Software · head to head
DEAR Inventory vs Vend

DEAR Inventory
Software
Complete inventory and order management system
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Vend has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; 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.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which DEAR Inventory and Vend actually diverge.
| Attribute | DEAR Inventory | Vend |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2013 | 2010 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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
- Manufacturing managementnot Vend
- Order processingnot Vend
- Stock controlnot Vend
- Financial integrationnot Vend
Vend
No use cases recorded yet. See the Vend review.
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
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.
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.
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 manufacturing management, order processing, stock control, financial integration. Of those, manufacturing management and order processing 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
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.
SourceVend: 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.
SourceVend: 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.
SourceVend: 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on DEAR Inventory
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