Looking for the best inventory management software in 2026? Here’s what you need to know:
Managing inventory effectively is key to avoiding stockouts, overselling, and tying up cash in unsold products. The right software can save you time, money, and headaches. From affordable flat-rate options to advanced solutions, this guide compares top tools like Forthcast, Inventory Planner, Prediko, and Fabrikatör - all designed to simplify inventory tracking, demand forecasting, seasonal inventory planning, and multi-channel synchronization.
Key Highlights:
- Forthcast: $19.99/month flat-rate; ideal for Shopify users needing AI-driven demand forecasting and cost predictability.
- Inventory Planner by Sage: Starts at $59/month; great for multi-channel retailers with detailed analytics needs.
- Prediko: $99/month; AI-powered with purchase order automation, suited for growing Shopify brands.
- Fabrikatör: $79/month and up; focused on Shopify, with features like backorder management and freight planning.
Quick Comparison:
| Software | Pricing Model | Starting Price | Best For | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forthcast | Flat-rate | $19.99/month | Shopify-based e-commerce retailers | Shopify-only |
| Inventory Planner | Tiered | $59/month | Multi-channel retailers | Cost increases with scale |
| Prediko | Tiered | $99/month | Shopify brands with high growth | Limited marketplace support |
| Fabrikatör | Tiered | $79/month | Shopify retailers with complex inventory needs | Shopify-exclusive |
Flat-rate pricing, like Forthcast’s, offers predictable costs, while tiered models may escalate as your business grows. Choose based on your needs, budget, and sales channels. Ready to optimize your inventory? Start with a free trial to see which tool fits your business best.
Inventory Management Software Comparison 2026: Pricing and Features
Best Inventory Management Software For Small Businesses! (2026)
sbb-itb-499c055
1. Forthcast
Forthcast is an AI-driven inventory management tool tailored for Shopify merchants. Its standout feature? It doesn't just track past sales - it predicts unconstrained demand, estimating potential sales beyond what was actually sold. This is a game-changer for businesses that have faced stockouts, as it highlights missed revenue opportunities.
Pricing
Forthcast keeps things simple with a flat-rate pricing model of $19.99/month. There are no per-SKU fees or hidden costs, making it one of the more budget-friendly options in a market where entry-level tools typically charge $50–$300 per month, and midmarket solutions can climb to $1,500–$5,000 monthly. Plus, a 14-day free trial lets you explore its full features before committing. For businesses managing extensive SKU lists, this flat-rate approach eliminates worries about scaling costs.
Key Features
Forthcast’s forecasting engine is powered by statistical analysis and machine learning, selecting the best prediction method for each SKU. It tracks two essential metrics: Bias (error direction) and Accuracy (error magnitude), offering clear insights into forecast performance. Some of its standout features include:
- 6-month demand projections to plan ahead.
- Anomaly detection to identify unusual sales patterns.
- Bundle breakdown to forecast demand for individual SKUs within product bundles.
- New product substitution, using data from similar products to predict demand for new launches.
- Custom forecast enrichments for promotions and service level customization to adjust inventory buffers based on risk tolerance.
- Automated reorder alerts and lost sales tracking, ensuring you don’t miss restocking opportunities or overlook the cost of stockouts.
Integrations
Forthcast offers native integration with Shopify and Shopify Plus, ensuring real-time synchronization of inventory data. This connection means sales data, product variants, and inventory levels flow directly into the system without manual input. For businesses juggling multiple sales channels, this integration minimizes stock discrepancies and reduces the risk of overselling. The smooth data flow enhances inventory management accuracy across the board.
Target Market
Forthcast is designed for Shopify-based e-commerce retailers, DTC brands, and dropshippers looking for professional inventory management without breaking the bank. It’s especially useful for businesses transitioning from spreadsheets but not yet ready to invest in costly, complex systems. Companies dealing with seasonal demand shifts, promotional campaigns, or new product rollouts will find its adaptive forecasting particularly beneficial.
2. Inventory Planner by Sage
After exploring Forthcast, let’s dive into Inventory Planner by Sage.
This platform simplifies demand forecasting, purchasing recommendations, and analytics for e-commerce and multichannel retailers. By predicting future demand, it helps businesses avoid both stockouts and overstock situations.
