Inventory analytics tools show a store owner which products sell, which have stalled, and how much cash sits in each one.

This list ranks seven options for independent retailers. Cash Margin Partners ranks first: it’s free, works at the SKU level, and turns stalled stock into a ranked recovery plan.

Most small stores already have sales reports in their point-of-sale system. Those reports count what sold. The gap is everything that didn’t sell, what it cost, and what to do about it.

Retailers held about 1.27 months of sales in stock in July 2026, according to seasonally adjusted Census Bureau inventories-to-sales data. In an independent shop, part of that stock stopped moving months ago.

The 7 Best Inventory Analytics Tools at a Glance

Rank	Tool	Best for	Starting price
1	Cash Margin Partners	Finding the cash tied up in slow and dead stock	Free
2	Thrive Inventory	Square and Clover stores that also sell online	$59 per month
3	Report Pundit	Shopify stores that want low-cost inventory reports	Free under 1,000 lifetime orders, then from $9 per month
4	Prediko	Shopify brands planning purchase orders	$49 per month (under $100K annual revenue)
5	StockTrim	Demand forecasting across many systems	$39 per month on the Shopify App Store
6	Inventory Planner by Sage	Multichannel brands with several warehouses	Pricing on request
7	Glew	Online stores that want inventory and marketing analytics together	Pricing on request

How These Inventory Analytics Tools Were Chosen

Each tool was judged on what a small store owner needs to see before the next buying trip. Features and prices were verified on each company’s own website on October 15, 2026.

Five criteria shaped the ranking:

• SKU-level sell-through: which individual items sell and which have stalled.
• Cash visibility: stock valued at cost, so the owner sees dollars and units.
• Next steps: suggestions for what to do, from reordering to marking down.
• Fit for small retail: connections to Shopify, Square, Clover, Lightspeed or a spreadsheet.
• Price transparency: a published price a small store can see before a sales call.

Tools that have shut down or merged were left out. Cogsy was discontinued, Stocky by Shopify was sunset on August 31, 2026, and Inventoro was folded into Cin7.

1. Cash Margin Partners: Best for Finding the Cash Tied Up in Slow and Dead Stock

Cash Margin Partners is free inventory analytics software for independent retailers. It shows which SKUs have stalled, estimates the cash at risk in them, and ranks markdown, bundling and liquidation moves.

Cash Margin Partners is an inventory cash-recovery platform built for independent, owner-operated retailers. It classifies every SKU as dead stock, a slow mover, overstock, a stockout risk, or healthy. Dead stock here means inventory with no verified sales over the measured window.

The software estimates 30, 60 and 90-day cash-at-risk ranges when a store has enough sales history and cost data. Cash-at-risk is the dollar value of stock the model projects won’t sell inside that window. Recovery moves are then ranked by expected cash and time to cash.

Key Features of Cash Margin Partners

• SKU-level visibility into slow-moving and dead stock, with the cash tied up in each item.
• Estimated 30, 60 and 90-day cash-at-risk forecasts, plus stockout dates with confidence bands.
• Prioritized markdown, bundling and liquidation recommendations.
• CMP Exchange, a marketplace where sellers list excess stock for participating buyers and review offers.
• Read-only connections to Shopify, Square and Lightspeed Retail X-Series, plus spreadsheet upload (CSV, TSV or Excel) with a guided column review.

Cash Margin Partners Pricing

The software is free, with one plan, no credit card and no time limit. CMP Exchange has no subscription. CMP earns a 20% fee only when a marketplace sale closes, paid after the seller is paid.

Who Should Choose Cash Margin Partners

• Owners who suspect cash is stuck in stock and want a dollar figure by SKU.
• Stores that want a clearance plan and a resale channel in the same place.

Cash Margin Partners Limitations

Live connections cover Shopify, Square and Lightspeed only, so stores on Clover or other systems need a spreadsheet export. Lightspeed connects through a capacity-managed custom app that may pause new connections, and availability depends on workspace eligibility.

The analysis is only as good as the store’s cost and sales history. It also doesn’t replace a full inventory system for receiving, counts or purchase orders, since every connection is read-only.

2. Thrive Inventory: Best for Square and Clover Stores That Also Sell Online

Thrive Inventory is an inventory management app with built-in reports for Square and Clover retailers. It suits stores that sell in person and online and need stock counts synced across both.

Thrive Inventory, built by Shopventory Inc., syncs stock counts across physical stores, an ecommerce site and a warehouse. Its Shopify App Store listing names Square, Clover, Shopify, WooCommerce and QuickBooks Online among the systems it works with.

Reporting covers prebuilt reports, custom reports and cost of goods tracking. Stock forecasting starts on the Professional plan. The listing shows a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 104 reviews on the Shopify App Store.

Key Features of Thrive Inventory

• Stock syncing across Square POS, Square Online, Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce.
• Prebuilt and custom reports, with cost of goods tracking on the Starter plan.
• Stock forecasting on Professional and intelligent forecasting on Elite.

