipping performance.
- Premium ($149/mo): The Premium Plan is available for $149 per month and includes all advanced features of the platform. It also provides an integration with Quickbooks Online, API access, and unrestricted access to all available add-on modules.
Add-On Modules:
- Merchant Carrier module ($50+/mo): fulfills orders using your own carrier accounts
- Inventory management module ($350+/mo): manages inventory across multiple locations and all of your sales channels
- Vendor portal module ($1,000+/mo): create and manage an Ordoro ecosystem as a merchant, supplier, or 3PL
3. Lightspeed Retail: Best For Serialized Tracking & Matrix Items
overview
Lightspeed‘s strength is its ability to handle serialized tracking and matrix items. This makes it ideal for businesses dealing with products like electronics, jewelry, or furniture, where each item has a unique identifier and may have variations in features or sizes.
Lightspeed seamlessly tracks individual items throughout their lifecycle, from purchase to sale, ensuring accurate inventory control and efficient operations.
Pros
- Supports multiple locations
- Robust reporting
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Not much flexibility in payment processing
- Poor customer service
- Limited offline functionality
Lightspeed Pricing
Lean
$119/mo
- Retail POS
- Registers
- Lightspeed B2B
Standard
$169/mo
- Accounting
- eCommerce
Advanced
$249/mo
- Omnichannel loyalty
- Advanced reporting
- Dedicated account manager
Enterprise
Customize quote
- Customized onboarding
- Premium workflow API access
- Custom user roles
Lightspeed Retail’s inventory management system is widely recognized for its ability to handle complex and varied stock, making it a top choice for retailers in numerous verticals. Verticals best suited for Lightspeed’s inventory management include apparel and fashion (including sporting goods), jewelry and watches, furniture, and home decor. Lightspeed seamlessly integrates your in-store POS with your online store and other sales channels like social media and online marketplaces.
Key Features
- Omnichannel inventory management features: Lightspeed Retail provides a powerful cloud-based inventory system that unites all sales channels into a single platform. Users can track inventory levels and SKUs across multiple locations from anywhere. The system also allows users to create product variants to manage different sizes, colors, and more. Unique serial numbers can be assigned to inventory items in any location through a unified search.
- Inventory-integrated stock ordering: With Lightspeed Retail, the inventory management process extends seamlessly into stock ordering. The platform offers built-in purchase orders, enabling users to place orders directly through Lightspeed Retail. This feature is especially useful for managing purchases across multiple locations. Additionally, the platform facilitates the fulfillment and delivery of special orders for customers.
- B2B Catalog Automation for tracking supplier information: Lightspeed Retail streamlines the integration of supplier information through its B2B Catalog Automation feature. Users can access various products synced directly to their POS system. This feature allows for the quick addition of pre-loaded product information from suppliers to the POS. Users can search the B2B Catalog for products using various parameters such as name, keyword, or UPC and import comprehensive product data, including UPC, MSRP, description, and image.
- Rapid product and price management: The platform offers a product import tool for instant uploads of new products, facilitating a dynamic sales floor. Users can make bulk pricing changes to adjust prices uniformly across all channels. Price books further enhance flexibility by allowing the setup of special pricing and loyalty reward amounts, while the software’s capability to manage discounts and promotions and plan seasonal promotions in advance optimizes overall sales strategies.
Pros
- Seamless item management and reporting: Lightspeed Retail simplifies the process of creating and managing retail items, allowing for effortless inventory management. Its robust reporting features empower business owners to make informed decisions based on accurate and comprehensive data, providing valuable insights into their operations.
- User-friendly interface and advanced customization: Lightspeed Retail’s intuitive interface makes it easy to search for individual items and organize them into designated categories. Additionally, the software enables users to create modifiers for each item.
Cons
- Poor customer service: Merchants mention unresolved issues, inability to directly contact the account management team, and lack of response from support staff.
- Not much flexibility in payment processing: Some negative reviews point to business practices related to payment processing. The penalty structure, tied to monthly transaction volume, has been a source of contention. Some merchants report Lightspeed sales representatives offering extensions or penalty refunds to secure contracts, adding a layer of complexity to the business relationship.
- Long and unclear contracts: Concerns about potential rate hikes, as outlined in Lightspeed’s terms and conditions, contribute to a sense of uncertainty among some merchants. Other users have complained about being locked into long-term contracts with certain promises left unfulfilled.
Lightspeed Pricing
Lightspeed Retail offers a tiered pricing structure with two main components: monthly subscription and transaction processing fees (optional). Here’s a breakdown of both:
Monthly Subscription Fees:
Lightspeed Retail offers three plans with varying functionalities:
- Lean ($119/mo): This is the most basic plan, ideal for small businesses with minimal needs. It includes features like basic inventory management, point of sale functionality, and customer management.
- Standard ($169/mo): This plan is suitable for growing businesses and offers everything in the Lean plan, plus features like employee management, advanced reporting, and loyalty programs.
- Advanced ($249/mo): This top-tier plan caters to businesses with complex needs and includes everything in the Standard plan, along with features like gift card management, age verification, and advanced inventory controls.
- Enterprise (Custom pricing): This plan offers all services of the Advanced plan, plus extra functions such as personalized consultation and preferred Lightspeed Payment rates.
It’s important to note that these are base prices. Here are some additional factors that can influence your monthly cost:
- Annual billing discount: Lightspeed offers a discount for opting for annual billing instead of monthly payments.
- Number of locations: While the base price covers one location, additional locations incur extra charges.
- Number of registers: Similar to locations, extra registers may require additional fees.
Transaction Processing Fees:
Lightspeed allows you to use their integrated payment processing or choose a third-party processor. If you opt for Lightspeed’s processing, you’ll incur transaction fees based on the type of transaction:
- In-Person transactions: 2.6% + 10 cents per transaction
- Online transactions: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction
- Business size: Larger merchants will potentially be able to negotiate for cheaper processing rates
Here Are Some Additional Points to Consider:
- Hardware Costs: Lightspeed doesn’t include hardware like barcode scanners or receipt printers in their base plans. You’ll need to factor in these additional costs.
