Better inventory management is better for your bottom line. Businesses that master the art of inventory management can respond faster to changes in demand, save money by reducing deadstock, and more accurately forecast future reordering needs.
Unfortunately, keeping track of how much inventory you have in stock, where it is, and when you’ll need to reorder requires effort and time that you simply may not have. If you’re a small business still figuring out how to manage inventory yourself, you need a tool to stay organized. The good news? There’s an app for that—lots of them, actually. We’ll discuss some of the most popular and affordable inventory management apps for business owners, which include:
- Inventory Now
- Inventory+
- On Shelf
- Stockpile by Canvus
- SOS Inventory
5 Inventory Management Apps to Help Your Growing Business
Most of the inventory management apps listed below offer comparable levels of core functionality, but some of these systems also offer unique key features that might be invaluable to your small business operations.
Inventory Now: Free (without subscription), iOS
Inventory Now (formerly “Inventory Tracker”) is designed to help retailers track inventory through the product life cycle. It’s simple to use while still highly customizable.
Key Features:
- Customizable views and categories
- PayPal integration
- Barcode scanner functionality
- Import and export functionality
- Unit pricing
- Item grouping
- Order tracking
- Multi-user sync (with subscription fee)
Inventory+: $4.99, iOS
Inventory+ allows you to track and store inventory within an attractive, easy-to-use app that can be easily modified to match your needs.
Key Features:
- Multiple data viewing options
- Offline access to your data
- Data export functionality to PDF or CSV
- PIN code to password-protect your data
- Customizable appearance with multiple theme colors
On Shelf: $4.99, iOS
On Shelf helps you maximize your retail income by optimizing your inventory levels. Easily see which items are “hot” and which are just taking up valuable space on your shelves.
Key Features:
- Log your sales
- See current sales trends
- Built-in barcode reader
- Customer database
- Product management database
- Sync between multiple users and devices
Stockpile by Canvus: Free, Web/Desktop
Provided by Canvus applications, Stockpile is a free, robust online inventory system that helps small businesses, startups, and at-home users save time and money on inventory tasks.
Key Features:
- Add inventory
- Take returns
- Record sales and damaged goods
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited storage
- Unlimited products
- Unlimited locations
- Reporting module to track inventory turnover
- Tiered access model to govern multiple locations at once
- Reliable technical support
SOS Inventory: Starting at $40/month, Web/Desktop
Already using QuickBooks? SOS Inventory is built to integrate with QuickBooks Online, adding hundreds of capabilities to streamline your inventory and order management.
Key Features:
- Support for multiple locations
- Serial number tracking
- Cost history tracking
- Eliminates duplicate data entry
Need More Storage Space for Your Inventory?
Although these inventory management apps could help your business save money and improve cash flow, you’ll still need the physical space to store your products. If you’re running out of inventory space, you could always rent your own warehouse; it’s expensive, but if you’re a growing company, it might be a sound decision. Not ready for a warehouse? At StorageMart, we offer affordable self storage units for businesses just like yours. How much storage space will you need for your commercial needs? Our size guide can give you a better idea. Find a facility near you and rent a unit online today!
Updated July 21, 2020