Cin7 Core vs Unleashed Software: A Deep Dive for SMEs

Small and medium businesses often juggle multiple sales channels, warehouses, and suppliers – so choosing the right inventory tool is crucial. In this Cin7 Core vs Unleashed Software comparison, we’ll unpack features, industry fit, integrations, UI, scalability, and pricing. Both platforms target global small businesses (including the US, UK, and Australia markets) with cloud-based inventory solutions, but each takes a slightly different approach. Below, we break down how they stack up, highlighting Cin7 Core features, Unleashed Software pricing, plus pros, cons, and real-world use cases.

Features and Functionality

Cin7 Core (formerly Dear Systems) is a full-featured inventory/ERP tool with strong support for manufacturing and warehouse operations. It offers end-to-end inventory management plus modules like point-of-sale (POS), purchase order processing, and a B2B customer. Key capabilities include multi-channel order management, real-time stock tracking, advanced reporting, and built-in accounting. It even has manufacturing features (BOM management, MRP, shop-floor control) and advanced warehouse management (directed/zone picking).

Unleashed Software also covers the core inventory bases (purchases, stock, production, sales) with real-time visibility. Its strengths are a dedicated B2B e-commerce store and a strong analytics suite. For example, Unleashed includes a built-in sales portal for wholesale customers and live BI dashboards. It integrates easily with popular platforms (Shopify, Amazon) and provides demand planning and an Advanced Inventory Manager (AIM) to optimize stock.

In practice, both systems handle multi-location inventory, multi-currency orders, and lot/serial tracking. Cin7 Core shines in complex manufacturing or warehouse, while Unleashed emphasizes ease-of-use in procurement and reporting (and adds perks like a file library for attaching documents to items).Broadly speaking, if your business needs built-in manufacturing/MRP and a powerful warehouse module, Cin7 Core’s feature set is very. If you need simpler inventory control with strong sales integration and BI tools, Unleashed is competitive.

Industry Suitability

Cin7 Core is aimed at versatile product businesses. It’s often used by e-commerce, retail, wholesale, and manufacturing companies. Cin7 touts its appeal to multi-channel sellers (small brands scaling up) who need to connect stores, marketplaces, and warehouses in one system. For example, a growing paddle-sports retailer uses Cin7 Core to tie together its Shopify storefront, retail POS and inventory tracking across warehouses. Cin7’s FAQ notes that its simplified interface and scale-ready design make it ideal for small-to-mid sized operations in those sectors.

Unleashed also targets growing product businesses, from make-to-order manufacturers to wholesale and distribution firms. Its site emphasizes flexibility for B2B and D2C channels alike, noting it fits “from make-to-order manufacturers to wholesale distributors, & everyone in between. Unleashed sees its sweet spot as companies of roughly 5–500 employees.

In summary: Cin7 Core suits businesses with complex inventory/manufacturing needs (especially those already on QuickBooks/Xero), while Unleashed appeals to a broad range of SME manufacturers and wholesalers. Both have strong followings in the US, UK, and Australia, though Unleashed originated in Australia and Cin7 in New Zealand. Both platforms are built for small companies that expect to scale up over time

Integrations

Integrations are crucial for connecting inventory to other systems. Cin7 Core boasts a huge ecosystem – covering e-commerce, accounting, CRM, shipping, 3PL, etc. Out-of-the-box, it links to Amazon, Shopify, eBay, Magento, WooCommerce, plus accounting tools like QuickBooks and Xero. This makes it easy to sync inventory and orders across online channels and back-office systems.

Unleashed doesn’t claim hundreds of apps, but covers the essentials. Popular connectors include Xero, QuickBooks, Shopify and Amazon. Every Unleashed plan includes full API access, so developers can also build custom links.

In short, both tools play well with others. Cin7 Core’s advantage is sheer breadth: if you use a niche system or need custom integrations, its large partner network and open API are a plus. Unleashed covers the common cases and emphasizes easy connectors.

