We’re Zangerine so we have SOME bias, but we also know both solutions very well. The short answer is that Fishbowl is a better fit for larger manufacturers or retailers who have an IT team to maintain the onsite Fishbowl server and where e-commerce is not a big factor. Zangerine is a better fit for small or mid-sized distributors who want to access their data on any internet-connected device without having to install it or maintain a server and who want to make e-commerce a significant part of their sales.
Zangerine was built as a cloud-based application, meaning you can run it anywhere you have an internet connection on any computer or mobile device. Because we host the software you don’t have to install the software on any devices or update and maintain it. All security and upgrades are taken care of by Zangerine and if there is a problem a dedicated team is immediately on it 24/7
Fishbowl inventory is an on-premise solution where you install the software and your database on your own server or computer. You have complete control over the server and security, but are also responsible for maintenance, installing upgrades and addressing any outages or errors with your own team. Fishbowl inventory is meant to run on a Windows based computer only, not tablets or other operating systems.
Fishbowl inventory has focused on being the inventory management software with the best integration with Quickbooks. There is no specific industry focus and this ability to work for the needs of Manufacturers, Distributors and Retailers means a more generalized approach that increases complexity and reducing ease of use.
Zangerine was built to meet the specific needs of wholesalers and distributors meaning it has everything you need and nothing you don’t need. This allows us to simplify the interface and make it easier to use.
Zangerine and Fishbowl inventory share many of the same features, including inventory management, purchasing and fulfillment. Some of the feature differences indicate their different purposes. Zangerine was built for B2B and distribution so it includes a CRM and quote management functions while Fishboard includes a POS (point of sales system) for brick & mortar stores, as well as more manufacturing functions.
The biggest feature difference is that Zangerine being an online ERP has full e-commerce functionality including a CMS web builder, it’s own e-commerce shopping cart and integrations with several e-commerce platforms and marketplaces like Shopify and Amazon.
Zangerine’s pricing is simple and transparent. At $379 a month for 3 users with $2,000 for setup. Additional users are $119. The per-user price goes down to $50 after the first 10 users.
Fishbowl inventory sells their software for a set fee based upon the number of licences. As of 2019 the one time fee was reported to be well over $10,000 dollars.