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ERP · head to head

Blue Link ERP vs Fishbowl Inventory

Blue Link ERP logo

Blue Link ERP

ERP

Enterprise software for wholesale distribution

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fishbowl Inventory logo

Fishbowl Inventory

Inventory

Manufacturing and warehouse inventory built around QuickBooks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blue Link ERP no QuickBooks integration; Fishbowl Inventory pricing is not published and has historically involved a substantial upfront figure, which surprises buyers expecting SaaS monthly pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Blue Link ERP covers Distribution management, Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Blue Link ERP and Fishbowl Inventory differ
AttributeBlue Link ERPFishbowl Inventory
Starting price$500/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, Web, iOS, Android
CategoryERPInventory
Founded1992Unknown

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

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
  • Shopify
  • Amazon

Only in Fishbowl Inventory

  • QuickBooks and Xero integration
  • Manufacturing orders
  • Multi-location inventory
  • Barcode scanning
  • Purchasing and reorder
  • Order fulfilment

What people use each for

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

Blue Link ERP

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

Fishbowl Inventory

  • Small manufacturers who have outgrown QuickBooks inventory but not the accountingnot Blue Link ERP
  • Wholesalers needing barcode-driven warehouse operationsnot Blue Link ERP
  • Companies wanting inventory control without replacing their finance systemnot Blue Link ERP
  • Businesses preferring a perpetual licence to a per-seat subscriptionnot 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 Inventory

  • Pricing is not published and has historically involved a substantial upfront figure, which surprises buyers expecting SaaS monthly pricing
  • The interface reflects its on-premise origins and looks dated beside cloud-native inventory tools
  • Implementation and data migration are heavier than the marketing implies, and undersized projects are the usual source of complaints
  • The QuickBooks dependency that makes it attractive also caps it: businesses that eventually need real ERP will migrate away
  • Reporting is functional but teams frequently export to a spreadsheet for anything analytical

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 Inventory

On request
  • Fishbowl Drive$undefined/month
    • Cloud-based
    • Inventory tracking
    • Order management
  • Fishbowl Advanced$undefined/month
    • Manufacturing
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced reporting

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 Inventory if

  • You need quickbooks and xero integration.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want manufacturing orders.
Fishbowl Inventory review

Questions people ask

Is Blue Link ERP or Fishbowl Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. Blue Link ERP starts at $500/month and Fishbowl Inventory at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blue Link ERP or Fishbowl Inventory?
Blue Link ERP starts at $500/month and Fishbowl Inventory at On request.
Does Blue Link ERP or Fishbowl Inventory run on more platforms?
Blue Link ERP runs on Web, iOS, Android. Fishbowl Inventory runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
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 Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can Blue Link ERP do that Fishbowl Inventory cannot?
Blue Link ERP covers Distribution management, Inventory control, Order management, Warehouse management. Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Manufacturing orders, Multi-location inventory, Barcode scanning.

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 Inventory: What does Fishbowl cost?

Not published. It has historically been sold with a significant upfront component rather than a low monthly fee, so budget for a quote well above typical SaaS inventory pricing.

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 Inventory: Do I still need QuickBooks?

Usually yes. Fishbowl handles inventory and manufacturing and posts the financial results into QuickBooks or Xero. It is not an accounting replacement.

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 Inventory: Is it cloud or on-premise?

Both. Fishbowl Drive is the cloud product; Fishbowl Advanced can be hosted or run on your own server, which is why it still appeals to companies avoiding subscriptions.

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 Inventory: Who is it wrong for?

Businesses that need genuine ERP, and businesses small enough that a cloud inventory app at a low monthly cost would do. It sits deliberately between those.

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 Inventory: How hard is implementation?

Harder than a signup. Bills of material and historical stock data need preparation, and companies that treat it as a weekend job are the ones who describe it as difficult afterwards.

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Related pages

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