10 Best Free Inventory Management Software In 2023
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Software Shortlist
Here’s the list of the best tools that I’ll cover in this article.
1.
UpKeep
— Best for turning mobile devices into bar scanners with a mobile-friendly platform
2.
Zoho Inventory
— Best for small businesses with a single warehouse
3.
inFlow Inventory
— Best for generating in-depth reports with an on-premise solution
4.
Sortly
— Best for staying on top of your inventory with low stock and date-based alerts
5.
Odoo Inventory
— Best free open source inventory management software
6.
ABC Inventory
— Best for managing multiple warehouses and creating custom kits for customers
7.
SalesBinder
— Best for CRM + inventory management on mobile
8.
PartKeepr
— Best for creating custom fields for your inventory with an open-source solution
9.
Stockpile
— Best for managing multiple locations and unlimited inventory items
10.
RightControl
— Best for managing up to 10 inventory lines and communicating with clients
The best free inventory management software helps ecommerce businesses keep track of stock, without having to pay monthly fees. That’s right: Even small businesses with tight budgets still have excellent options to keep track of stock.
In this article, I’ll take a look at the best free inventory management software available on the market today. The review includes a short description and a screenshot of each tool that made it on the list, as well as a comparison chart so you can determine which solution is best for you.
What is Free Inventory Management Software?
Free inventory management software are cloud-based solutions that help you keep track of stock movements, manage your inventory levels, and oversee sales orders and product availability.
These SaaS tools offer ample functionality completely free of charge. In many cases, free inventory management software are the base or freemium plans offered by companies who also provide paid tiers. This means that as your business grows and you require greater functionality, there is room for your software to grow with you.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Free Inventory Management Software Solutions
Here’s a brief description of each free inventory management solution to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
1
UpKeep
Best for turning mobile devices into bar scanners with a mobile-friendly platform
UpKeep is an inventory control software that helps you manage your stock and oversee order fulfillment. The platform creates a centralized location for your inventory counts, so you know exactly where each item is and how many items you need to replenish your stock.
Even though this solution doesn’t offer a dedicated mobile app, it has a mobile-friendly design, so it will work flawlessly on any mobile device. The mobile version also has bar scanning capabilities, so you can scan items and create purchase orders without leaving the platform.
The software automatically updates your inventory counts and sends you push and email notifications when stock levels are low. The platform also enables you to manage different locations.
The free version of UpKeep doesn’t offer integrations.
UpKeep’s free-forever version has limited capabilities, but comes with unlimited view-only users, unlimited vendors, multiple location management, and chat & phone support.
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.5
634
7-day free trial available
Plans start at $45/user/month
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2
Zoho Inventory
Best for small businesses with a single warehouse
Zoho Inventory is a cloud-based inventory management tool that helps you track inventory changes, manage sales and purchase orders, and list your products on multiple sales channels. This solution creates a centralized inventory system for all your online sales.
It updates your inventory quantity whenever a sale is made, so it keeps your inventory levels in sync across different channels. One of the best things about this solution is its use of comprehensive dashboards.
The dashboards offer you increased visibility into your business, allowing you to see inventory changes and best-sellers with ease. Zoho Inventory integrates dozens of solutions, including Shopify, eBay, Stripe, PayPal, Amazon, Etsy, Salesforce, and Google Shopping.
Zoho Inventory is free for organizations with a single warehouse that sell up to 50 orders/month.
The free version allows you to create 50 shipping labels per month.
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.3
70
14-day free trial + free plan available
From $79/month.
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3
inFlow Inventory
Best for generating in-depth reports with an on-premise solution
InFlow OnPremise is an inventory software that helps you track orders and stock levels. The platform stores your data on a Windows computer and allows you to share the data across your local network.
The platform offers an extensive knowledge base, so you can learn how to use all of its functionalities without support. You can create product categories, track any purchase order and items out for repair, manage returns, and keep accurate records of your sales. Its reporting feature is great and delivers valuable insights into your organization.
This free inventory software allows you to create an unlimited number of users with different permission levels for your local network users. However, two users cannot make changes to the inventory at the same time. When one user is making changes, the other users have read-only access.
InFlow OnPremise does not integrate with other apps, but you can export your data to QuickBooks Online as CVS files.
InFlow OnPremise is free for up to 100 products and customers. If you reach this limit, you have to purchase a license in order to keep using the platform.
The free version allows you to create 15 reports.
14 days trial
From $49.80/user/month
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4
Sortly
Best for staying on top of your inventory with low stock and date-based alerts
Sortly is an inventory management software that enables you to add products to your inventory, segment your products into multiple categories, and track every sales order. The platform has a nice interface that’s easy to master, and it has a design that’s compatible with all mobile devices.
