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Inventory · head to head

Fishbowl Inventory vs Visibility

Fishbowl Inventory logo

Fishbowl Inventory

Inventory

Manufacturing and warehouse inventory built around QuickBooks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Visibility logo

Visibility

ERP

Supply chain and manufacturing execution software

From
$1000/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; Visibility no price, licensing model, minimum or contract term is published on the site; buyers are directed to a sales email and phone number
  • They diverge on capability: Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Visibility covers Supply chain visibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fishbowl Inventory and Visibility differ
AttributeFishbowl InventoryVisibility
Starting priceOn request$1000/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidCloud, On-premise, Web
CategoryInventoryERP
FoundedUnknown1989

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 Visibility

  • Supply chain visibility
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Production planning
  • Analytics
  • Reporting
  • ERP systems
  • REST APIs
  • EDI

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

Visibility

  • ERP for engineer to order and make to order manufacturersnot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Job shop production planning and costingnot Fishbowl Inventory
  • Manufacturing operations in aerospace and defence, fabricated metals and medical devicesnot 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

Visibility

  • No price, licensing model, minimum or contract term is published on the site; buyers are directed to a sales email and phone number
  • The vendor states an implementation of 4 to 6 months, so the product is not usable immediately after purchase
  • The product targets make to order, engineer to order and job shop manufacturers rather than general business use

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

Visibility

$1000/month
  • Standard$1000/month
    • Supply chain visibility
    • MES
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$2000/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom reports
    • Priority 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 Visibility if

  • You need supply chain visibility.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want manufacturing execution.
Visibility review

Questions people ask

Is Fishbowl Inventory or Visibility better?
Neither clearly leads. Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Visibility at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl Inventory or Visibility?
Fishbowl Inventory starts at On request and Visibility at $1000/month.
Does Fishbowl Inventory or Visibility run on more platforms?
Fishbowl Inventory runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Visibility runs on Cloud, On-premise, 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 Visibility is typically brought in for.
What can Fishbowl Inventory do that Visibility cannot?
Fishbowl Inventory covers QuickBooks and Xero integration, Manufacturing orders, Multi-location inventory, Barcode scanning. Visibility covers Supply chain visibility, Manufacturing execution, Production planning, Analytics.

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.

Visibility: Does Visibility publish pricing on their website?

No, Visibility does not disclose subscription costs or pricing tiers on their website. Interested parties must contact sales directly.

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.

Visibility: How do I get a Visibility quote?

Visibility directs interested parties to contact sales at [email protected] or (978) 269-6500, or to request a demo through their website.

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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