User Experience (UI/UX) and Ease of Use

In practice, Cin7 Core and Unleashed both use modern web interfaces, but user feedback suggests some differences. Unleashed is often praised for a clean, intuitive UI and quick onboarding. It even offers a mobile app for reviewing orders and stock. Cin7 Core has a data-rich dashboard and advanced features (like barcode scanning and warehouse apps), which give admins a lot of control but can feel complex at first.

Published ratings reflect this: Unleashed tends to score slightly higher on ease-of-use (about 4.4/5) than Cin7 Core (about 4.2/5)softwareadvice.com. Both systems offer extensive documentation and support. Unleashed emphasizes “rapid troubleshooting” with phone/email/chat while Cin7 provides 24/7 chat help and an online Academy of training materials. In short, neither UI is clunky, but Unleashed may feel more streamlined to new users, whereas Cin7 Core gives power users more out-of-the-box tools at the expense of some complexity.

Scalability

Both Cin7 Core and Unleashed are built to grow with your business. They are cloud-based and can handle multi-location and multi-entity setups. Cin7, in particular, is designed for scale: its higher tiers (and its sister product Cin7 Omni) support large order volumes, multiple warehouses, and even multiple business entities. Cin7’s pricing page explicitly notes that plans can be upgraded as you grow. For example, the Standard plan covers 6,000 orders/year (5 users), while the Advanced plan covers 120,000 orders (15 users). Beyond the Advanced tier, the fully customizable Omni plan (enterprise-level) is available for very complex needs (contact vendor for pricing).

Unleashed scales mostly by adding more users and through larger plan tiers. Its “Medium” plan is for ~3 users, the “Large” for 8 users, and “Large Plus” for 20 users. Customers needing more than 25 users move to a custom enterprise users.

The bottom line: Both systems can support an expanding SME. Cin7 Core may better suit companies that anticipate very large order volumes or multiple divisions (especially if they need advanced warehouse/manufacturing automation), while Unleashed accommodates growth mainly through adding users and optional modules.

Pricing

Pricing is a big deciding factor for SMEs. Both platforms are subscription-based with tiered plans, billed in USD (excl. taxes).

• Cin7 Core: The Standard plan starts at $349/month (includes 5 users, 2 built-in integrations, and 6,000 orders/year). The Pro plan is $599/month (10 users, 4 integrations, 24k orders). The Advanced plan is $999/month (15 users, 6 integrations, 120k orders). (There is also Cin7 Omni for enterprises, but pricing is custom.) Notably, Cin7 limits the number of e-commerce connectors in each plan (2/4/6 respectively); more connectors or add-ons (B2B portals, POS registers, EDI, etc.) cost extra. A free trial is available.

• Unleashed: The Medium plan is about $410/month for 3 users, and it includes all core features. The Large plan is $785/month (8 users), and Large Plus is $1,188/month (20 users). Additional users cost $109, $99, or $79 per user depending on tier. Like Cin7, Unleashed lets you add optional modules: for example, a B2B web store is $129/month. Advanced Inventory Manager is $100/month, and BI dashboards are $39/month. Unleashed also offers a 14-day free trial.

In practice, reviewers note that unlike Cin7, Unleashed’s pricing is more transparent: you get a flat set of features in each plan and only pay extra for extra users. Cin7 Core’s pricing can feel more complex because key functions (like multi-warehouse or MRP) only appear in higher tiers. One user complains that Cin7’s site “lacks transparency on pricing” for things like B2B and POS, leading to surprise costs. On the flip side, Cin7’s base tiers are slightly cheaper at entry ($349 vs $410), but once you need more integrations or advanced features, the costs add up.

Summary: Cin7 Core has three fixed tiers ($349/$599/$999), but with strict limits on users and integrations per tier. Unleashed’s pricing runs slightly higher but puts core features in every tier. Both require you to pay more as you add users or optional modules. Be sure to compare the plan inclusions closely: what Cin7 charges extra for (e.g. extra sales channels, warehouses, reports) might be built-in to Unleashed, and vice versa.

