Keeping the right amount of stock is a delicate balancing act for Shopify merchants. Run out of inventory, and you risk losing sales. Overstock, and you tie up cash in unsold goods. That’s where inventory forecasting apps come in—giving you data-driven insights to make smarter decisions.
In this post, we’ll walk you through some of the best inventory forecasting apps available on Shopify, breaking down their features, strengths, pricing, and who they’re best suited for. With the right app in your tech stack, you can keep your shelves stocked, your customers happy, and your operations running like a well-oiled machine.
Whether you’re a small business or scaling fast, here are the best Shopify inventory forecasting apps to help you stay ahead of demand and keep your operations running smoothly.
Why Inventory Forecasting Matters for Shopify Merchants
Running a successful Shopify store isn’t just about driving traffic or designing a beautiful storefront—it’s also about making smart, data-driven decisions behind the scenes. One of the most overlooked (yet crucial) areas in e-commerce success is inventory forecasting.
Without accurate forecasting, you’re flying blind. You could overstock and tie up your cash in unsold inventory—or worse, run out of your bestsellers just when customer demand peaks. Both scenarios hurt your bottom line and can lead to missed revenue or lost customer trust.
That’s where inventory forecasting apps step in. These tools help Shopify merchants like you predict future demand, reorder products at the right time, and maintain optimal stock levels without relying on manual guesswork or outdated spreadsheets. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur managing a niche product line or a fast-scaling brand selling across multiple channels, these apps take the guesswork out of inventory planning.
Stockie Low Stock Alert
Stockie Low Stock Alert is an app built for Shopify that assists merchants in monitoring and managing inventory levels. By sending automated, customizable notifications for low stock, this app ensures that store owners can replenish stock on time, avoiding potential sales losses due to out-of-stock items.
Pros:
- Prevents Stockouts: Timely alerts help maintain inventory at optimal levels, reducing the likelihood of losing sales.
- User-Friendly Interface: Easy setup and smooth integration with Shopify, even for users with minimal technical skills.
- Flexible Alerts: Customizable notifications and scheduling allow for adjustments to meet the needs of different businesses.
Cons:
- Limited Free Plan: The free version includes only one notification schedule (weekly or monthly) for up to 250 variants, which may not be sufficient for larger stores.
- Paid Features: Features such as multiple recipients and location-based alerts are only available in the paid plans.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: Includes one scheduled notification (weekly or monthly) for up to 250 variants, with alerts sent to one recipient and applicable to one location.
- Paid Plans: Start from $4.99 for the Basic plan and $9.99 for the Advanced plan.
Why Use This App
Stockie Low Stock Alert helps ensure your inventory stays adequately stocked, reducing the chance of stockouts and lost sales. The app’s customizable notifications and scheduling features allow you to tailor alerts based on your unique business requirements, improving inventory management efficiency.
Shoplink Sync for QuickBooks
Shoplink Sync for QuickBooks is an app that seamlessly integrates Shopify with QuickBooks Desktop or POS systems, enabling automatic synchronization of orders, customer data, inventory, and pricing across both platforms, minimizing the need for manual data entry and reducing errors.
Pros:
- Automated Data Syncing: Ensures that sales, inventory, and customer data are consistently updated, maintaining accuracy.
- Saves Time: Automates repetitive tasks, allowing merchants to focus more on business growth than administrative work.
- Easy Setup: Offers a straightforward setup process with a user-friendly interface, accessible even to those with minimal technical expertise.
- Reliable Support: Provides solid customer support to assist with integration and use.
Cons:
- Platform Limitation: Currently only supports QuickBooks Desktop (Pro, Premier, Enterprise) and QuickBooks POS, limiting options for users with different accounting software.
- Upcoming Features: Some features, like Vendor Bill/PO creation, are still in development, potentially delaying access to certain desired tools.
Pricing:
- Basic Plan: $40 per month, includes Sales Receipts, Invoices, QuickBooks inventory updates, and unlimited transactions.
