If you’re shipping 20+ orders per day, you need warehouse management software (WMS) to manage your inventory and speed up the order fulfillment process.
A WMS offers real-time inventory tracking, cloud-based access, automated data collection tools, and strong integrations to streamline your warehouse operations.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the 7 best warehouse management software for small businesses. We’ll compare each tool’s key features, pricing, and user reviews to help you make the right decision.
What to Look for in Warehouse Management Software for Small Businesses
Here’s what you need to look for in a WMS:
- Ease of Use: Choose software with a beginner-friendly interface and a quick onboarding process.
- Integrations: Look for software that integrates with your existing system, including ERP, accounting, and e-commerce platforms.
- Real-time tracking: Choose software that offers real-time inventory tracking to help you monitor and locate items accurately.
- Order management: It should offer automated tools to optimize picking, packing, and shipping processes.
- Multi-client support: Look for software that helps you manage separate SLAs, billing rules, and inventories for each customer.
- Scalability: Choose a cloud-based WMS that can scale with your small business and adapt to changing operational needs, like during seasonal demands or clearance sales.
7 Best Warehouse Management Software for Small Businesses in 2025
Here are the 7 best WMS for small businesses:
#1: Da Vinci
Da Vinci Unified is a cloud-based warehouse management software system built by the 25-year-old industry mainstay Da Vinci. It’s built for industries like 3PLs, e-commerce, food & beverage, retail, and wholesale distribution.
When handling a large, diverse inventory, Da Vinci optimizes every step of your order fulfillment and distribution process to meet your customer demands on time.
Here’s what Da Vinci software is known for allowing warehouse operators to accomplish:
- Track inventory with real-time data from the moment the shipments arrive at your warehouse or storage area. Da Vinci’s cloud-based solutions allow you and your workers to access real-time inventory data in a centralized database.
- Improve storage space by applying warehouse slotting techniques, which optimizes your storage space by identifying and placing high-demand items closer and low-demand items farther away.
- Speed up order fulfillment with Da Vinci through real-time inventory tracking, advanced picking methods, and automated shipping processes, especially with high SKU (stock-keeping unit) volume.
- Analyze customer demands through real-time reporting and analytics to improve your storage and order fulfillment process.
Here’s a detailed look at Da Vinci’s WMS core features:
Da Vinci’s Inventory Management with Real-Time Tracking
Many small teams rely on spreadsheets to track inventory levels and place items randomly in any available space. This causes stock overflow or dead stock issues that affect your profit margin.
Da Vinci gives you complete visibility of what’s in stock, what’s running low, and what’s moving fast using real-time data. Our cloud-based WMS features allow your team to monitor stock by client, track turnover rates, and make sure every customer has accurate visibility into their own inventory.
Here’s how Da Vinci improves inventory management:
- Real-time tracking: The software updates inventory counts the moment items are received, moved, picked, or shipped. This allows your team to access accurate stock levels by location, SKU, and client account.
- Automated data entry: The software automates data entry by storing all your inventory data, order history, customer profiles, and product specifications, making it accessible to your teams in real time.
- Demand forecasting: Da Vinci uses historical data to forecast incoming demand, especially for seasonal sales or trends, to optimize your inventory.
- Barcode scanning and item validation: The software assigns unique barcodes to each product, location, and order, allowing staff to scan items during receiving, picking, packing, and shipping.
- Paper-based tracking: You can use paper-based tracking to enter data manually on Da Vinci to centralize access for all.
This transparency helps you make better purchasing decisions, avoid inventory risks, reduce waste, and make sure you always have the right products available when your customers need them.
Algorithm-Based Optimization for Smart Storage Utilization
Da Vinci enables smart storage utilization. The software uses algorithms to help you identify high-demand items, organize storage by specific priority, and manage already-stored items.
When you receive your products, the WMS uses existing data such as order history, fulfillment rate, and inventory count to forecast incoming demand. It then optimizes your inventory layout and recommends the best storage locations based on size, weight, and picking frequency.
3PLs often store inventory for 10–50 different clients. Da Vinci helps you manage this diversity by applying rules to automatically assign SKUs to the right zones based on client ownership and handling requirements.
As a warehouse inventory management software, Da Vinci helps you:
- Use warehouse slotting techniques such as ABC inventory, where you identify and classify items for storage placements
- Improve warehouse putaway by configuring specific rules for inbound inventory using Da Vinci’s advanced system logic
- Prevent clutter and overstacking by assigning optimal space per item
- Reduce training time by providing clear storage instructions to new staff
- Support multi-client warehousing by assigning space based on each client’s needs without mix-ups.