Pricing
Plans start at around $59 per month, with custom pricing available based on the size of your inventory.
Key Features
Inventory Planner by Sage leverages historical sales data to forecast demand and determine the best times to reorder products. Its detailed reporting and analytics tools allow businesses to:
- Monitor inventory turnover rates
- Pinpoint slow-moving stock
- Adjust purchasing strategies effectively
One case study highlighted a 40% improvement in inventory turnover after implementing the platform. Additionally, businesses using solutions like this report an average 25% reduction in stockouts and a 30% boost in order fulfillment rates.
Integrations
The platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Shopify, Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Amazon, eBay, QuickBooks, Linnworks, and Cin7. These connections ensure real-time data synchronization across channels, minimizing overselling and reducing manual data entry.
Target Market
Inventory Planner by Sage is a strong choice for retailers managing diverse product catalogs across multiple channels. It’s especially valuable for businesses dealing with seasonal demand shifts or navigating complex supply chains, thanks to its advanced analytics and purchasing tools.
Next, we’ll weigh the unique strengths and limitations of these platforms.
3. Prediko
Prediko is an AI-powered inventory planning tool designed for Shopify-based e-commerce brands. It tackles key challenges like stock forecasting and automating purchase orders, making it a valuable resource for businesses navigating the fast-paced world of e-commerce.
This platform specializes in demand forecasting, purchase order automation, and SKU-level performance analysis. By examining historical data, seasonal trends, and marketing plans, Prediko delivers accurate stock predictions tailored to your business needs.
Pricing
Prediko's pricing starts at around $99 per month for businesses generating less than $100,000 in GMV. They also offer a 14-day trial for new users, with customized pricing available for larger enterprises.
Key Features
Prediko stands out with its Buying Tables, which consolidate inventory data to optimize order timing. The system automatically creates purchase orders based on forecast insights, turning predictions into actionable steps. Additional features include:
- Stock alerts to notify you when inventory levels run low.
- SKU-level analytics for a detailed view of how individual products are performing.
Users often praise its forecasting precision and time-saving automation. However, smaller brands with tight budgets may find the pricing to be a potential hurdle.
Integrations
Prediko integrates directly with Shopify, ensuring a seamless experience for brands looking to streamline their inventory management workflows.
Target Market
Prediko is ideal for direct-to-consumer e-commerce brands that operate on Shopify. It’s especially helpful for businesses dealing with rapid growth, fluctuating seasonal demand, or extensive product catalogs. With its AI-driven forecasting and automated purchase order generation, Prediko offers a practical solution for staying ahead of inventory challenges without the complexity of larger enterprise systems. Its focus on detailed SKU analytics further enhances its appeal for scaling brands.
4. Fabrikatör
Fabrikatör offers a distinct approach to inventory forecasting and replenishment, catering specifically to Shopify-based retailers. This platform is built to address common inventory challenges like stockouts, overstocking, and mismanaged orders, making it a go-to solution for businesses seeking advanced tools tailored for Shopify.
The platform brings together forecasting, purchase order management, and analytics in one streamlined system. Beyond typical forecasting and order management, Fabrikatör shines with features like backorder management and freight planning, which help businesses coordinate restocking shipments more effectively.
Pricing
Fabrikatör offers four pricing tiers:
- Basic: $79/month
- Standard: $119/month
- Enhanced: $159/month
- Pro: $280/month
New users can test the platform with a 14-day free trial before committing to a subscription.
Key Features
One standout feature is its backorder management, which allows businesses to keep sales flowing even when stock levels are low. This ensures revenue isn’t disrupted during restocking. Additionally, the freight planning tool helps businesses optimize bulk shipments, reducing shipping costs across multiple purchase orders.
Integrations
Fabrikatör integrates seamlessly with Shopify and Shopify Plus stores. It also connects with other platforms and tools, including Amazon (on request), Klaviyo, WooCommerce, QuickBooks, PayPal, and Stripe. These integrations help businesses sync financial data, manage marketing campaigns, and streamline sales channels, reducing the need for manual updates.
Target Market
Fabrikatör is designed for Shopify-based e-commerce brands, especially those with steady sales patterns, a variety of product options, or seasonal inventory demands. However, its exclusive focus on Shopify may limit its appeal for businesses using other platforms or those with minimal sales volumes, where the investment might not be as practical. For Shopify retailers, though, Fabrikatör offers a well-rounded solution that aligns with their operational needs, complementing broader inventory strategies.
