3 best cloud-based inventory management software

Unexpected stock-outs, cash tied up in dead stock, and hours wasted on updating spreadsheets every day—if you’re a growing ecommerce retailer, these problems are direct barriers to growth. 

The solution is to choose the right cloud based inventory platform to help you streamline inventory management. To that end, we’ve put together a quick guide to help you find it. 

And while we’ve added Linnworks to the list (that’s how confident we are of our solution), our goal is to help you pick the software that best fits your business’s unique needs.

So we analyzed public reviews and features of the top three options to give you a clear, unbiased comparison. 

Let’s dive in. 

(Note: All data is compiled and cross-referenced from G2, and publicly available information.)

Snapshot comparison table

Here’s an overview of what each platform offers.

Tool	Best For	Strengths	G2 Rating
Linnworks	High-volume, multichannel brands needing advanced automation.	Rule-based order routing & automation100+ sales channel integrationsReal-time, multi-platform syncAdvanced demand forecasting	4.3/5
Zoho Inventory	SMBs and startups needing an affordable, easy-to-use solution.	User-friendly with a free starter planSeamless Zoho ecosystem integrationCore marketplace integrationsBatch & serial number tracking	4.3/5
NetSuite ERP	Large or global enterprises needing an all-in-one ERP for inventory and financials.	Unified ERP (inventory, financials, CRM)Advanced demand planning & lot trackingHighly scalable for global operationsReal-time business intelligence	4.1/5

1. Linnworks

Linnworks is a Total Commerce platform designed to connect and automate every aspect of your online sales process, from listing to fulfillment. It acts as the central hub for your entire ecommerce operation, enabling you to manage everything from a single dashboard so you can focus on growth.

Key strengths:

• Total commerce control: Sync your ecommerce sales channels , manage your inventory , generate comprehensive reports , and integrate all your essential software platforms.
• Powerful process automation: Create rule-based workflows for order routing, shipping, and warehouse management to eliminate manual tasks.
• Optimized fulfillment: Create better pick, pack, and ship processes so your customers get the right products on time, every time.
• Deep integration: Connect with 100+ platforms which includes accounting, channel management, CRM, and more.

❓Who should choose Linnworks? Choose Linnworks if you’re a growing, established multi-channel brand focused on automating complex commerce operations and scaling efficiently. 

📌The Trade-Off: Because Linnworks is a sophisticated tool designed for complex automation, expect a dedicated onboarding period to leverage its full power. However, this initial time investment is what enables you to automate complex workflows later, saving you hundreds of man-hours and the cost of hiring a larger team.

2. Zoho Inventory — best for SMBs & start-ups

Zoho Inventory is a powerful, cloud based inventory system designed for small and growing businesses. It’s known for its user-friendly interface and for being a key part of the larger Zoho ecosystem, which includes integrated accounting, CRM, and other business applications.

Key strengths:

• Affordable and scalable: Zoho Inventory offers multiple pricing plans, including a free version, making it accessible for startups. Paid plans are designed to scale with a growing business.
• End-to-end tracking: The software provides tools for tracking inventory from start to finish, including features for batch and serial number tracking.
• Multi-channel sales: It integrates with major ecommerce  platforms and marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify, allowing you to manage orders from a single interface.
• Warehouse management: You can manage stock across multiple warehouses, track transfers between them, and generate reports for each location.

❓Who should choose Zoho Inventory? 

Choose Zoho Inventory if you’re a startup or small business needing a powerful, cost-effective, and easy-to-use system, especially if you’re already in the Zoho ecosystem.

📌 The trade-off: While excellent for SMBs, businesses anticipating rapid growth into complex fulfillment (like multiple 3PLs) or requiring deep, custom workflow automation may eventually outgrow its capabilities and need to migrate to a more robust platform.

3. NetSuite ERP — best for enterprise-level operations

Oracle’s NetSuite is a comprehensive cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform, not just an inventory management tool. It integrates inventory control with all other core business functions, including financials, CRM, and supply chain management, into a single, unified system designed for complexity and scale.

