Fishbowl is best for QuickBooks users that need advanced inventory management or a light MRP system. Typically best for small to medium sized businesses. Median business user has 30 employees.

Acumatica is a renowned platform in the ERP world. It offers accounting, distribution management, CRM, manufacturing, and more modules. Acumatica supports unlimited users, with pricing based on the resources and modules your company uses.

Best For:

Acumatica is best for small companies with 10-50 employees and mid-level businesses with 50-200 employees. It’s a good fit for growing companies, allowing. them to license only the required modules.

8.9

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

6.7

USER RATING

based on 23 user reviews

Our Verdict:

If you’re a small or midsize business on the hunt for a powerful and scalable inventory management software that won’t break the bank, Fishbowl is the way to go. We found it perfect for manufacturers with FDA or USDA audit requirements for traceability.

However, if you’re looking for a simple inventory management system to handle just a few assets, Fishbowl might be a bit too robust for your needs. And its seamless integration with QuickBooks means if you already have a full ERP solution in place, some features might end up being redundant.

Pros:

Competitive pricing; does not require a subscription
Integrates with QuickBooks
Can function as a light MRP system

Cons:

Somewhat steep learning curve
Transactions do not post to QuickBooks in realtime; manual or scheduled sync only
Customizations can lead to difficult support scenarios
Does not store quotes

7.8

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

8.2

USER RATING

based on 22 user reviews

Our Verdict:

We like Acumatica for its open architecture facilitating rapid integrations, multi-entity support for global financial consolidation, and mobile accessibility. Its multi-warehouse inventory management is also beneficial.

However, we don’t recommend it for those who prefer straightforward pricing, as it requires a consultation call. Acumatica has a high learning curve and can be tedious to set up.

Pros:

Open architecture for rapid integrations
Multi-entity support
Mobile accessibility
Multi-warehouse inventory management

Cons:

Must schedule a consult for pricing calls
High learning curve
Tedious setup

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price $4,395 (perpetual license)
Client OS Windows, macOS

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price $1,800/month
Client OS iOS, Android, Web

Our editorial team has spent time reviewing and testing two of the top business software options: Acumatica and Fishbowl Inventory. Use our hands-on comparison to determine which product is the best fit for your business.

Acumatica Overview

Acumatica is a comprehensive ERP platform that covers a broad range of business needs, from accounting and distribution management to CRM and manufacturing. It’s designed for smaller and mid-size companies with between 10 and 200 employees. Its pricing model is based on the modules and resources your company uses, which allows for flexibility as your business grows.

We appreciated Acumatica’s open architecture, which allows rapid integrations, along with its multi-entity support for global financial consolidation. Its mobile accessibility and multi-warehouse inventory management are also beneficial for on-the-go operations. However, be aware that Acumatica has a high learning curve and can require a significant setup time. It also does not provide straightforward pricing, requiring a consultation call instead.

Fishbowl Inventory Overview

Fishbowl Inventory is an out-of-the-box software that offers advanced inventory management tools and a light MRP system. It’s particularly well-suited for QuickBooks users and businesses with around 30 employees.

We found that Fishbowl offers competitive pricing without requiring a subscription, and its integration with QuickBooks is seamless. It’s especially beneficial for manufacturers with FDA or USDA audit requirements for traceability. However, it’s important to note that Fishbowl might be a bit on the advanced side for businesses needing only a simple inventory management system. Its learning curve can also be somewhat steep.

Acumatica vs Fishbowl Inventory: Which is Better for Most Businesses?

Based on our comparison, Fishbowl Inventory is likely the better option for most businesses. Its competitive pricing and powerful features, combined with seamless QuickBooks integration, make it a great choice for many small to midsize businesses with stringent traceability requirements, such as food manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. Its light MRP system can also fill a niche for businesses that need more than basic inventory management, but aren’t ready for a full-blown MRP system.

In contrast, Acumatica could be a better fit for businesses that need a more comprehensive ERP solution, have multi-entity operations, or require mobile accessibility. However, its steeper learning curve and more complex pricing structure may be a hurdle for some businesses.

For more options, check out our roundup of the best ERP software.

Fishbowl Inventory

★★★★★

(23)

Fishbowl Inventory is an out-of-the-box software which caters to a lot of different industries in need of inventory management tools.

Price Range

$ $ $ $ $

Starting Price

$4,395 (perpetual license)

Client OS

Windows, macOS

Deployment

Cloud or On-Premises

Acumatica Cloud ERP

★★★★★

(22)

Price Range

$ $ $ $ $

Starting Price

$1,800/month

Client OS

iOS, Android, Web

Deployment

Cloud or On-Premises