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Inventory · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs Fishbowl

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
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: DEAR Inventory starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

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
CategoryInventoryERP
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

  • Inventory management and trackingnot Fishbowl
  • E-commerce integration and synchronizationnot Fishbowl
  • Multi-channel order managementnot Fishbowl
  • Stock and supply chain managementnot 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

  • Starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses
  • Base plan limited to 6 integrations; additional integrations require separate purchase
  • No published details on integration add-on costs
  • Redirects to Cin7.com, indicating product has been acquired or rebranded

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 inventory management and tracking, e-commerce integration and synchronization, multi-channel order management, stock and supply chain management. Of those, inventory management and tracking and e-commerce integration and synchronization 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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DEAR Inventory: How much does DEAR Inventory cost?

DEAR Inventory (now Cin7) pricing starts at $349 per month for plans that accommodate up to 6 e-commerce and app integrations. Additional integrations are available for purchase.

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
DEAR Inventory: Is there a free trial for DEAR Inventory?

Yes, Cin7 (formerly DEAR Inventory) offers a free trial option. Contact the vendor directly or visit their website to start a free trial.

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
DEAR Inventory: What integrations does DEAR Inventory support?

DEAR Inventory base plans include up to 6 e-commerce and app integrations. Additional integrations beyond the base 6 are available but require separate purchase.

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.

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DEAR Inventory: Is DEAR Inventory still available?

DEAR Inventory has been rebranded as Cin7. The Cin7 platform continues to provide inventory management with e-commerce integrations at $349/month starting price.

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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
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
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