- Free Trial: Lightspeed offers a free trial to test their software before committing.
4. Magestore: Best For Magento eCommerce Merchants
MageStore overview
Magestore is best for Magento merchants seeking robust inventory management solutions. It provides features like real-time inventory tracking, efficient stock transfers, and insightful reporting.
Magestore helps merchants optimize stock levels, streamline order fulfillment, and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction.
Pros
- Responsive and efficient collaboration
- Best Magento integration
Cons
- Setup and customization challenges
- Additional development work required
- Feature-rich platform with room for improvement
Pricing
- Number of stores
- Business complexity
- Level of support and services
Magestore offers powerful and versatile retail inventory management software that is built specifically for Magento eCommerce merchants. It seamlessly integrates with your Magento store, providing real-time inventory visibility and control across all sales channels and locations.
Their Magento Omnichannel POS even combines WebPOS and Inventory Management into a single solution. Beyond inventory and POS, Magestore provides a range of extensions for loyalty programs, promotions, subscriptions, marketplace functionality, and more.
Key Features
- Omnichannel fulfillment: The software simplifies order fulfillment by streamlining pick-pack-ship processes for online and offline orders. It efficiently manages multi-location and dropshipping orders, ensuring a seamless experience for customers regardless of their chosen sales channel. Users can request items directly from listing pages, confirm orders, and generate shipments, all while accessing customer purchase history conveniently through the Magento backend.
- Advanced inventory control system: Their inventory control system provides powerful tools for efficient management. Users can create product SKUs with customizable attributes, generate barcodes, and assign serial numbers to each item. The system establishes standards for bins and pallets to store products, facilitates physical stock counts through barcode scanning, and syncs stock data seamlessly across various channels and locations. Additionally, it enables effective organization of multiple warehouses and issues low-stock alerts when inventory levels reach a specified threshold.
- SKU and serial number management: Magestore supports the assignment of unique SKUs and tracking serial numbers for specific products. Users can create product SKUs with customizable attributes, generate barcodes, and assign serial numbers to each item. This is particularly valuable for high-value items or products with warranty/tracking requirements. Businesses can efficiently manage and trace individual items throughout their lifecycle, enhancing accountability and customer satisfaction.
- Barcode management: Magestore POS provides powerful barcode generation and printing capabilities to help retailers easily manage inventory. The software allows custom barcode labels to be configured with options to determine content, layout, size, and more. Barcodes can be generated in bulk via flexible settings like assigning prefixes or setting sequential numbers. Retailers can simply import many barcodes into the system in one go, avoiding tedious manual work.
Pros
- Responsive and efficient collaboration: The Magestore team’s responsiveness is consistently impressive, and they handle installation and issue resolution remarkably quickly.
- Recommended for Magento Integration: Magestore’s POS solution seamlessly integrates with our Magento website, focusing on stock synchronization and inventory management.
Cons
- Initial setup and customization challenges: While Magestore offers a robust eCommerce platform, some merchants have noted opportunities for improvement, particularly around initial setup and customizations. For example, some have found that configuring peripherals like printers, scanners, and cash drawers requires more hands-on support than expected.
- Additional development work required: Similarly, building customized features like gift cards and delivery methods can involve additional development work. However, these limitations primarily affect new users during the initial learning curve.
- Steep learning curve for beginners: With additional documentation and onboarding support, Magestore could likely smooth out the onboarding process for merchants new to the platform. More experienced users seem able to utilize the system’s flexibility to handle these customizations on their own after an initial ramp-up period.
- Feature-rich platform with room for improvement: Overall, Magestore offers a feature-rich platform, but enhancing the getting started experience could help meet beginners’ expectations.
Magestore Pricing
Magestore POS doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all pricing for its inventory management software. The cost can vary depending on a few factors, including:
- Number of stores
- Business complexity
- Level of support and services
5. Zoho: Best for Multi-Channel Retailer
ZOHO Inventory overview
Zoho Inventory is known for its multi-channel selling capabilities, seamlessly integrating with major eCommerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and Etsy.
It provides advanced tools for managing inventory across multiple warehouses, serial and batch tracking for high-value or expirable goods, and powerful automation workflows to streamline operations.
These features make it an excellent choice for businesses looking for efficient inventory management across multiple sales channels.
Pros
- Integration with the Zoho ecosystem
- Affordable pricing with a free tier
- Advanced serial and batch tracking
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Inconsistent customer support
- Restrictions on the free plan
Pricing
Free Plan
$0/mo
- Up to 50 orders
- 1 warehouse limit
- Item groups
Standard Plan
$29/mo
- Up to 500 orders
- 1 warehouse
- 10 custom reports
Professional Plan
$79/mo
- Up to 3000 orders
- 2 warehouses
- Serial number and batch tracking
Premium Plan
$129/mo
- Up to 7500 orders
- 3 warehouses
- Barcode generation
Entreprise Plan
$129/mo
- Up to 15000 orders
- Advanced analytics
- Multi-currency for each customer
Key Features
Multi-channel selling: Zoho Inventory integrates seamlessly with major eCommerce platforms like Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and Etsy. This feature allows businesses to manage sales from multiple channels within a single dashboard, syncing orders, inventory levels, and customer information across platforms in real-time. It eliminates the need for manual updates, thus reducing errors and improving efficiency.
Warehouse management: This feature allows users to manage multiple warehouses and track inventory across various locations. Zoho Inventory supports stock transfer between warehouses and provides detailed reports on inventory levels at each site. Businesses can set reorder levels for each warehouse, ensuring optimal stock distribution and availability. The software also helps optimize stock management with automated notifications and restocking actions.
