Softwr

Inventory · head to head

Fishbowl Inventory vs Odoo

Fishbowl Inventory logo

Fishbowl Inventory

Inventory

Manufacturing and warehouse inventory built around QuickBooks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Odoo logo

Odoo

ERP

Open-source ERP and CRM suite for all business needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Odoo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Odoo the free plan is limited to one app, so any second module moves the whole account to a paid per user plan
  • They diverge on capability: Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Odoo covers Sales management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fishbowl Inventory and Odoo differ
AttributeFishbowl InventoryOdoo
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidCloud, On-premise, Web, Mobile
CategoryInventoryERP
FoundedUnknown2002

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

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

Only in Odoo

  • Sales management
  • Inventory
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Project management
  • E-commerce
  • Email marketing
  • Payment gateways

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 Odoo
  • Wholesalers needing barcode-driven warehouse operationsnot Odoo
  • Companies wanting inventory control without replacing their finance systemnot Odoo
  • Businesses preferring a perpetual licence to a per-seat subscriptionnot Odoo

Odoo

  • Running ERP, CRM, inventory and accounting from one integrated suitenot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Starting with a single business app and adding modules over timenot 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

Odoo

  • The free plan is limited to one app, so any second module moves the whole account to a paid per user plan
  • Standard runs $13.50 to $16.90 per user per month and Custom $20.40 to $25.50, both quoted with a yearly discount applied
  • Implementation services and custom development are not included in any plan
  • Odoo.sh hosting is required for custom modules and is charged separately from the subscription
  • SMS credits and AI scanning are billed on top of the per user price

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

Odoo

Free
  • One App FreeFree
    • Unlimited users
    • One app included
    • Hosted on Odoo Online
  • Standard$13.5/month
    • All apps included
    • Odoo Online hosting
    • Unlimited support, hosting and maintenance
  • Custom$20.4/month
    • All apps, multi-company support
    • Odoo Studio access
    • External API access

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 Odoo if

  • You need sales management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want inventory.
Odoo review

Questions people ask

Is Fishbowl Inventory or Odoo better?
Neither clearly leads. Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Odoo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl Inventory or Odoo?
Odoo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fishbowl Inventory and Free for Odoo.
Does Fishbowl Inventory or Odoo run on more platforms?
Fishbowl Inventory runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Odoo runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web, Mobile.
Can I use Odoo for free?
Yes. Odoo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request.
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 Odoo is typically brought in for.
What can Fishbowl Inventory do that Odoo cannot?
Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Manufacturing orders, Multi-location inventory, Barcode scanning. Odoo covers Sales management, Inventory, Accounting, CRM.

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.

Odoo: How much does Odoo cost per user?

Odoo pricing ranges from $0/month for one free app with unlimited users, to $13.50-$16.90/month per user for Standard, and $20.40-$25.50/month per user for Custom, depending on billing frequency (yearly vs monthly).

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.

Odoo: Is there a free Odoo plan?

Yes, Odoo offers a free plan that includes unlimited users for one app with hosting and support included on Odoo Online.

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.

Odoo: How does Odoo define a paying user?

A paying user is typically an employee who has access to the Odoo backend to create, view, or edit documents. Customers and suppliers accessing portals are free users and do not count toward the seat limit.

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.

Odoo: What is included in Odoo's Standard plan?

The Standard plan at $13.50-$16.90/user/month includes all Odoo apps, hosting, unlimited support and maintenance, daily backups, 24/7 monitoring and security, and free eLearning platform access.

Source
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.

Share

Related pages

More on Fishbowl Inventory

More on Odoo

Keep looking

Other head to heads