The Fishbowl Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Fishbowl in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Fishbowl
The Insider’s Guide
Inventory and manufacturing software built around QuickBooks and Xero
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among inventory management tools, read from Fishbowl’s own pages.
Made by Fishbowl · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Fishbowl’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Fishbowl’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 1 of the 11 other inventory management tools we grade
Fishbowl makes inventory software for businesses that sell physical goods and keep their books in QuickBooks or Xero. Fishbowl Inventory is a cloud product for resellers of finished goods, with barcode scanning, reorder points and ecommerce channels. Fishbowl Advanced is a separate, quoted platform for manufacturers and multi-warehouse distributors, with bills of materials, MRP, work orders and EDI.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Fishbowl, taken from its own pages and our grades.
An implementation package is required with every purchase, so setup is a project with Fishbowl's team rather than a sign-up form.
- 1
Best for QuickBooks users who've outgrown its inventory
It's sold only after a demo, with no trial, and every purchase needs an implementation package whose price isn't published.
- 2
Paid plans start at $229 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS and Android.
- 4
Accounting sync
Posts inventory movements, COGS and landed costs to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop or Xero.
- 5
Barcode scanning and labels
Mobile barcode scanning on every plan, with an Android warehouse app for handheld scanners, barcode printing and cycle counts.
- 6
Reordering and forecasting
Reorder points on every plan, automated reordering from Growth, and demand forecasting included on Scale or as an add-on.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 1 of 11
That is against the other inventory management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
The plain part of Fishbowl you could make: inventory. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Fishbowl at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Android
- Made by
- Fishbowl, since 2001
- Category
- Inventory Management
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for QuickBooks users who've outgrown its inventory
Fishbowl adds proper inventory to QuickBooks or Xero: barcode scanning, reorder points, lots and serials and, in the separate Fishbowl Advanced, bills of materials, MRP and work orders. It's sold only after a demo, with no trial, and every purchase needs an implementation package whose price isn't published.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Essentials 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. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan and no trial. You book a demo, and there's nothing to try on your own first. |
| Features | B | Stock 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Fishbowl is for
- Great if your books live in QuickBooks or Xero and you've outgrown their inventory
- Handy when you make products and need bills of materials, MRP and work orders
- Good for food, chemical and other regulated businesses tracing lots
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$229
A month to start
Fishbowl is a paid product, starting at $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually.
Every purchase also needs an implementation package with no published price, so with the real total unknown we've left it in the middle.
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.
Read from fishbowlinventory.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Android
Inventory and manufacturing software built around QuickBooks and Xero. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, inventory, barcode scanning.
Together that's the whole job, but manufacturing is only in Advanced, a separate quoted product.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Desktop
- Xero
- Amazon
- Walmart
- WooCommerce
- HubSpot
- Zebra
Fishbowl is made by Fishbowl, and has been around since 2001.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/11
Other inventory management tools it is graded above
Fishbowl's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 11 other inventory management tools we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on features (B, above 2 of 11) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $229 a month, against a middle price of $95 for the category: 6 of the 9 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 12 inventory management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Fishbowl’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 11
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 11
- BFeaturesAbove 2 of 11
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 11
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 11
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 10 inventory management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Fishbowl is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Fishbowl you could make: inventory. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 9 of the 11 other inventory management tools grade higher. It costs $2,748 a year.
What you could make
- Inventory: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Scanning barcodes with a phone camera or a scanner.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop and Xero among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Fishbowl’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Katana, SOS Inventory, inFlow, Cin7 and Unleashed
The 5 tools Fishbowl is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Katana
Free plan
Inventory and production software for makers and manufacturers.
- Katana has a free plan. Fishbowl does not.
- Only Fishbowl lists Windows, macOS and Android apps.
- 2.4GPA
SOS Inventory
Free trial · from $69.95/mo
Inventory, orders and manufacturing add-on for QuickBooks Online.
- Only Fishbowl lists Windows, macOS and Android apps.
- Only SOS Inventory lists an iOS app.
- SOS Inventory also covers invoicing and reports.
- 2.6GPA
inFlow
Free trial · from $99/mo
Inventory, orders and barcoding for wholesalers and small warehouses.
- Only Fishbowl lists a macOS app.
- Only inFlow lists an iOS app.
- inFlow also covers invoicing and reports.
- 2.4GPA
Cin7
Free trial · from $349/mo
Inventory software for wholesale and multichannel product sellers.
- Only Fishbowl lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Only Cin7 lists an iOS app.
- 2.4GPA
Unleashed
Free trial · from $91/mo
Inventory, purchasing and assembly software for wholesalers and makers.
- Only Fishbowl lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Only Unleashed lists an iOS app.
- Unleashed also covers reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Fishbowl free?
No. Fishbowl is a paid product, starting at $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually.
How much does Fishbowl cost?
Fishbowl lists 5 plans. Essentials: $229 per month for up to 2 users, billed annually.
What platforms does Fishbowl work on?
Fishbowl is available on Web, Windows, macOS and Android.
Does Fishbowl have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Fishbowl is listed for Web, Windows, macOS and Android.
Does Fishbowl have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Fishbowl is listed for Web, Windows, macOS and Android.
Is Fishbowl open source?
Fishbowl is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Does Fishbowl have an API?
Yes. Fishbowl offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Fishbowl integrate with?
Fishbowl's listing names QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Amazon, Walmart, WooCommerce, HubSpot and Zebra.
Who makes Fishbowl?
Fishbowl is made by Fishbowl. It dates from 2001.
What are the alternatives to Fishbowl?
The closest alternatives to Fishbowl in our directory are Katana, SOS Inventory, inFlow, Cin7 and Unleashed.
How does Fishbowl compare with other inventory management tools?
Fishbowl's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 11 other inventory management tools we grade, and level with 1.
Is Fishbowl good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Fishbowl C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $229 a month, against a middle price of $95 for the category: 6 of the 9 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Fishbowl?
The plain part of Fishbowl you could make: inventory. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Fishbowl’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Fishbowl's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Fishbowl. Prices change, so check fishbowlinventory.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,281
Tools graded, in 73 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,281
tools graded
73
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Fishbowl, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/fishbowl
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Fishbowl: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/fishbowl
Know someone choosing between inventory management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/fishbowl/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded inventory management tools after Fishbowl, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Inventory Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 12 inventory management tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Inventory Insider's GuideOnline inventory and order management from Zoho, with a free plan3.4 GPA
- Sortly Insider's GuidePhone-first inventory app for tracking equipment, tools and supplies3.0 GPA
- inFlow Insider's GuideInventory, orders and barcoding for wholesalers and small warehouses2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Fishbowl’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Fishbowl is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Fishbowl. Prices and plans change: check fishbowlinventory.com before you buy.