Serial number and batch tracking: Zoho Inventory offers advanced tracking with serial numbers and batch tracking, essential for industries dealing with high-value products or those with expiration dates (like pharmaceuticals). The system ensures businesses can trace items through every stage of the supply chain, from receiving stock to dispatching products. This feature aids in compliance, auditing, and improving traceability.
Automated Workflows: Zoho Inventory allows users to automate repetitive tasks such as order processing, inventory updates, and shipment tracking. This feature reduces manual workload by setting predefined triggers that automatically execute actions, like sending emails when stock levels are low or creating invoices once an order is placed. It helps businesses streamline operations and improve efficiency.
Integrated shipping solutions: Zoho Inventory integrates with popular shipping carriers like UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Users can compare shipping rates, print labels, track shipments, and notify customers, all within the platform. This integration simplifies the shipping process and provides real-time tracking, making it easier for businesses to manage order fulfillment and delivery.
Pros
Multi-channel integration: Zoho Inventory stands out for its seamless integration with popular eCommerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Shopify. Users appreciate how easy it is to manage sales across multiple channels within a unified dashboard.
Strong integration with the Zoho ecosystem: Zoho Inventory integrates seamlessly with other Zoho products, such as Zoho Books (accounting), Zoho CRM, and Zoho Analytics. This creates a unified, cohesive system for managing different aspects of a business, from accounting to customer relationships.
Affordable pricing with generous free tier: Zoho Inventory is cost-effective compared to other inventory management systems. It offers an affordable and straightforward pricing structure with essential features even in its free plan. The free plan offers 50 orders, item groups, dropshiping features, and more.
Cons
Steep learning curve for new users: Some users report feeling overwhelmed by the number of options and configuration steps required to get the system up and running.
Inconsistent customer support: While Zoho generally provides customer support via email, live chat, and phone, some users report inconsistent experiences with response times and support quality. Complex issues, in particular, can take longer to resolve.
Restrictions on Free Plan: Although the free plan offers many useful features, it limits the number of orders to 50 per month and warehouses, making it unsuitable for growing businesses or those handling large volumes of transactions. The need to upgrade to higher plans for more order management, inventory locations, or advanced features can become a burden for scaling businesses.
Zoho Pricing
1. Free Plan
- Price: $0/mo
- Features:
- Allows you to manage up to 5 orders per month
- 1 warehouse is included
- Track up to 50 shipping labels per month
- Basic integrations with eCommerce platforms (e.g., Amazon, Shopify, eBay)
- Stock management and order fulfillment features for small businesses
- Real-time shipping rates and delivery tracking with integrated carriers
- Who it’s best for: Small businesses or startups just with limited inventory management needs and dealing with a low volume of orders
2. Standard Plan
- Price: $29/mo (billed annually) or $39/mo (billed monthly)
- Features:
- 500 orders per month
- 1 warehouse
- Customer portal
- 10 Custom reports
- Support for multiple currencies
Who it’s best for: Growing businesses with moderate order volume that need additional features like batch tracking and advanced integrations
3. Professional Plan
- Price: $99/mo (billed annually) or $79/mo (billed monthly)
- Features:
- 3000 orders per month
- 2 warehouses
- 2 automated workflows
- Serial number tracking
- Batch number tracking
- Price list
Who it’s best for: Medium-sized businesses with larger orders that need enhanced reporting and multi-warehouse management.
4. Premium Plan
- Price: $159/mo (billed annually) or $129/mo (billed monthly)
- Features:
- 7500 orders per month
- 2 warehouses
- 5 Shopify store integration
- Barcode generation
- Stock counting
- Unlimited custom functions
- Who it’s best for: Larger businesses need extensive inventory management across multiple warehouses, advanced automation, and customization options.
5. Enterprise Plan
- Price: $299/mo (billed annually) or $249/mo (billed monthly)
- Features:
- 15000 orders
- 7 warehouses
- High-level customization options
- 3PL integrations
- Priority customer support and dedicated account manager
- Advanced reporting, analytics, and data insights
- Custom workflow automation
- Custom integrations and API support
Who it’s best for: Large-scale businesses with complex needs for inventory management and advanced automation.
6. Lavu POS: Best for Restaurants
LAvu overview
Lavu POS excels in the restaurant industry with advanced menu management, real-time inventory tracking, and KDS integration for enhanced kitchen communication.
Its mobile-friendly iPad-based system allows restaurant flexibility, providing tools for efficient order-taking and payment processing directly at the table. And its multi-location management and customizable reports make it highly versatile for growing businesses.
Pros
- Customizable menu and interface
- Excellent customer support
- Offline mode capability
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Occasional software glitches
- Limited payment processing options
Pricing
Starter
$59/mo
- Menu customization
- Basic inventory management
- 24/7 support
Growth
$129/mo
- Advanced reporting
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-terminal support
Optimize
Custom Pricing
- Multi-location management
- Custom integrations
Key Features
Advanced order and menu management: Lavu POS provides sophisticated tools for quick customization, split payments, menu modifications, and upselling. It’s beneficial for restaurants with complex menus.
Inventory management with real-time tracking: Lavu’s inventory management allows for real-time tracking of ingredients and stock levels, making it ideal for restaurants needing to monitor food costs and avoid overstocking.
KDS (Kitchen Display System) integration: Lavu integrates with KDS, improving communication between the kitchen and the front-of-house staff. It enhances order accuracy and speed, which is critical in a fast-paced environment.
Mobile and iPad POS: Lavu POS is optimized for mobile devices, offering restaurants a flexible, portable solution. This iPad-based system allows staff to take orders and payments directly at the table.
Cash discount function: Lavu POS offers a cash discount/ dual pricing feature for users of Lavu Pay, which incorporates payment processing fees into menu prices. Customers who pay with cash receive a discount, making this feature especially beneficial for restaurants shifting away from a cash-only system.
Multi-location management: Lavu POS is designed for multi-location restaurants, providing a centralized platform for tracking inventory, sales, and customer preferences across different branches.
