Are Sortly Pricing Plans More Cost-Effective Than Zoho Ones?

Updated Feb 14, 2023.
Sortly - Simple inventory management software

Sortly has been around since 2013 and has confirmed its position as one of the best inventory management software tools. This intuitive, sophisticated and efficient software can keep you up-to-date on the operation details regardless of the complexity of your asset-tracking needs.

In this post, we will dive deep into Sortly’s four plans and shed light on the features of each plan. Hopefully, here you will find answers to some of your nagging questions about the platform and its pricing strategy.

Sortly Pricing and Features Comparison: Which Plan Should I Pick?

Key Feature :Free $0Advanced $29/moUltra $89/moEnterprise Quote
Number of entries1002,00010,000Unlimited
Number of user licenses12510+
Custom fields11025Unlimited
Import/Export
Support for external scannersXX
Search and reporting
Item update notificationsXX
Scheduled phone supportXX
Custom inventory setup and uploadXXX
Unlimited barcode label generationXX

Key Features of Sortly in Every Plan

While the functionality you have access to depends on the plan, here are the key features that are available for all users of the Sortly platform:

  • Inventory Optimization: Sortly allows its users to organize their inventory in a simple yet sophisticated way. Its user interface is intuitive, and even beginners can figure out how to enter information, search and track items, adjust counts, and generate reports. You can group the items by condition, category, or location.
  • Automatic device sync: Users can install Sortly on various devices and thus use their accounts from anywhere. You can set permissions on a team basis to enable your team members to adjust inventory levels.
  • User activity tracking: Users of the Advanced and Ultra plans can track the activity of their team members responsible for making changes to the account.
  • Import/Export: With Sortly’s basic and advanced import templates, you can upload entries via an Excel or CSV file. If your details are organized in Google Sheets, Numbers, Excel, or a spreadsheet, you can save valuable time by importing the items to Sortly. Similarly, Sortly’s Desktop version allows users to export items and folders via Excel, CSV, Dropbox, or PDF.
  • Customer support: Users of the Free and Advanced plans get customer support via email. Ultra and Enterprise plans provide priority email support. However, scheduled phone support is available with the Enterprise plan only.

Sortly Free Plan Pricing and Features

Sortly Free Pricing Plan

Sortly’s entry-level free plan is for individuals running small-scale operations that require only the most basic functionality for inventory management and asset tracking. This plan comes with no strings attached.

Here are the features at a glance:

  • 100 entries
  • One custom field
  • One user license
  • Help center and email support
  • Accessibility via the web, desktop, and smartphone
  • In-app scanner
  • Scan and connect third-party barcodes
  • Barcode auto look-up
  • Quick action built-in scanner
  • Add custom tags and notes
  • Attach up to 8 photos per item
  • Bulk editing details
  • Basic search
  • Dashboard
  • Search by scanning
  • Generate activity reports
  • Basic CSV and PDF reports
  • Import data via CSV
  • Export data via CSV and PDF
  • Migrate data from Sortly PLUS
  • Export CSV + photos to Dropbox
  • Export customized CSV or PDF
  • Weekly onboarding webinars

There are some other free inventory management software tools, but in terms of user-friendliness, Sortly beats most other alternatives, such as Webgility, Fishbowl Inventory, and Zoho Inventory.

If you want to familiarize yourself with an inventory management tool and organize simple tasks, you will find this plan immensely useful. The entry-level tier includes organizing transactions for a small business and keeping track of your stuff when moving.

Does Sortly Offer a Better Free Plan than Zoho Inventory?

Zoho Inventory is one of the most well-known inventory management tools and has a pretty generous free plan. It allows 2 users and up to 50 orders and 50 shipping labels per month. If you want to integrate the system into your Shopify store, you will find Zoho’s free plan convenient.

While Zoho is known for its wide range of features, including the newly added client portal feature, the free plan offers limited access to them. Sortly’s photo-based system is more user-friendly for a beginner.

