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ERP · head to head

Fishbowl vs Megaventory

Fishbowl logo

Fishbowl

ERP

Manufacturing and warehouse management for QuickBooks

From
$4395/one-time
Rated
-
Megaventory logo

Megaventory

Inventory

Order and inventory management for SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Megaventory has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fishbowl the $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually; Megaventory single Pro plan tier; no tiered options for different business sizes
  • They diverge on capability: Fishbowl covers Inventory management, Megaventory covers Inventory tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fishbowl and Megaventory actually diverge.

Attributes where Fishbowl and Megaventory differ
AttributeFishbowlMegaventory
Starting price$4395/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, CloudWeb
CategoryERPInventory
Founded20012010

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 Fishbowl

  • Inventory management
  • Work orders
  • Barcode scanning
  • QuickBooks integration
  • QuickBooks Desktop
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Amazon
  • ShipStation

Only in Megaventory

  • Inventory tracking
  • Order management
  • Multi-location
  • WooCommerce
  • Magento
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Manufacturing
  • Shopify

What people use each for

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

Fishbowl

  • Inventory and SKU tracking for wholesale and distribution businessesnot Megaventory
  • Manufacturing bills of materials, MRP, work orders and job costingnot Megaventory
  • Warehouse fulfilment, transfer orders and automated reorderingnot Megaventory
  • Multichannel selling with synchronised stock levelsnot Megaventory

Megaventory

  • Small inventory operations with Pro plan's 50,000 transaction capacity and 5 usersnot Fishbowl
  • Multi-location inventory management across up to 20 locations with Pro plannot Fishbowl
  • Growing businesses requiring custom plans beyond Pro specifications via Enterprise tiernot Fishbowl

Where each one falls short

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

Fishbowl

  • The $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually
  • A paid implementation package is required as part of purchase and covers a 6 to 8 week training certification
  • Lot tracking, demand forecasting and compliance documentation require the Scale plan at $729 per month
  • Advanced Warehouse from $595 per month and Advanced Manufacturing from $675 per month are quoted on team size and deployment rather than sold at a fixed rate
  • Demand forecasting and custom reports are add ons carrying separate fees
  • All listed plan prices are billed annually rather than monthly

Megaventory

  • Single Pro plan tier; no tiered options for different business sizes
  • Additional users cost $45 per month each up to 35 total users
  • Additional transaction blocks cost $45 per month per 25k transactions up to 200k total
  • Enterprise plan pricing requires contacting sales for custom quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Fishbowl

$4395/one-time
  • Fishbowl Warehouse$4395/one-time
    • Inventory tracking
    • Order management
    • QuickBooks sync
  • Fishbowl Manufacturing$5495/one-time
    • Work orders
    • Bill of materials
    • Shop floor control

Megaventory

Free
  • Pro$135/month
    • 5 users
    • 50k transactions
    • 20 locations
  • Pro (annual)$121.5/month
    • 5 users
    • 50k transactions
    • 20 locations

Which should you pick?

Choose Fishbowl if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want work orders.

Choose Megaventory if

  • You need inventory tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want order management.

Questions people ask

Is Fishbowl or Megaventory better?
Neither clearly leads. Fishbowl starts at $4395/one-time and Megaventory at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl or Megaventory?
Megaventory has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4395/one-time for Fishbowl and Free for Megaventory.
Does Fishbowl or Megaventory run on more platforms?
Fishbowl runs on Windows, Cloud. Megaventory runs on Web.
Can I use Megaventory for free?
Yes. Megaventory has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fishbowl starts at $4395/one-time.
What is Fishbowl best used for?
Fishbowl is most often used for inventory and sku tracking for wholesale and distribution businesses, manufacturing bills of materials, mrp, work orders and job costing, warehouse fulfilment, transfer orders and automated reordering, multichannel selling with synchronised stock levels. Of those, inventory and sku tracking for wholesale and distribution businesses and manufacturing bills of materials, mrp, work orders and job costing are not what Megaventory is typically brought in for.
What can Fishbowl do that Megaventory cannot?
Fishbowl covers Inventory management, Work orders, Barcode scanning, QuickBooks integration. Megaventory covers Inventory tracking, Order management, Multi-location, WooCommerce. Both handle Manufacturing, Shopify.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fishbowl: How much does Fishbowl Inventory cost per month?

Fishbowl Inventory pricing starts at $229/month (billed annually) for the Essentials tier, $429/month for Growth, and $729/month for Scale. The Advanced Manufacturing tier starts at $675/month and Advanced Warehouse starts at $595/month, though both are quote-based and vary by user count.

Source
Megaventory: What is included in Megaventory's Pro plan?

The Pro plan costs $135 per month ($121.50/month with annual billing) and includes 5 users, 50,000 transactions, 20 locations, 20,000 product SKUs, 20,000 clients, and 2 hours of training.

Source
Fishbowl: How many users are included in each tier?

Essentials includes 2 users, Growth includes 5 users, and Scale includes 10 users. Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Warehouse support teams of 2 to 200+ users with pricing confirmed by quote based on your specific deployment.

Source
Megaventory: How much does Megaventory charge for additional users?

Megaventory charges $45 per month for each additional user, up to a maximum of 35 total users on the platform.

Source
Fishbowl: Is Fishbowl billed monthly or annually?

Fishbowl Inventory plans require annual billing. The Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Warehouse plans have variable pricing confirmed by quote and may have different billing arrangements.

Source
Megaventory: Does Megaventory offer a free trial?

Yes, Megaventory offers a 15-day free trial with no obligation to continue to a paid subscription. Non-profit organizations can contact Megaventory for discounted subscription rates.

Source
Fishbowl: What's included when I sign up for Fishbowl?

All Fishbowl plans include an implementation package with specialist support, data migration services, and 6 to 8 weeks of certification training. Cloud hosting is included with Advanced Manufacturing plans.

Source
Fishbowl: Can I add more users if I exceed my tier's user limit?

You can upgrade to a higher tier which includes additional users. Essentials ($229/mo with 2 users) can upgrade to Growth ($429/mo with 5 users) or Scale ($729/mo with 10 users). Custom team sizes beyond 10 users require Advanced Manufacturing or Advanced Warehouse quotes.

Source
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