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Inventory · head to head

Shopify Inventory vs Sortly

Shopify Inventory logo

Shopify Inventory

Inventory

Inventory management built into Shopify

From
$24/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sortly logo

Sortly

Inventory

Visual inventory management with photo tracking

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sortly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Shopify Inventory inventory management is integrated into Shopify plans, not a standalone product; Sortly mobile app performance is slow with occasional crashes on both iOS and Android
  • They diverge on capability: Shopify Inventory covers Stock tracking, Sortly covers Photo-based inventory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shopify Inventory and Sortly actually diverge.

Attributes where Shopify Inventory and Sortly differ
AttributeShopify InventorySortly
Starting price$24/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20062013

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Shopify Inventory

  • Stock tracking
  • Multi-location inventory
  • Real-time sync
  • Inventory forecasting
  • CSV imports/exports
  • App ecosystem
  • POS
  • Mobile app support

Only in Sortly

  • Photo-based inventory
  • Multi-location support
  • Custom categories
  • Low stock notifications
  • CSV export
  • API access
  • Zapier
  • Mobile app (iOS/Android) support

Both cover

  • Barcode scanning
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Shopify Inventory

  • Multi-location inventory tracking and managementnot Sortly
  • Real-time inventory sync across online and physical storesnot Sortly
  • Order management and fulfillmentnot Sortly
  • Integration with Shopify's point-of-sale systemnot Sortly

Sortly

  • Visual inventory trackingnot Shopify Inventory
  • Asset managementnot Shopify Inventory
  • Photo documentationnot Shopify Inventory
  • Mobile inventorynot Shopify Inventory

Where each one falls short

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

Shopify Inventory

  • Inventory management is integrated into Shopify plans, not a standalone product
  • POS Pro for advanced retail features costs additional $89/month per location
  • Payment processing fees vary by tier: ranges from 2.9% to 2.5% plus per-transaction fees

Sortly

  • Mobile app performance is slow with occasional crashes on both iOS and Android
  • Minimal advanced reporting features lacking depth and customization options
  • No native serial number tracking capability, limiting asset management functionality
  • Synchronization problems occur when reconnecting from offline mode

Pricing, plan by plan

Shopify Inventory

$24/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Shopify Inventory review.

Sortly

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Sortly review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Shopify Inventory if

  • You need stock tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want multi-location inventory.
Shopify Inventory review

Choose Sortly if

  • You need photo-based inventory.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want multi-location support.
Sortly review

Questions people ask

Is Shopify Inventory or Sortly better?
Neither clearly leads. Shopify Inventory starts at $24/month and Sortly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shopify Inventory or Sortly?
Sortly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for Shopify Inventory and Free for Sortly.
Does Shopify Inventory or Sortly run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Sortly for free?
Yes. Sortly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopify Inventory starts at $24/month.
What is Shopify Inventory best used for?
Shopify Inventory is most often used for multi-location inventory tracking and management, real-time inventory sync across online and physical stores, order management and fulfillment, integration with shopify's point-of-sale system. Of those, multi-location inventory tracking and management and real-time inventory sync across online and physical stores are not what Sortly is typically brought in for.
What can Shopify Inventory do that Sortly cannot?
Shopify Inventory covers Stock tracking, Multi-location inventory, Real-time sync, Inventory forecasting. Sortly covers Photo-based inventory, Multi-location support, Custom categories, Low stock notifications. Both handle Barcode scanning, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Shopify Inventory: What are Shopify's main pricing tiers and monthly costs?

Shopify offers Basic ($32/month USD), Grow ($92/month), Advanced ($399/month), and Plus (from $2,300/month). Annual billing offers 25% discount on Basic, Grow, and Advanced tiers.

Source
Sortly: What is included in Sortly's free plan?

Sortly's free plan includes 100 unique items and 1 user license, sufficient for testing or very small inventories, with permanent access.

Source
Shopify Inventory: Does Shopify offer a free trial or introductory pricing?

Yes. New customers get a 3-day free trial with no credit card required. After the trial, the first 3 months cost $1/month before regular pricing applies.

Source
Sortly: What are Sortly's paid tier pricing and item limits?

Sortly offers Advanced ($49/month, 500 items), Ultra ($149/month, 2,000 items), Premium ($299/month, 5,000 items), and Enterprise with custom pricing for 10,000+ items. All paid plans include a 14-day free trial.

Source
Shopify Inventory: What payment processing fees does Shopify charge, and do they vary by plan?

Basic plan charges 2.9% plus AED 1.00 per transaction. Grow charges 2.8% plus AED 1.00. Advanced charges 2.7% plus AED 1.00. Plus plan offers the most competitive rates.

Source
Sortly: Does Sortly offer offline functionality?

Sortly has offline mode on mobile apps, though with potential synchronization issues when reconnecting. Offline mode is not available on the free plan.

Source
Shopify Inventory: How many inventory locations can I create on each Shopify plan?

Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans support 10 inventory locations. Plus plan supports 200 inventory locations for complex, multi-location operations.

Source
Sortly: Does Sortly have a mobile app?

Yes, Sortly offers mobile apps for iOS and Android. However, users report slow performance and occasional crashes, plus lack of bulk actions available on the web platform.

Source
Shopify Inventory: What staff account limits apply to each Shopify plan?

Basic plan includes no additional staff accounts. Grow allows up to 5 staff accounts. Advanced allows up to 15 staff accounts. Plus plan offers unlimited staff accounts.

Source
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