Softwr

Inventory Management · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs Fishbowl

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory Management

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fishbowl logo

Fishbowl

ERP & Business Operations

Manufacturing and warehouse management for QuickBooks

From
$4395/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DEAR Inventory dEAR Inventory is now sold as Cin7 Core with four named tiers (Standard, Pro, Advanced, Omni) but no dollar figures are published, only an ROI calculator; 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: DEAR Inventory covers Purchase orders, Fishbowl covers Work orders.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DEAR Inventory and Fishbowl actually diverge.

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and Fishbowl differ
AttributeDEAR InventoryFishbowl
Starting priceOn request$4395/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedWindows, Cloud
CategoryInventory ManagementERP & Business Operations
Founded20132001

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 DEAR Inventory

  • Purchase orders
  • Sales orders
  • Accounting
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • eBay
  • Web support
  • Mobile app support

Only in Fishbowl

  • Work orders
  • Barcode scanning
  • QuickBooks integration
  • QuickBooks Desktop
  • QuickBooks Online
  • ShipStation
  • User permissions
  • Data backup

Both cover

  • Inventory management
  • Manufacturing
  • Shopify
  • Amazon

What people use each for

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

DEAR Inventory

  • Manufacturing managementnot Fishbowl
  • Order processingnot Fishbowl
  • Stock controlnot Fishbowl
  • Financial integrationnot Fishbowl

Fishbowl

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

Where each one falls short

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

DEAR Inventory

  • DEAR Inventory is now sold as Cin7 Core with four named tiers (Standard, Pro, Advanced, Omni) but no dollar figures are published, only an ROI calculator

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

DEAR Inventory

On request
  • Standard$249/month
    • Core features
    • 5 users
    • Standard support
  • Professional$449/month
    • Advanced manufacturing
    • 10 users
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$849/month
    • Full features
    • Unlimited users
    • Dedicated support

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 DEAR Inventory if

  • You need purchase orders.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based.
  • You also want sales orders.
DEAR Inventory review

Choose Fishbowl if

  • You need work orders.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want barcode scanning.
Fishbowl review

Questions people ask

Is DEAR Inventory or Fishbowl better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Fishbowl at $4395/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or Fishbowl?
DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Fishbowl at $4395/one-time.
Does DEAR Inventory or Fishbowl run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. Fishbowl runs on Windows, Cloud.
What is DEAR Inventory best used for?
DEAR Inventory is most often used for manufacturing management, order processing, stock control, financial integration. Of those, manufacturing management and order processing are not what Fishbowl is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that Fishbowl cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Purchase orders, Sales orders, Accounting, Xero. Fishbowl covers Work orders, Barcode scanning, QuickBooks integration, QuickBooks Desktop. Both handle Inventory management, Manufacturing, Shopify, Amazon.
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