Best Jewelry Inventory Software for Makers in 2026 — Compared

Last updated: March 2026

If you’re still tracking your findings, beads, and clasps in a notebook — or a spreadsheet called something like inventory-REAL-final-v3.xlsx — you’re not alone. Most jewelry makers start there. The problem is that handmade jewelry is one of the hardest product types to track manually, and most generic inventory tools aren’t built for how you actually work.

You’re not just counting finished pieces. You’re managing stones by cut, size, and weight. Wire by gauge and alloy. Clasps, jump rings, chain styles, findings in three different metal types. And underneath all of it, you need to know what each piece actually costs to make — not a rough ballpark, but the real number that tells you whether you’re profitable.

Spreadsheets get you started. They don’t get you far.

This comparison covers the best jewelry inventory software available in 2026, with current pricing, honest pros and cons, and a clear verdict for each tool. We cover options from free DIY solutions up to full cloud-based manufacturing platforms — so you can pick what fits your business, not just what ranks first in a search.

Read also: How to start a jewelry business →

What Jewelry Makers Specifically Need in Inventory Software

Before diving into the tools, it’s worth being clear about what a jewelry artisan actually needs — because this list is different from what a jewelry retailer needs, and confusing the two leads to buying the wrong software.

Component-level tracking. A pair of earrings might use four or five different materials: ear wires, headpins, beads, chain, and solder. Each of those is a separate inventory item with its own unit of measure and its own price. Your software needs to track them all individually.

Bill of materials (BOM). A BOM links your finished products back to the materials they’re made from — quantity per unit, so when you record a manufacture, stock levels update automatically. Without this, you’re manually adjusting component counts every time you make a batch.

COGS calculation. Knowing what you charged isn’t enough. You need to know what it cost you to make the piece — materials plus labor, ideally. That’s how you catch products that look like they’re selling well but are actually losing you money.

Batch making support. Most jewelry makers produce in batches. Make 12 pairs of studs at once, deduct materials for all 12, add 12 to finished goods. Your software should handle this without manual math.

eCommerce integration. If you sell on Etsy or Shopify (and most makers do), you want orders to come in automatically — not require manual entry that inevitably gets missed.

Not every tool on this list handles all of these. That’s the point of the comparison.

Jewelry Inventory Software vs. General Inventory Software — What’s the Difference?

Short answer: a lot more than you’d think.

General inventory software is designed to track things — count products in, count products out, raise a purchase order when you’re running low. It works fine for retailers who buy finished goods and resell them.

Jewelry making is a manufacturing workflow. You transform raw materials into finished goods. That means you need to track two separate inventory systems — materials and finished products — and you need software that understands the relationship between them. When you use 3 grams of sterling silver wire and six 4mm garnets to make a ring, a general inventory tool has no idea that happened. You’d have to manually deduct each component yourself, every time, without forgetting.

Manufacturing software understands that a finished product is made from components. It deducts those components automatically when you record a manufacture, calculates your true cost, and updates both raw material stock and finished goods simultaneously.

That’s the core difference. And it’s why a jewelry maker’s software shortlist looks different from a jewelry retailer’s.

TL;DR — Quick Comparison Table

Option 1 — Jewelry Inventory Spreadsheets (The DIY Starting Point)

Almost every jewelry maker starts here. You build a tab for materials, a tab for finished products, maybe a tab for orders. You wire them together with VLOOKUP or SUMIF, and it works — until it doesn’t.

The honest reality: a spreadsheet is a decent starting point and a genuinely bad long-term solution. They don’t update in real time. They don’t calculate COGS automatically. They break when you add complexity. And when you finally migrate off them, you usually have to pause sales for a day or two while you recount everything.

If you’re just starting out with fewer than 20 products, a spreadsheet makes sense. Start with our free jewelry inventory spreadsheet template — it gives you a solid structure with tabs for materials (including bead inventory), products, and orders already set up.

But if you’re doing consistent volume, shipping regularly, or managing materials at multiple price points, a proper software solution will save you real time and prevent costly mistakes.

Best for: Makers in their first few months, or anyone who wants to test out inventory tracking before committing to software.

