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Inventory Management · head to head

DEAR Inventory vs Zoho Inventory

DEAR Inventory logo

DEAR Inventory

Inventory Management

Complete inventory and order management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Inventory logo

Zoho Inventory

Inventory Management

Complete inventory and order management system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho Inventory 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; Zoho Inventory free plan limited to 25 products and 50 orders per month
  • They diverge on capability: DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Zoho Inventory covers Multi-channel selling.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where DEAR Inventory and Zoho Inventory differ
AttributeDEAR InventoryZoho Inventory
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud-basedWeb
Founded20131996

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Inventory Management).

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

Only in Zoho Inventory

  • Multi-channel selling
  • Inventory sync
  • Order management
  • Barcode management
  • Email integration
  • Automated workflows
  • Zoho ecosystem

Both cover

  • Purchase orders
  • Web support
  • Mobile app support
  • Cloud-based support

What people use each for

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

DEAR Inventory

  • Manufacturing managementnot Zoho Inventory
  • Order processingnot Zoho Inventory
  • Stock controlnot Zoho Inventory
  • Financial integrationnot Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory

  • Multichannel order managementnot DEAR Inventory
  • Inventory trackingnot DEAR Inventory
  • Fulfillment automationnot DEAR Inventory
  • Supplier managementnot DEAR Inventory

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

Zoho Inventory

  • Free plan limited to 25 products and 50 orders per month
  • Advanced automation features require higher-tier plans
  • Limited customization compared to enterprise solutions

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

Zoho Inventory

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho Inventory review.

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 Zoho Inventory if

  • You need multi-channel selling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want inventory sync.
Zoho Inventory review

Questions people ask

Is DEAR Inventory or Zoho Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Inventory starts at On request and Zoho Inventory at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Inventory or Zoho Inventory?
Zoho Inventory has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DEAR Inventory and Free for Zoho Inventory.
Does DEAR Inventory or Zoho Inventory run on more platforms?
DEAR Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. Zoho Inventory runs on Web.
Can I use Zoho Inventory for free?
Yes. Zoho Inventory 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 Zoho Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Inventory do that Zoho Inventory cannot?
DEAR Inventory covers Inventory management, Manufacturing, Sales orders, Accounting. Zoho Inventory covers Multi-channel selling, Inventory sync, Order management, Barcode management. Both handle Purchase orders, Web support, Mobile app support, Cloud-based support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoho Inventory: Does Zoho Inventory have a free tier?

Yes, Zoho Inventory offers a perpetual free plan limited to 25 products and 50 orders per month, ideal for small businesses just starting out.

Source
Zoho Inventory: What sales channels does Zoho Inventory integrate with?

Zoho Inventory integrates with major online marketplaces including Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and WooCommerce, with automatic stock and order syncing across all integrated channels.

Source
Zoho Inventory: Can Zoho Inventory manage multiple locations?

Yes. The free plan supports up to two locations, with paid plans supporting multiple warehouses and locations for larger operations.

Source
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Related pages

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