7 Best Inventory Management Apps for the Modern Restaurant

best inventory management app
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What is an Inventory Management App?

What the warehouse is to a retail store, an inventory is to a restaurant. The more efficient and well-oiled an inventory, the more successful and thriving a restaurant business will be. A restaurant inventory is one of the pillars on which the business survives and it includes not just food items and ingredients, but also non-food goods such as towels, tissue papers, paper bags etc. Managing all these items like clockwork and on a daily basis is inventory management.

An inventory management app is an automated system that seamlessly takes care of all inventory management needs, from inventory tracking to barcode scanning, stock control and sending low stock alerts. The inventory software also integrates with other management software that a restaurant uses to consolidate all the data in one place and make business operations even smoother.

How is an Inventory Management App Useful?

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  • An Inventory Management app streamlines inventory management with inventory tracking and integration with other restaurant management software.
  • The inventory tracker does the tracking on a real time basis, which helps restaurant managers become aware of stock levels at all times. The mobile app of an inventory management software further allows businesses to manage and keep track of inventory from any location.
  • An inventory management app reduces wastage and frees the kitchen of unwanted goods. Overstuffing not only uses up inventory space but also hikes up expenses. An inventory app will help you maintain optimal inventory levels, reducing wastage and costs.
  • A cloud based inventory software can be used to keep track of the restaurant menu and monitor costs in real time. Every time an inventory item is used to prepare a menu item, it will be recorded by the inventory system.
  • The system will also keep track of all purchase orders and their invoices for accounting and tracking purposes. This data can be exported or integrated with other management software that your business uses.
  • Lastly, another important feature is inventory forecasting. With this artificial intelligence-driven analytics tool, your restaurant can always stay ahead of the game and keep stocks ready by knowing the exact demand expected.

Smooth restaurant management depends on smooth inventory management.

This list of the best inventory management apps will make sure your inventory is managed efficiently and in a cost-effective way.

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7 Best Inventory Apps- Zip Inventory

The Zip Inventory app by Hubworks is an automated system that makes restaurant inventory management a breeze with its easy shelf-to-sheet inventory counts, wastage tracking and easy transfering features. Zip Inventory streamlines the entire inventory management of a restaurant with utmost accuracy and efficiency. We all know how manual inventory can take days of hard work and number crunching. But the Zip Inventory app can do it with much more accuracy and within minutes.

Zip Inventory will also keep track of all your orders, sales data, inventory usage, on-hand inventory levels and upcoming delivery schedules to suggest purchase orders. The inventory software will also take care of your inventory adjustments when new orders from the Supply Chain are received. The system can also be used to generate real time reports on inventory usage, variance and wastage to monitor the operations. More importantly, Zip Inventory will seamlessly integrate with other restaurant management software offered by Hubworks such as Zip Ordering, Zip Schedules, Plum POS, Zip HACCP and with other third-party apps to help you with your operations.

Zoho Inventory App

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Zoho is another cloud based inventory management solution that is considered among the best inventory management software in the market. The Zoho Inventory app is ideal for both, medium and small businesses. Among its key features are reporting and analysis, inventory tracking and vendor management. The inventory app helps create new purchase orders as per inventory needs and also manages purchase order tracking and delivery. A restaurant is able to prepare inventory estimates accordingly.

The Zoho inventory app works on both, Android and iOS devices and also offers a free version with limited features. Zoho can be integrated with a number of e-commerce sites such as Amazon and eBay on a subscription model. You can also integrate this inventory software with other third-party management software for accounting, sales, scheduling, etc.

NetSuite Inventory App

Oracle NetSuite is an integrated software solution that takes care of not just inventory management, but also supply chain, finance, customer relationship management and a lot more. NetSuite automates business operations and provides real time reports and analytics for each process, making it easy for managers to oversee the business.

The NetSuite inventory management app gives a single-platform overview of your inventory in real time and across multiple locations. Large and small businesses can manage inventory across any location and point of sale, which will help these businesses with easy transfering of inventory stocks from one service location to another in a hassle-free manner. NetSuite also promises to boost profits, reduce Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and optimize inventory levels.

