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ERP · head to head

DEAR Systems vs Zoho Inventory

DEAR Systems logo

DEAR Systems

ERP

Cloud inventory management for growing businesses

From
$349/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Inventory logo

Zoho Inventory

Inventory

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 Systems dEAR Systems is sold as Cin7 Core and priced on the Cin7 pricing page; Zoho Inventory free plan limited to 25 products and 50 orders per month
  • They diverge on capability: DEAR Systems covers Inventory control, Zoho Inventory covers Multi-channel selling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where DEAR Systems and Zoho Inventory differ
AttributeDEAR SystemsZoho Inventory
Starting price$349/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, Web, MobileWeb
CategoryERPInventory
Founded20121996

Identical on both: 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 Systems

  • Inventory control
  • Sales orders
  • Manufacturing
  • Accounting integration
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce

Only in Zoho Inventory

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

Both cover

  • Purchase orders
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

DEAR Systems

  • Inventory and order management for wholesale and e-commerce sellersnot Zoho Inventory
  • Manufacturing with bills of materials and material requirements planningnot Zoho Inventory
  • Syncing stock and orders with Xero or QuickBooks Onlinenot Zoho Inventory
  • Multi warehouse stock control across unlimited locationsnot Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DEAR Systems

  • DEAR Systems is sold as Cin7 Core and priced on the Cin7 pricing page
  • The $349 per month Standard plan caps sales orders at 6,000 per year, includes 5 users and 2 e-commerce integrations
  • Material requirements planning requires the Pro plan at $599 per month
  • Advanced warehouse management requires the Advanced plan at $1,199 per month
  • Additional users, extra integrations, API access, forecasting and advanced automations all cost extra and are priced by the sales team
  • The Omni enterprise plan is custom priced with no published rate

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 Systems

$349/month
  • Standard$349/month
    • 5 users
    • 6000 annual sale orders
    • 2 e-commerce integrations
  • Pro$599/month
    • 10 users
    • 24000 annual sale orders
    • 4 e-commerce integrations
  • Advanced$1199/month
    • 15 users
    • 120000 annual sale orders
    • 6 e-commerce integrations
  • Omni$null/month
    • 8 users
    • Flexible annual sale orders
    • 5 e-commerce integrations

Zoho Inventory

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho Inventory review.

Which should you pick?

Choose DEAR Systems if

  • You need inventory control.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want sales orders.
DEAR Systems 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 Systems or Zoho Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. DEAR Systems starts at $349/month and Zoho Inventory at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DEAR Systems or Zoho Inventory?
Zoho Inventory has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $349/month for DEAR Systems and Free for Zoho Inventory.
Does DEAR Systems or Zoho Inventory run on more platforms?
DEAR Systems runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile. 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 Systems starts at $349/month.
What is DEAR Systems best used for?
DEAR Systems is most often used for inventory and order management for wholesale and e-commerce sellers, manufacturing with bills of materials and material requirements planning, syncing stock and orders with xero or quickbooks online, multi warehouse stock control across unlimited locations. Of those, inventory and order management for wholesale and e-commerce sellers and manufacturing with bills of materials and material requirements planning are not what Zoho Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can DEAR Systems do that Zoho Inventory cannot?
DEAR Systems covers Inventory control, Sales orders, Manufacturing, Accounting integration. Zoho Inventory covers Multi-channel selling, Inventory sync, Order management, Barcode management. Both handle Purchase orders, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DEAR Systems: How much does Dear Systems (Cin7) cost?

Dear Systems pricing starts at $349/month for the Standard tier, $599/month for the Pro tier (most popular), $1199/month for Advanced, and custom pricing for the Omni enterprise solution.

Source
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
DEAR Systems: What features does each Dear Systems plan include?

Standard includes 5 users and 6000 annual orders. Pro (most popular) adds 10 users, 24000 orders, and MRP. Advanced provides 15 users, 120000 orders, and advanced warehouse management. Omni offers enterprise customization with flexible user and order limits.

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
DEAR Systems: How many users and integrations are included in Dear Systems plans?

Standard tier includes 5 users and 2 e-commerce integrations. Pro tier includes 10 users and 4 integrations. Advanced tier includes 15 users and 6 integrations. Additional users and integrations are available as paid add-ons.

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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