Acctivate vs SOS Inventory (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Acctivate if

• Fits if your books are in QuickBooks and you run Windows PCs
• Works for small distributors that need costing and assemblies

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you use a Mac or want a browser-only tool, as the listing is Windows only
• Not for you if you want a price first, since packages come through a quote form
• Tight if you are one person, as the Starter package covers one user and Professional five
• Watch out: mobile warehouse, EDI, bin-location and web store tools are package modules
• Skip it if you want to try free, as no trial is listed

Pick SOS Inventory if

• Fits if you run QuickBooks Online and need sales orders and partial shipments
• Works for small manufacturers that want work orders and job costing beside QuickBooks

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you don't use QuickBooks Online, as it's built around it
• Tight if you start on Companion, which has one location and no barcodes or lots
• Not for you if your warehouse team uses Android phones, as the app is iPhone and iPad only
• Pricey if you connect a store, as Shopify, BigCommerce and PayPal cost $25 a month each
• Pricey if your team grows, as Companion has 2 users and each extra is $30 a month, though the page's own table still says $25

Acctivate

• No prices are published: packages are quoted through a Get my price form or the sales team.
• The Starter package covers a single user; Professional is described as covering five users.
• The pricing page lists mobile warehouse, EDI, bin-location and web store tools as package modules, so not every feature is in every package.

SOS Inventory

• It is built around QuickBooks Online and lists compatibility with the Essentials, Plus and Advanced plans.
• Extra users cost $30 a month or $300 a year each (the page's table and FAQ still say $25), and external connections such as Shopify cost $25 a month each.
• Companion is limited to one location and has no serial or lot tracking or barcoding.
• The native app is for iPhone and iPad; no Android app is listed.

Acctivate

Inventory costing and tracing

Unlimited products, landed cost, lot and serial tracking, and average, standard, LIFO, FIFO or actual costing methods.

QuickBooks sync

Two-way integration with QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online, so accounting stays in QuickBooks.

Multi-channel orders

Brings in-store, phone, web store and EDI orders into one workflow, with quotes, kitting and drop ship handling.

Warehouse tools

Multiple warehouses, counts and transfers; bin locations, picklists and mobile barcode receiving sit in the higher packages.

Reports and alerts

Over 100 standard reports, a customizable dashboard and alerts for reorders, credit holds and overdue invoices.

Manufacturing and assemblies

Handles discrete, process, refurbish and custom production runs; listed as part of the Professional package.

SOS Inventory

Sales orders for QuickBooks

Create sales orders, full or partial shipments and partial invoices that sync to QuickBooks Online, which has no sales orders of its own.

Pick, pack and ship

ShipStation and UPS integrations on every plan, and pick tickets from sales orders or invoices from the Plus plan up.

Serials, lots and barcodes

Serial and lot number tracking and barcodes in several formats from the Plus plan, with transfers between unlimited locations.

Assemblies and manufacturing

Assemblies on every plan, contract manufacturing from Plus, and work orders, job costing and process manufacturing on Pro.

Costing and valuation

FIFO, LIFO or weighted average valuation, multiple currencies and customizable forms and dashboards on every plan.

Store and app connections

Connects to Shopify, BigCommerce, PayPal and FTP sites as paid external connections, plus Zapier and an iPhone and iPad app.

Acctivate

Pricing could not be confirmed. See acctivate.com.

SOS Inventory

• Companion$74.95

  per month for up to 2 users, billed monthly

  $749.50 a year billed annually. Sales orders, assemblies, QuickBooks Online sync and one location, with room for one paid external connection.

• Plus$144.95

  per month for up to 3 users, billed monthly

  $1,449.50 a year billed annually. Adds unlimited locations, serial and lot numbers, barcoding, pick tickets and contract manufacturing.

• Pro$199.95

  per month for up to 5 users, billed monthly

  $1,999.50 a year billed annually. Adds work orders, job cost accounting, process and variable-yield manufacturing and a customer portal.

Acctivate

No public discounts listed.

SOS Inventory

• Annual discount

  Two months free with annual billing

  Paying yearly costs $749.50 for Companion, $1,449.50 for Plus and $1,999.50 for Pro, ten times the monthly price.