Fishbowl vs Genius ERP (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fishbowl and Genius ERP share a 2.0 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which platforms you need.
Checked Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fishbowl
Inventory and manufacturing software built around QuickBooks and Xero
Genius ERP
Manufacturing ERP with serial-level inventory and shop floor control
Which one is for you
Pick Fishbowl if
- Fits if your books live in QuickBooks or Xero and you've outgrown their inventory
- Works for food, chemical and other regulated businesses tracing lots
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to try it yourself first, as it's demo only with no trial
- Pricey if you sell online, since multichannel selling is listed from Growth at $429 a month
- Not for you if your team uses iPhones, as no iPhone app is listed
- Watch out: every purchase needs an implementation package, and its price isn't published
- Pricey if you make products, as MRP and work orders need Fishbowl Advanced from $675 a month
Pick Genius ERP if
- Fits if you run a manufacturing shop and want stock tied to jobs and lots
- Works for firms that design in SOLIDWORKS or Inventor
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you only count stock, as it is a full manufacturing ERP
- Skip it if you want a price on the page, as none is published
- Watch out: the directory lists it as Genius Inventory while the vendor sells Genius ERP
- Watch out: no free plan or trial is shown
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFishbowlFair | 2.0GPAGenius ERPFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CEssentials is $229 a month billed yearly for 2 users, a store connection is $50 a month on some plans, and multichannel selling is listed from Growth at $429. Every purchase also needs an implementation package with no published price, so with the real total unknown we've left it in the middle. | CNo list price is published; an estimate is emailed after a form, so there is no figure to set against this category's $91 middle price. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial. You book a demo, and there's nothing to try on your own first. | FNo free plan or trial; you get an emailed estimate. |
| Features | BStock and SKU tracking with reorder points, barcode scanning, picking and shipping, lot and serial traceability, and in Fishbowl Advanced, bills of materials, MRP, work orders and EDI. Together that's the whole job, but manufacturing is only in Advanced, a separate quoted product. | BSerial and lot tracking, job allocation, replenishment, multi-warehouse locations and a REST API. The listing shows no gap in the core stock work. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. An implementation package is required with every purchase, so setup is a project with Fishbowl's team rather than a sign-up form. | CA full manufacturing ERP takes a rollout, and no store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Windows, Mac and Android, but no iPhone app is listed. It links to QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, Amazon, Walmart, WooCommerce, HubSpot and Zebra, with an open API in Fishbowl Advanced. | BWeb with a cloud option and a REST API, plus SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, HubSpot and Avalara links. |
| Best for | QuickBooks users who've outgrown its inventory | manufacturing ERP with lot and serial stock |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Fishbowl and Genius ERP. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fishbowl also covers barcode scanning.
- Genius ERP also covers reports and quotes and estimates.
At a glance
| Fishbowl | Genius ERP | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Fishbowl | Genius Solutions |
| Price read from | fishbowlinventory.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Fishbowl
- An implementation package is required with every purchase, and its price is not published.
- Fishbowl Inventory plans do not include manufacturing; bills of materials, work orders and MRP need Fishbowl Advanced.
- Fishbowl Advanced prices are starting points quoted by users and deployment, and the vendor calls them illustrative.
- Standard ecommerce and marketplace integrations cost $50 a month on some plans, and the B2B portal and custom reports are add-ons.
Genius ERP
- The pricing page says an estimate is emailed after a form; no list prices appear.
- It is a full manufacturing ERP, not a stand-alone inventory tool, so it is a heavy fit for simple stock counting.
- Listed in the directory as Genius Inventory; the vendor sells it as Genius ERP.
Key features
Fishbowl
- Accounting sync
- Posts inventory movements, COGS and landed costs to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop or Xero.
- Barcode scanning and labels
- Mobile barcode scanning on every plan, with an Android warehouse app for handheld scanners, barcode printing and cycle counts.
- Reordering and forecasting
- Reorder points on every plan, automated reordering from Growth, and demand forecasting included on Scale or as an add-on.
- Lot and serial traceability
- Lot, serial number and expiry tracking with forward and backward traceability for recalls and regulated goods.
- Manufacturing in Fishbowl Advanced
- Multi-level bills of materials, sub-assemblies, MRP, production scheduling, work orders and made-to-order builds.
- Warehousing and EDI
- Multi-warehouse, 3PL and EDI-driven distribution with tiered pricing rules, RMAs and audit trails in Fishbowl Advanced.
Genius ERP
- Serial and lot tracking
- Track inventory down to the serial number or lot and assign material statuses.
- Job allocation
- Allocate specific materials to jobs before production, with soft or hard allocation and back flush or front flush consumption.
- Replenishment
- Replenish from actual job demand or preset min-max levels, with forecasts from current and planned jobs.
- Multi-warehouse locations
- Shows where each item sits across warehouses and locations, and moves material from mobile devices.
- CAD and CRM links
- Integrations with SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, HubSpot, Paperless Parts and Avalara.
- REST API and cloud option
- A REST API is available, and the vendor sells a cloud edition of Genius ERP.
Plans
Fishbowl
Essentials$229
per month for up to 2 users, billed annually
Fishbowl Inventory, sold after a demo. QuickBooks Online and Xero sync, real-time stock and SKU tracking, reorder points and mobile scanning.
Growth$429
per month for up to 5 users, billed annually
Adds picking, receiving and shipping, automated reordering, multichannel selling, sales-tax automation, AI insights and unlimited warehouses.
Scale$729
per month for up to 10 users, billed annually
Adds demand forecasting, lot traceability, audit trails, compliance documents for GMP, FDA and ISO, and advanced AI automations.
Advanced Warehouse$595
per month and up
Fishbowl Advanced, quoted by users and deployment. Multi-warehouse, 3PL and EDI workflows, transfer orders, payment processing and audit trails.
Advanced Manufacturing$675
per month and up
Fishbowl Advanced, quoted by users and deployment. Bills of materials, MRP, scheduling, work orders, job and labor costing, lot tracking and an open API.
Genius ERP
Pricing could not be confirmed. See geniuserp.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl or Genius ERP?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fishbowl starts at $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually, and Genius ERP has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Fishbowl or Genius ERP?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Fishbowl nor Genius ERP has a free plan.
Which platforms do Fishbowl and Genius ERP run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Fishbowl lists macOS, Windows and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.