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Inventory · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs Fishbowl Inventory

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
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: DEAR Inventory starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses; 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: DEAR Inventory covers Inventory 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 DEAR Inventory and Fishbowl Inventory actually diverge.

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and Fishbowl Inventory differ
AttributeDEAR InventoryFishbowl Inventory
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedWindows, Web, iOS, Android
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Inventory).

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

  • Inventory management
  • Manufacturing
  • Purchase orders
  • Sales orders
  • Accounting
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify

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.

DEAR Inventory

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

Fishbowl Inventory

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

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 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 DEAR Inventory if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based.
  • You also want manufacturing.
DEAR Inventory 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 DEAR Inventory or Fishbowl Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Fishbowl Inventory at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or Fishbowl Inventory?
DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Fishbowl Inventory at On request.
Does DEAR Inventory or Fishbowl Inventory run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. Fishbowl Inventory runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
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 Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that Fishbowl Inventory cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Manufacturing, Purchase orders, Sales orders. Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Manufacturing orders, Multi-location inventory, Barcode scanning.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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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