Key strengths:

• Unified business management: NetSuite provides a complete, 360-degree view of the business by combining inventory data with financials, order processing, and customer information in one platform.
• Advanced inventory and supply chain control: The platform offers sophisticated features like demand planning, cycle counting, lot tracking, and multi-location warehouse management to handle complex logistics.
• Global scalability: NetSuite’s engineered to support large-scale operations with multi-currency, multi-language, and multi-subsidiary capabilities.
• Deep analytics and reporting: Gain real-time visibility into your entire operation with powerful, built-in business intelligence and financial reporting tools.

❓Who should choose NetSuite ERP? Choose NetSuite if you’re a large enterprise that requires a single, powerful platform to manage every aspect of your global business, from inventory and supply chain to complex financial data.

📌The trade-off: The primary consideration here is the massive undertaking of implementation. NetSuite is a full-scale ERP project, not a simple software subscription. This typically involves a significant investment of six months to a year and a budget to match. For most ecommerce retailers, this cost and potential operational downtime is a non-starter.

Why cloud based inventory management?

Cloud based inventory management is essential for modern ecommerce retailers because it provides real-time visibility across all sales channels, allows you to manage operations from anywhere, and scales easily with your business without the need for costly hardware maintenance. 

This approach offers several key advantages over traditional, on-premise software:

• A single source of truth: It centralizes data from all your sales channels and warehouses into one platform, ensuring everyone is working with the most up-to-date information.
• Scalability on demand: As your business grows, cloud infrastructure can scale with you without the need for expensive hardware upgrades or maintenance.
• Enhanced security and reliability: Reputable cloud providers manage server maintenance, data security, and backups, protecting your business data from hardware failures and cyber threats.

These are just a few of the reasons why modern inventory management has moved to the cloud.

Key features to look for: Your inventory management checklist

Before you start a free trial or book a demo, make sure any inventory management solution you consider has these non-negotiable features:

✅Real-time inventory tracking and control

Your software must provide real-time inventory tracking across all platforms. This is the only way to maintain inventory accuracy, prevent overselling, and get a true picture of your inventory levels. Look for features that give you granular inventory control, like setting reorder points for low stock.

✅Centralized order management and fulfillment

A powerful system will centralize your order management process, pulling in sales from every channel into one dashboard. This is critical for efficient order fulfillment. A key feature to look for is a smooth returns management process to handle exchanges and refunds without creating logistical nightmares.

✅Multi-warehouse and supply chain support

Even if you only have one location now, choose a platform that supports multiple warehouses. This future-proofs your growth. The software should be a key part of your supply chain, with the ability to manage stock transfers and track inventory on its way from your supplier.

✅Integrated purchase order management

Look for the ability to create and manage a purchase order directly within the system. This connects your purchasing with your real-time inventory levels, helping you avoid both stock-outs and excess inventory.

✅Seamless software integrations

Your inventory management software doesn’t live in a vacuum. Ensure it has robust, pre-built integrations with the tools you already use, especially your ecommerce platforms and accounting software like QuickBooks Online.

Taking the next step

Choosing the right cloud based inventory management software is a critical decision that hinges on your business’s size, complexity, and ambition. For startups, an entry-level system like Zoho is a great first step. For massive corporations, a full ERP like NetSuite is the standard.

But for growing ecommerce brands looking to automate their operations, eliminate manual work, and scale without limits, the choice is clear. Linnworks is a platform built for where you’re going, not just where you are.

We provide real-time inventory control and centralized order management while supporting complex, multi-warehouse fulfillment and deep integrations with over a hundred platforms. 

For a growing brand, this means you don’t have to compromise by patching together multiple apps; you can have a single platform that manages your entire operation.

If you’re ready to take control of your inventory and focus on what truly matters—growing your business—then we invite you to see what we can do.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)