Fishbowl vs SkuVault Core (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Fishbowl and SkuVault Core 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 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 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
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 SkuVault Core if
- Fits if you pick and ship from a warehouse in the US or Canada
- Works for sellers who need kits and bundles on top of barcode scanning
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you are outside North America, as it is sold there only
- Not for you if you need a price to plan with, because none is published
- Skip it if you want a trial, since none is listed
- Watch out: skuvault.com now sends you to Linnworks, which sells it next to its own platform
- Watch out: the fee follows order volume and add-on modules
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFishbowlFair | 2.0GPASkuVault CoreFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 price is published, so it sits in the middle: the vendor says it follows monthly order volume, custom needs and add-on modules. |
| 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 and no trial; the pricing page asks you to speak to a specialist. |
| 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. | BReal-time stock sync, digital picklists, warehouse mapping, kits and bundles, marketplace and shipping links, serialization and 3PL tools, with no gap named in the core job. |
| 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 is on record, and warehouse mapping and scanning take setup. |
| 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 only, with Amazon, eBay, Walmart and ShipStation links. No phone or computer app is on record. |
| Best for | QuickBooks users who've outgrown its inventory | North American sellers who scan and pick in a warehouse |
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 SkuVault Core. How we grade
Where they differ
- SkuVault Core also covers reports, online store and shipping labels.
At a glance
| Fishbowl | SkuVault Core | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Linnworks |
| Price read from | fishbowlinventory.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
SkuVault Core
- No price is published: it depends on monthly order volume, custom requirements and add-on modules.
- SkuVault Core is only available in North America, per Linnworks' pricing page.
- skuvault.com now redirects to Linnworks, which sells it as a package next to its own platform.
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.
SkuVault Core
- Real-time stock sync
- Orders on any connected channel update inventory counts everywhere else, to limit overselling.
- Digital picklists and scanning
- Picklists generate picking routes, and barcode scanning at pick time feeds built-in quality control.
- Warehouse mapping
- Map warehouses into zones, groups and bin types, and track stock transfers between locations.
- Kits and bundles
- Build kits in the system; component-level inventory updates automatically as kit orders arrive.
- Marketplace and shipping links
- Over 100 integrations, including eBay, Amazon, Walmart and shipping aggregators such as ShipStation.
- Serialization and 3PL tools
- Serialization, product substitution and a 3PL client portal are part of SkuVault Core, offered in North America only.
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.
SkuVault Core
Pricing could not be confirmed. See linnworks.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl or SkuVault Core?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Fishbowl starts at $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually, and SkuVault Core has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Fishbowl or SkuVault Core?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Fishbowl nor SkuVault Core has a free plan.
Which platforms do Fishbowl and SkuVault Core run on?
As of Nov 12, 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.