If you have never used a software tool for tracking assets, you will find Sortly’s free plan more convenient than Zoho’s.

Sortly Advanced Plan Pricing and Features

Sortly Advanced Pricing Plan

The Advanced plan—the most affordable of Sortly’s three premium plans—costs $29 per month when paid upfront for a year. The price is $49 per month when billed monthly. Users can save $240 a year by paying upfront for a year.

Sortly’s Advanced plan can open up doors to new possibilities for businesses that are able and willing to invest in a premium tool for tracking assets. Here are the features that characterize this plan:

  • 2000 entries
  • Ten custom fields
  • Three user licenses
  • Unlimited QR code label generation
  • Basic access controls
  • Provide customer access
  • View user activity
  • Give limited or read-only permissions
  • Generate and print custom QR labels
  • Print on single-label printers
  • Unit of measure support
  • Date-based reminders
  • Quantity-based alerts
  • Add company logo and colors

QR codes play a huge role in the supply chain management of many industries. The Sortly Inventory app makes it super easy to create custom QR codes. You can conveniently scan them with your mobile devices and sort, categorize, and filter the items in real time.

Every folder or item counts as an entry. Users can create up to 2,000 entries, which should be sufficient for most small businesses. The explanation from the customer support to help you better understand what entries are and how they are counted:

“ Quick Facts:

  • The item quantity does not affect the entry count.
  • Item clones that share an SID do not affect entry count.
  • Every folder counts as an entry. Every folder is considered unique. No two folders can have the same Sortly ID.
  • Variants with unique SIDs count toward your entry limit

Examples:

  • Item A (0 quantity) + Item B (0 quantity) = 2 entries
  • Item A (7 quantity) + Item A (5 quantity) + Item B (20 quantity) = 2 entries
  • Folder Y + Folder Z + Item A (100 quantity) = 3 entries “

Sortly Advanced Plan is more cost-effective compared to Zoho Standard

If Sortly’s free plan is no longer enough for your operations, upgrade to the Advanced plan. Plenty of Sortly reviews show that customers are satisfied with it.

While Zoho is one of the best warehouse inventory management software tools, it has a significantly higher starting price than Sortly. Sortly’s first premium plan costs $29 per month when paid annually. In contrast, the Standard plan of Zoho inventory is about twice as much ($59 per month if paid annually).

Zoho Pricing Comparison

Sortly Ultra Plan Pricing and Features

Sortly Ultra Pricing Plan

Ultra is Sortly’s most popular plan, which costs $89 per month when billed annually ($149 per month if paid monthly). This plan is not cheap but offers value for money. By paying annually, you can save a whopping $720 per year!

The Ultra plan is for businesses running relatively complex and large-scale operations. In addition to the perks that come with the Advanced plan, here are the features that characterize the Ultra plan:

  • 10,000 entries
  • 25 custom fields
  • Five user licenses
  • Generate unlimited custom barcodes and labels
  • Use external scanners
  • File attachments
  • Item update notifications
  • Priority email support

With this plan, you can access more than you might need for an inventory management process. Industries such as automotive, construction, aviation, medical supplies, warehouses, and education can benefit from the features of the Ultra plan.

While there is a built-in scanner in the mobile app, users of the Ultra plan can use external scanners. To scan items easily, you can use a Bluetooth handheld scanner.

Sortly Ultra Plan Feature
Source: Help.Sortly

Given the room for 10,000 entries and the robust functionalities, the flat rate of the Ultra plan is reasonable. Users have access to priority email support in case of any technical issues. The people at the help desk are very cooperative.

How Sortly Ultra Plan Compares to the Professional in Zoho Inventory

When paid annually, the professional plan of Zoho Inventory costs $99 per month. It allows 7,500 orders and 7,500 shipping labels per month, 5 users, and 5 warehouses. Other features include 5 automated workflows, batch tracking, and integrations of 2 Shopify stores.