For example, if a small 3PL manages a mix of SKUs across multiple clients, like skincare, electronics, and wellness products, Da Vinci helps make storage smarter. It identifies fast-moving items and recommends placing them closer to the packing stations. Meanwhile, slower-moving SKUs are stored farther away. This layout improves picking speed and helps the warehouse save space.
Configurable Workflows for Client-Specific Orders
Managing multiple clients with different order requirements can overwhelm a small team. Da Vinci’s configurable workflows let you set custom rules for each client’s receiving, picking, packing, and shipping processes without writing any code.
You can tailor every step of your fulfillment process to meet each client’s SLA (service-level agreement). Da Vinci lets you segment operations through virtual warehouse environments. Each client gets a separate space for inventory, billing logic, and workflow rules. This reduces cross-client errors.
When onboarding new accounts, you can copy existing setups, adjust a few rules, and go live in minutes. You don’t need to overhaul your system. Da Vinci also automates order validation by scanning barcodes at each stage, checking inventory against client-specific rules, and triggering the correct packing slips and shipping labels.
Order Management for Faster Fulfillment
Our software simplifies order handling from receipt to fulfillment. Da Vinci accommodates various fulfillment strategies, such as:
- Cross-docking: Our WMS simplifies cross-docking where it automatically matches incoming shipments with outbound orders, allowing you to ship orders directly without entering your storage area.
- Dropshipping: The software helps e-commerce stores manage orders that are fulfilled directly by suppliers, bypassing the need to hold inventory on-site.
- Kitting: The system’s kitting functionality allows 3PLs to assemble individual items into ready-to-ship kits, streamlining the fulfillment of bundled products.
For example, a 3PL assembling retail kits that include bluetooth speakers, manuals, cables, and display hangers can pre-bundle them in one touch using kitting workflows, then apply a single barcode for downstream scanning.
Intelligent Routing for Fast and Smart Order Picking
Most small businesses use a single-order or piece-picking method where they collect items by each order. But when you have multiple SKUs for many clients, this method can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
Da Vinci helps small teams pick orders faster and more accurately with intelligent routing algorithms. It analyzes item location, size, and how often each product is picked to plan the fastest route. This helps your team handle order picking and update inventory simultaneously.
With our cart-picking feature, your team can pick and pack multiple orders on a single route using separate bins, saving time and streamlining the entire workflow.
As your orders grow, our software automates advanced picking methods like wave picking, where the items are picked by wave, or batch picking, where similar items are grouped together and sorted later.
For example, if you’re a small 3PL fulfilling similar orders for one of your clients, like multiple shipments containing notebooks, pens, and sticky notes, Da Vinci groups those orders into a single cart-pick. Instead of sending staff to pick each order one by one, your team can follow one route, using separate bins to organize items by order.
Automated Alerts and Quick Access
Da Vinci sends automated low-stock alerts so you can order products accurately. Whenever an order is placed, the software automatically adjusts your inventory count so you know how much you have left.
This is quicker and simpler than manual spreadsheets, where your staff have to update each item, often leading to manual errors.
Da Vinci’s cloud-based solutions allow quick access with permission-based roles. This means your staff can access your stock information on their phones or tablets while maintaining privacy.
For 3PLs, Da Vinci offers a Customer Web Portal. Clients can log in to track their inventory levels, order statuses, and shipping activity in real time. This self-serve access reduces back-and-forth support requests and gives your clients more confidence in your service.
Real-Time Analytics for Scalability
Da Vinci provides real-time analytics with personalized dashboards, allowing you to analyze your warehouse KPIs, such as fill rate, inventory turnover, cost per order, profit margin, and storage use.
You can also identify customer behavior, demand patterns, emerging trends, and inventory discrepancies using Da Vinci’s WMS.
Strong Integrations for Faster Implementation
Da Vinci’s WMS is built to scale with your business with quick integrations. Our software integrates with your existing systems, such as accounting, ERP, or shopping cart platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon.
If you have purpose-built systems, you can use Da Vinci’s REST API for custom integrations.
Contact our support team to learn more about Da Vinci’s integrations.
Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
Has a simple interface with a quick onboarding process | Learning curve for some features, but the support team is there to help |
Features cloud-based WMS solutions | Advanced for businesses needing simple tools |
Provides real-time inventory control and tracking | Requires upfront planning for custom workflows |
Supports SLA-based fulfillment workflows | |
Offers algorithm-based storage locations | |
Supports barcode scanning and paper-based receiving | |
Allows permission-based profiles | |
Offers demand forecasting capabilities | |
Supports labor and yard management features | |
Offers multi-client management tools | |
Automates the cross-docking process | |
Provides real-time analytics | |
Supports custom integrations | |
Offers 24/7 customer support |
Da Vinci Pricing
Da Vinci has three pricing plans: Small Business Edition, Professional Edition, and Enterprise Edition. Contact our team to request pricing.
Da Vinci takes a partnership approach to a customer’s growth. Rather than offering the lowest price or forcing buyers to choose between features and budget, Da Vinci assesses total value after a detailed discussion of operational needs. We also maintain regular software updates, provide clear development roadmaps, and support your business with responsive technical assistance.
Da Vinci Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about Da Vinci:
- Easy to use
- Highly adaptable
- Advanced customization options
- Good customer support
- Quick onboarding and implementation
Here’s what users don’t like about Da Vinci:
- Initial learning curve
Review #1: “We are consistently having to conform to our customer’s needs. Da Vinci provided us a WMS/TMS application that allowed us to integrate and generate customized apps and reports. Each year the product continues to improve to accommodate the changing technical environment within our logistics community.” – Marold K.
Review #2: “Unlike conventional solutions, it doesn’t confine itself to a specific fulfillment model. Instead, it boasts a wide array of features capable of accommodating any fulfillment model, whether it’s traditional warehousing, omnichannel, or e-commerce logistics…” – Alejandro A.
Customer Rating
- 4.0 stars on G2
2. Cin7
Cin7 is a warehouse management software solution for small businesses that combines inventory management, point of sale, and 3PL integrations, suitable for omnichannel retailers.
Key Features
Here are the key features of Cin7:
- Provides real-time inventory tracking
- Supports barcode scanning validation
- Offers putaway and bin management solutions
- Supports stock transfers
- Offers shipping solutions
- Provides comprehensive reporting analytics
- Supports multi-channel integrations
Cin7 Pricing
The pricing plans start from $349 per month for 5 users.
Cin7 Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about Cin7:
- Easy to use
- Good customer support
- Smooth Shopify and QuickBooks integration
- Helpful training videos
- Strong automation tools
Here’s what users don’t like about Cin7:
- Limited filtering and search options
- Clunky interface design
- Glitches in order syncing
- The initial setup is complex
Review #1: “Cin7 Core transformed our company from a poorly coordinated group of individuals using hunches and print outs to guesstimate our inventory needs, to a cohesive and coordinated team all speaking the same language!” – Darrell D.
Review #2: “The initial setup process can be complex and time-consuming, requiring significant support. Additionally, occasional glitches in syncing orders or inventory between systems can disrupt operations and require manual fixes.” – Vijaykumar S.
Customer Rating
- 4.2 stars on G2
3. Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory is a warehouse inventory management software for small businesses that want integrated solutions with the broader Zoho ecosystem. The software can also integrate with multiple sales channels, including Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Shopify.
Zoho Inventory Key Features
The following are Zoho Inventory features:
- Provides real-time tracking of stock levels
- Offers inventory adjustments
- Supports barcode generation and scanning
- Generates picklists for fulfillment
- Provides post-shipping tracking
- Automates email and field updates
- Supports order management tools
- Simplifies packing and shipping
Zoho Inventory Pricing
Zoho Inventory pricing plans start from $39 for 200 orders per month for 2 users.
Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about Zoho Inventory:
- Integrates well with Zoho Products
- Helpful onboarding and support
- Automated inventory updates
- Real-time tracking and alerts
- Custom reports
Here’s what users don’t like about Zoho Inventory:
- Limited warehouse support on lower plans
- Filtering and search options are lacking
- Manual shipment tracking is weak
- Some integrations can be glitchy
Review #1: “I like that Zoho Inventory tracks my inventory and integrates with Zoho Books. Zoho Inventory also makes managing packing and shipping easy, while also providing updates to customers via email as the status changes.” – Thomas J.
