Softwr

Inventory · head to head

Quartzy vs Snipe-IT

Quartzy logo

Quartzy

Inventory

Lab inventory and ordering software funded by the supply marketplace attached to it

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Snipe-IT logo

Snipe-IT

Inventory

Free open source IT asset management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Snipe-IT has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Quartzy the vendor earns margin on supplies bought through its own Shop, so the recommended purchasing path is not necessarily the cheapest one for a university that already holds negotiated supplier contracts.; Snipe-IT hosted Basic caps API calls at 120 per minute and Small Business at 240 per minute; unlimited API calls require Dedicated hosting from $2,499.99 per year
  • They diverge on capability: Quartzy covers Inventory tracking, Snipe-IT covers Asset tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Quartzy and Snipe-IT actually diverge.

Attributes where Quartzy and Snipe-IT differ
AttributeQuartzySnipe-IT
Starting price$50/monthFree
Pricing modelPer month by user tierfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud/Self-hosted
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: 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 Quartzy

  • Inventory tracking
  • Request and approval
  • Quartzy Shop
  • Order tracking
  • Spend reporting
  • Barcode scanning
  • PunchOut
  • Vendor catalogues

Only in Snipe-IT

  • Asset tracking
  • License management
  • Audit logs
  • Check-in/out
  • LDAP
  • SAML
  • API
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Quartzy

  • An academic lab of three postdocs replacing a shared freezer spreadsheet that nobody updates after a reagent runs outnot Snipe-IT
  • A small biotech that wants requests approved by a lab manager before any money is committednot Snipe-IT
  • A principal investigator tracking consumable spend against separate grant codes for reportingnot Snipe-IT
  • A growing company standardising ordering across two lab sites so duplicate reagent purchases stopnot Snipe-IT

Snipe-IT

  • Tracking IT hardware assets and their assignment to staffnot Quartzy
  • Managing software licences, accessories and consumablesnot Quartzy
  • Running a self hosted open source asset registernot Quartzy

Where each one falls short

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

Quartzy

  • The vendor earns margin on supplies bought through its own Shop, so the recommended purchasing path is not necessarily the cheapest one for a university that already holds negotiated supplier contracts.
  • Seat limits are tight, at three users on Academia and five on Industry, and exceeding them pushes you into a quoted Enterprise contract rather than a predictable per seat increment.
  • It is not a LIMS: there is no sample workflow, instrument integration, electronic lab notebook or 21 CFR Part 11 audit trail, so a lab moving toward regulated work will need a second system.
  • Prices are billed annually, so the USD 250 Industry plan is a USD 3,000 upfront commitment for a five-person team, which is significant for an early-stage company.
  • Supplier catalogue coverage and pricing accuracy vary by region, and labs outside the United States frequently find their usual distributors missing or their contract pricing not reflected.

Snipe-IT

  • Hosted Basic caps API calls at 120 per minute and Small Business at 240 per minute; unlimited API calls require Dedicated hosting from $2,499.99 per year
  • Email support requires the Small Business hosting plan; Basic hosting gets community support only
  • Automated upgrades and server maintenance require the Small Business plan or higher
  • Enhanced LDAP, IP restrictions, a private server and VPN connectivity require Dedicated hosting
  • The self hosted edition is free but support is sold separately
  • Medium and large dedicated hosting is priced by quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Quartzy

$50/month
  • Academia$50/month
    • Billed annually
    • Up to 3 users
    • Inventory tracking and request workflow
  • Industry$250/month
    • Billed annually
    • Up to 5 users
    • Everything in Academia
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Quoted pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • PunchOut integration with institutional procurement

Snipe-IT

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • Complete asset management functionality
  • Basic Hosting$399.99/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • SSL certificate
  • Small Business Hosting$999.99/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • SSL certificate
  • Dedicated Hosting Small$2499.99/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • Dedicated infrastructure

Which should you pick?

Choose Quartzy if

  • You need inventory tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want request and approval.
Quartzy review

Choose Snipe-IT if

  • You need asset tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud/Self-hosted.
  • You also want license management.
Snipe-IT review

Questions people ask

Is Quartzy or Snipe-IT better?
Neither clearly leads. Quartzy starts at $50/month and Snipe-IT at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Quartzy or Snipe-IT?
Snipe-IT has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/month for Quartzy and Free for Snipe-IT.
Does Quartzy or Snipe-IT run on more platforms?
Quartzy runs on Web, iOS, Android. Snipe-IT runs on Web, Cloud/Self-hosted.
Can I use Snipe-IT for free?
Yes. Snipe-IT has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Quartzy starts at $50/month.
What is Quartzy best used for?
Quartzy is most often used for an academic lab of three postdocs replacing a shared freezer spreadsheet that nobody updates after a reagent runs out, a small biotech that wants requests approved by a lab manager before any money is committed, a principal investigator tracking consumable spend against separate grant codes for reporting, a growing company standardising ordering across two lab sites so duplicate reagent purchases stop. Of those, an academic lab of three postdocs replacing a shared freezer spreadsheet that nobody updates after a reagent runs out and a small biotech that wants requests approved by a lab manager before any money is committed are not what Snipe-IT is typically brought in for.
What can Quartzy do that Snipe-IT cannot?
Quartzy covers Inventory tracking, Request and approval, Quartzy Shop, Order tracking. Snipe-IT covers Asset tracking, License management, Audit logs, Check-in/out.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Quartzy: How much does Quartzy cost?

USD 50 per month billed annually for up to three users on Academia, USD 250 per month for up to five users on Industry, and quoted pricing for unlimited users on Enterprise.

Snipe-IT: How much does Snipe-IT cost?

Snipe-IT is free for self-hosted deployment. Hosted plans start at $399.99/year for Basic Hosting ($39.99/month) and range up to $7,500/year for large Dedicated Hosting. Annual plans offer 16% savings versus monthly billing.

Source
Quartzy: Do I have to buy supplies through Quartzy?

No, you can record orders placed elsewhere. But the Shop is how Quartzy earns beyond the subscription, and supplier credits are tied to it.

Snipe-IT: What is included in Snipe-IT hosting plans?

All Snipe-IT hosted plans include unlimited users and unlimited assets. Basic and Small Business plans add SSL certificates, automatic backups, email support, and priority feature requests. Dedicated plans provide dedicated infrastructure.

Source
Quartzy: Is Quartzy a LIMS?

No. It handles inventory and purchasing. It does not do sample workflow, instrument data or regulated electronic records.

Snipe-IT: Does Snipe-IT offer monthly billing?

Yes, monthly billing is available for hosted plans at 16% premium over annual rates. Basic Hosting is $39.99/month, Small Business is $99.99/month, and Dedicated plans range from $249.99 to $625/month.

Source
Quartzy: What happens when we exceed the user limit?

You move to Enterprise, which is quoted rather than listed, so budget for a step change rather than an extra seat charge.

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