Honest comparison of 8 apps - pricing, features, and which one actually fits your store size. Written by the team at Debnix, which is on this list. We'll be upfront about where we fit and where we don't.
Shopify's built-in inventory tools have improved over the years. You get stock tracking, basic purchase orders, transfers, and low stock alerts. For a store with 10-20 SKUs selling at a steady pace, that might be enough.
But if you have 50+ SKUs, multiple suppliers, seasonal demand swings, or you've ever found out a product was sold out because a customer told you - you need more than what's built in. You need forecasting, AI-powered demand predictions, proper reorder point calculations, ABC analysis to know which products actually drive your revenue, and dead stock detection before slow-movers drain your cash.
There's also a deadline forcing the issue: Stocky is shutting down August 31, 2026. Thousands of Shopify sellers who relied on Stocky for forecasting and purchase orders need a replacement. This guide helps you find one.
The Shopify App Store has over 1,000 inventory-related apps. Most of them are basic. This guide covers the 8 that are actually worth considering, from free to enterprise. If you run a boutique or apparel store, our boutique inventory management guide covers the size/color variant issues that don't come up as much in a general comparison like this one.
For a deeper feature-by-feature breakdown of the same software landscape, including pricing tiers and FAQs, see our Shopify inventory software comparison.
Scroll right on mobile to see all columns.
| App | Best For | Pricing | AI Forecasting | Purchase Orders | Multi-channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Admin (built-in) | Basic stores | Free | Basic | ||
| This is usDebnix | Small stores wanting AI predictions | $21.99/mo | Yes | ||
| Prediko | DTC brands needing forecasting + POs | $49-349/mo | Yes | ||
| Inventory Planner by Sage | Growing brands needing full PO workflows | $99-299/mo | Yes | Limited | |
| Sumtracker | Multi-channel sellers | $39-149/mo | Yes | ||
| Katana | Manufacturers | $179-799/mo | Yes | ||
| Cin7 Core | Enterprise multi-channel | $349-999/mo | Yes | ||
| Stockful | Analytics-focused (Stocky replacement) | Free-$29/mo | Basic |
Shopify's built-in inventory covers the basics well, and it got a real upgrade in June 2026: purchase orders now support CSV-based creation for bulk line items, and receiving has been split out from the PO itself. Once a PO is confirmed, you receive stock through linked Transfers, which support multiple partial shipments and an estimated arrival date per shipment. If you're coming from Stocky, this is what Shopify is officially pointing you toward.
Debnix is built for solo Shopify sellers and small teams who want AI-powered inventory intelligence without paying $100+/mo. It connects directly to Shopify and uses Google Gemini AI for demand predictions.
Prediko is one of the stronger AI forecasting tools built specifically for Shopify DTC brands. It's trained on 25M+ SKUs and offers a 12-month planning calendar with purchase order workflows built in.
Inventory Planner is one of the more mature tools in this space with deep PO workflows, multi-warehouse support, and demand forecasting with seasonal trend analysis. It was acquired by Sage in 2022.
Sumtracker is built around one core strength: keeping inventory in sync across multiple sales channels. If you sell on Shopify plus Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or Walmart simultaneously, this is worth evaluating.
Katana is purpose-built for sellers who manufacture their own products. If you work with raw materials, bills of materials, and production planning, Katana handles what general inventory apps can't.
Cin7 Core is a full ERP system that handles inventory, POS, warehouse management, manufacturing, and accounting integrations. It's the most complete option on this list - and the most expensive.
Stockful positions itself directly as a Stocky replacement with a focus on inventory analytics and reporting. It has a clean UI and is the most affordable paid option on this list.
The right app depends almost entirely on your store's size, complexity, and what's costing you the most time right now.
Not sure where you fall? The biggest deciding factor is usually whether you need multi-channel sync. If yes, go Sumtracker. If no and you want AI predictions, go Debnix or Prediko depending on budget. If you just need basic tracking, Shopify Admin is free.
If you're currently on Stocky, you have until August 31, 2026 - roughly 2 months away. Stocky was already delisted from the Shopify App Store in February 2026, so new merchants can no longer even install it; existing users are running on borrowed time until the shutdown. Don't wait until the last minute - the closer to the deadline, the more chaotic migrations get, especially heading into Q4.
Shopify Admin doesn't replace most of what Stocky did. It covers basic POs and stock tracking, but there's no forecasting, no ABC analysis, no AI predictions, and no detailed profit reporting. If you relied on Stocky for those features, you need a dedicated app.
For a detailed comparison of Stocky vs the alternatives, see our Stocky alternative page. For step-by-step migration help, read the Stocky migration guide.
Shopify's built-in inventory tools are free with any Shopify plan and cover basic stock tracking, simple purchase orders, and low stock alerts. For stores with fewer than 30 SKUs that don't need forecasting, this is usually enough. Stockful also has a free tier focused on analytics.
If you have more than 30-50 SKUs, experience stockouts, or manually track reorder points in spreadsheets - yes. A dedicated app pays for itself quickly by preventing even one stockout on a fast-moving product. For very small stores, Shopify's built-in tools may be sufficient.
Debnix at $21.99/mo is the most affordable option with AI-powered demand predictions. The next tier up is Prediko at $49/mo. Shopify Admin is free but has no AI forecasting.
Generally not recommended - most inventory apps sync directly with Shopify and running two simultaneously can cause stock count conflicts. Pick one and stick with it. You can run them in parallel briefly for evaluation, but don't rely on both for live data.
Stocky stops working completely on August 31, 2026. All data will be inaccessible after that date. Export your Stocky data now (purchase order history, supplier list, cost data) and migrate to an alternative before Q4. See our full Stocky migration guide for step-by-step help.
Debnix is $21.99/mo with a 30-day free trial. If it's not right for your store, this guide has pointed you toward what is.
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