Review #2: “It didn’t work well for us when we switched shopping platforms from BigCommerce to Shopify. It also does not work with SKUlabs.” – User
Customer Rating
- 4.3 stars on G2
4. Packiyo
This is a simple WMS built for fast-growing eCommerce brands and small 3PLs that want to scale without technical complexity.
Packiyo Key Features
Packiyo’s key features include:
- CoPilot for automation
- Inventory control cycle count
- Customizable filters and views
- Allows automated order rules and shipping methods
- Supports mobile access for picking
- Offers inventory and shipment reporting
Packiyo Pricing
Packiyo has different pricing plans for brands, 3PLs, and enterprises, starting from $599 per month for 3 users.
Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about Packiyo:
- Easy to use
- Detailed client reporting
- Flexible and adaptive workflows
- Frequent software improvements
Here’s what users don’t like about Packiyo:
- Needs better guidance for beginners
- Initial confusion without support
- Newer platform
Review #1: “Packiyo is intuitive and extremely easy to use. Our clients have no issues and greatly appreciate all of the readily available information within the system. Their customer support can’t be matched. They are doing all the right things over there!” User.
Review #2: “My 3PL (the one I store/ship with) switched out of Packiyo into someone else because there was a pain point that they couldn’t get around.” – User.
Customer Rating
- 5.0 stars on G2
5. Fishbowl Inventory
Fishbowl Inventory is built for small businesses that rely on QuickBooks or Xero but need more advanced warehouse and inventory control. With features like real-time tracking, multi-location management, and light manufacturing support, Fishbowl fills the operational gap between spreadsheets and full-scale ERP.
Fishbowl Inventory Key Features
Here are some key features of Fishbowl Inventory:
- Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero platforms
- Offers real-time inventory control
- Automates order processing
- Provides cash flow management
- Allows customization options
- Streamlines order management
- Automates data entry
- Supports AI insights for business analytics
- Offers customizable workflows
Fishbowl Inventory Pricing
Fishbowl Inventory has custom pricing plans depending on your warehousing needs and the number of users. According to users, the software charges around $349 per month.
Fishbowl Inventory Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about Fishbowl Inventory:
- Intuitive workflows
- Detailed inventory tracking
- Custom reporting
- Useful mobile app
Here’s what users don’t like about Fishbowl Inventory:
- Lack of flexibility
- Reporting often requires costly customization
- High support and add-on costs
Review #1: “Fishbowl is feature rich, providing great value for the cost. Fishbowl customer support has been top notch in regards to availability, product knowledge, and approachability…” – User.
Review #2: “I wish it allowed for more report customization and the ability to automatically send me an email or some sort of notification when stock levels reached a certain order…” User.
Customer Rating
- 4.0 stars on G2
6. MRPEasy
MRPeasy is a cloud-based ERP/MRP solution specifically designed for small manufacturers in industries like electronics, automotive, and medical devices. It offers an integrated, user-friendly platform that combines production planning, inventory management, CRM, procurement, and financials.
MRPEasy Key Features
The following are the MRPEasy key features:
- Automates inventory control
- Assigns and tracks unique SKUs
- Sends automated low-stock alerts
- Allows mobile access
- Generates tailored analytics reports
- Automates receiving, labeling, and quality control
- Simplifies auditing and compliance
MRPEasy Pricing
Pricing plans for this tool start from $49 per month per user.
MRPEasy Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about MRPEasy:
- Fast setup and quick training
- Multi-location warehouse support
- Good customer support
Here’s what users don’t like about MRPEasy:
- Limited flexibility/customization
- Basic forecasting tools
- Rigid workflows for complex scenarios
Review #1: “Easy to keep our structure controlled, we organize our warehouse all-in-one with the software. The basic functions are allowing us to keep the overview in the dashboard.” – Jasmine O.
Review #2: “Dashboard and reporting can be improved and some interface settings to visually highlight some stock items or inventory groups.” – Martin G.
Customer Rating
- 4.5 stars on G2
7. Odoo Inventory
Odoo offers a modern WMS through its Inventory module for small businesses. It provides deep warehouse automation, custom routing rules, and native integration with manufacturing and supply chain apps.
Odoo Inventory Key Features
Here are some key features of Odoo Inventory:
- Provides inventory tracking and control
- Automates replenishment and picking methods
- Optimizes storage locations
- Provides inventory valuation methods
- Supports barcode and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) tags integration
- Integrates with Odoo’s other modules
- Offers advanced reporting capabilities
Odoo Inventory Pricing
Odoo pricing plans start from $9.10 per month per user for all apps.