Advantages and Disadvantages
When considering inventory management software, it’s crucial to weigh pricing predictability and the potential trade-offs during implementation.
As of 2026, predictable pricing combined with robust features is a hallmark of top-tier inventory management tools. Forthcast, for instance, offers a flat-rate pricing model at $19.99/month, which eliminates unexpected costs often associated with tiered pricing systems. Tiered models can lead to escalating expenses as businesses grow, add users, or surpass transaction limits. For e-commerce brands experiencing rapid growth, this kind of pricing clarity is a game-changer.
"Flat‑rate pricing models provide businesses with the predictability they need to manage their budgets effectively." – Industry Expert, E-commerce Platforms
However, implementation timelines can vary significantly. While cloud-based solutions are typically up and running within 30 days, enterprise-level systems may require 6 to 12 months to fully implement.
It's also essential to account for the total cost of ownership beyond the subscription price. These costs often include licensing, implementation fees, user charges, integrations, and ongoing support. In many cases, these additional expenses can double the first-year costs. Entry-level systems may further complicate budgeting with restrictive transaction limits or SKU caps, leading to overage fees. Midmarket solutions often add hidden costs, such as third-party integration fees, which can range from $200 to $800 per month per connection.
The impact of pricing predictability is clear in real-life scenarios. For example, in February, a small e-commerce business switched to Forthcast’s flat-rate model. This decision led to a 20% reduction in monthly software costs and improved budgeting accuracy, even as the business navigated rapid growth and fluctuating user demands.
Here’s a quick comparison of popular inventory management software:
| Software | Pricing Model | Starting Price | Key Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forthcast | Flat-rate | $19.99/month | Shopify-focused |
| Inventory Planner | Tiered | $100/month | Volume-based pricing |
| Prediko | Tiered | $49/month | Limited marketplace support |
| Fabrikatör | Tiered | $79/month | Shopify-exclusive |
Conclusion
Selecting the right inventory management software in 2026 means finding a solution that fits both your budget and operational needs. Entry-level systems generally cost between $50 and $300 per month, while midmarket solutions range from $1,500 to $5,000 monthly. For enterprise platforms, monthly costs often exceed $10,000, with first-year investments - including implementation fees - falling between $200,000 and $500,000.
However, the real challenge lies in understanding the total cost of ownership. Many tiered pricing models include per-user fees of $30–$150 and transaction charges of $0.50–$2.00, which can increase monthly costs by 50% to 200% as your business grows.
"CFOs who budget based solely on initial subscription quotes consistently underestimate total cost of ownership by 30% to 60% within the first two years." – Benson Lin, Concentrus
Flat-rate pricing offers an alternative with better cost predictability. For instance, Forthcast’s flat-rate pricing of $19.99/month removes the uncertainty of per-user or transaction fees. With features like AI-powered demand forecasting, smart reorder alerts, and SKU-level analytics, Forthcast ensures you won’t encounter surprise costs as your business scales. This pricing model makes it easier for businesses to manage inventory efficiently while staying within budget.
For those focused on improving their inventory management KPIs without worrying about escalating software expenses, Forthcast provides a straightforward solution. By eliminating hidden fees, it allows you to concentrate on growth rather than unexpected costs.
Take control of your inventory management today. Start your 14-day free trial and experience Forthcast’s flat-rate pricing - just $19.99/month with no per-SKU fees. For more insights, check out our guides on inventory management KPIs and free Shopify inventory management apps.
FAQs
What is unconstrained demand?
Unconstrained demand refers to the total demand customers have for a product or service when there are no limitations on supply. It shows the maximum potential sales that could be achieved if inventory or capacity were unlimited.
How do I estimate total cost of ownership?
When calculating the total cost of ownership for inventory management software, it's crucial to look past just the subscription or licensing fees. Additional costs can include implementation services, ongoing support, integrations, user licenses, and charges for any extra modules. Together, these elements can have a notable effect on your overall investment.
How long does setup usually take?
Setting up inventory management software typically takes around three days, although the exact timeline can depend on your platform and specific business requirements. Factors such as the complexity of the system and the need for integrations with other tools or software can influence how long the process takes.