The plan lacks some of the platform’s high-end features, such as UoM conversion, Advanced Multi-currency Handling, and Contextual Chat.

Sortly’s Ultra plan comes with just about everything the platform has to offer, yet the plan costs $89 per month. Even if you are running remarkably large and complex operations, you will find this plan sufficient. Compared with Zoho’s Professional plan, Sortly’s Ultra plan is not only cheaper but also richer in features.

Yes, Zoho Allows you to add more warehouses and users for additional fees. However, unless you need to add more users without upgrading, you will find Sortly’s Ultra plan more satisfying than Zoho’s Professional plan.

Features of the Enterprise plan

Sortly Enterprise Plan

The Enterprise plan, designed for organizations that need high levels of customization, has no predefined price tag. Here are the highlights of this plan:

  • Unlimited entries
  • Unlimited custom fields
  • 10+ user licenses
  • Scheduled phone support and custom training
  • Single Sign-On
  • API Access
  • Onboarding training session
  • Custom inventory setup and upload
  • Dedicated customer success manager

The Enterprise customers get an API, a software development toolkit that enables enterprise-level users to perform specific functions, such as units of measure, item changes, and alerts.

Sortly Enterprise Plan Feature
Source: Help.Sortly

You can connect your platform with Sortly with the help of a software developer. This custom plan allows you limitless customization.

Large enterprises, such as Honeywell, HP, Yale, Sanford Health, Lyft, and Coors, rely on Sortly’s Enterprise plan.

Who Should Use Sortly?

To begin with, Sortly is a good tool for businesses that run their operations from multiple locations. If you need to monitor your orders, levels, sales, and deliveries on the go, this tool will make your life easier.

In addition, Sortly is the right tool if your operations require generating QR codes or product barcodes. All paid plans allow users to create unlimited QR/barcodes.

But the tool is not for traditional retailers because it does not offer POS integration. Also, Sortly is not for ingredient-level asset tracking. If your operations require tracking the ingredients of certain items, Sortly may not be the right tool.

FAQs

How much does Sortly Cost?

There are four Sortly plans, including a free and a custom plan. The two predefined plans, called Advanced and Ultra, cost $29 and $89 per month (yearly billing). When billed monthly, the plans cost $49. You can save 40% by paying annually. 

Can you use Sortly for Free?

Yes, Sortly has a forever-free version with the most basic functionality. If you want to familiarize yourself with an inventory management tool, Sortly can be a good starting point.

Is Sortly cloud-based?

Yes, Sortly is a cloud-based software tool for inventory management. Your employees can collaborate regardless of their geographical locations.

What is Sortly used for?

Sortly is an easy-to-use inventory tracking system. With this software, you can track items and their details, such as price, quantity, and condition. Industries that need to track their inventory across different locations find Sortly very useful.

Does Sortly offer a free trial?

Sortly offers a 14-day free trial with its Advanced and Ultra plans. This trial allows users to use all the features of the paid subscription. To subscribe to the trial, you must provide a valid credit card.

What payment methods does Sortly support?

Sortly accepts all major credit and debit cards. The platform currently does not support invoicing.

Next Step: Choosing the Right Sortly Pricing Plan

A well-thought-out pricing strategy is the hallmark of Sortly. Whether running a small, medium-sized or large business, there is a plan for you. It is one of the few inventory management trackingapps that offer both a free plan and a free trial. You can try out the tool before buying.

If you need a premium inventory management tool, try the 14-day free trial of the Advanced plan and see how things go. You can easily upgrade your plan if and when your business requires performing complex operations.

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Martin Luenendonk

Editor at FounderJar

Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs by validating the business idea, finding scalable customer acquisition channels, and building a data-driven organization. During his time working in investment banking, tech startups, and industry-leading companies he gained extensive knowledge in using different software tools to optimize business processes.

This insights and his love for researching SaaS products enables him to provide in-depth, fact-based software reviews to enable software buyers make better decisions.