Thrive Inventory Pricing

Plans start at $59 per month (Starter), then $129 (Standard), $279 (Professional) and $559 (Elite), each with a 14-day free trial.

Who Should Choose Thrive Inventory

• Clover or Square stores that need one inventory count across channels.
• Owners who want reports and stock control in one subscription.

Thrive Inventory Limitations

Forecasting sits on the $279 Professional plan and above. The listing doesn’t name Lightspeed, and it doesn’t describe a dead stock or cash-at-risk view.

3. Report Pundit: Best for Shopify Stores That Want Low-Cost Inventory Reports

Report Pundit is a Shopify reporting app with a library of prebuilt inventory reports. It’s the lowest-cost way on this list for a Shopify store to see stock value at cost and sell-through by product.

Report Pundit, built by Estore Automate, runs inside Shopify. Its Inventory Cost Report shows the capital tied up in stock at cost, and a sell-through report covers each product and variant.

The Shopify App Store listing shows a 5.0 out of 5 rating from 2,057 reviews.

Key Features of Report Pundit

• Inventory Cost and Inventory Sale Value reports by location and collection.
• Sell-through percentage for each product and variant.
• ABC analysis that groups products A, B or C by units sold.
• Inventory on a specific past date, useful for month-end and audits.

Report Pundit Pricing

A free plan covers stores below 1,000 lifetime orders. After that, Basic costs $9 per month, Grow $19 and Advanced $35, with a 14-day free trial.

Who Should Choose Report Pundit

• Small Shopify stores that want inventory numbers without a big monthly bill.
• Owners comfortable reading reports and making the calls themselves.

Report Pundit Limitations

Report Pundit is Shopify-only. It shows the numbers but doesn’t recommend markdowns or clearance moves, and aging views take setup with calculated fields.

4. Prediko: Best for Shopify Brands Planning Purchase Orders

Prediko is an AI demand and supply planning app for Shopify merchants. It forecasts demand, recommends what to buy, and includes inventory reports and dashboards.

Prediko says it’s trusted by more than 2,500 Shopify merchants. It forecasts revenue and inventory demand, then suggests what, when and how much to buy.

The app includes more than 20 reports and custom dashboards for inventory KPIs. It supports Shopify Basic, Advanced and Plus, Shopify POS, B2B and Amazon.

Key Features of Prediko

• AI demand planning tied to a revenue target.
• Supply planning with buying alerts and purchase order management.
• More than 20 reports and custom dashboards.
• Unlimited users, SKUs and purchase orders, plus multiple stores and locations.

Prediko Pricing

Plans start at $49 per month for stores under $100K in annual revenue, billed through Shopify, with a 14-day free trial. Higher revenue bands are priced separately.

Who Should Choose Prediko

• Shopify brands whose main problem is buying the right quantities.
• Stores with seasonal demand that want forecasts behind each purchase order.

Prediko Limitations

Prediko centers on Shopify, and its site doesn’t name Square or Lightspeed. Its homepage doesn’t describe a dedicated dead stock or cash-tied-up view.

5. StockTrim: Best for Demand Forecasting Across Many Systems

StockTrim is demand forecasting and purchasing software for small and medium businesses. It connects to a long list of ecommerce, POS and accounting systems.

StockTrim serves manufacturing, wholesale, retail and ecommerce businesses. Its homepage lists Shopify, Square, Lightspeed, QuickBooks, WooCommerce, inFlow and Zoho Inventory among its integrations.

Forecasting uses machine learning with seasonality modeling, plus forecasts for new products without sales history. The software also ranks products by profitability and sets reorder schedules and safety stock.

Key Features of StockTrim

• Demand analysis with seasonality and forecast groups by category.
• Reorder schedules and safety stock calculations.
• Most profitable product ranking.

StockTrim Pricing

The Shopify App Store listing starts at $39 per month (Ecommerce Starter, up to 500 SKUs). Direct plans are priced by annual revenue band, with a two-week free trial and no card.

Who Should Choose StockTrim

• Stores on Square or Lightspeed that want forecasting-led purchasing.
• Retailers that also wholesale or make some of their own products.

StockTrim Limitations

StockTrim focuses on buying the right amount going forward. Its site doesn’t describe a dedicated dead stock report or clearance recommendations for stock already on the shelf.

6. Inventory Planner by Sage: Best for Multichannel Brands With Several Warehouses

Inventory Planner by Sage is forecasting and replenishment software for brands and multichannel retailers. It forecasts demand SKU by SKU and recommends purchase orders.

Inventory Planner is part of Sage. Its forecasts show their calculations, so buyers can check the logic.

The company cites more than 2,600 brands across apparel, beauty, sporting goods, furniture and jewelry. Integrations include Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Cin7, QuickBooks and NetSuite.

