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Inventory · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs Vend

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vend logo

Vend

Inventory

Cloud-based POS and retail management for stores

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Vend has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DEAR Inventory starting price of $349/month is high for small businesses; Vend limited equipment selection with vendor-recommended hardware often being substandard quality
  • They diverge on capability: DEAR Inventory covers Manufacturing, Vend covers Point of sale.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and Vend differ
AttributeDEAR InventoryVend
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20132010

Identical on both: 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

  • Manufacturing
  • Purchase orders
  • Sales orders
  • Accounting
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify
  • Amazon

Only in Vend

  • Point of sale
  • Customer management
  • Employee management
  • Sales analytics
  • Mobile POS
  • Multi-location support
  • Reporting

Both cover

  • Inventory management

What people use each for

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

DEAR Inventory

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

Vend

  • Unifying inventory across physical stores and online channelsnot DEAR Inventory
  • Managing multi-location sales with centralized customer datanot DEAR Inventory
  • Processing transactions and loyalty rewards in single systemnot DEAR Inventory
  • Gaining real-time visibility into store-level sales performancenot 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

Vend

  • Limited equipment selection with vendor-recommended hardware often being substandard quality
  • eCommerce feature restricted to higher-tier plans only
  • 24/7 phone and email support not included in all plans
  • Now integrated into Lightspeed Retail X-Series, potentially confusing for existing Vend customers

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

Vend

Free
  • Lean$69/month
    • Single register
    • Basic inventory management
  • Standard$119/month
    • Multi-outlet management
    • Promotions

Which should you pick?

Choose DEAR Inventory if

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

Choose Vend if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want customer management.
Vend review

Questions people ask

Is DEAR Inventory or Vend better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Vend at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or Vend?
Vend has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DEAR Inventory and Free for Vend.
Does DEAR Inventory or Vend run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. Vend runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Vend for free?
Yes. Vend has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DEAR Inventory starts at On request.
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 Vend is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that Vend cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Manufacturing, Purchase orders, Sales orders, Accounting. Vend covers Point of sale, Customer management, Employee management, Sales analytics. Both handle Inventory management.

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
Vend: What is Vend's current pricing structure?

Vend pricing includes Lean at $69/month for single-register operations, Standard at $119/month for multi-outlet management and promotions, and Advanced plans at custom pricing for enterprise needs.

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
Vend: Does Vend have a free trial?

Yes, Vend offers a 30-day free trial without credit card requirement for testing the platform before committing to a paid plan.

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
Vend: What payment providers does Vend integrate with?

Vend integrates with multiple payment providers including Stripe, PayPal, Worldpay, Moneris, iZettle, Tyro, and Smartpay for credit card processing.

Source
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
Vend: Does Vend support eCommerce integration?

Yes, Vend supports eCommerce integration, but it is only available on Advanced and Multi-Outlet plans, not on the base Lean plan.

Source
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