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Inventory · head to head

Fishbowl Inventory vs Unleashed

Fishbowl Inventory logo

Fishbowl Inventory

Inventory

Manufacturing and warehouse inventory built around QuickBooks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unleashed logo

Unleashed

Inventory

Cloud inventory management for manufacturers

From
On request
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; Unleashed limited reporting customization for specific business metrics
  • They diverge on capability: Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Unleashed covers Real-time inventory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fishbowl Inventory and Unleashed differ
AttributeFishbowl InventoryUnleashed
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Inventory).

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 Unleashed

  • Real-time inventory
  • Production management
  • Batch tracking
  • Serial number tracking
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce

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

Unleashed

  • Production planningnot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Batch trackingnot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Stock managementnot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Manufacturing analyticsnot 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

Unleashed

  • Limited reporting customization for specific business metrics
  • Cannot edit invoices once they are complete
  • Mobile app has limited functionality compared to desktop version
  • Advanced features like demand forecasting and bin-level stock tracking are missing or require higher-tier packages

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

Unleashed

On request
  • Small$129/month
    • Core inventory
    • 5 users
    • Email support
  • Medium$279/month
    • Advanced features
    • 15 users
    • Priority support
  • Large$549/month
    • Full features
    • Unlimited users
    • Dedicated support

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 Unleashed if

  • You need real-time inventory.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want production management.
Unleashed review

Questions people ask

Is Fishbowl Inventory or Unleashed better?
Neither clearly leads. Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Unleashed at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl Inventory or Unleashed?
Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Unleashed at On request.
Does Fishbowl Inventory or Unleashed run on more platforms?
Fishbowl Inventory runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Unleashed runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Unleashed is typically brought in for.
What can Fishbowl Inventory do that Unleashed cannot?
Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Manufacturing orders, Multi-location inventory, Barcode scanning. Unleashed covers Real-time inventory, Production management, Batch tracking, Serial number tracking.

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.

Unleashed: What are Unleashed's pricing plans?

Unleashed offers Core at $399/month and Pro at $729/month, with annual billing saving up to 10%. Additional modules like Warehouse Management ($149/mo) and Production ($69/mo) are available as add-ons.

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.

Unleashed: What accounting software does Unleashed integrate with?

Unleashed integrates seamlessly with Xero and QuickBooks, as well as various e-commerce and point-of-sale systems. However, integration with some platforms like Magento 2 has been reported as problematic.

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.

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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