Quick summary
Cin7 is a general ERP built for retail, wholesale, and manufacturing. It's more platform than most Shopify-first brands need. Forstock leads this list for Shopify brands that want forecasting and reorder math handled well, without the extra system weight. Katana Cloud Inventory follows for brands that manufacture their own goods, Cogsy for DTC brands planning around launches and promos.
Before the full breakdown, here's how the top three compare:
| Tool | Best For |
|---|---|
| Forstock | Shopify-native brands that want AI-driven reorder recommendations |
| Katana Cloud Inventory | Shopify brands that manufacture their own products |
| Cogsy | DTC brands planning inventory around launches and promo calendars |
Cin7 fees add up fast once you connect more than two channels
Cin7 Core starts at $349 a month. That covers 6,000 orders a year and 2 integrations. Cross either line, whether it's a busier season or a third channel like Amazon, and you're on Pro at $599 or Advanced at $1,199.
That's fine if you're using most of what Cin7 does. It's steep if you just want to stop guessing at what to order. Some brands want a cheaper plan that still covers their channels. Others want forecasting built into how they buy. Forstock starts at $79/month, priced by revenue band, no per-seat or per-integration fees. Here's why this list is worth trusting.
Why listen to us?
Forstock's forecast cut stockouts by roughly 40% for Ezz Studios, a Paris fashion brand. Every reorder recommendation showed its work. Cover, sell-through, lead time, safety stock, all visible before the number. The team could check the math themselves, so they stopped re-deriving numbers in a spreadsheet.
What is Cin7?
Cin7 Core, formerly DEAR Systems, is a cloud inventory and order management platform for retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers selling across multiple channels. It handles inventory tracking, purchase orders, and light manufacturing workflows like bills of materials.
Cin7 also sells Omni, a separate, sales-quoted platform with native EDI and deeper customization for large, complex operations. This guide covers Core, the plan most relevant to a Shopify-scale brand.
Why seek alternatives to Cin7?
The tiered pricing gates basic multichannel selling
Standard includes two integrations, so Shopify, Amazon, and an accounting connection already hit the ceiling. Beyond the sticker price, one reviewer reported a $72/month increase with no added features to show for it, on top of Pro or Advanced's list price.
It's broad, and forecasting costs extra
Cin7 covers inventory, purchase orders, and light manufacturing across retail, wholesale, and manufacturing. That breadth suits a multi-vertical seller. Stockout-aware forecasting exists, but it's a paid add-on, not part of the base plan.
The learning curve slows small teams down
The most consistent complaint in recent Cin7 reviews is the interface. The layout feels cluttered, and workflows aren't always intuitive for a new hire. A five-person Shopify brand doesn't have a dedicated ops hire for that ramp-up the way a 50-person wholesaler might.
Top 9 Cin7 alternatives
| Tool | Key Features | Best For | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forstock | AI forecasting, reorder queue, PO management | Shopify brands wanting forecasting without a full ERP | $79/month |
| Katana Cloud Inventory | BOM, production planning, Shopify sync | Shopify brands that manufacture their own goods | $179/month |
| Cogsy | Forecasting, what-if planning, PO drafting | DTC brands planning around launches and promos | $199/month |
| Ordoro | Order routing, label printing, dropship automation | Sellers needing shipping and inventory in one tool | $59/month |
| Zoho Inventory | Multi-warehouse, batch/serial tracking, Zoho sync | Budget-conscious sellers on Zoho apps | $39/month |
| inFlow Inventory | Barcode scanning, B2B ordering, multi-location stock | Small teams wanting a simple, visual system | $149/month |
| Unleashed Software | Multi-currency, batch tracking, manufacturing assemblies | Distributors and wholesalers with complex stock | $399/month |
| Finale Inventory | Barcode/warehouse management, 50+ integrations | Warehouse-heavy sellers needing barcode workflows | $99/month |
| Netstock | Multi-model forecasting, S&OP, supplier tracking | Larger distributors already running an ERP | Custom quote |
1. Forstock
Forstock is built for Shopify sellers, including those who also sell on Amazon. It's scoped to three jobs: forecasting, reordering, and purchase orders. Cin7 wraps those same jobs inside a broader platform built for retail, wholesale, and manufacturing at once. Forstock just does the three: buy finished goods, forecast demand, get them back on the shelf.