Verdict: A fine starting point. Not a destination.

Looking for free jewelry inventory software?

If budget is tight, there are a few genuinely free options worth knowing about:

• Free spreadsheet templates — Our jewelry inventory spreadsheet is a solid structured starting point, covering bead inventory, findings, wire, and finished goods.
• Sortly Free plan — Tracks up to 100 items with photos. Good for finished goods only; no manufacturing features.
• Jewelry Designer Manager free version — Windows desktop app with limited features; useful for cost calculations.
• Craftybase free trial — Not permanently free, but the 14-day trial with no credit card required gives you enough time to test whether the manufacturing features are worth it for your workflow.

The honest caveat: truly free software almost always means limited functionality. For jewelry makers who need component tracking and COGS, the free options won’t cut it long-term. But they’re a legitimate way to start.

Option 2 — Craftybase (Best for Handmade Jewelry Makers)

Craftybase was built specifically for small-batch makers — and that specificity shows. Unlike general inventory tools you have to wrestle into your workflow, Craftybase understands that a pair of earrings is made from components, which are made from materials, which you purchased at a certain price that needs to track through to your COGS.

That manufacturing chain is the core of how Craftybase works. Every time you record a manufacture, Craftybase automatically deducts the materials used and calculates the true cost of the finished piece. Your COGS updates in real time. No formulas to maintain. No manual adjustments.

Key features for jewelry makers:

• Bill of materials for every product — track your stones, findings, wire, bead inventory, and chain by exact quantity
• Auto-deduct materials on manufacture, including batch making
• Lot number and batch tracking — useful if you source stones from specific suppliers and need traceability
• Real-time material stock levels with low-stock alerts
• COGS tracking and profitability reporting per product
• Cloud-based — access your inventory from any device, no desktop install needed
• Integrations with Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, and more
• Location management for multiple storage areas

“Being able to see in an instant all components (and the product code and where it’s from) used in a particular product is a massive help.” — Brett & Leni Handcrafted Jewellery

What I’d push back on: Craftybase is built for makers, not retailers. If you’re running a jewelry store with a POS system, pricing appraisals, or repair tracking, it won’t cover those workflows. It’s manufacturing-first.

Pricing:

• Studio plan: $49/month (or $41/month billed annually)
• Indie plan: $99/month (or $83/month billed annually)
• 14-day free trial, no credit card required

Verdict: The strongest fit for independent jewelry artisans who handcraft their pieces and want real manufacturing cost tracking. If you sell on Etsy or Shopify and make everything yourself, this is likely your best option. Try Craftybase free for 14 days →

Option 3 — Sortly (Simple and Visual, But Limited for Makers)

Sortly takes a different approach — it’s built around visually organizing any physical items with photos, QR codes, and folder-style categorization. The mobile app is genuinely excellent. Being able to scan a QR code to pull up stock info is handy for moving around a workshop.

Sortly was designed to help people track “their stuff” in the broadest sense. It works for tool rooms, office supplies, equipment — and it’ll work for finished jewelry products. What it won’t do is handle the manufacturing side. There’s no bill of materials, no component deduction, no COGS calculation. You’re tracking items, not making them.

For a jewelry maker who only needs to track finished goods and wants a clean mobile experience, Sortly does that well. If you need to understand what it cost you to make something, you’ll be doing that math elsewhere.

Pros:

• Clean, intuitive interface — very low learning curve
• Excellent mobile app with QR code scanning
• Good for tracking finished jewelry by SKU, location, or category
• Multiple user access on higher plans

Cons:

• No manufacturing or BOM features whatsoever
• Not designed for component-level tracking (stones, findings, wire)
• Pricing jumps significantly between tiers
• General-purpose tool — you’ll be adapting it to your jewelry workflow, not the other way around

Pricing:

• Free plan available (up to 100 items)
• Advanced: $29/month
• Ultra: $59/month
• 14-day free trial

Verdict: Good for finished goods tracking only. If you’re primarily a retailer buying finished jewelry to resell, Sortly is worth a look. For makers who produce their own pieces, the missing manufacturing layer is a real gap.