Customizable reports and analytics: The system provides customizable reports, allowing restaurants to track sales, labor costs, inventory, and more, offering insights to optimize operations.
Pros
Customizable menu and interface: Lavu POS allows businesses, particularly restaurants, to customize their menu and interface to suit their needs fully. This feature is highly beneficial for companies with diverse offerings, as they can quickly organize items based on category and price and even apply modifications to orders.
Excellent customer support: Lavu POS provides responsive and reliable customer support. Some reviews mention that the team’s proactive guidance helps users feel more confident navigating the system’s complexities. Their support team is available via phone, chat, and email. Additionally, Lavu POS provides detailed training resources and documentation to help new users get up to speed.
Offline mode capability: Lavu POS includes an offline mode feature, allowing businesses to continue operating smoothly even when internet connectivity is lost. Transactions can still be processed, and data syncs once the system reconnects to the internet. This ensures that businesses won’t lose sales or encounter service interruptions during internet outages, which is crucial for high-traffic establishments.
Third-party integrations: Lavu integrates with various third-party software, including accounting tools, payment gateways, and delivery services. These integrations streamline business operations by consolidating functions like inventory, accounting, and online orders, making managing multiple processes from a single platform easier.
Cons
Learning curve for new users: Due to the robust features and customization options, Lavu POS can be complex for new users to learn and set up. Staff members or business owners unfamiliar with advanced POS systems may need extra time for training, and errors can occur during initial implementation. While Lavu offers support, mastering the system may take longer than straightforward POS solutions.
Occasional software glitches: Some users report experiencing software glitches, such as slow loading times or unexpected crashes. These issues can disrupt service, particularly during peak hours in busy restaurants. Although updates and customer support address most problems, the occasional unreliability can hinder performance and customer experience.
Limited payment processing options: Lavu POS requires businesses to use specific payment processors, which limits flexibility in choosing the best option for transaction fees. Some users find the available processors more expensive than others, which can impact overall profitability, especially for smaller businesses with tight margins.
Pricing
Lavu POS offers a flexible pricing structure, allowing businesses to choose from several plans based on their needs. Here’s an overview of the typical pricing structure:
1. Basic Plan (Starting at $59/mo):
- Suitable for smaller businesses or single-location restaurants
- Includes core features like menu customization, reporting, and basic inventory management
- 24/7 customer support is included
- One terminal is typically covered under this plan, with additional terminals available for an extra fee
- Who it’s best for
2. Starter Plan (Starting at $129/mo):
- Designed for growing businesses or mid-sized restaurants with additional needs
- Includes advanced reporting, inventory tracking, employee management tools, and integrations with third-party apps
- Supports multiple terminals, making it ideal for businesses with more complex setups
- Comes with enhanced features such as advanced analytics and basic CRM tools
- Who it’s best for
3. Growth Plan (Custom Pricing):
- Best for larger establishments with multiple locations or businesses requiring more sophisticated features
- Includes all Starter Plan features, plus multi-location management, deeper reporting options, and custom integrations
- Pricing is customized based on business size, the number of terminals, and any additional services required
- Offers a high level of scalability, making it easy to add locations and terminals as the business grows.
- Who it’s best for
Additional Costs Information:
- Add-on features: Lavu POS offers additional features such as loyalty programs, online ordering, and advanced reporting for an extra cost, which can increase monthly fees.
- Hardware: The POS hardware (iPads, card readers, printers, etc.) is not included in the base subscription price and must be purchased separately.
- Payment processing fees: Lavu Pay is an integrated payment processing solution. However, Lavu partners with specific payment processors, and transaction fees will vary based on the processor selected. It supports third-party processors, such as Square, Heartland, or PayPal.
- Lavu POS does not offer a free trial but does have free demos.
7. Shopify POS: Best for Omni-Channel Retailing
Shopify overview
Shopify POS is a versatile system perfect for businesses needing to seamlessly integrate physical and online sales channels. It offers robust product management tools, including purchase orders, stock management, and barcode scanning, along with a customizable checkout experience.
Shopify POS is ideal for businesses seeking multi-channel sales with strong eCommerce capabilities.
Pros
- App integrations through the Shopify ecosystem
- Unified dashboard for online and in-store operations
- Mobile-friendly and multi-currency support
Cons
- Limited offline functionality
- Transaction fees with external payment gateways
- Higher hardware costs
Pricing
Basic
$29/mo
- Supports 10 inventory locations
- 24/7 support
- 2% charge for third-party payment providers
Plus
$79/mo
- $92 USD per month
- 5 additional staff accounts
- 1% charge for third-party payment providers
Advanced
$299/mo
- Reduced transaction fees
- 10 inventory locations
- 15 additional staff accounts
Plus
$2300/mo
- Custom reports
- Up to 200 inventory locations
- Global selling in 50 markets
Key Features
- Purchase orders and stock management: Shopify POS allows you to create purchase orders to restock items directly within the app. You can keep track of supplier information, track incoming inventory, and manage stock replenishment automatically.
- Product management: You can categorize products, add tags, and create custom attributes to organize inventory efficiently. Shopify POS allows you to manage different product variants and bulk upload products, simplifying the management of extensive product lines.
- Barcode scanning: The integrated barcode scanning system speeds checkout and helps streamline inventory management. You can scan products to add them to a cart or search your catalog by scanning barcodes. It’s also useful for inventory counts and quickly identifying product details or stock levels.
- Customer profile management: Shopify POS collects valuable data during each transaction, such as purchase history and contact information, to build detailed customer profiles. This lets businesses personalize discounts, send targeted marketing messages, and track loyalty points. With these insights, businesses can understand customer preferences better and foster long-term relationships.
- Customizable checkout experience: Merchants can customize the checkout to include custom fields for collecting specific customer information, configure tax and shipping rules based on location, and allow split payments. They also offer mobile POS functionality, enabling merchants to process transactions from anywhere within the store using mobile devices.