Forstock's Forecast module reads the days each SKU sat out of stock alongside its sales. A bestseller that ran out for three weeks isn't counted as zero demand. Cin7 puts stockout-aware forecasting behind a paid Foresight-AI add-on. Forstock builds it into every plan.
Key features:
- Demand Forecast: Per-SKU prediction, up to a year out, adjusted for stockout-suppressed sales.
- Reorder Queue: What to buy, how much, and when, with lead time and MOQ factored in.
- Purchase Order Management: Draft, send, track, and receive POs, with landed cost and payment tracking built in.
- Supplier Records: Lead time, MOQ, pack size, and currency per supplier, so reorder math runs on your real terms.
- Multichannel Demand: Shopify and Amazon orders feed one plan per SKU, readable by channel.
- Stock Health by SKU and Location: Days of cover with out-of-stock, running-low, and overstock flags, in units or revenue.
Pricing
Priced by revenue band, starting at $79/month.
Pros:
- Forecasting corrects for stockout-suppressed demand
- Same feature set at every tier
- Reorder math is shown
Cons:
- No manufacturing or bill-of-materials module
- Newer platform, review count on third-party sites still growing
Best for: Shopify-native brands that want AI-driven reorder recommendations without a full ERP.
2. Katana Cloud Inventory
Katana Cloud Inventory is for Shopify brands that manufacture what they sell. Its bill-of-materials and production tools track raw materials through work orders into finished SKUs, syncing back to Shopify. Plans scale with order volume. A brand moving high volumes of low-ticket items can watch the bill climb past the starting price.
Key features:
- Bill of Materials: Break a finished product into raw components and cost.
- Production Planning: Schedule work orders against available stock.
- Shopify Order Sync: Push finished-goods counts back to Shopify.
- Traceability Add-On: Track batch and lot numbers through production.
Pricing
From $179/month, billed annually.
Pros:
- Bill-of-materials and work-order tracking
- Shopify sync rated highly for accuracy
Cons:
- Order-volume scaling makes monthly cost hard to predict
- Manufacturing features sit unused if you don't produce your own goods
Best for: Shopify brands that manufacture their own products.
3. Cogsy
Cogsy is a planning tool for DTC brands that build inventory around a marketing calendar. Its what-if scenario planning is the standout. Model best, worst, and likely outcomes before committing budget. Cogsy drafts the PO from that forecast, then hands it off. It stops there, before delivery or receiving.
Key features:
- Scenario Planning: Model best, worst, and likely demand before you commit spend.
- Marketing Calendar Sync: Tag a promotion, demand recalculates.
- Real-Time Tracking: Stock across every channel and location.
- Purchase Order Drafting: Generate a draft PO from the forecast.
Pricing
$199/month, single plan. Free trial, no annual lock-in.
Pros:
- Scenario planning around launch dates
- One flat plan, no feature-gating
Cons:
- No PO tracking through to receipt
- No cheaper entry point for a smaller catalog
Best for: DTC brands whose demand swings around launches and promotions.
4. Ordoro
Ordoro sells shipping, order routing, and inventory as three separate modules, each priced on its own. A brand wanting shipping and stock under one login gets its clearest fit here. Shipping's free on its own, an easy add for labels across USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Add inventory or dropship automation and pricing stacks toward a custom quote.
Key features:
- Shipping Label Printing: Discounted labels across major carriers.
- Multichannel Order Sync: Route Shopify, Amazon, and eBay orders into one queue.
- Dropship Automation: Route and track dropship fulfillment.
