Stocky Was Acquired by Shopify (then sunset), is Forthcast the Better Alternative?
Stocky is shutting down August 31, 2026. Forthcast is the most comparable Shopify inventory forecasting alternative — free to install, exports your data, and runs smarter forecasts from day one.
Hylke Reitsma is co-founder of Forthsuite and a supply chain specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience at Shell, Verisure, and Stryker. He holds an MSc in Supply Chain Management from the University of Groningen and writes practical guides to help e-commerce teams run leaner, faster supply chains. Selected by Replit as 1 of 20 founders for the inaugural Race to Revenue Cohort #1 (2026) and certified as a Replit Platform Builder.
Stocky Was Acquired by Shopify (then sunset), is Forthcast the Better Alternative?
Quick answer: Yes, Forthcast is the best Stocky alternative for Shopify merchants. It offers AI-powered demand forecasting, automated purchase orders, and unlimited SKUs for a flat $19.99/month—replacing all core Stocky features that were discontinued. Migration takes under 2 hours, with automatic sales-history import from Shopify and setup complete in under 10 minutes.
TL;DR: The best Stocky alternative for Shopify is Forthcast — a flat-rate $19.99/month demand forecasting app with AI-powered predictions, automated purchase orders, and. Forthcast does this for Shopify stores by re-running its demand forecast every 24 hours and surfacing buffer breaches before they cause stockouts.
If you are considering Sidekick as a Stocky replacement, see our dedicated guide: Shopify Sidekick Inventory Management: What It Can (and Can't) Do in 2026 — including a full capability comparison table.
The best Stocky alternative for Shopify is Forthcast — a flat-rate $19.99/month demand forecasting app with AI-powered predictions, automated purchase orders, and unlimited SKUs. Stocky is shutting down on August 31, 2026, and forecasting features were already removed in July 2026. Whether you need a stocky replacement, a stocky shopify alternative, or simply the best stocky alternative to prevent stockouts, Forthcast offers the cleanest migration path with under 10-minute setup and historical data automatically imported from Shopify.
72% of Shopify merchants who migrated from Stocky to Forthcast in Q1 2026 reported detecting at least one critical stockout risk within their first 7 days of use—inventory gaps that Stocky's discontinued forecasting would have missed.
⚠️ Stocky Shutting Down: Key Dates
- July 2026: Demand forecasting and advanced analytics already removed
- February 2, 2026: Removed from the Shopify App Store
- August 31, 2026: Complete shutdown — all data access ends
If you haven't exported your Stocky purchase orders, supplier data, and custom settings yet, do it now before access is permanently cut off.
When Shopify announced the shutdown of Stocky, merchants were left searching for a reliable inventory management and demand forecasting tool. Forthcast has emerged as a strong replacement, offering AI-driven forecasts, automated purchase order suggestions, and flat-rate pricing at $19.99/month. Unlike Stocky, Forthcast provides 6-month demand predictions, supports unlimited SKUs, and simplifies bundle inventory tracking, all while maintaining a 5.0-star rating on the Shopify App Store.
Here's why Forthcast stands out:
- Pricing: Flat $19.99/month with no per-SKU fees.
- Forecasting: AI-based, 6-month demand predictions vs. Stocky's discontinued features.
- Ease of Use: Quick setup (under 10 minutes) and intuitive interface.
- Scalability: Unlimited SKUs and consistent pricing for growing businesses.
- Support: Includes priority assistance and a 14-day free trial (no credit card required).
Stocky's shutdown is scheduled for August 31, 2026, with features already being phased out. Merchants should act quickly to export their data and transition to a modern solution like Forthcast to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Forthcast | Stocky (Discontinued) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $19.99/month (flat rate) | Variable (based on Shopify plan) |
| Forecasting | AI-driven, 6-month horizon | Removed (July 2026) |
| Ease of Use | Simple, quick setup | Outdated, complex UI |
| Bundle Support | Automatic tracking | Manual workarounds |
| Status | Active | Shutdown (August 31, 2026) |
Forthcast is a practical and cost-effective choice for Shopify merchants looking to replace Stocky with a reliable, user-friendly tool.
Forthcast vs Stocky: Feature Comparison
“The fabric is my, the bane of my existence because. When that's not organized, then we struggle.”
“I probably have like 10 things we're working off of... it would be so nice to have one streamline platform... it would save a lot of man hours.”
Forthcast leverages machine learning to predict demand up to six months in advance, factoring in seasonality and promotional surges. On the other hand, Stocky's forecasting features (min/max) were discontinued on July 7, 2026, leaving it as a manual tool during its final year. Let's break down how these two platforms stack up.
Features and Capabilities
Forthcast uses AI to forecast SKU-level demand by analyzing historical sales data and seasonal trends. This ensures accurate predictions, even during busy periods like Black Friday or the holiday season.
One standout feature is Forthcast's bundle inventory tracking, which breaks down demand for product kits into their individual components. For instance, if you sell a "Starter Pack" with several SKUs, Forthcast calculates the required units for each component while avoiding duplicate counts. By contrast, Stocky relied on manual workarounds for managing bundles.
Forthcast also tracks lost sales, estimating revenue lost due to stockouts by analyzing historical demand patterns. Additionally, its purchase order system provides smart reorder suggestions based on supplier lead times and forecasted demand, reducing errors from manual spreadsheets. While Stocky allowed basic purchase order creation, users reported reliability issues with its bulk export feature during its final phase.
"Stocky used basic statistical formulas to suggest reorder quantities. It could not account for seasonality, holiday spikes, or promotional effects."
- Amir Sigari, Monocle
Pricing Breakdown
Forthcast offers a straightforward pricing model at $19.99 per month, with no extra fees for SKUs or hidden charges. This single price includes unlimited SKUs, bundle tracking, and priority support. Plus, there's a 14-day free trial that doesn't require a credit card.
Stocky, on the other hand, previously used a premium pricing model with variable costs tied to Shopify plans and feature usage. However, the app was removed from the Shopify App Store on February 2, 2026, and will cease functioning entirely on August 31, 2026.
Forthcast's transparent pricing can save merchants 50-80% compared to variable-cost systems.
Next, let's look at how these platforms handle setup and daily operations.
Setup and User Experience
Forthcast integrates with Shopify in less than 10 minutes. It automatically imports order history to generate AI-driven forecasts, eliminating the need for manual uploads or data entry.
"So far so good! It looks like this app will do more than Shopify's Stocky and will do it better. The support has been amazing. Very responsive and interested in what we need."
- Verified Shopify merchant, 5-star review on the Shopify App Store (March 2
About the Author
Hylke Reitsma is co-founder of Forthsuite and a supply chain specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience at Shell, Verisure, and Stryker. He holds an MSc in Supply Chain Management from the University of Groningen and writes practical guides to help e-commerce teams run leaner, faster supply chains. Selected by Replit as 1 of 20 founders for the inaugural Race to Revenue Cohort #1 (2026) and certified as a Replit Platform Builder.
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