Softabase

Fishbowl vs inFlow Inventory: Complete Comparison 2026

An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.

Fishbowl logo

Fishbowl

7.4(1,620 reviews)

Inventory and warehouse management software built for QuickBooks users with manufacturing, barcode scanning, and asset tracking.

inFlow Inventory logo

inFlow Inventory

7.9(1,340 reviews)

Inventory management for SMBs with purchasing, sales orders, barcode scanning, and a built-in B2B showroom portal.

Quick Comparison

AspectFishbowlinFlow Inventory
Best ForQuickBooks users who need serious inventory management without switching accounting systemsSmall wholesalers and distributors who need PO management and B2B ordering
Pricing ModelSubscriptionSubscription
Starting Price$329/mo$110/mo
Deploymentcloud, on premisecloud
PlatformsWEB, WINDOWS, IOS, ANDROIDWEB, IOS, ANDROID, WINDOWS
Rating7.4/107.9/10

Pros & Cons

Fishbowl

Pros

  • Best QuickBooks integration in the inventory management space — 20+ years of refinement
  • On-premise option (Drive) for businesses that need offline access or data sovereignty
  • Manufacturing module with BOMs and work orders punches above its weight class
  • Barcode scanning support across the full warehouse workflow from receiving to shipping
  • Asset tracking built in — useful for companies managing equipment alongside inventory

Cons

  • User interface looks and feels outdated — stuck somewhere around 2015
  • Per-user pricing adds up quickly for larger warehouse teams
  • Ecommerce integrations are clunky compared to Cin7 or Ordoro
  • Mobile app is bare-bones — functional but missing modern UX touches
  • On-premise version (Drive) requires IT resources to maintain and update

inFlow Inventory

Pros

  • Clean purchase order workflow — create, send, receive, and auto-update stock in minutes
  • B2B showroom portal lets wholesale customers browse and order without phone/email back-and-forth
  • Reasonable pricing starting at $110/month — less than half of what Cin7 charges
  • Multi-location tracking with per-location reorder points keeps each warehouse optimized
  • QuickBooks and Xero integration handles invoicing and accounting sync reliably

Cons

  • No free plan — competitors like Zoho Inventory and Sortly offer free tiers
  • Manufacturing support limited to basic assemblies — no multi-level BOMs or work orders
  • Mobile app feels like an afterthought compared to the desktop experience
  • No direct Amazon or eBay integration — you need workarounds for marketplace selling
  • Interface is functional but visually bland — could use a design refresh

Pricing Comparison

ProductPricing ModelStarting Price
Fishbowlsubscription$329/mo
inFlow Inventorysubscription$110/mo

Our Verdict

Choose Fishbowl if...

QuickBooks users who need serious inventory management without switching accounting systems

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Choose inFlow Inventory if...

Small wholesalers and distributors who need PO management and B2B ordering

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Still Not Sure?

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