Fishbowl vs inFlow
We give Fishbowl a 2.0 GPA and inFlow a 2.6, out of 4.0. inFlow grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
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
inFlow
Inventory, orders and barcoding for wholesalers and small warehouses
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFishbowlFair | 2.6GPAinFlowGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CFor a shop and an online store, Lite does it: $99 a month billed yearly ($129 monthly) for 2 team members, 1 location and unlimited integrations. Right in the middle of this category. A second location is $39 a month more, and Core jumps to $299 plus $499 onboarding. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial. You book a demo, and there's nothing to try on your own first. | CNo free plan, just a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Long enough to scan in some stock and connect your store before paying. |
| 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. | BStock across locations, sales orders to invoices, purchase orders with reorder points, barcode scanning, lots and serials, and a B2B portal. The whole stock-control job, though lots, serials and the portal are $39 add-ons on lower plans, and makers need the separate inFlow Manufacturing. |
| 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. | CNo store rating on record. You'll import products, set up locations and connect your store and accounting, and every plan above Lite requires a $499 onboarding package. |
| 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. | AWeb, Windows, iPhone and Android, with Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Etsy, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Zapier, plus an API ($49 a month on lower plans). That's the full spread. |
| Best for | QuickBooks users who've outgrown its inventory | wholesalers who scan stock with their phones |
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 inFlow. How we grade
Price against what you get
Fishbowl starts at $229 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. inFlow starts at $99 a month and scores 3.0.
inFlow scores higher and starts $130 a month lower. Of the other inventory management tools on the chart, 3 score higher than Fishbowl for less, and 1 scores higher than inFlow for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Fishbowl starts at $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually. inFlow starts at $99 per month, billed annually ($129 billed monthly).
- Only Fishbowl lists a macOS app.
- Only inFlow lists an iOS app.
- inFlow also covers invoicing and reports.
At a glance
| Fishbowl | inFlow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually | $99 per month, billed annually ($129 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Fishbowl | Archon Systems Inc. |
| Price read from | fishbowlinventory.com | inflowinventory.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Fishbowl
- QuickBooks or Xero users who have outgrown their built-in inventory
- Small manufacturers that need BOMs, work orders and MRP
- Food, chemical and other regulated businesses that must trace lots
inFlow
- Small wholesalers and distributors that sell to trade customers
- Field service and installer businesses tracking stock in vans and job sites
- Teams that want barcode scanning from ordinary phones
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.
inFlow
- Core, Pro and Max require a one-time $499 onboarding package; it is optional only on Lite.
- Extra team members cost $29 a month each, and extra locations on Lite and Core cost $39 a month each.
- Lot numbers, serial numbers and the B2B portal are $39 a month each and the API is $49 a month on lower plans.
- inFlow Manufacturing is priced separately from $169 a month billed annually; Stockroom alone is $69 a month billed annually.
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.
inFlow
- Stock across locations
- Real-time stock levels across warehouses, stores and job sites, with transfers, sublocations and stock counts.
- Sales, invoicing and purchasing
- Quotes, sales orders, invoices, purchase orders and receiving in one system, with reorder points to restock in time.
- Barcode scanning and labels
- Scan with the iOS and Android apps or inFlow's own smartphone scanner, and print barcode labels on its portable printers.
- Showroom B2B portal
- An online ordering portal for trade customers on your own domain, with abandoned cart notices, included from Pro.
- Lots, serials and access rights
- Lot, batch, expiry and serial number tracking, and access limits by location or sales rep with purchase-order approvals.
- Windows app and integrations
- A Windows app beside the web app, and connections to Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Zapier.
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.
inFlow
Lite$99
per month, billed annually ($129 billed monthly)
2 team members and 1 location with no sublocations. Unlimited products, orders and integrations; the onboarding package is optional.
Core$299
per month, billed annually ($379 billed monthly)
5 team members and 5 locations, with lot and serial numbers, API and B2B portal as add-ons. Requires a one-time $499 onboarding package.
Pro$499
per month, billed annually ($629 billed monthly)
10 team members, unlimited locations, advanced access rights, the API and the Showroom B2B portal included. Requires $499 onboarding.
Max$699
per month, billed annually ($879 billed monthly)
20 team members, lot and serial numbers included, single sign-on and support calls over Zoom. Requires $499 onboarding.
Ways to pay less
Fishbowl
No public discounts listed.
inFlow
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Paying yearly cuts Lite from $129 to $99 a month, Core from $379 to $299, Pro from $629 to $499 and Max from $879 to $699.
- Other savings
Hardware credit for new customers
A one-time inFlow Shop credit toward scanners and printers: $100 on Lite, $250 on Core, $500 on Pro and $1,000 on Max, as shown with annual billing.
