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Start free trialShopify tracks stock quantities, but it has no purchase orders, no demand forecasting, no low-stock alerts, and no barcode receiving — so most growing stores add an inventory app. This is how to evaluate one: the nine criteria that matter, a scoring checklist, and the red flags to avoid.
Does Shopify have built-in inventory management?#
Partly. Shopify tracks stock quantity per variant and per location, and it can stop overselling if you turn off "continue selling when out of stock." What it does not do: purchase orders, supplier management, reorder-point alerts, demand forecasting, cost tracking, or barcode receiving. An inventory app fills those gaps and syncs back to your store — see the complete Shopify inventory management guide for the full feature breakdown.
The 9 criteria for evaluating a Shopify inventory app#
1. Two-way sync
A sale on Shopify should deduct stock in the app instantly, and an adjustment in the app should flow back to Shopify. Real-time inbound sync is what prevents overselling.
2. Variant-level tracking
Every Shopify variant should be its own tracked item with its own SKU and barcode, not rolled up to the product.
3. Purchase orders
Can you raise a PO, receive against it, and have receiving update stock? Shopify has no PO system at all.
4. Reorder-point alerts
Low-stock alerts by email or SMS before you run out, set per item.
5. Demand forecasting
Does it predict what to reorder from real sales history, or just show current counts?
6. Barcode and mobile
Scan to receive, count, and look up items from a phone, with no special hardware.
7. Multi-location
Track and transfer stock across stores and warehouses, mapped to the Shopify locations you sell from.
8. Channel coverage
If you also sell on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy, does the tool sync those too, or Shopify only?
9. Price and total cost
Flat pricing beats per-user fees, because per-seat billing punishes you for putting the tool in more hands. Check which tier each capability actually sits on before comparing headline prices — the entry price and the price of the plan you would really need are often different numbers.
Score each tool (0 to 2 per criterion)#
Rate every tool you shortlist on each criterion — 0 if it is missing, 1 if it is partial or costs extra, 2 if it is full and included. A perfect score is 18. Grab the free Shopify inventory app evaluation scorecard to score them side by side.
For retail (POS plus online) sellers#
If you sell in-store and online, both draw from the same stock pool, so your app has to sync the Shopify location your POS uses and let you scan-count the back room. For retail, multi-location (criterion 7) and barcode scanning (criterion 6) move from nice-to-have to non-negotiable.
How the main options compare#
| Tool | Starting price | Purchase orders | Forecasting | Barcode | Multi-location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InventoryQuick | $19/mo flat | Yes (from Starter) | Yes (Business) | Yes (phone) | Yes |
| Cin7 | $349/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Katana | $299/mo | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| inFlow | $129/mo | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes |
Starting prices are from each vendor's published plans; InventoryQuick is flat-rate with no per-user fees. The other tools cover the criteria but at roughly 7 to 18 times the entry price.
Red flags when evaluating#
- "Real-time multi-channel sync" that does not actually hold up across Amazon and eBay — cross-channel sync is hard, and overpromising it is common.
- Per-user fees that balloon as your team grows.
- No mobile barcode scanning — if receiving and counting still mean a clipboard, the tool is half a solution.
- $200-350/mo for purchase orders and alerts a $19-49 tool already includes.
InventoryQuick adds the purchase orders, barcode scanning, and multi-location tracking Shopify lacks, from $19/mo flat with no per-user fees. Demand forecasting is on Business ($149/mo). Bring your catalog in from a Shopify product export (new store connections are paused). Start your 7-day free trial
Related: Complete Shopify inventory management guide · Best Stocky alternatives · How to stop overselling on Shopify · Your Stocky replacement
Common questions
Does Shopify have built-in inventory management?
Partly. Shopify tracks stock quantity per variant and per location and can stop overselling, but it has no purchase orders, supplier management, reorder-point alerts, demand forecasting, cost tracking, or barcode receiving. Growing stores add an inventory app to fill those gaps and sync the data back to Shopify.
How do I evaluate a Shopify inventory management app?
Score each tool on nine criteria: two-way sync, variant-level tracking, purchase orders, reorder-point alerts, demand forecasting, barcode and mobile scanning, multi-location, channel coverage, and total cost. Rate each 0-2, test the sync direction on real orders, and check for per-user fees before committing.
What should a Shopify inventory management app cost?
Purpose-built apps start around $19-49/mo flat, while enterprise platforms run $299-349/mo and often add per-user fees. For most Shopify stores, a flat-rate tool that covers purchase orders, forecasting, barcode, and multi-location is far better value than paying enterprise pricing for the same core features.
What is the best Shopify inventory management app?
The best app is the one that scores highest on the criteria your store actually needs — sync, purchase orders, forecasting, barcode, and multi-location — at a price that fits. InventoryQuick covers all of those with no per-user fees — plans start at $19/mo flat, with two-way Shopify sync (new store connections are paused) and demand forecasting on Business ($149); Cin7 and Katana cover them too but at $299-349/mo.
Does Shopify have purchase orders?
No. Shopify has no native purchase order system — you cannot raise a PO to a supplier, receive against it, or have receiving update your stock. An inventory app adds purchase orders on top of Shopify, and receiving against a PO updates your Shopify stock automatically.
More from the blog
Shopify Inventory Management: The Complete Guide for 2026
Everything Shopify sellers need to know about managing inventory — from built-in tools to third-party apps, multi-location tracking, and demand forecasting.
How to Stop Overselling on Shopify (2026 Guide)
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How to Manage Shopify Inventory Across Multiple Locations
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Shopify Purchase Orders: Why + How (2026 Guide)
Shopify doesn't have purchase orders. Here's why POs matter for Shopify sellers and how to add them with third-party tools.