Among its key features is multiple location fulfillment. This helps a business avoid steep shipping charges for each transfer, while also proactively managing stock levels across all outlets. Easy replenishment, cycle counting and inventory traceability are some of the other helpful features offered by the NetSuite inventory app.

You're in the market for an inventory management solution, but you can't make up your mind on what to go with.

Our list of the best inventory management apps for restaurants is a shortlist of the best products in the market.

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Craftable Inventory App

Craftable is an all-in-one restaurant management software that promises to boost revenue and reduce the labor needed to run a foodservice business. From managing purchase orders to dealing with vendors, menu and recipe management, tracking each and every inventory item, and keeping a watch on variance, the Craftable inventory app can be used for a number of key restaurant management needs.

You can manage multiple locations of your restaurant with this restaurant management software. From independent small businesses to large restaurants, Craftable can manage establishments of all kinds.

MarketMan Inventory App

MarketMan is a smart restaurant inventory management solution that offers tools for inventory management, supply chain management, menu pricing and managing purchase ordersall in one platform. You can also use this inventory app to calculate the exact cost of each dish you prepare with the inventory items and do the math in real time. With MarketMan, you can set alerts for low prices of each inventory product and ensure you are not overpaying for the goods. These key features offered by the inventory software can help you ensure profitability and reduce losses.

The MarketMan mobile app works on both Android and iOS devices. The inventory app offers a free trial version, after which it charges $149 per month for a subscription.

Apicbase Inventory App

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Apicbase is a food management software that takes care of all the back-of-house operations of a foodservice establishment. These include keeping track of food costs, menu prices, real time inventory management, smooth movement of the supply chain and in-depth reports and analytics. The Apicbase inventory mobile app can be used for order management, to place purchase orders and manage inventory across multiple locations.


The inventory software can be used by all kinds of restaurants, be it quick-service, fine dining or hotel chains. Apicbase is a web-based inventory app that offers a free trial version to customers.

Backbar Inventory App

The Backbar inventory app is a dedicated restaurant and bar management software that takes care of inventory management, accounting, staff training and order management needs of an establishment. With Backbar, you can speed up the arduous process of stock-taking and have better inventory control. The Backbar app offers a limited-time free trial version and a per month subscription model thereafter.

Backbar can be used for restaurants, bars, casinos and hotels, and its mobile app works on both Android and iOS devices.

The right inventory management solution can save you money and time.

Use this list of the top inventory management apps to help you get started.

Download now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Inventory management is one of the most troublesome challenges for business owners. It's a constant battle between your inventory levels, spoilage, and the cost of maintaining stock. The key to keeping things under control is having a robust system in place. Most retailers use a point-of-sale system to track inventory, inventory management, sales, and more. These systems typically come as a package with hardware, software, and security. The hardware is usually a specialized computer that runs the software. The software is the program that stores and manages inventory for the company. They may also use a specialized card reader for scanning in and out inventory items from the store. The card reader scans the barcode on the item and the POS system records the item's ID, quantity, and price. Depending on your industry, your POS system may track inventory differently. Inventory management is one of the most troublesome challenges for business owners. It's a constant battle between your inventory levels, spoilage, and the cost of maintaining stock. The key to keeping things under control is having a robust system in place. Most retailers use a point-of-sale system to track inventory, inventory management, sales, and more. These systems typically come as a package with hardware, software, and security. The hardware is usually a specialized computer that runs the software. The software is the program that stores and manages inventory for the company. They may also use a specialized card reader for scanning in and out inventory items from the store. The card reader scans the barcode on the item and the POS system records the item's ID, quantity, and price. Depending on your industry, your POS system may track inventory differently.
The periodic inventory system updates the quantity of inventory and cost of goods sold periodically. The perpetual system updates the records continuously. Periodic systems are more appropriate for small businesses, while perpetual is better for large businesses with high sales volume.The periodic inventory system updates the quantity of inventory and cost of goods sold periodically. The perpetual system updates the records continuously. Periodic systems are more appropriate for small businesses, while perpetual is better for large businesses with high sales volume.