Fishbowl Warehouse vs. Dear Inventory

Fishbowl Warehouse is built with a “traditional” desktop design. The interface has a menu at the top which links to separate dashboards for “Materials”, “Purchases”, “Reports”, and so on.

The interface isn’t as minimal and intuitive as some of its cloud-based alternatives, and there’s definitely a learning curve. That said, it’s not overly complex, and Fishbowl provides ample support, through both onboarding assistants and documentation.

“The implementer that worked with me did a great job and we got a very personalized experience and a lot of up front training and support.”

“It works. As advertised and better. Some companies embellish the quality and quantity of their features. Not Fishbowl. They do everything they say and more.”

“It’s a little clunky to use, could definitely be a bit more user friendly. There is a bit of a learning curve and does take time to train new employees.”

While Dear Inventory is generally very easy to use, it does take some getting used to. It’s not so much the interface that’s the issue as the range of options and features. Stock orders, for example, can be set for multiple warehouses and tied to a range of inventory accounts.

With a little familiarization however, you and your team should be up and running smoothly.

“The software can be used "out-of-the-box" after a minimal amount of setup, and can also be used in more complex installations where bespoke software development might be needed.”

“Dear lets us manage the extraordinary combination of materials, compounds and product that we manufacture on a daily basis in a straightforward manner.”

“Our overall experience is positive. It was a little bit of a learning curve, but now that we have it down, I couldn't imagine going back.”

Fishbowl Warehouse is one of the most feature-rich solutions we’ve reviewed on Stackupp. It has all the functionality you would expect, including order and delivery management, analytics, automation, an extensive library of integrations, barcode scanning, POS, payment processing, on-site warehouse tracking, and more.

Fishbowl Warehouse was problematic in just a handful of areas. The analytics tools could be improved with more advanced reports. Currently, only limited sales and inventory tracking are possible. And very few integrations with third-party marketplaces, like Etsy, Wish, Walmart, and so on, are included. If any of these things is a make-or-break issue for you, then you’ll probably have to look elsewhere. Finally, keep in mind that Fishbowl offers a separate platform aimed exclusively at manufacturers. The “Warehouse” version alone isn’t suitable for tasks like tracking raw materials, managing parts, organizing stages of production, and so on.

The excellent multi-device compatibility is also worth noting. Fishbowl has built dedicated integrations to enable mobile use on Android, iPhone, and Microsoft Surface. And while it is a desktop app, users can access the platform from any device with the “Fishbowl Anywhere” tool. There’s also the option of “Fishbowl Hosting”, which allows users to store all their files on fully-secure servers. If you opt for this, you’ll still have to install software on your own hard drive but all your data will be looked after.

Dear Inventory is an entirely cloud-based app, so you won’t have to worry about any technical or maintenance tasks. The platform is fully compliant with GDPR and uses secure servers. Unfortunately, a mobile app isn’t available (either on iPhone or Android), so you can only access the interface via a desktop computer.

In terms of training, Dear Inventory provides extensive documentation and 24/7 customer service. No direct setup support is offered, unlike some other platforms that include a dedicated onboarding manager on higher-tier plans. Still, the solution is relatively easy to use out of the box, so this shouldn’t present a problem in the majority of cases.

The analytics and reporting dashboard is fairly comprehensive. Users have access to a range of reports, covering purchases, sales, inventory, finances, auditing and more. Third-party integrations can be used to extend analytics functionality, which is good for retailers that want to leverage demand forecasting, smart data insights, and other similar data processes.

Dear Inventory automation features are also worth noting. Users have access to a package of time-saving tools to streamline workflows. These include scheduled reports, if-then task automation, notifications and alerts (for both staff and customers), and a dedicated workflow dashboard.

Fishbowl doesn’t disappoint on the integrations front. Its library is one of the most comprehensive that we’ve seen, and includes connectors for a range of third-party apps from sales automation to accounting. If we had to find one fault, it would be that there’s only limited support for third-party marketplaces like Etsy and Wish.

Let’s kick off with accounting. Fishbowl is incredibly popular among QuickBooks users, and provides dedicated integrations for both the desktop and online versions. Fishbowl Warehouse is designed to work seamlessly with Quickbooks, filling in many of the functionality gaps that retailers require. Integrations are also available for Xero, Avalara, and Reckon users.

Fishbowl syncs with numerous ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, 3dcart, Zen Cart, and others. Retailers can also take advantage of marketplace integrations for Amazon and eBay.

So what about shipping? Fishbowl has clearly dedicated a lot of time to building out its shipping tools and provides an extensive array of integrations, with the likes of FedEx, DHL, ShipStation, and UPS covered.

