Softwr

ERP · head to head

Blue Link ERP vs Fishbowl

Blue Link ERP logo

Blue Link ERP

ERP

Enterprise software for wholesale distribution

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fishbowl logo

Fishbowl

ERP

Manufacturing and warehouse management for QuickBooks

From
$4395/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blue Link ERP no QuickBooks integration; Fishbowl the $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually
  • They diverge on capability: Blue Link ERP covers Distribution management, Fishbowl covers Inventory management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blue Link ERP and Fishbowl actually diverge.

Attributes where Blue Link ERP and Fishbowl differ
AttributeBlue Link ERPFishbowl
Starting price$500/month$4395/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, Cloud
Founded19922001

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (ERP).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blue Link ERP

  • Distribution management
  • Inventory control
  • Order management
  • Warehouse management
  • Financial management
  • QuickBooks
  • EDI
  • Shipping carriers

Only in Fishbowl

  • Inventory management
  • Manufacturing
  • Work orders
  • Barcode scanning
  • QuickBooks integration
  • QuickBooks Desktop
  • QuickBooks Online
  • ShipStation

Both cover

  • Shopify
  • Amazon
  • Cloud support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blue Link ERP

  • Wholesale distributionnot Fishbowl
  • Multi-warehouse operationsnot Fishbowl
  • B2B commercenot Fishbowl

Fishbowl

  • Inventory and SKU tracking for wholesale and distribution businessesnot Blue Link ERP
  • Manufacturing bills of materials, MRP, work orders and job costingnot Blue Link ERP
  • Warehouse fulfilment, transfer orders and automated reorderingnot Blue Link ERP
  • Multichannel selling with synchronised stock levelsnot Blue Link ERP

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blue Link ERP

  • No QuickBooks integration
  • Outdated user interface that some users find difficult to navigate
  • Requires third-party integrations for sales tax calculation and credit card processing
  • Occasional technical issues during peak usage periods such as timeouts and freezing

Fishbowl

  • The $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually
  • A paid implementation package is required as part of purchase and covers a 6 to 8 week training certification
  • Lot tracking, demand forecasting and compliance documentation require the Scale plan at $729 per month
  • Advanced Warehouse from $595 per month and Advanced Manufacturing from $675 per month are quoted on team size and deployment rather than sold at a fixed rate
  • Demand forecasting and custom reports are add ons carrying separate fees
  • All listed plan prices are billed annually rather than monthly

Pricing, plan by plan

Blue Link ERP

$500/month
  • Professional$500/month
    • Core distribution
    • Inventory management
    • Order processing
  • Enterprise$1000/month
    • Multi-warehouse
    • EDI integration
    • Advanced analytics

Fishbowl

$4395/one-time
  • Fishbowl Warehouse$4395/one-time
    • Inventory tracking
    • Order management
    • QuickBooks sync
  • Fishbowl Manufacturing$5495/one-time
    • Work orders
    • Bill of materials
    • Shop floor control

Which should you pick?

Choose Blue Link ERP if

  • You need distribution management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want inventory control.
Blue Link ERP review

Choose Fishbowl if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want manufacturing.
Fishbowl review

Questions people ask

Is Blue Link ERP or Fishbowl better?
Neither clearly leads. Blue Link ERP starts at $500/month and Fishbowl at $4395/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blue Link ERP or Fishbowl?
Blue Link ERP starts at $500/month and Fishbowl at $4395/one-time.
Does Blue Link ERP or Fishbowl run on more platforms?
Blue Link ERP runs on Web, iOS, Android. Fishbowl runs on Windows, Cloud.
What is Blue Link ERP best used for?
Blue Link ERP is most often used for wholesale distribution, multi-warehouse operations, b2b commerce. Of those, wholesale distribution and multi-warehouse operations are not what Fishbowl is typically brought in for.
What can Blue Link ERP do that Fishbowl cannot?
Blue Link ERP covers Distribution management, Inventory control, Order management, Warehouse management. Fishbowl covers Inventory management, Manufacturing, Work orders, Barcode scanning. Both handle Shopify, Amazon, Cloud support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blue Link ERP: Does Blue Link ERP offer a free trial?

Blue Link ERP does not offer a free trial, but prospective customers can request a free demo and access product videos to explore features.

Source
Fishbowl: How much does Fishbowl Inventory cost per month?

Fishbowl Inventory pricing starts at $229/month (billed annually) for the Essentials tier, $429/month for Growth, and $729/month for Scale. The Advanced Manufacturing tier starts at $675/month and Advanced Warehouse starts at $595/month, though both are quote-based and vary by user count.

Source
Blue Link ERP: Can Blue Link ERP integrate with QuickBooks?

No. Blue Link ERP does not integrate with QuickBooks, which is a limitation for businesses that use QuickBooks for accounting.

Source
Fishbowl: How many users are included in each tier?

Essentials includes 2 users, Growth includes 5 users, and Scale includes 10 users. Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Warehouse support teams of 2 to 200+ users with pricing confirmed by quote based on your specific deployment.

Source
Blue Link ERP: What platforms does Blue Link ERP support?

Blue Link ERP is cloud-based and accessible via web browsers and mobile applications. Native apps are available for both iOS and Android.

Source
Fishbowl: Is Fishbowl billed monthly or annually?

Fishbowl Inventory plans require annual billing. The Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Warehouse plans have variable pricing confirmed by quote and may have different billing arrangements.

Source
Blue Link ERP: What industries does Blue Link ERP serve?

Blue Link ERP is designed for wholesale, distribution, retail, and eCommerce businesses, with specific solutions for apparel, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, construction, and furniture industries.

Source
Fishbowl: What's included when I sign up for Fishbowl?

All Fishbowl plans include an implementation package with specialist support, data migration services, and 6 to 8 weeks of certification training. Cloud hosting is included with Advanced Manufacturing plans.

Source
Blue Link ERP: Does Blue Link ERP require third-party tools for taxes and payments?

Yes. US sales tax calculation requires integration with third-party tools like Zip2Tax or Avalara, and credit card processing requires separate third-party software.

Source
Fishbowl: Can I add more users if I exceed my tier's user limit?

You can upgrade to a higher tier which includes additional users. Essentials ($229/mo with 2 users) can upgrade to Growth ($429/mo with 5 users) or Scale ($729/mo with 10 users). Custom team sizes beyond 10 users require Advanced Manufacturing or Advanced Warehouse quotes.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Blue Link ERP

More on Fishbowl

Keep looking

Other head to heads