Sortly makes inventory tracking easy with the help of automatic low stock alerts and date-based reminders for products with short warranties or expiration dates. You can also create custom dashboards so you can get a bird’s-eye-view of your business.
The free inventory software allows you to create one custom field. This enables you to create a custom inventory category for products that don’t fit into the product’s default fields. The free version of Sortly doesn’t offer integrations.
Sortly is free for one user, one custom field, and up to 100 items.
14-day free trial + free plan available
From $49/month
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5
Odoo Inventory
Best free open source inventory management software
Odoo is an award-winning free and open source inventory management system that has amassed over 7 million users since its launch. They are currently used by companies across various selling and manufacturing industries, like Toyota, Cox, Hyundai, and Danone.
Odoo Inventory is known in particular for its flexibility in customizations and integrations.
Odoo is noteworthy for its complete suite of business apps that all work in tandem to cover every aspect of online selling: inventory, CRM, marketing, accounting, task management, and so on. It is comprehensive and, with a bit of elbow grease, completely flexible and can be molded to shape your exact needs. Robust documentation, open source DNA, and a thorough list of integrations can transform it into the exact tool that you need.
Odoo integrates with dozens of third-party apps, like rocketchat, Quickbooks, Google Sheets, WordPress, Slack, Hubstaff, Microsoft SQL, and other options. A paid plan through Zapier can unlock additional integration options.
The Odoo open source community edition is completely free to use with some feature limitations. Paid plans start at $31/user/month to access all their apps, or you can use one app for free, or take advantage of their 15-day free trial.
15-day free trial
From $31/user/month
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6
ABC Inventory
Best for managing multiple warehouses and creating custom kits for customers
ABC Inventory is an on-premise inventory system that helps you with order management, procurement management, and inventory management. This software does not limit the number of records you can store in its database, so you can manage large inventories with it.
ABC Inventory can track items across multiple warehouses, which is a feature many paid solutions don’t offer. In addition, the platform also offers a kitting functionality, enabling you to sell multiple items as part of a set or kit. This software stands out from other free solutions because it includes some features you would normally find in paid apps, such as multiple currencies support, warehouse and stock movement logs, or automatic creation of serial and lot numbers.
However, ABC Inventory does not integrate with any other software in your technology stack, so you can’t sync your inventory data in your favorite ecommerce platform or create reports for every sales channel.
ABC Inventory is completely free for unlimited records.
Free to use
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7
SalesBinder
Best for CRM + inventory management on mobile
SalesBinder is a freemium inventory management software that has a good free-forever version. The web-based platform has a nice interface that’s easy to navigate and helps you keep your stock organized. The free inventory management system offers a lot of great functionalities, such as a CRM, unlimited locations, invoicing, estimates, shipment tracking, barcoding, sales orders, purchases orders, reports, and an iOS inventory app.
SalesBinder integrates with a variety of apps, including Xero, WooCommerce, QuickBooks Commerce, and Zapier. However, none of these integrations are available for the free version.
SalesBinder is free for one user and up to 100 inventory records.
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8
PartKeepr
Best for creating custom fields for your inventory with an open-source solution
PartKeepr is an open-source inventory management system that helps you keep track of your stock and orders. The solution is highly customizable, so you can include or exclude as many fields as you want in your product descriptions. You can also create custom data fields for every item and then include those fields in your search. The platform’s search functionality is very good and it enables you to sort and filter products by any field.
PartKeepr allows you to manage your inventory with the help of barcode scanners. The platform supports barcode scanners, but there are some free apps on GitHub that enable you to pair your mobile devices with PartKeepr and turn them into barcode scanners.
PartKeepr doesn’t offer native integrations, but you can customize it to integrate with many popular ecommerce solutions if you know how to code.
PartKeepr is open-source and completely free.
Completely free
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9
Stockpile
Best for managing multiple locations and unlimited inventory items
Stockpile is an online inventory management software for small businesses and at-home users. The platform helps you manage the stock level of inventory items across different locations and enables you to create multiple users with various permission levels.
The solution makes it easy to add inventory, keep track of sales, and handle returns or damaged goods.
Stockpile’s reporting features help you gain valuable insights on inventory turnover. The platform offers multiple tutorials so you can learn how to use all of its functionalities, and offers free support for all users.
Stockpile supports multiple currencies and allows you to process and record sales. You can set up custom notifications for low stock levels.
Stockpile is completely free for unlimited inventory items, users, and locations.
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10
RightControl
Best for managing up to 10 inventory lines and communicating with clients
RightControl is a free stock management and inventory optimization software designed for solopreneurs and small businesses. The software helps you generate and print barcodes, track every inventory item, create invoices, and manage your sales. The software has a clean interface and its documentation is thorough, so you can learn to navigate it with ease.