Pros
App integrations: Shopify POS supports third-party app integrations through the Shopify App Store. These apps can add features like customer loyalty programs, advanced analytics, and marketing tools, giving businesses more functionality beyond the core offering.
Unified ecosystem: Shopify POS integrates seamlessly with the entire Shopify ecosystem. This means you can manage your eCommerce website, physical store, and various sales channels (like social media or marketplaces) from one centralized dashboard. The unified approach simplifies managing your business across multiple platforms.
Mobile-Friendly: Shopify POS can be run on devices like iPads and smartphones, making it highly portable. This flexibility allows for mobile checkout experiences, pop-up stores, or trade shows, which is perfect for businesses that need a flexible point of sale system.
Multi-Currency Support: Shopify POS offers multi-currency capabilities for businesses with an international presence or those planning to expand globally.
Cons
- Limited industry-specific features: Shopify POS is a general solution aimed at retail, so industry-specific needs—such as for restaurants, service-based businesses, or specialty stores—may not be fully met. While integrations and apps can help, these solutions may not be as seamless as a specialized POS system.
- Transaction fees with external payment gateways: Businesses may incur additional transaction fees using a payment gateway other than Shopify Payments. These fees can add up, especially for businesses with high transaction volumes, making Shopify Payments the most cost-effective option but potentially limiting flexibility.
- Limited offline functionality: Shopify POS requires an internet connection for most operations. Although some offline functionality exists, such as accepting payments that sync when back online, other features like inventory updates and reporting may be restricted without an active connection.
- Hardware costs: While Shopify POS is compatible with some third-party hardware, Shopify recommends its own hardware products like card readers and cash drawers. The cost of this hardware can be high, especially for businesses needing multiple setups or locations.
Pricing
Shopify provides four pricing plans for retail businesses: Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Plus.
Basic Plan ($32/mo)
Designed for solo entrepreneurs, this plan is priced at $32 USD per month. Key features include card transaction fees starting at a 2% charge for third-party payment providers, support for up to 10 inventory locations, 24/7 live chat support, the ability to sell in 3 global markets, and access to POS Lite.
Shopify Plan ($92/mo)
Aimed at small teams, this plan costs $92 USD per month. It offers a lower card transaction fee starting at a 1% charge for third-party payment providers, 5 additional staff accounts, 24/7 chat support, and access to POS Lite.
Advanced Plan ($399/mo)
Perfect for businesses in the scaling phase, this plan is priced at $399 USD per month. It includes custom reports and analytics, support for 10 inventory locations, enhanced 24/7 chat support, localized global selling in 3 markets (with additional markets available for $59 USD per month each), 15 additional staff accounts, 10x checkout capacity, and a reduced card rate of 0.6% for third-party payment providers. POS Lite is also included.
Plus Plan ($2300/mo)
Designed for complex, high-volume businesses, the Plus plan starts at $2,300 USD monthly with a 3-year commitment. It offers competitive rates for high-volume merchants, custom reports, support for up to 200 inventory locations, priority 24/7 phone support, global selling in 50 markets, unlimited staff accounts, and fully customizable checkout options.
Additional Information
- Free trial: You can start with a free 3-day trial without providing a credit card.
- Flexible subscription options: After the trial, you can choose a plan that fits your business size. Most plans are month-to-month, but annual subscriptions are available.
- Yearly subscription discounts: With an annual subscription, you can get a 25% discount on Basic, Shopify, or Advanced plans.
Shopify Plus benefits: A 3-year plan offers monthly discounts and lower online platform fees.
8. Celerant POS: Best for Offline Functionality
Celerant POS overview
Celerant POS is highly customizable and designed for growing businesses. It offers advanced product management, integrated eCommerce capabilities, and omnichannel synchronization.
Its offline functionality ensures uninterrupted sales, even in areas with unreliable internet connections, making it a strong choice for retailers with multiple sales channels.
Pros
- Highly scalable for growing businesses
- Omnichannel capabilities
- Offline functionality for uninterrupted sales
Cons
- Complex setup process
- Limited user reviews on scalability
- Occasional wait times for customer support
Pricing
Cumulus Retail POS
$125/mo
- 1 POS terminal
- Product management
- Customer loyalty programs
Cumulus Retail eCommerce
$250/mo
- 2 back-office users
- Responsive website templates
- Order fulfillment
Cumulus All-In-One
$350/mo
- + 5 back office users
- Cross-channel synchronization
- Seamless POS and web integration
Enterprise
Custom pricing
- Customizable solution
- Handling high transaction volumes
Key Features
Third-party accounting integrations: Celerant POS also offers third-party accounting integrations, seamlessly connecting with popular platforms such as QuickBooks (Online and Desktop), Sage 100, and Microsoft Dynamics. These integrations automate the transfer of financial data, minimizing manual entry errors and ensuring up-to-date accounting records.
Product variants management: Celerant POS supports managing product variants like size, color, and style within the same item listing. This tool is crucial for retailers that handle various product variations, such as apparel or footwear stores. The system tracks each variant’s stock levels, sales performance, and profitability, simplifying inventory management for items with multiple attributes.
Inventory adjustment logs: Retailers can adjust inventory levels due to factors like damage, shrinkage, or returns. Celerant POS tracks and logs every inventory adjustment, ensuring accountability and providing a clear audit trail for discrepancies.
Staff management: Comprehensive staff management features allow for easy scheduling, time-off requests, tracking of time punches, and salary management. The system simplifies adding new employees, grouping them by roles with specific access levels and supports payroll and commission processing, including check printing through ADP integration. The features allow for easy scheduling, time-off requests, tracking of time punches, and salary management.
Vendor catalog import: Celerant POS allows for easy importation of vendor catalogs into the system. This simplifies adding new products to inventory, as retailers can upload product information directly from their suppliers, ensuring accuracy and speeding up updating product listings. The system can also track vendor costs and adjust pricing to maintain profitability.
