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Inventory · head to head

Fishbowl Inventory vs Metasfresh

Fishbowl Inventory logo

Fishbowl Inventory

Inventory

Manufacturing and warehouse inventory built around QuickBooks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Metasfresh logo

Metasfresh

ERP

Open-source ERP for mid-sized wholesale and manufacturing

From
€99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fishbowl Inventory pricing is not published and has historically involved a substantial upfront figure, which surprises buyers expecting SaaS monthly pricing; Metasfresh cloud hosting is charged separately from user licences at EUR 299 per month on monthly billing or EUR 249 per month on annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Metasfresh covers Supply chain.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fishbowl Inventory and Metasfresh actually diverge.

Attributes where Fishbowl Inventory and Metasfresh differ
AttributeFishbowl InventoryMetasfresh
Starting priceOn request€99/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidSelf-hosted, Cloud, Web
CategoryInventoryERP
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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

  • QuickBooks and Xero integration
  • Manufacturing orders
  • Multi-location inventory
  • Barcode scanning
  • Purchasing and reorder
  • Order fulfilment

Only in Metasfresh

  • Supply chain
  • Inventory
  • Manufacturing
  • Purchasing
  • Accounting
  • Wholesale management
  • Custom modules
  • EDI systems

What people use each for

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

Fishbowl Inventory

  • Small manufacturers who have outgrown QuickBooks inventory but not the accountingnot Metasfresh
  • Wholesalers needing barcode-driven warehouse operationsnot Metasfresh
  • Companies wanting inventory control without replacing their finance systemnot Metasfresh
  • Businesses preferring a perpetual licence to a per-seat subscriptionnot Metasfresh

Metasfresh

  • Open source ERP for procurement, sales, warehouse and accountingnot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Hosting an ERP in a German data centre on a dedicated servernot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Self hosting an ERP where the source code must be inspectablenot Fishbowl Inventory

Where each one falls short

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

Fishbowl Inventory

  • Pricing is not published and has historically involved a substantial upfront figure, which surprises buyers expecting SaaS monthly pricing
  • The interface reflects its on-premise origins and looks dated beside cloud-native inventory tools
  • Implementation and data migration are heavier than the marketing implies, and undersized projects are the usual source of complaints
  • The QuickBooks dependency that makes it attractive also caps it: businesses that eventually need real ERP will migrate away
  • Reporting is functional but teams frequently export to a spreadsheet for anything analytical

Metasfresh

  • Cloud hosting is charged separately from user licences at EUR 299 per month on monthly billing or EUR 249 per month on annual billing
  • The EUR 79 per user per month annual rate requires minimum user quantities that depend on company size; monthly billing costs EUR 99 per user per month
  • The mandatory starter package covering setup, customisation, project management and training is priced individually on request
  • Standard support is email only during business hours; a 24/7 SLA is a separate contract on request
  • All published prices exclude VAT
  • Projects larger than the L size starter package require an individual quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Fishbowl Inventory

On request
  • Fishbowl Drive$undefined/month
    • Cloud-based
    • Inventory tracking
    • Order management
  • Fishbowl Advanced$undefined/month
    • Manufacturing
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced reporting

Metasfresh

€99/month
  • Starter Package$null/custom
    • Initial system setup
    • Customization of windows and documents
    • Project management
  • User Fee$99/month
    • Monthly billing
    • Access to all developments
    • Support and integration
  • User Fee (annual)$79/month
    • Annual billing minimum
    • Access to all developments
    • Support and integration
  • Cloud Hosting$299/month
    • Monthly billing
    • Secure data transfer
    • Real-time backup

Which should you pick?

Choose Fishbowl Inventory if

  • You need quickbooks and xero integration.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want manufacturing orders.
Fishbowl Inventory review

Choose Metasfresh if

  • You need supply chain.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want inventory.
Metasfresh review

Questions people ask

Is Fishbowl Inventory or Metasfresh better?
Neither clearly leads. Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Metasfresh at €99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl Inventory or Metasfresh?
Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Metasfresh at €99/month.
Does Fishbowl Inventory or Metasfresh run on more platforms?
Fishbowl Inventory runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Metasfresh runs on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
What is Fishbowl Inventory best used for?
Fishbowl Inventory is most often used for small manufacturers who have outgrown quickbooks inventory but not the accounting, wholesalers needing barcode-driven warehouse operations, companies wanting inventory control without replacing their finance system, businesses preferring a perpetual licence to a per-seat subscription. Of those, small manufacturers who have outgrown quickbooks inventory but not the accounting and wholesalers needing barcode-driven warehouse operations are not what Metasfresh is typically brought in for.
What can Fishbowl Inventory do that Metasfresh cannot?
Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Manufacturing orders, Multi-location inventory, Barcode scanning. Metasfresh covers Supply chain, Inventory, Manufacturing, Purchasing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fishbowl Inventory: What does Fishbowl cost?

Not published. It has historically been sold with a significant upfront component rather than a low monthly fee, so budget for a quote well above typical SaaS inventory pricing.

Metasfresh: What is metasfresh's monthly user fee?

metasfresh charges per-user monthly fees starting at 99 euros per user with monthly billing or 79 euros per user with annual billing (minimum user quantity required based on company size). This includes access to all ERP developments, support, integration, and custom configuration.

Source
Fishbowl Inventory: Do I still need QuickBooks?

Usually yes. Fishbowl handles inventory and manufacturing and posts the financial results into QuickBooks or Xero. It is not an accounting replacement.

Metasfresh: How much does metasfresh cloud hosting cost?

metasfresh Cloud Hosting costs 299 euros per month with monthly billing or 249 euros per month with annual billing. This includes secure data transfer, real-time backup, dedicated German server infrastructure, and comprehensive support.

Source
Fishbowl Inventory: Is it cloud or on-premise?

Both. Fishbowl Drive is the cloud product; Fishbowl Advanced can be hosted or run on your own server, which is why it still appeals to companies avoiding subscriptions.

Metasfresh: Is there a one-time setup fee for metasfresh?

Yes, metasfresh includes a Starter Package with one-time costs for initial system setup, customization, project management, and multiplier training with online meeting room access. Exact pricing is available upon request based on company size and requirements.

Source
Fishbowl Inventory: Who is it wrong for?

Businesses that need genuine ERP, and businesses small enough that a cloud inventory app at a low monthly cost would do. It sits deliberately between those.

Fishbowl Inventory: How hard is implementation?

Harder than a signup. Bills of material and historical stock data need preparation, and companies that treat it as a weekend job are the ones who describe it as difficult afterwards.

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