Option 4 — Katana (Best for Growing Jewelry Manufacturers)

Katana is a cloud-based manufacturing platform built for small to mid-sized product businesses. It has a genuine bill of materials system, production order management, and real-time inventory tracking across materials and finished goods. The UI is clean and the workflow is intuitive once you’re up and running.

Katana handles the kinds of workflows that growing jewelry businesses need — managing production queues, tracking materials across multiple locations, connecting to sales channels. It’s a solid piece of software.

The honest catch is price. Katana’s entry plan starts at $179/month on annual billing, and plans scale steeply from there — Standard runs $359/month, Professional $799/month. For a solo maker or small studio, those numbers are hard to justify. Katana also has a documented history of significant price increases over time, which is worth factoring in if you need predictable costs.

Pros:

• Real manufacturing BOM and production order system
• Clean, well-designed interface
• Multi-location inventory management
• Strong integrations (Shopify, QuickBooks, Xero)
• Good for made-to-order and made-to-stock workflows

Cons:

• Expensive — $179/month starting price on annual billing
• Users consistently report steep, unpredictable price increases
• May be more than a small studio needs
• Not specifically designed for artisan handmade workflows

Pricing:

• Free plan: up to 30 SKUs, 3 locations
• Starter: from $179/month (annual billing)
• Standard: from $359/month
• Professional: from $799/month
• 14-day full-access trial

Verdict: A solid choice if you’re running a jewelry manufacturing studio with employees and meaningful production volume. For a sole maker or small team, the price-to-value ratio tips toward more affordable alternatives — you get comparable manufacturing features from Craftybase at a fraction of the cost.

Option 5 — inFlow Inventory (For Product-Based Small Businesses)

inFlow Inventory is a well-regarded inventory and order management system for small businesses. It handles purchasing, sales orders, reporting, and inventory tracking across multiple locations. It’s built for product-based businesses, which makes it closer to a fit for jewelry retailers than Sortly is.

inFlow does have an assembly/BOM feature, which lets you define how a finished product is made from components. But it’s not a manufacturing-first system — the BOM functionality is more of an add-on to a core inventory/order management workflow than a purpose-built manufacturing system.

For a jewelry business that buys finished goods from suppliers and resells them — and needs solid PO management, reporting, and order tracking — inFlow is genuinely capable. For a maker building pieces from raw materials, the manufacturing side will feel thin.

Pros:

• Strong inventory and order management
• Assembly/BOM feature for basic manufacturing tracking
• Good reporting and barcode support
• Multi-location support
• Decent mobile app

Cons:

• Expensive for what makers need — starts at $186/month
• Manufacturing features are secondary to inventory/order management
• More feature overlap with retail workflows than making workflows

Pricing:

• Entrepreneur: $186/month (with 20% discount on annual billing)
• Small Business and higher tiers available
• 14-day free trial

Verdict: A better fit for jewelry retailers than jewelry artisans. If you’re primarily buying and reselling, inFlow has solid bones. If you’re handmaking your pieces, you’re paying for features you won’t use — and the manufacturing side won’t match what maker-focused tools offer.

Option 6 — Prediko (For Shopify-Based Jewelry Brands)

Prediko is an AI-powered inventory planning tool built specifically for Shopify brands. It focuses on demand forecasting and replenishment planning — using your sales history to predict when you’ll run out of stock, automatically generate purchase orders, and prevent the “sorry, sold out” moments that cost you sales.

It’s a newer entrant to this space and worth knowing about if your operation is primarily Shopify-based and you’re scaling fast enough that forecasting matters. The AI forecasting is genuinely impressive, especially for high-SKU businesses with complex material mixes.

The significant limitation for jewelry makers: Prediko is a forecasting and replenishment tool, not a manufacturing tool. It doesn’t have bill of materials, component deduction, or COGS calculation. It’s solving a different problem — “when should I reorder this?” rather than “what does it cost me to make this?”

Pros:

• Strong AI-powered demand forecasting
• Automated purchase order generation
• Real-time inventory visibility across Shopify channels
• Built for scaling eCommerce brands

Cons:

• No BOM or component-level manufacturing tracking
• No COGS calculation
• Shopify-only (no Etsy or other platform support)
• Pricing not publicly listed — requires quote

Verdict: Worth a look if you’re a fast-scaling Shopify-based jewelry brand that needs serious demand forecasting and replenishment automation. Not suitable for makers who need manufacturing cost tracking.