Pros
Highly scalable for growing businesses: Despite some concerns about limited scalability feedback, Celerant POS is designed to scale with a business as it grows. It supports a range of retail business sizes, from small boutiques to multi-store franchises. The system’s flexible architecture allows businesses to add more stores, users, and sales channels over time without significant disruptions to operations.
Omnichannel capabilities: Celerant POS integrates multiple sales channels, including brick-and-mortar stores, online platforms, and mobile sales. This omnichannel capability allows businesses to manage their entire sales ecosystem from a single platform, minimizing discrepancies and offering customers a consistent experience across channels.
Offline functionality for uninterrupted sales: Many POS systems fail during internet outages, but Celerant POS excels in processing transactions even without a connection. This is especially important for businesses in areas with unreliable internet or those that want to ensure sales continue without interruption during downtime.
Cons
Complex setup process: The system’s wide range of features and customizability often lead to a more complex setup process compared to simpler POS systems. While the system can be tailored to fit a business’s needs, the initial configuration might require professional assistance or extensive support from Celerant POS’s team.
Limited user reviews on scalability: Although Celerant POS is praised for supporting small and medium-sized businesses, there’s limited feedback on its scalability for larger enterprises. Confirming its suitability for high-volume operations may require further research or direct communication with Celerant POS.
Availability of customer support: Some reviews mention occasional long wait times for customer support. While this isn’t a widespread issue, it’s worth considering if your business relies on quick and consistent assistance from support teams.
Pricing
Cumulus Retail Point of Sale ($125mo)
- 1 POS terminal + 5 back office users
- Product and pricing management
- Customer and loyalty programs
- Purchasing and inventory management
- Employee management
- Reporting tools and more
Cumulus Retail eCommerce ($250/mo):
- Responsive website templates
- Dynamic navigation
- Advanced product search and filtering
- Shopping cart functionality
- Order fulfillment tools and more
- 2 back office users
Cumulus Retail All-In-One ($350/mo)
- Integrated point of sale and eCommerce functionality
- In-store and online retail features
- + 5 back office users
- Cross-channel synchronization
- Seamless POS and web integration
- 1 POS terminal
9. Microbiz POS: Best for Appliance Stores
Microsbiz POS overview
MicroBiz POS is designed with appliance stores in mind, offering work order management, credit accounts, and robust inventory tools such as serial number tracking.
The platform allows for bundling and kits, making it ideal for businesses selling multiple components. Its cloud-based access ensures seamless management from any device, perfect for multi-location businesses.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Flexible customization options
- Strong inventory management features
Cons
- Limited customer support
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Occasional performance lag
Pricing
Standard Plan
$10/mo
- Cloud hosting
- Sales processing
- Inventory management
Enterprise Plan
$24.49/mo
- QuickBooks integration
- eCommerce sync
- Larger inventory capacity
Custom Plan
35.99/mo
- Unlimited users
- Multi-location support
- API access
Key Features
Order management: Order management in MicroBiz POS allows businesses to efficiently manage and track orders from the moment they are placed until they are fulfilled and delivered. This includes managing stock levels, processing payments, and organizing shipments. By providing real-time order status updates, businesses can reduce errors, prevent overselling, and ensure customers receive their products on time.
Work orders: This feature enables businesses to create, track, and manage repair and service orders for products. It’s beneficial for stores that offer maintenance services. Work orders help assign tasks to employees, monitor the status of each job, and ensure timely completion, improving both workflow and customer satisfaction.
Credit accounts: MicroBiz POS allows businesses to offer and manage customer credit accounts, which can be particularly useful for businesses that deal in high-ticket items like electronics. This feature enables businesses to extend credit to customers, track outstanding balances, and automate payment reminders, providing a flexible payment option while keeping finances organized.
Product catalog: The product catalog feature offers a centralized repository of all products, including detailed descriptions, pricing, and stock availability. It simplifies inventory management by allowing easy updates and ensures that staff and customers can access accurate, real-time product information, helping with in-store and online sales.
Serial numbers: For businesses selling electronics and appliances, the ability to track products by serial numbers is essential. This MicroBiz POS feature helps manage warranties, track repairs, and prevent theft by linking each product to a unique serial number, providing greater control and traceability in inventory management.
Purchasing & receiving: This feature streamlines purchasing stock and receiving new shipments. MicroBiz POS allows businesses to create purchase orders, track shipments, and update inventory levels automatically once items are received.
Bundled items and kits: MicroBiz POS supports the creation of bundled items or product kits, where multiple items are sold together as a single package. It’s useful for electronics stores offering bundles like camera kits or computer accessories. The system tracks the individual components of the bundle, ensuring accurate inventory counts and simplified sales processes.
Pros
User-friendly interface: MicroBiz POS is praised for its intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, which allows users to learn and adapt to the system quickly without extensive training. This makes it suitable for small -to medium-sized businesses without dedicated IT personnel. Users find the dashboard well-organized, allowing them to manage inventory, orders, and customers efficiently with minimal complexity.
Flexible customization options: Users appreciate the flexibility MicroBiz POS offers, enabling businesses to tailor the system to their specific needs. This includes customizing product catalogs, pricing, and order management settings. Configuring the system according to business size and requirements is a significant advantage for diverse industries, particularly those with niche operations.
Cloud-based access: MicroBiz POS’s cloud-based nature is frequently highlighted as a pro, allowing businesses to access the system from any device with an internet connection. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses with multiple locations or owners needing to monitor operations remotely. Cloud access also means automatic updates and data backups, ensuring the system is always up-to-date and secure.
Robust Inventory Management Features The comprehensive inventory management capabilities of MicroBiz POS, such as bundled items, serial number tracking, and purchasing/receiving, are consistently praised. Businesses in industries with complex inventories, like electronics and appliance stores, find these features highly beneficial. Real-time stock tracking and detailed product information contribute to smoother inventory handling and reduce errors and stock discrepancies.