Pros & Cons

Cin7 Core – Pros:

• Comprehensive feature set (inventory, orders, PO, B2B portal, built-in POS & accounting)

• Strong manufacturing and warehouse modules (MRP, BOM, directed picking)

• Scalable for complex setups (multi-warehouse, multi-entity via Omni).

• Generally solid reporting and analytics (70+ reports, forecasting).

Cin7 Core – Cons:

• Can be pricey and complex. Key tools are tiered, so small plan users often outgrow it quickly. (Several users note “billing is a total fraud” when upgrading or adding modules).

• Steeper learning curve due to feature-rich UI. Some find daily tasks require many clicks.

• Mobile options exist but some reviewers miss a dedicated mobile app for stock-taking.

• Limited free configurations – deeper customization often requires moving to Cin7 Omni or paid add-ons.

Unleashed – Pros:

• User-friendly interface and onboarding. Core features (inventory, orders, manufacturing) included in every.

• Transparent, flat pricing model – no hidden feature gates (you pay only for extra users or add-on modules)

• Great support and resources (24/7 chat, local success managers, migration help).

• Strong purchase/order management and forecasting (AIM, BI, file library for attachments)

• Includes a built-in B2B e-commerce portal (versus paying extra for Cin7’s).

• Active development (recent AI-driven features have been announced).

Unleashed – Cons:

• Lacks some niche ERP features (e.g. it has no built-in CRM or full POS – you must integrate with Square/Shopify POS).

• Integration count is lower – enough for popular apps but fewer niche connectors than Cin7.

• As volume grows, cost rises quickly with users/modules. Over 20+ users or very high order volumes require custom quotes.

• Some users report limited flexibility in document layout (e.g. invoice formatting) or costing methods (Unleashed uses average cost by default).

Real-world Use Cases

Different businesses highlight different strengths of each system. For example, AQ Outdoors (a sporting goods retailer) uses Cin7 Core to sync its Shopify store, retail POS, and 3PL warehouse, giving them live visibility of inventory across. In manufacturing, Lazer Lamps (automotive parts) found Unleashed “very efficient” and “the whole system runs seamlessly” for their production. Another customer, a holiday retailer, praised Cin7 Omni (the higher-end Cin7) for automating POs and 3PL orders, eliminating manual tasks. Meanwhile, distributors often mention Unleashed’s ease: one noted their business grew 30% annually on Unleashed thanks to better inventory.

Use cases are telling: if you need things like built-in barcoding across warehouses or deep assembly manufacturing, Cin7 (Core/Omni) frequently appears in case studies. If you run a high-volume wholesale or blended B2B/DTC operation and want a rapid-setup solution, Unleashed users highlight its quick adoption and reliable support.

Conclusion

Cin7 Core and Unleashed are both SME-friendly inventory management tools, but they serve different needs. Cin7 Core (with its DEAR Systems heritage) offers a deep feature set and extensive integrations – a one-stop solution for companies that need strong manufacturing, warehousing, and multi-channel sales in one. Unleashed prioritizes simplicity and transparency, giving all users the full core platform and focusing on excellent support and scalability through

In a nutshell: if your business relies heavily on complex manufacturing or advanced warehouse operations, Cin7 Core’s robust capabilities might give it the edge. If you prefer easier setup and pricing clarity (and are willing to integrate out-of-the-box for missing bits like POS), Unleashed could be the better fit. Both systems offer free trials – it’s wise to test-drive each and compare how their interfaces and workflows match your team’s processes. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your priorities (advanced features vs. straightforward use), budget (base price vs. add-on costs), and specific industry needs. Use this comparison to guide your decision, keeping in mind the pros and cons above so you select the tool that aligns best with your SME’s goals.