Software · head to head
CJ Dropshipping vs Inventory Lab

CJ Dropshipping
Software
Sourcing and order fulfillment platform for dropshipping and e-commerce sellers
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only CJ Dropshipping has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: CJ Dropshipping shipping times can still be lengthy for products sourced from suppliers without CJ warehouse stock in the destination region.; Inventory Lab inventoryLab is no longer sold standalone and is now bundled into Three Colts' Seller 365 plans starting at $69 per month for a single user, rising to $199 per month for the Pro tier
- They diverge on capability: CJ Dropshipping covers Product Sourcing, Inventory Lab covers FBA inventory tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CJ Dropshipping and Inventory Lab actually diverge.
| Attribute | CJ Dropshipping | Inventory Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $29/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | web, api | Web |
| Founded | 2014 | 2011 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 CJ Dropshipping
- Product Sourcing
- Store Integration
- Order Fulfillment
- Global Warehousing
- Custom Packaging & Branding
- Shipment Tracking
- Chrome Extension
Only in Inventory Lab
- FBA inventory tracking
- Repricing automation
- Price monitoring
- Sales analytics
- Profit calculations
- Supplier management
- Alerts and notifications
- Forecasting tools
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CJ Dropshipping
- Finding and importing trending products without holding inventorynot Inventory Lab
- Fulfilling dropshipping orders placed on Shopify or WooCommerce storesnot Inventory Lab
- Sourcing custom-branded or private-label products for a storenot Inventory Lab
- Storing bulk inventory in overseas warehouses to reduce shipping timesnot Inventory Lab
- Print-on-demand product creation and fulfillmentnot Inventory Lab
Inventory Lab
- Amazon and Walmart reseller inventory, listing and profit tracking as part of Seller 365not CJ Dropshipping
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CJ Dropshipping
- Shipping times can still be lengthy for products sourced from suppliers without CJ warehouse stock in the destination region.
- Quality control depends on individual third-party factories and suppliers, which varies across product categories.
- Platform navigation and account verification steps have been reported as confusing or slow by some sellers.
- Pricing and fees for sourcing agents and custom services are not transparently listed and often require direct negotiation.
Inventory Lab
- InventoryLab is no longer sold standalone and is now bundled into Three Colts' Seller 365 plans starting at $69 per month for a single user, rising to $199 per month for the Pro tier
- Multichannel listing requires the separate UniCon add-on, priced from $49 to $449 per month depending on tier
Pricing, plan by plan
CJ Dropshipping
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the CJ Dropshipping review.
Inventory Lab
$29/month- Essentials$29/month
- Inventory management
- Price monitoring
- Email alerts
- Pro$99/month
- All Essentials features
- Automated repricing
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose CJ Dropshipping if
- You need product sourcing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on web, api.
- You also want store integration.
Choose Inventory Lab if
- You need fba inventory tracking.
- You also want repricing automation.
Questions people ask
- Is CJ Dropshipping or Inventory Lab better?
- Neither clearly leads. CJ Dropshipping starts at Free and Inventory Lab at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CJ Dropshipping or Inventory Lab?
- CJ Dropshipping has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CJ Dropshipping and $29/month for Inventory Lab.
- Does CJ Dropshipping or Inventory Lab run on more platforms?
- CJ Dropshipping runs on web, api. Inventory Lab runs on Web.
- Can I use CJ Dropshipping for free?
- Yes. CJ Dropshipping has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Inventory Lab starts at $29/month.
- What is CJ Dropshipping best used for?
- CJ Dropshipping is most often used for finding and importing trending products without holding inventory, fulfilling dropshipping orders placed on shopify or woocommerce stores, sourcing custom-branded or private-label products for a store, storing bulk inventory in overseas warehouses to reduce shipping times. Of those, finding and importing trending products without holding inventory and fulfilling dropshipping orders placed on shopify or woocommerce stores are not what Inventory Lab is typically brought in for.
- What can CJ Dropshipping do that Inventory Lab cannot?
- CJ Dropshipping covers Product Sourcing, Store Integration, Order Fulfillment, Global Warehousing. Inventory Lab covers FBA inventory tracking, Repricing automation, Price monitoring, Sales analytics.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
CJ Dropshipping: Is CJ Dropshipping free to use?
Yes, creating an account and using core sourcing and listing features on CJ Dropshipping is free, with no mandatory monthly subscription; costs instead come from product prices, shipping, and per-service fees, as reported by third-party reviews.
SourceCJ Dropshipping: How does CJ Dropshipping make money if it's free to join?
CJ Dropshipping earns primarily through commissions and service fees on sourcing, warehousing, order fulfillment, shipping, and print-on-demand, rather than a flat subscription, as reported by third-party reviews.
SourceCJ Dropshipping: What fees does CJ Dropshipping charge for fulfillment?
CJ charges weight- and location-based inbound/outbound handling fees, per-SKU inspection fees, labeling fees, and storage fees after a free period (30-90 days), on top of shipping costs that vary by route and speed.
SourceCJ Dropshipping: Does CJ Dropshipping have paid membership tiers?
In addition to its free tier, CJ Dropshipping offers optional paid membership tiers reported around $15.99-$59.99/month that add extra sourcing requests, VIP product access, and priority support, per third-party reviews.
SourceRelated pages
More on CJ Dropshipping
More on Inventory Lab
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