Cons
Limited customer support One of the most common complaints is that customer support is not as responsive or helpful as users expect. Users have reported long response times and difficulty resolving technical issues, which can be frustrating for businesses that rely on quick fixes to avoid operational downtime. Limited support hours may also pose challenges for businesses operating outside standard business times.
Difficulty learning advanced features: While the basic interface is user-friendly, some users mention that advanced features like custom reports or integrating third-party apps can be difficult to navigate. This steep learning curve for more complex functionalities means that businesses may need additional training or technical assistance to make the most of the platform, which could delay full implementation.
Occasional performance Lag: Some users have experienced performance issues, notably lag or slow response times during peak business hours or when handling large data sets. These delays can impact the speed businesses process transactions, update inventory, or manage orders, potentially affecting customer experience and operational efficiency, especially for high-volume businesses.
Lack of advanced reporting features: Another con noted in user reviews is the lack of advanced reporting and analytics features compared to some other POS systems. While basic reporting is sufficient for day-to-day operations, businesses looking for more detailed insights into sales trends, customer behavior, or financial performance may find MicroBiz POS lacking in comprehensive data analysis tools, which could limit strategic decision-making.
Pricing
MicroBiz POS offers flexible pricing plans to suit various business needs, with an annual plan discount where you pay for 10 months but get 12 months of service. Here’s a breakdown of their pricing options:
- Standard Plan – $60/mo or $600/year
- Support: Access to unlimited phone and email support
- Product Records: Store up to 25,000 product records, perfect for smaller inventories
- Cloud Hosting: Cloud-based software for easy, remote access
- Core Features: Essential tools like sales processing, inventory management, and reporting
- Enterprise Plan – $90/mo or $900/year
- Product Records: Manage up to 150,000 product records, ideal for larger inventories
- eCommerce Sync: Seamlessly integrates with WooCommerce and WordPress
- QuickBooks Integration: Easily connect with QuickBooks Online for accounting
- Custom Plan – Custom Pricing
- Unlimited Users: Suitable for large businesses with multiple locations
- Customization: Tailor the software to your specific needs
- API Access: Full access for custom integrations
- Multi-Location Support: Perfect for businesses with multiple stores or franchises
Hardware Support: MicroBiz partners with POSGuys for hardware sales. Hardware purchased from POSGuys comes with free setup and lifetime support.
Setup and Training: The subscription includes up to four hours of free installation, setup, and training. On-site training is available through certified VAR partners for an additional fee.
Data Import: MicroBiz offers free tools to import data or you can send your data to them for review and transfer.
Free Trial: A 21-day free trial is available, though some features, such as email receipts and integrations, are restricted for security reasons.
10. Sortly POS: Best for Manufacturing Businesses
Sortly POS overview
Sortly POS stands out for its visual inventory tracking and barcode/QR code scanning, making it highly intuitive for businesses with large or complex inventories.
It caters to businesses like automotive, aviation, and construction. It also provides inventory management software for plumbing, medical, and dental businesses.
It offers bulk editing and data import/export capabilities, ideal for efficient inventory management. However, it lacks built-in payment processing, so businesses may need to integrate other transaction platforms.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Customizable inventory system
- Quick setup and easy integration
Cons
- No built-in payment processing
- Limited advanced features
- Basic reporting capabilities
Pricing
Free Plan
$0/mo
- Up to 100 inventory entries
- 1 user
- Access via mobile and web app
Advanced Plan
$49/mo
- Up to 500 inventory entries
- 2 users included (with an additional cost per extra user)
- Item check-in/check-out
Ultra Plan
$149/mo
- Up to 2000 inventory entries
- 5 users included (with an additional cost per extra user)
- 3rd-party scanner support
Premium Plan
$299/mo
- Up to 5000 inventory entries
- 8 Unlimited users
- Customizable role permissions
Enterprise Plan
Custom Pricing
- 10,000 inventory entries
- +12 unlimited users
- Unlimited customer fields
Key Features
Visual inventory tracking: Sortly POS allows businesses to track their inventory visually by adding photos of each product, item, or stock. This feature helps provide a clear, intuitive understanding of what’s available at a glance. Instead of relying on item descriptions or SKU numbers alone, users can instantly identify products based on their images, making it easier to find, assess, and manage stock, especially for businesses with large or complex inventories.
Barcode and QR code scanning: Sortly POS’s barcode and QR code scanning feature makes inventory updates fast and error-free. Businesses can generate and print custom barcodes or QR codes for each item, making it easy to check stock in and out with a simple scan.
Activity and history tracking: Every change made to inventory is recorded, offering detailed history logs and activity tracking. This feature is essential for accountability, enabling businesses to monitor who accessed, added, removed, or modified inventory items.
Check-in/check-out system: This feature is designed for businesses that need to track equipment or assets across teams or locations. With a simple check-in/check-out system, users can assign items to individuals, tracking who has what, when it was taken, and when it’s due back. This helps prevent the loss or misplacement of valuable inventory.
Bulk editing and updates: Sortly POS enables users to make bulk edits to their inventory, saving time when updating multiple items simultaneously. This is particularly valuable when dealing with large inventories. Bulk changes can be applied to product categories, pricing, or stock levels, improving efficiency.
Data import and export: Sortly POS provides easy tools for importing and exporting inventory data, making it simple to transition from another system or share reports with stakeholders. This feature supports data migration and reporting needs, allowing businesses to analyze inventory trends and performance and make better-informed decisions.
Pros
User-friendly interface: Sortly POS is designed with a simple and intuitive interface, making it accessible to users with little to no technical background. The ease of navigating the platform reduces the learning curve for employees, allowing them to quickly adapt to the system and manage inventory efficiently without extensive training.
Customizable inventory system: The software’s ability to create custom fields makes it highly adaptable to various industries. Whether a small business manages retail inventory or a larger enterprise has more specific needs, like tracking equipment, Sortly POS can be tailored to suit unique business operations.