The order management tool allows you to track single items, multiple identical items, and item bundles, so you can create different product categories and subcategories to optimize your stock.
RightControl enables you to generate purchase orders without difficulty. The dashboard highlights purchase orders past their due delivery dates, so you can spot them right away. This solution does not offer integrations with payment or accounting software.
Your RightControl account starts with a 30-day demo of the full app, after which you have to register for the free version to keep your data. The free version restricts access to only one user and 10 inventory lines.
The free version has built-in contact management capabilities, enabling you to communicate with customers without leaving the app.
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1.
UpKeep
— Best for turning mobile devices into bar scanners with a mobile-friendly platform
2.
Zoho Inventory
— Best for small businesses with a single warehouse
3.
inFlow Inventory
— Best for generating in-depth reports with an on-premise solution
4.
Sortly
— Best for staying on top of your inventory with low stock and date-based alerts
5.
Odoo Inventory
— Best free open source inventory management software
6.
ABC Inventory
— Best for managing multiple warehouses and creating custom kits for customers
7.
SalesBinder
— Best for CRM + inventory management on mobile
8.
PartKeepr
— Best for creating custom fields for your inventory with an open-source solution
9.
Stockpile
— Best for managing multiple locations and unlimited inventory items
10.
RightControl
— Best for managing up to 10 inventory lines and communicating with clients
The 10 Best Free Inventory Management Software Solutions Summary
Other Options
Eventually, you may outgrow your free inventory software. After all, the goal of any e-seller is to grow their stock (available items and quantity of each in stock) and customer base. In that case, you may want to upgrade your free inventory management software from this list to a paid plan, if they offer one. If not, scale up with one of our selections for the best inventory management software (paid + scalable options).
You may also want to check out our other FREE software round-ups for ecomm companies:
- Best free ecommerce software – For general ecommerce needs, from selling to marketing.
- Best free warehouse management software – For stocking and shipping out of your product warehouses.
How I Selected the Best Free Inventory Management Software
Curious how I chose the free inventory management software for this list? I began by seeking out the free solutions with the highest user ratings. I poked around to understand their platforms, how they can help small businesses, and what functionality they offered for free.
After establishing my long list, I applied the evaluation criteria below to see how each platform stacked up against the next. When making the final cut, I drew on my experience in inventory management to finalize my list of the best inventory management software available for free.
Selection Criteria
- User Interface (UI): Inventory management must sport a UI design that makes it easy to view inventory items individually or in groups. I’m looking for easy inventory reports, clean menus, and sensible dashboards.
- Usability: I look for solutions that are easy to use. Your team should be able to learn how to use most of the tool’s functionalities after a brief onboarding or training period.
- Integrations: I look for solutions that integrate with popular ecommerce platforms and other apps you would normally use.
- Value for Pricing: I look for tools that don’t limit your ability to manage your inventory despite being free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s take a look at some of the FAQs about free inventory management software.
What are the Key Features of Inventory Management Software?
If your team is looking for a free inventory management software, make sure it offers all of the following features:
- Inventory tracking: The tool should enable you to maintain accurate records of all the orders you receive, shipped items, refill requirements, etc.
- Notifications and alerts: The software should automatically send you notifications when your inventory reaches certain thresholds so you can replenish your stock.
- Barcode scanning: The solution should enable you to scan barcodes, so you can save time when entering products into your system.
- Returns management: The tool should enable you to keep track of returned items so you can check them out before re-entering them into your system.
- Security and backups: The software should be secure and back up your data to protect it from bad actors.
Why Do Small Businesses Need Free Inventory Management Software?
Inventory management software automates many of the time-consuming manual tasks of inventory management. Not only does this free up the time of small business owners to focus on more important priorities, but it also increases the accuracy of your data by mitigating the risk of human error.
Given that small businesses often have tight budgets, choosing a free inventory management software is an excellent option. These tools offer ample functionality without breaking the bank.
Optimize Your Ecommerce Business With Free Inventory Management Software
Inventory management is important for ecommerce businesses. As Bala Ganesh, UPS Vice President of Marketing, said: “It’s about streamlining the supply chain and constantly updating real-time stock quantities so that customers get what they want when they want it without turning to another provider. […] Automated purchasing activity and real-time inventory status can help businesses identify the most- and least-profitable locations.”
Free solutions have their limitations, but they can help you set up your ecommerce business and attract your first buyers. However, the ecommerce industry is always changing, so you need to stay up to date with the latest developments.
To learn more about inventory management, don’t miss these articles:
What Is Ecommerce Inventory Management? And How to Get it Right
Inventory Management Software Features and Key Benefits
What is Cloud-Based Inventory Management and Why Should You Switch?
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