- Inventory Tracking: Sync stock across every connected channel.
Pricing
Shipping's free. Inventory from $349/month, Dropshipping from $299/month, as separate modules. Full bundle needs a custom quote.
Pros:
- Shipping module is free
- Shopify, Amazon, and eBay order flow in one place
Cons:
- Bundle pricing isn't published upfront
- Forecasting is basic next to a dedicated demand tool
Best for: Sellers who want shipping, dropship routing, and inventory together.
5. Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory fits well if you already run other Zoho apps like Books or CRM. Multi-warehouse tracking, batch tracking, and a free plan make it an easy on-ramp. The free plan caps at 50 orders a month and one user. That's too tight for most working sellers, more of a trial than a real plan. Past that, a la carte add-ons for users, orders, and locations shape the bill.
Key features:
- Multi-Warehouse Tracking: Manage stock across locations.
- Batch and Serial Tracking: Track batches through the sales cycle.
- Zoho Ecosystem Sync: Connect to Zoho Books and CRM directly.
- Free Starter Plan: 50 orders a month, one user, no cost.
Pricing
Free, or from $39/month, billed monthly.
Pros:
- Genuinely free tier, not a time-limited trial
- Native sync to Zoho Books and CRM
Cons:
- 50-order free-plan cap won't hold past a very small business
- A la carte pricing makes monthly cost hard to estimate
Best for: Budget-conscious sellers already using other Zoho apps.
6. inFlow Inventory
A visual, barcode-friendly interface is the core of inFlow. It's aimed at small teams wanting something simple to onboard a new hire onto. Plans gate by sales-order volume. The entry plan caps at 100 orders a month, easy to hit during a launch week.
Key features:
- Barcode Scanning: Scan items with a phone camera or scanner.
- Showroom Pro: A visual, self-serve ordering catalog for wholesale buyers.
- Multi-Location Stock: Unlimited locations on Small Business and up.
- QuickBooks and Xero Sync: Push data to either platform.
Pricing
From $149/month, billed monthly.
Pros:
- Barcode-first workflow, simple to train on
- Showroom Pro gives wholesale buyers self-serve ordering
Cons:
- Order caps can force an early upgrade during a strong launch
- Only one integration on the entry plan
Best for: Small teams wanting a simple system and a wholesale ordering catalog.
7. Unleashed Software
Unleashed is built for distributors and wholesalers managing multi-currency, multi-warehouse inventory, with assembly tracking layered in. Heavier and pricier than a Shopify-only brand typically needs. Base plans are flat-rate. Paid modules for warehouse management, a B2B store, and CRM stack on top, already the highest starting price on this list.
Key features:
- Multi-Currency Inventory: Track costs across currencies.
- Batch and Assembly Tracking: Follow materials into assembled products.
- Multi-Warehouse Management: Location-level stock visibility.
- B2B Store Module: Sell wholesale through a dedicated portal.
Pricing
From $399/month, billed monthly.
Pros:
- Multi-currency tracking built in
- Assembly and batch tracking covers light manufacturing
Cons:
- Steepest starting price here for a non-enterprise tool
- Add-on modules stack fast
Best for: Distributors and wholesalers with multi-currency, multi-warehouse stock.
8. Finale Inventory
Finale is anchored by barcode scanning and a large integration library, 50+ connections across ecommerce and shipping. Clearest fit for a seller running a physical warehouse. Pricing scales by user count. Five tiers, from a one-user Starter to a 16-user Platinum. Cheaper for a small team, pricier for many hands.
Key features:
- Barcode Warehouse Management: Scan-driven receiving, picking, cycle counts.
- 50+ Integrations: Ecommerce, shipping, and reporting tools.
- Reorder Point Reports: Standing reports on what's below threshold, per location.
- No Long-Term Contract: Month-to-month throughout.
Pricing
From $99/month, billed monthly.