Quick setup and easy integration: Sortly POS is easy to set up, requiring minimal technical expertise. Additionally, it supports integration with tools like barcode scanners, making it seamless to implement in existing systems. Its simplicity reduces downtime during installation and setup, allowing businesses to transition smoothly.
Cons
No built-in payment processing: Sortly POS is primarily an inventory management tool, and it does not offer built-in payment processing. Businesses that require an all-in-one POS solution for inventory and transactions may need to integrate the system with other platforms, which can complicate operations and require additional subscriptions.
Limited advanced features: While Sortly POS offers excellent basic inventory management tools, it lacks some advanced features. Businesses looking for features like advanced reporting, in-depth analytics, or comprehensive eCommerce integration might find Sortly POS’s capabilities limited compared to higher-tier solutions.
No in-depth reporting features: Its reporting capabilities may be too basic for businesses that rely on in-depth reporting and data analysis. The system offers essential inventory reports but lacks advanced reporting options to make data-driven decisions, especially for businesses seeking detailed financial or operational insights.
Pricing
Sortly offers several pricing plans designed to meet the needs of different business sizes and inventory management requirements. Here’s a detailed breakdown of their pricing structure:
1. Free Plan
- Cost: $0/mo
- Best for: Individuals or very small businesses looking to manage minimal inventory
- Features:
- Up to 100 inventory entries
- 1 user
- Access via mobile and web app
- Basic inventory tracking tools
- Visual inventory with photo attachments
- Barcode and QR code scanning
- Ability to create custom tags
- Basic notifications for stock limits
The Free Plan is suitable for personal or small-scale inventory management but may not provide enough capacity or features for businesses with more complex needs.
2. Advanced Plan
- Cost: $49/mo (billed monthly) or $29/mo (billed annually)
- Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses that require more advanced inventory tracking and reporting
- Features:
- Up to 500 inventory entries
- 2 users included (with an additional cost per extra user)
- Item check-in/check-out
- Weekly onboarding webinars
- Barcode and QR code scanning capabilities
- Custom fields for tracking specific attributes
This plan is designed for small businesses that need additional capacity for managing stock and more advanced features than the Free Plan. It is suitable for moderate inventory sizes and operations.
3. Ultra Plan
- Cost: $149/mo (billed monthly) or $74/mo (billed annually)
- Best for: Larger businesses with more complex inventory needs, such as those managing multiple locations or larger inventories
- Features:
- Up to 2000 inventory entries
- 5 users included (with an additional cost per extra user)
- 3rd-party scanner support
- Barcode label creation
- Purchase orders
The Ultra Plan is suitable for medium to large businesses that require more robust inventory management features, including integrations and advanced reporting.
4. Premium Plan
- Cost: $299/mo (billed monthly) or $149/mo (billed annually)
- Best for: Large enterprises with high-volume inventory, multi-location businesses, or businesses with unique inventory management needs
- Features:
- Up to 5000 inventory entries
- 8 Unlimited users
- Customizable role permissions
- Unlimited transaction reports
5. Enterprise Plan (Custom Pricing)
- Cost: Custom pricing
- Best for: Best for customized inventory processes and control
- Features:
- 10,000 inventory entries
- +12 unlimited users
- Unlimited customer fields
- Scheduled phone support
- Dedicated customer success manager
- Custom inventory setup & upload
Additional Costs and Considerations
- Extra users: Depending on the plan, adding extra users typically costs $5-$6 per user/month.
- Annual discounts: If billed annually, Sortly POS offers discounted rates, saving users around 50% compared to monthly billing.
Free trial: Sortly POS offers a 14-day free trial for its paid plans, allowing businesses to test the system before committing to a subscription.
How To Choose The Best Inventory Management Software?
Choosing the right inventory management software is crucial for streamlining your business operations and ensuring efficient stock management. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the best inventory management software:
- Business requirement
Assess your business needs, such as the number of products, locations, sales channels, and the complexity of your inventory management processes. Look for software that aligns with your specific requirements and can scale as your business grows.
- Integration capabilities
Evaluate whether the software can integrate with your existing systems, such as accounting software, e-commerce platforms, or customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Seamless integration can help you avoid data silos and improve overall operational efficiency.
- Scalability and customization
As your business grows, you’ll need software that can scale to accommodate increasing inventory volumes and complexity. Look for software that offers customization options to adapt to your evolving needs.
- Security and compliance
Ensure the software adheres to industry-specific regulations and provides robust security measures to protect your data and inventory information.
- Cloud-based or on-premises
Decide whether you prefer a cloud-based solution for remote access and lower upfront costs or an on-premises solution for greater control and customization.
- Cost and pricing structure
Consider the software’s pricing model, including one-time and recurring costs, as well as any additional fees for upgrades, support, or add-on features
Frequently Asked Question: Best Inventory Management System
- What is the best type of inventory management system?
The best type of inventory management system depends on the specific needs and characteristics of the business. KORONA POS, for example, is ideal for retail businesses and quick-service restaurants. Square POS, Shopify, Ordoro, and other software cater to other types of businesses. The best types of inventory management systems depend on factors such as the size of the business, the nature of the products, the sales channels, and budget constraints.
- What is the most effective method of inventory management?
There are several effective methods commonly used in different situations: ABC analysis, economic order quantity (EOQ), FIFO (First in, First Out), and LIFO (Last in, First Out), etc.
Best Inventory Management System: Wrapping Up
This review highlights four leading inventory management systems that cater to diverse business needs.
- KORONA POS offers robust automation and customization for retailers.
- Magestore provides seamless integration for Magento eCommerce stores.
- Lightspeed Retail excels at omnichannel unification and matrix inventory.
- Ordoro empowers online merchants with order fulfillment capabilities.
If you own a retail establishment, QSRs, or ticketing business, KORONA POS is definitely the best inventory management software for your business. In addition to being process-agnostic, KORONA POS offers the most sophisticated inventory management features, such as shipment tracking, multiple product codes, automated counting, barcode scanning, and much more. Click below to find out more about how KORONA POS works.