A number of in-house integrations which extend the functionality of the app’s core feature-set are also provided. Even though Fishbowl is a desktop app, “Fishbowl Anywhere” enables users to access the interface using an internet connection from most devices, including Apple and Android phones.

Finally, Fishbowl offers its own POS system, employee time tracking tools, EDI (electronic data interchange), and link-ups for Zoho and Salesforce.

Our opinion of Dear Inventory’s library of integrations is a little mixed. While it’s good overall, it didn’t blow us away.

First, let’s take a look at the good points. The connectors for Xero, third-party marketplaces, and order fulfillment services have received particularly high praise from users. An integration for Zapier is also available, allowing retailers to sync up with hundreds of apps.

Notably, Dear Inventory has its own in-house POS (point of sale), B2B portal for corporate customers, API, and payments processor. All of these are big pluses for users that don’t want the hassle of managing multiple apps.

In terms of accounting, both Quickbooks and Xero are supported. Shipping connectors include ShipStation, Shippit, and Starshipit. Crossfire EDI provides electronic data exchange functionality.

But while Dear Inventory’s library of integrations is certainly satisfactory, it’s not as extensive as other solutions we’ve reviewed. In particular, the support for ecommerce platforms is lacking. Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce are all supported, but there’s no compatibility with platforms like BigCommerce, PrestaShop, Ecwid, or 3dcart (among others).

Equally, we would have preferred to see more native support for marketing tools like MailChimp and Salesforce, though the Zapier connector does go some way in making up for their absence.

If you’re thinking about opting for Dear Inventory, just make sure that you check the integration library first to make sure it includes what you need.

Evaluating the pricing of Fishbowl Warehouse is a little tricky. It’s one of the few apps that doesn’t operate a subscription or software-as-a-service model, making comparisons with competitors pretty much redundant.

Although Fishbowl does have a high up-front cost - plans start at $4,395 with additional fees for extra users/licenses - once you’ve purchased the software, you own it outright. In the longer-term, this can be significantly more cost-effective than paying a monthly fee.

Just remember that you only get support, training, and updates for one year. You’ll have to pay for a one, two, or three-year package after that.

Dear Inventory has a straightforward and competitive custom pricing model. It’s one of the cheaper enterprise-level solutions that we’ve reviewed.

Because it’s aimed squarely at medium-sized retailers, Dear Inventory is a great choice for companies that require advanced functionality without the price-tag of a broad enterprise platform.

Pricing starts at $199/month for five users and a maximum of 100,000 SKUs (product listings). Users can also opt to pay $2189 for a discounted annual subscription. Every additional user costs an extra $50/month.

A free 14-day trial is available on all plans. If you opt for the annual subscription, you’ll get a month for free.

The help and support package provided by Fishbowl is fairly comprehensive. When you purchase a license, you’ll have access to customer support for one year, after which you’ll need to pay extra, including for software updates.

Support is available via email (6am - 6pm MST), phone (6am - 6pm MST), and online chat (8am - 5pm). It’s possible to make an unlimited amount of phone calls under ten minutes but there is an allowance for calls over ten minutes. Additional support options are also available, such as access to a training assistant for help getting set up.

The documentation and training videos are extensive and straightforward.

Generally speaking, support from Dear Inventory is very good. The majority of users speak highly of the level of customer service, citing friendly staff and quick response times.

Dear Inventory also provides extensive documentation covering all of its features, although we felt it could be slightly better organized.

Despite the quality and 24/7 availability, however, there are a few negatives. Support is only available via support tickets, even on the most expensive plans. Users that prefer to communicate via phone or live-chat might be left feeling frustrated. Finally, Dear Inventory doesn’t offer a dedicated setup manager, which may lengthen the onboarding and implementation period for some retailers.

Fishbowl Warehouse fills a unique gap in the market. It’s a desktop solution for small and medium-sized retailers that need access to a powerful array of features. Functionality covers everything you would expect and more. Standout features include the extensive library of integrations, multi-device access, and superb customer support.

If you prefer to own your software outright, then Fishbowl Warehouse is a great option. Over time, you will likely save hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. Just be prepared to handle the backend side of things yourself. Or you can, of course, always opt to store your data on Fishbowl servers instead for an extra cost.

Medium-sized retailers of five employees and up should definitely consider Dear Inventory. It’s an intuitive, powerful solution that provides an array of tools to streamline everything from sales fulfillment to reordering. The feature-set is extensive and includes a POS system, barcode scanning, integrations with third-party tools, analytics, and more.

Wholesalers and manufacturers should also try out Dear Inventory. Trade sellers have access to a dedicated B2B portal for their customers, along with tools for tracking components, assigning materials, and managing multiple warehouses.

Small and independent retailers will likely benefit from a more compact solution, while enterprises may find it too limited. All other companies, however, should definitely take advantage of the free 14-day trial.