Key Features of Inventory Planner by Sage

• SKU-by-SKU demand forecasting with visible calculations.
• Replenishment recommendations and automated purchase orders.
• Reports on planning performance from the top level down to SKU.
• Multi-location planning across warehouses and stores.

Inventory Planner by Sage Pricing

Pricing is on request and is based on the volume of inventory managed.

Who Should Choose Inventory Planner by Sage

• Brands selling across Shopify, Amazon and wholesale.
• Retailers with more than one warehouse or many locations.

Inventory Planner by Sage Limitations

The integration list doesn’t name Square or Lightspeed, which many single-location stores run on. Without a published price, a small store has to request a quote to learn the cost.

7. Glew: Best for Online Stores That Want Inventory and Marketing Analytics Together

Glew is a commerce analytics platform that puts inventory, sales and marketing data in one place. Its inventory module tracks slow movers, inventory aging and stock value at cost.

Glew connects ecommerce, ERP, POS and warehouse data, naming Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and BigCommerce. Its inventory analytics track fast and slow movers, run an inventory aging analysis, and value on-hand stock at cost.

Marketing sources such as Klaviyo and Google Ads sit in the same dashboards as stock data.

Key Features of Glew

• Fast-moving and slow-moving product tracking.
• Inventory aging analysis and on-hand cost of goods.
• Weeks of supply monitoring and demand forecasting.
• Marketing and ad data next to inventory data.

Glew Pricing

Pricing is on request. Glew Pro requires annual prepayment and offers a free trial, and Glew Plus uses custom pricing.

Who Should Choose Glew

• Online-first retailers that want ad spend and stock in the same report.

Glew Limitations

Glew’s site doesn’t name Square or Lightspeed. Annual prepayment and unpublished pricing make it a bigger commitment than a monthly app.

Inventory Analytics Tools Compared Side by Side

Tool	Starting price	Main connections	Slow or dead stock view	Stock value at cost	Forecasting	Clearance channel
Cash Margin Partners	Free	Shopify, Square, Lightspeed, spreadsheet	Yes, by SKU	Yes, with cash-at-risk estimates	30, 60 and 90-day cash-at-risk	Yes, CMP Exchange
Thrive Inventory	$59 per month	Square, Clover, Shopify, WooCommerce	Through reports	Cost of goods tracking	Professional plan and up	No
Report Pundit	Free under 1,000 orders	Shopify	Sell-through and ABC reports	Yes, Inventory Cost Report	No	No
Prediko	$49 per month	Shopify, Amazon	Through reports	Not stated	Yes	No
StockTrim	$39 per month on Shopify	Shopify, Square, Lightspeed, QuickBooks	Not stated	Not stated	Yes	No
Inventory Planner by Sage	On request	Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, NetSuite	Overstock prevention	Not stated	Yes	No
Glew	On request	Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce	Yes, slow movers and aging	Yes, on-hand cost	Yes	No

How to Choose an Inventory Analytics Tool for a Small Store

Start with the question you can’t answer today, then match the tool to it.

1. 1. Check your system first. Square and Clover stores should shortlist Thrive Inventory or a spreadsheet path. Shopify stores have the widest choice.
   2. Look for cost, too. A report in units hides the money. Pick a tool that values stock at cost so you can see dollars by SKU.
   3. Decide between looking back and looking ahead. Clearance tools work on stock you already own. Forecasting tools help you buy less of the wrong thing next time.
   4. Clean your cost data before you connect. Missing or wrong unit costs make every tool on this list less accurate.
   5. Price the full year. A $49 monthly app costs $588 a year, so compare that against a free option before you commit.

Costs keep rising for small retailers, which makes stalled stock more expensive to carry. In the Federal Reserve’s 2025 survey, 69% of retail employer firms reported tariff-related cost challenges, per the 2026 Report on Employer Firms. The survey drew 6,525 responses between September 3 and November 14, 2025.

Inventory Analytics Tools: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best inventory analytics tool for independent retailers?

Cash Margin Partners is the best inventory analytics tool for most independent retailers. It’s free, shows slow and dead stock by SKU with the cash it holds, and ranks recovery moves.

What does inventory analytics software show that POS reports don’t?

Inventory analytics software ties sales history to stock on hand and unit cost. That shows which items stalled, how long they’ve sat, and how much cash they hold.

Which inventory analytics tool works with Clover?

Thrive Inventory lists Clover among the systems it works with on its Shopify App Store page. Cash Margin Partners can analyze Clover stores through a spreadsheet export of catalog and sales data.

Is there a free inventory analytics tool for small retailers?

Yes. Cash Margin Partners is free with no card and no time limit. Report Pundit offers a free plan for Shopify stores below 1,000 lifetime orders.

How much sales history does an inventory analytics tool need?

More item-level history gives a tool a better chance of telling slow movers from seasonal items. Square connections to Cash Margin Partners pull up to 366 days of completed orders.