Pros:
- Barcode-driven warehouse workflows
- No long-term contract
Cons:
- Pricing scales by headcount
- Forecasting limited to reorder-point reports
Best for: Sellers running a physical warehouse who need barcode receiving.
9. Netstock
Netstock is a demand-planning platform that bolts onto an existing ERP, aimed at larger distributors with complex supply chains, well beyond a single-storefront Shopify brand. Multiple forecasting models and supplier tracking are built for a scale most DTC sellers haven't reached. That fits a company running NetSuite or SAP evaluating a forecasting layer. A different conversation than comparing a $39 plan to a $349 one.
Key features:
- Multi-Model Forecasting: Auto-selects the best-fit model per item.
- Sales and Operations Planning: Align forecasts with supply and financial planning.
- Supplier Performance Tracking: Score suppliers on delivery performance.
- Forecast Overrides: Adjust for a known promotion.
Pricing
Custom quote, based on modules and inventory value.
Pros:
- Multiple forecasting models auto-select by demand pattern
- Built as a layer on top of an existing ERP
Cons:
- No published pricing, budgeting needs a sales call first
- Overkill for a single-storefront Shopify brand without an ERP
Best for: Larger distributors and manufacturers running an ERP who need a forecasting layer.
How we evaluated these tools
We weighed five factors across all nine tools:
- Whether pricing's published and predictable, or needs a sales quote
- How deep the forecasting goes, versus a basic reorder-point alert
- How many integrations each entry tier allows before forcing an upgrade
- Whether the tool covers one job well or bundles in features a Shopify brand won't touch
- Whether Pros and Cons trace back to independent reviews or vendor marketing
How to choose the right Cin7 alternative
The tools on this list split along one line. Forecasting and reordering done well, or that bundled into a bigger platform with manufacturing, shipping, and warehouse ops on top.
Forstock or Cogsy fit best if you're a Shopify-only or Shopify-plus-Amazon brand wanting demand forecasting without learning a full ERP. Pick Forstock for ongoing purchase-order tracking. Pick Cogsy for scenario planning tied to a marketing calendar.
Manufacturing your own products points you to Katana's bill-of-materials tracking, depth a pure forecasting tool doesn't build. If shipping matters as much as inventory, Ordoro's free shipping module is a strong start. A very small or budget-constrained seller should look at Zoho's free tier or inFlow's entry plan first. A distributor running physical warehouses, multiple currencies, or an existing ERP fits better with Unleashed, Finale, or Netstock.
If forecasting and reorder math are what you actually need, that's the whole of what Forstock does.
Want to see it on your own catalog? Start a free trial or book a demo.
FAQs
What's the best Cin7 alternative for a Shopify store?
Forstock and Cogsy fit best for a Shopify-native brand wanting AI demand forecasting. Forstock for purchase-order tracking. Cogsy for scenario planning tied to a marketing calendar.
Does Cin7 integrate natively with Shopify?
Cin7 connects through its integration library. One of dozens of supported platforms in a broader multi-channel system. Forstock and Cogsy are built around Shopify from the ground up.
Is Cin7 too expensive for a small business?
For one or two channels, yes. Standard costs $349/mo for two integrations. A third channel or automation feature pushes you to the $599 or $1,199 tier.
Why do Shopify brands outgrow Cin7's complexity?
Cin7 is a general ERP across retail, wholesale, and manufacturing. A Shopify-only brand ends up paying for warehouse, B2B, and manufacturing tooling it never opens. That's on top of the $599 or $1,199 jump a third channel triggers.
What's cheaper than Cin7?
Forstock starts at $79/month. Zoho Inventory has a free plan plus $39/month. Finale starts at $99/month. All three publish pricing, no sales quote needed.
Can I run a forecasting tool alongside a Cin7 alternative?
Some layer a dedicated tool, like Cogsy or Netstock, on top of a broader ERP. Others replace the stack with one tool, like Forstock. It handles forecasting, reordering, and purchase orders together.