- Pro Plan: $90 per month, includes all Basic features plus Sales Orders, inventory updates, QuickBooks item creation, and unlimited transactions.
- QuickBooks POS Plan: $100 per month for up to 250 orders per month, includes Sales Receipts, Sales Orders, automatic inventory updates, and optional product management.
- A 15-day free trial is available for each plan
Why You Should Use This App
Using Shoplink Sync for QuickBooks simplifies your accounting process by keeping your Shopify and QuickBooks data synchronized. This integration reduces manual labor, minimizes errors, and provides a clear view of your financial and inventory data, helping you make informed decisions.
syncX: Stock Sync
Stock Sync is a Shopify app that automates inventory updates across multiple platforms. It supports a variety of file formats, including CSV, XML, and Google Sheets, to integrate seamlessly with suppliers and other sales channels.
Pros:
- Automated Updates: Keeps product information up-to-date with scheduled synchronizations, reducing manual work.
- Multi-Platform Support: Connects with over 80 methods, allowing integration with various suppliers and sales channels.
- User-Friendly Setup: Easy for users with varying technical expertise to set up.
- Customizable Pricing: Allows merchants to define pricing formulas, ensuring accurate and consistent pricing across platforms.
Cons:
- Initial Setup Complexity: Some users may find initial configuration tricky, especially with APIs and XML files.
- Limited Outside Shopify: The app may not function optimally when used beyond the Shopify environment.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: Includes unlimited user-triggered updates for up to 2,000 SKUs and one update feed/supplier with manual updates.
- Basic Plan: $5 per month or $55 annually, offers automated scheduling (once daily) for up to 3,000 SKUs, and includes one update feed/supplier.
- Pro Plan: Provides additional features and higher SKU limits; detailed pricing can be found on the app’s Shopify page.
Why You Should Use This App
Implementing Stock Sync enhances efficiency by automating inventory updates, preventing overselling, and ensuring accurate product information across platforms. With its broad integration options and customizable features, this tool is ideal for businesses focused on precise inventory control.
Thrive by Shopventory
Thrive by Shopventory is a powerful inventory management app for Shopify merchants, offering real-time stock tracking, multi-location support, and advanced reporting. It helps store owners streamline operations by automating purchase orders and syncing inventory across multiple sales channels.
Pros:
- Real-Time Inventory Syncing: Keeps stock levels updated across Shopify, Square, Clover, and other platforms to prevent overselling.
- Multi-Location Management: Allows centralized control of inventory across multiple warehouses and stores.
- Detailed Reporting: Provides in-depth sales analytics and cost tracking to optimize business decisions.
- Automated Purchase Orders: Simplifies restocking by generating automatic purchase orders based on inventory levels.
Cons:
- Higher Pricing: The starting plan costs $59/month, which may not be ideal for smaller businesses.
- Steep Learning Curve: Some users might find the app overwhelming due to its extensive features and setup process.
Pricing:
- Starter Plan ($59/month): Includes stock alerts, barcode generation, and supports up to 1,500 transactions/month.
- Standard Plan ($129/month): Adds support for 2 locations, purchase orders, vendor management, and up to 3,000 transactions/month.
- Professional Plan ($279/month): Supports 5 locations, stock forecasting, and up to 10,000 transactions/month.
- Elite Plan ($559/month): Includes up to 10 locations, intelligent forecasting, and up to 25,000 transactions/month.
Why Use This App?
Thrive by Shopventory helps Shopify merchants gain complete control over their inventory with real-time tracking, automation, and analytics. By preventing stockouts and optimizing restocking, it enhances efficiency, reduces errors, and supports business growth.
Simple Inventory
Simple Inventory is a Shopify app designed to streamline inventory management by allowing merchants to update stock levels, prices, costs, and tags using CSV files. It also supports automated inventory updates through scheduled CSV imports from a URL or SFTP server, ensuring accurate product information with minimal manual effort.
Pros:
- Bulk Inventory Updates: Easily update product stock, prices, and other details via CSV, saving time and reducing manual errors.
