Fishbowl Inventory vs. NetSuite ERP

Written by

David Budiac

Last updated on

September 20th, 2023

NetSuite ERP

Fishbowl Inventory

Oracle’s NetSuite is well-known in the ERP world for its customization and scalability. It’s a multi-tenant ERP software supporting finance, operations, sales, service, and HR needs.

Best For:

NetSuite is best for small businesses with 10 to 50 employees, mid-market companies with 50-200 employees, and enterprises with over 10,000 employees.

Not a Good Fit For:

NetSuite isn’t great for process manufacturers since their core manufacturing module focuses more on discrete bill of materials rather than recipes and formulas. It’s also generally overkill and prohibitively expensive for smaller businesses or sole proprietors.

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

Best For:

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.

8.3

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

7.1

USER RATING

based on 28 user reviews

Our Verdict:

We like NetSuite for its strong accounting and supply chain management capabilities. It also offers out-of-the-box functionality and a mature, cloud-native design. Additionally, NetSuite integrates with eCommerce platforms, point-of-sale apps, and more.

We don’t recommend it for startups due to its complexity. It lacks field service management and heavy manufacturing support. Implementation may require technical expertise.

Pros:

Hundreds of third-party add-ons available
Feature sets for multiple industries
Highly customizable
Advanced audit trail
Scalable, web-based ERP software system

Cons:

Must schedule a consult for pricing details
Tedious setup
Difficult to build reports
No equipment management
No field service management

8.9

Our Rating

based on our expert editorial analysis

6.7

USER RATING

based on 25 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

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price $99/user/month
Client OS Web

Price Range
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $
Starting Price $3,195/year
Client OS Windows, macOS

Our editorial review staff has spent time demoing and reviewing NetSuite ERP and Fishbowl Inventory to help you make an informed decision. Drawing from our personal experience with these products, we present an objective comparison to assist you in selecting the best software for your business.

NetSuite ERP Overview

NetSuite ERP, developed by Oracle, is renowned for its customization and scalability. It is a cloud-based ERP software designed to support the needs of finance, operations, sales, service, and HR departments.

NetSuite is best suited for small businesses, mid-market companies, and large enterprises. With its robust accounting and supply chain management capabilities, businesses can enjoy out-of-the-box functionality and seamless integration with eCommerce platforms, point-of-sale apps, and more.

However, it may not be the best fit for startups due to its complexity. Also, it lacks field service management and heavy manufacturing support, and implementation may require technical expertise.

Fishbowl Inventory Overview

Fishbowl Inventory, on the other hand, is an inventory management software that caters to a variety of industries. It’s perfect for QuickBooks users that need advanced inventory management or a light MRP system. Typically, it’s best for small to medium-sized businesses.

Fishbowl stands out for its competitive pricing and seamless integration with QuickBooks. However, it has a somewhat steep learning curve, and transactions do not post to QuickBooks in real-time. They require either manual or scheduled sync. Also, customizations can sometimes lead to difficult support scenarios.

The Verdict

For most businesses, we recommend NetSuite ERP. It offers more comprehensive capabilities, especially for larger businesses. Its feature set and scalability make it a more versatile solution.

Fishbowl Inventory is a strong contender if you’re a small or mid-sized business in need of advanced inventory management, especially if you’re already using QuickBooks. However, NetSuite ERP offers more functionality and is suitable for a wider range of businesses.

To explore more options, consider checking our roundup of the best ERP software overall.

NetSuite ERP

★★★★★

(28)

Oracle’s NetSuite is well-known in the ERP world for its customization and scalability. It’s a multi-tenant ERP software supporting finance, operations, sales, service, and HR needs.

Price Range

$ $ $ $ $

Starting Price

$99/user/month

Client OS

Web

Deployment

Cloud Hosted

Fishbowl Inventory

★★★★★

(25)

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

$3,195/year

Client OS

Windows, macOS

Deployment

Cloud or On-Premises