If you’re still doing year-end counts with clipboards, it’s time to upgrade. The five tools below make stocktaking faster, cleaner and far less error-prone—whether you run a small storeroom or a multi-site operation.
1) Sortly — best mobile stocktakes for small teams
Sortly keeps counts simple with phone-based barcode/QR scanning, custom fields and tidy activity history. Pricing: Free (1 user, 100 items). Paid tiers: Advanced $49/mo (promotional $24 in year one when billed annually), Ultra $149/mo (promo $74), Premium $299/mo (promo $149). Enterprise is bespoke.
2) Zoho Inventory — affordable stock control with built-in “Stock counting”
Zoho Inventory adds locations, serial/batch tracking and integrations with Shopify, Amazon and more. Pricing (billed annually): Standard $29/mo, Professional $79/mo, Premium $129/mo (includes barcode generation + stock counting), Enterprise $249/mo. There’s also a limited Free plan.
3) inFlow Inventory — powerful counts plus optional scanning hardware
inFlow handles live stock levels, cycle counts and label printing; you can add their Stockroom mobile app or a rugged Smart Scanner for rapid aisle-by-aisle counts. Indicative pricing for cloud plans (monthly): Entrepreneur ~$186, Small Business ~$436, Mid-Size ~$999. Stockroom add-on starts at $49/mo; Smart Scanner hardware is extra. (Vendor site lists add-on pricing; plan rates vary by source—confirm at checkout.)
4) Cin7 Core (formerly DEAR) — enterprise-grade stocktakes & barcode flows
Cin7 Core shines for multi-location counts, manufacturing, and deep channel integrations. Transparent pricing for Core: Standard $349/mo, Pro $599/mo, Advanced $999/mo (Omni is custom). These include multiple users and e-commerce/app integrations out of the box.
5) Unleashed (by The Access Group) — robust counts for wholesalers & makers
Unleashed offers digital stock counts, multi-warehouse control, and optional demand planning. Pricing (monthly): Medium $410 (3 users), Large $785 (8 users), Large Plus $1,188 (20 users). Optional modules include B2B Store ($129/mo) and eCommerce integrations ($30/mo per integration).
Which one should you pick?
- On a budget or starting out? Sortly or Zoho Inventory give you excellent scanning and tidy reports without the learning curve (or cost) of full ERPs.
- Growing SKU counts or need labels, PO flows and better audit trails? inFlow is a sweet spot, especially with its Stockroom scanner workflow.
- Scaling fast, multi-site, or light manufacturing? Cin7 Core or Unleashed justify their fees with richer permissions, production modules and advanced multi-location stocktakes.
Tip: Most vendors discount annual plans and sometimes the first year (e.g., Sortly’s promo). Always check the billing toggle, user limits, order caps, and add-ons like advanced warehousing or extra users, as these drive real-world cost.