- Automation Capabilities: Supports scheduled inventory updates from an external URL or SFTP, keeping product data up to date.
- Efficient Tag Management: Allows bulk editing of product tags for better organization and filtering.
- Prevents Stock Issues: Helps avoid overselling or stockouts by maintaining accurate inventory data.
Cons:
- No Free Plan: Unlike some other inventory apps, Simple Inventory does not offer a free version.
- Technical Setup for Automation: Using automated inventory updates via URL or SFTP requires some technical knowledge.
Pricing:
- Basic Plan – $7.99/month: Manual CSV import/export for inventory updates.
- Automated Plans:
- $19.99/month – Supports automation for up to 10,000 products.
- $39.99/month – Supports automation for up to 50,000 products.
- $59.99/month – Supports automation for over 50,000 products.
- $19.99/month – Supports automation for up to 10,000 products.
- All plans come with a 30-day free trial.
Why Use This App?
Simple Inventory is an ideal solution for merchants looking to automate and simplify inventory management. By reducing manual stock updates and ensuring accurate inventory levels, this app helps prevent stock-related issues, improves operational efficiency, and enhances the overall shopping experience for customers.
Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq
Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq is a Shopify app designed to help merchants manage preorders and restock notifications efficiently. By enabling “Preorder” or “Notify Me” buttons, it allows store owners to capture customer interest and secure sales even when products are out of stock. The app supports partial payments for preorders and automatically sends back-in-stock alerts via email or SMS when inventory is replenished.
Pros:
- Preorder Management: Allows merchants to secure sales by enabling preorders and backorders with deposit or partial payment options.
- Automated Restock Alerts: Sends automatic email and SMS notifications when products are back in stock, improving customer retention.
- Customization and Integration: Offers extensive customization and integrates with Shopify, Klaviyo, and multiple store locations.
Cons:
- Limited Free Plan: The free plan offers only 10 preorders and 30 email notifications per month, which may not be sufficient for high-volume stores.
- Extra Costs for High Usage: Additional charges apply for SMS notifications and preorders exceeding plan limits, increasing costs for larger businesses.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: 10 preorders and 30 email notifications per month, “Notify Me” and “Preorder” widgets, customization options, unlimited registrations, automatic restock alerts, and 24/7 support.
- Lite Plan ($10/month): 100 preorders, 1,000 email/SMS notifications per month, no transaction fees, mailing list growth, branding removal, multi-language and multi-location support.
- Standard Plan ($29/month): 400 preorders, 3,000 email/SMS alerts per month, branded SMS links, batch delivery, API integration, and all Lite plan features.
- Pro Plan ($69/month): 1,000 preorders, unlimited email/SMS alerts per month, live chat support, and all Standard plan features.
Why Use This App:
Preorder, Back In Stock ‑ Stoq ensures merchants never miss out on sales opportunities due to stockouts by enabling preorders and automatic restock alerts. Its integration with marketing tools like Klaviyo and multi-location support make it a powerful tool for improving inventory management and customer engagement.
Conclusion: Smarter Inventory Forecasting = Smoother Growth
As a Shopify merchant, your inventory is one of your most valuable assets—but managing it without a solid forecasting strategy is a gamble. Whether you’re preparing for peak seasons, running promotions, or scaling your product line, having the right forecasting tool in place helps you stay one step ahead of demand.
From beginner-friendly apps like Stocky to enterprise-ready solutions like Inventory Planner or Brightpearl, the tools we covered cater to different levels of complexity and business size. Choosing the right one depends on your sales volume, fulfillment strategy, and how much automation you’re ready to embrace.
The bottom line? Inventory forecasting apps don’t just save time—they protect your revenue, improve your cash flow, and give you more control over your business. Instead of reacting to problems like stockouts or overstock, you’ll be able to plan with confidence.
If you’re serious about growing your Shopify store in a sustainable, profitable way, investing in an inventory forecasting solution is a smart move. Your future self—and your customers—will thank you.
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