Software Shortlist
Here’s the list of the best tools that I’ll cover in this article.
- UpKeep
Turn your mobile devices into bar scanners with a mobile-friendly platform
- Zoho Inventory
Simple inventory manager that helps you run a small business with a single warehouse
- inFlow Inventory
Track inventory and generate in-depth reports with an on-premise solution
- Sortly
Stay on top of your inventory with low stock and date-based alerts
- Odoo Inventory
Open source inventory management software that prioritizes customizability and integrations
- RightControl
Manage up to 10 inventory lines and communicate with clients without leaving the app
- ABC Inventory
Manage multiple warehouses and create custom kits for your customers
- PartKeepr
Create custom fields for your inventory with an open-source solution
- Stockpile
Manage multiple locations and unlimited inventory items
- SalesBinder
Access a CRM and manage your inventory with a mobile app
Inventory management software helps ecommerce businesses keep track of stock. This kind of software is vital for any ecommerce organization but is especially important for businesses that sell products on multiple channels.
The good news is that there are free solutions you can use to keep track of stock movements, manage your inventory levels, and oversee sales orders and product availability.
In this review, I’ll take a look at the best free inventory management software you can use in 2023. 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.
Comparison Criteria
What do I look for when I select the best free inventory management system? Here’s a summary of my evaluation 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.
Inventory Management App: Key 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.
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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.
- UpKeep
Turn your mobile devices into bar scanners with a mobile-friendly platform
- Zoho Inventory
Simple inventory manager that helps you run a small business with a single warehouse
- inFlow Inventory
Track inventory and generate in-depth reports with an on-premise solution
- Sortly
Stay on top of your inventory with low stock and date-based alerts
- Odoo Inventory
Open source inventory management software that prioritizes customizability and integrations
- RightControl
Manage up to 10 inventory lines and communicate with clients without leaving the app
- ABC Inventory
Manage multiple warehouses and create custom kits for your customers
- PartKeepr
Create custom fields for your inventory with an open-source solution
- Stockpile
Manage multiple locations and unlimited inventory items
- SalesBinder
Access a CRM and manage your inventory with a mobile app
The 10 Best Free Inventory Management Software Solutions Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | UpKeep Turn your mobile devices into bar scanners with a mobile-friendly platform | Not available | Visit Website | |
2 | Zoho Inventory Simple inventory manager that helps you run a small business with a single warehouse | 14-day free trial | Free plan with limited features. Paid plans from $79 per month. | Visit Website |
3 | inFlow Inventory Track inventory and generate in-depth reports with an on-premise solution | 14 days trial | From $49.80/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | Sortly Stay on top of your inventory with low stock and date-based alerts | 14-day free trial | Free plan with limited features. Paid plans from $49 per month. | Visit Website |
5 | Odoo Inventory Open source inventory management software that prioritizes customizability and integrations | 15-day free trial | From $31/user/month | Visit Website |
6 | RightControl Manage up to 10 inventory lines and communicate with clients without leaving the app | Not available | Visit Website | |
7 | ABC Inventory Manage multiple warehouses and create custom kits for your customers | Free to use | Visit Website | |
8 | PartKeepr Create custom fields for your inventory with an open-source solution | Completely free | Visit Website | |
9 | Stockpile Manage multiple locations and unlimited inventory items | Not available | Visit Website | |
10 | SalesBinder Access a CRM and manage your inventory with a mobile app | Not available | Visit Website |
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.
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.
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