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Inventory · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs Sage X3

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sage X3 logo

Sage X3

ERP

Mid-market ERP sold and implemented almost entirely through Sage partners

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DEAR Inventory starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses; Sage X3 sage sells X3 through partners rather than direct, so implementation quality varies more than the software does, and a weak partner produces a failed project on a product that works fine elsewhere.
  • They diverge on capability: DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Sage X3 covers Multi-company and multi-legislation finance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DEAR Inventory and Sage X3 actually diverge.

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and Sage X3 differ
AttributeDEAR InventorySage X3
Starting priceOn request$1500/month
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedCloud, Windows, Web
CategoryInventoryERP
Founded20131981

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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

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

Only in Sage X3

  • Multi-company and multi-legislation finance
  • Inventory and warehouse
  • Purchasing
  • Sales and pricing
  • Project accounting
  • Quality control
  • Development framework

Both cover

  • Manufacturing

What people use each for

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

DEAR Inventory

  • Inventory management and trackingnot Sage X3
  • E-commerce integration and synchronizationnot Sage X3
  • Multi-channel order managementnot Sage X3
  • Stock and supply chain managementnot Sage X3

Sage X3

  • A group with subsidiaries in several countries consolidating from separate accounting systems into one ledgernot DEAR Inventory
  • A food or chemical manufacturer needing lot traceability and formulation alongside standard financialsnot DEAR Inventory
  • A distributor with multiple warehouses and complex customer specific pricing that spreadsheets no longer containnot DEAR Inventory
  • A business that has outgrown a small business accounting package but cannot justify a tier one ERP programmenot 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

Sage X3

  • Sage sells X3 through partners rather than direct, so implementation quality varies more than the software does, and a weak partner produces a failed project on a product that works fine elsewhere.
  • Payroll is not part of X3 in most markets and is bought as a separate product or a third party service, so an organisation assuming a complete back office in one licence finds an extra vendor, an extra integration and an extra bill.
  • The product uses its own development language and toolset rather than a mainstream stack, so the pool of people who can maintain a customised installation is small, expensive and largely employed by partners.
  • Heavy customisation is possible and consequently common, and customised installations are harder to upgrade, which surfaces years later as a business running an old version because taking the current one means retesting and reworking every modification.
  • The North American partner ecosystem and third party add-on market are thinner than for the products X3 competes with, so niche requirements are more often met by custom development than by buying something already built.

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

Sage X3

$1500/month
  • Standard$1500/month
    • Core ERP functionality
    • Financial management
    • Inventory management
  • Enterprise$3000/month
    • Multi-company support
    • Advanced manufacturing
    • Business intelligence

Which should you pick?

Choose DEAR Inventory if

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

Choose Sage X3 if

  • You need multi-company and multi-legislation finance.
  • You work on Cloud, Windows, Web.
  • You also want inventory and warehouse.
Sage X3 review

Questions people ask

Is DEAR Inventory or Sage X3 better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Sage X3 at $1500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or Sage X3?
DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Sage X3 at $1500/month.
Does DEAR Inventory or Sage X3 run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. Sage X3 runs on Cloud, Windows, Web.
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 Sage X3 is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that Sage X3 cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Purchase orders, Sales orders, Accounting. Sage X3 covers Multi-company and multi-legislation finance, Inventory and warehouse, Purchasing, Sales and pricing. Both handle Manufacturing.

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
Sage X3: Is Sage X3 a cloud product?

It is offered as a hosted subscription, commonly on AWS, but it is not a multi-tenant SaaS product in the way Plex or NetSuite are. You still have your own instance and you still own the upgrade decision, which is both more control and more work.

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
Sage X3: How do I choose a partner?

Ask for two references at your revenue, in your industry, on the version you are buying, and speak to them without the partner present. Ask who specifically will be on your project, how long they have worked on X3, and what happens if they leave mid engagement.

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
Sage X3: Does the licence cost tell me what the project costs?

No. For mid-market ERP the services bill commonly matches or exceeds the first year of software, and the subscription clock usually starts before go live, so the first year of licence buys considerably less usable time than it appears to.

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
Sage X3: Who should not buy X3?

A single entity operating in one country, because the multi-company and multi-legislation depth is the main reason to pay for this rather than something simpler, and a business paying for it without using it has overbought.

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