Fishbowl vs Cin7 (2026): Which Inventory Management Software Is Better?

Overview

Fishbowl and Cin7 both serve businesses that have outgrown basic inventory tracking in spreadsheets or Shopify's native inventory tools. Both handle multi-location inventory, purchase orders, and sales order management. The key distinction is the type of business they're designed for.

Fishbowl was built for manufacturers and assemblers — businesses that buy raw materials or components and turn them into finished goods. Its bill of materials (BOM) and work order management are its strongest features.

Cin7 was built for product resellers, multichannel retailers, and wholesalers — businesses that buy finished goods and sell them through multiple channels (Shopify, Amazon, B2B wholesale, physical retail). Its integrations with ecommerce platforms, 3PLs, and EDI partners are its strongest features.

Core features

The table shows the divergence clearly: Fishbowl excels at manufacturing-side features (BOM, work orders). Cin7 excels at retail and wholesale-side features (EDI, 3PL integrations, ecommerce channels).

Integrations

Cin7's integration ecosystem is a major competitive advantage. Cin7 integrates natively with: - Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento - Amazon, eBay, Walmart Marketplace - ShipBob, ShipMonk, and dozens of 3PL providers - Major EDI networks (SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce) - Xero, QuickBooks, and MYOB for accounting

Fishbowl's integrations are narrower. Its primary integration strength is QuickBooks — Fishbowl was originally built as a QuickBooks inventory add-on. Shopify, Amazon, and ecommerce integrations are available but require third-party connectors (often Zapier-based) rather than native integrations.

Manufacturing capabilities

Fishbowl's manufacturing module includes: - Bill of Materials (BOM): Define what components go into each finished product - Work Orders: Track production runs, material consumption, and labour - Assembly operations: Multi-level BOMs for complex assembled products - Raw material tracking: Manage component inventory separately from finished goods

For a business that manufactures supplements (sourcing capsules, powder, bottles, labels and assembling the final product), Fishbowl's manufacturing module tracks the entire production process. Cin7 cannot match this functionality.

Pricing

Both tools have significant implementation costs beyond the monthly fee. ERP implementations are complex — budget time for data migration, staff training, and workflow configuration. Cin7's cloud-native architecture typically makes implementation faster than Fishbowl's.

Verdict

Fishbowl for businesses with a manufacturing or assembly component — any business where you're combining components or raw materials into finished products. Fishbowl's BOM and work order management are purpose-built for this use case.

Cin7 for multichannel product resellers and wholesalers who buy finished goods and sell across multiple channels. Cin7's 700+ integrations, EDI capabilities, and B2B wholesale portal make it the stronger platform for retail-focused operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Fishbowl replace QuickBooks?

No. Fishbowl is designed to integrate WITH QuickBooks, not replace it. Fishbowl handles inventory, warehouse, and manufacturing operations while QuickBooks handles accounting, payroll, and financial reporting. They work as a pair. Cin7 also integrates with QuickBooks (and Xero) as the accounting layer.

Does Cin7 work for businesses that do some light manufacturing?

Yes, for simple kitting and bundling. Cin7 supports product bundles and kits (combining SKUs into a new assembled SKU with automatic component deduction). For simple assembly operations, this is sufficient. For complex multi-level BOMs, material consumption tracking, and work order management, Fishbowl's manufacturing module is significantly more capable.

How long does implementation take for each platform?

Fishbowl implementation typically takes 4–12 weeks depending on business complexity, the number of locations, and whether manufacturing BOMs need to be configured. Cin7 implementation typically takes 2–8 weeks. Both platforms have implementation partners and offer onboarding services. Budget for data migration from your existing system (spreadsheets, Shopify, previous ERP) as a significant portion of implementation time.

Is Cin7 Core the same as Cin7?

Cin7 rebranded its products in 2022: DEAR Inventory became Cin7 Core and the original Cin7 became Cin7 Omni. Cin7 Core (formerly DEAR) is the simpler, more affordable option. Cin7 Omni is the more advanced platform with deeper EDI, retail, and 3PL integrations. Comparisons between "Cin7" and other tools should clarify which product is being referenced.

Which platform is better for Amazon FBA sellers?

Neither Fishbowl nor Cin7 is specifically optimised for Amazon FBA inventory management (inbound shipments, FBA inventory tracking, stranded inventory). Cin7 integrates with Amazon but primarily for order management. For Amazon-specific inventory management (especially mixed FBA/FBM operations), dedicated tools like Linnworks, Veeqo, or Sellercloud may be more appropriate.