Inventory Customer Reviews
Here’s what users like about Odoo Inventory:
- Simple interface
- Detailed dashboards
- Accessible from any device
Here’s what users don’t like about Odoo Inventory:
- Setup and configuration can be complex
- Some limitations without custom development
- Slow customer support response
Review #1: “Odoo inventory is a comprehensive software solution designed to help businesses manage their stock and inventory operations efficiently. Really an useful tool…” – Fawas V.
Review #2: “Some functionalities which are basic in alternatives are not available even in the cloud version. You need to test third-party apps yourself which you might not have the time for and can break current functionality.” – Kudzai K.
Customer Rating
- 4.5 stars on G2
Comparison Table: Warehouse Management Software for Small Business
Software | Best For | Key Features | Pricing |
Da Vinci Unified | 3PLs, ecommerce, food & beverage, retail, and wholesale businesses | Advanced slotting, cart picking optimization, 3PL-ready workflows | Custom pricing |
Cin7 | Omnichannel retailers | POS + inventory in one, multi-channel sync | $349/month (5 users) |
Zoho Inventory | E-commerce and retail using Zoho apps | Simple multi-channel order management | $39/month (2 users) |
Packiyo | Scaling DTC brands, 3PLs | No-code automation (CoPilot), mobile-first workflows | $599/month (3 users) |
Fishbowl Inventory | Manufacturing & wholesale businesses | QuickBooks/Xero sync, manufacturing support | $349+/month |
MRPEasy | Small manufacturers in the electronics, medical, and automobile industries | ERP-grade MRP tools, production + CRM in one for manufacturers | $49/month/user |
Odoo Inventory | Modular businesses | Modern UI, advanced routing, deeply integrated ERP modules | $9.10/month/user |
Benefits of Warehouse Management Software for Small Business
Here are some benefits of warehouse management software for small businesses:
1. Real-Time Inventory Visibility
WMS provides real-time visibility into your inventory levels and movements across your storage locations. This helps you avoid stockouts and overstocking.
2. Accurate Order Fulfilment
A WMS helps small businesses streamline order fulfillment by automating every step, from order receipt to delivery. When a customer places an order, the WMS instantly validates stock availability and pulls the order into the system.
After dispatch, the system also logs the order status, tracks fulfillment performance, and offers insights into delays, returns, and inventory trends.
3. Better Space Utilization
The software optimizes your storage by placing items based on their size, weight, and order frequency. A WMS places high-demand items near packing zones and pushes slow movers to low-traffic areas. This helps process more orders per shift, allowing 3PLs to grow revenue with a small team.
4. Increase Profit Margin
A WMS helps you grow your profit margin by speeding up order fulfillment, improving inventory turnover, and maximizing storage capacity.
With better inventory accuracy and fewer fulfillment mistakes, you spend less on returns, reorders, and lost sales. This helps you retain customers and earn higher revenue.
5. Better Decision-Making
The WMS provides real-time, accurate data to plan purchases, pricing, and promotions. The software generates custom reports that you can use to identify fast movers, dead stock, seasonal trends, and customer satisfaction.
6. Scalable as You Grow
The WMS scales with your growing order volume and customer demands. The software supports multi-location inventory and automation features without replacing your entire system. This allows you to expand smoothly without disrupting operations.
Bottom Line on Choosing the Right WMS for Small Businesses
When choosing the right warehouse management software for your small business, you need to consider your business size and needs.
Da Vinci is a purpose-built WMS for 3PLs, offering fast setup, real-time inventory control, and flexible configurations that grow with your business. With its rapid deployment and quick setup, the WMS helps you manage operations and increase profit margins without relying on professional services.
Contact us to learn more about Da Vinci’s warehouse management software and how it can help your small business.
FAQs
What are the 4 types of WMS?
The four types of WMS are standalone systems, cloud-based systems, ERP-integrated systems, and supply chain modules. Each varies in complexity and cost. Cloud-based options are increasingly popular for small businesses due to easy access.
What is ERP vs WMS?
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) manages multiple business functions like finance, HR, sales, and inventory in one platform. WMS (Warehouse Management System) focuses specifically on warehouse operations, including inventory tracking, picking, packing, and shipping.
How much does WMS software cost?
WMS software costs can range between $100 to $500 per user per month for small businesses. It varies depending on the features, deployment type, and business size.