Option 7 — Jewelry Designer Manager (Windows Desktop, One-Time Purchase)

Jewelry Designer Manager has a loyal following, and for good reason — it’s a one-time purchase, purpose-built for jewelry, and handles cost calculations, pricing at multiple price levels, customer management, invoices, and basic inventory tracking.

The honest limitation: it’s Windows-only desktop software. No cloud sync, no mobile access, no real-time updates across devices. If you sell on Etsy or Shopify, you’re running two completely separate systems with no connection between them. If you’re considering it alongside Craftybase, see our full Jewelry Designer Manager vs Craftybase comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.

For makers who work from a single Windows machine and primarily need cost calculation and basic inventory tracking, it’s affordable and purposeful. Anyone selling across multiple channels will hit the limitations quickly.

Pros:

• One-time purchase (no monthly subscription)
• Designed specifically for jewelry
• Good cost calculation and pricing guidance
• Customer management and invoice generation

Cons:

• Windows-only desktop application
• No cloud sync or mobile access
• No eCommerce integrations
• Development pace is slow compared to cloud-native tools

Pricing: One-time purchase (check neverdiemedia.com for current pricing — a free version with limited features is also available)

Verdict: Worth considering if you’re on Windows, want a one-time cost, and don’t need eCommerce integration. Anyone selling on Etsy, Shopify, or other platforms will likely find the lack of integration too limiting.

Option 8 — Craft Maker Pro (Legacy Option)

Craft Maker Pro is one of the original inventory systems built for crafters, with cost calculation features and automatic inventory tracking. If you’ve been using it for years, you probably know its quirks — and there’s a reason its user base is loyal.

The key limitation in 2026 is the same it’s always been: it’s an installable Windows desktop application, not cloud-based. You can’t access it from your phone, a second computer, or anywhere that isn’t your main machine. There’s no Etsy or Shopify sync. Orders have to be entered manually.

Craftybase vs Craft Maker Pro

This comparison comes up often. Both tools handle cost calculations and inventory tracking for makers. The main differences:

• Cloud vs desktop: Craftybase is fully cloud-based — works on any device, anywhere. Craft Maker Pro is Windows desktop only.
• eCommerce integrations: Craftybase syncs with Etsy, Shopify, and WooCommerce automatically. Craft Maker Pro has none.
• Pricing model: Craft Maker Pro is a one-time purchase (no ongoing subscription). Craftybase is monthly/annual.
• Active development: Craftybase receives regular updates and new features. Craft Maker Pro’s development pace is significantly slower.

If you’re on Craft Maker Pro and hitting its limits — usually the lack of cloud access or eCommerce integration — Craftybase is the most direct upgrade for handmade makers.

Pros:

• One-time purchase cost
• Decent cost calculation features for crafters
• No monthly subscription

Cons:

• Windows desktop only — no cloud access or mobile
• No eCommerce integrations
• Slow development and update cycle compared to cloud-native tools
• No real-time inventory sync across devices

Verdict: Only worth considering if you’re already using it and the switch feels daunting. For new users in 2026, there’s no good reason to start here over a cloud-based alternative.

How to Choose the Right Jewelry Inventory Software

With eight options on the table, here’s a simple way to narrow it down.

Are you a maker or a retailer?

This is the single most important question. Makers — people who handcraft their jewelry from raw materials — need manufacturing inventory management software. That means bill of materials, component deduction, and COGS calculation. Retailers — businesses buying finished jewelry wholesale to resell — need inventory and order management software. These are genuinely different tools built for different workflows.

If you make your pieces, look at Craftybase or Katana. If you primarily buy and resell, Sortly or inFlow are better starting points.

How complex is your material tracking?

A maker working with 10 materials and 20 products has very different needs from someone managing 200+ components — multiple stone cuts and sizes, wire gauges and alloys, chain types, clasps, and findings in various metals. The more complex your material mix, the more you need a system with solid component-level tracking and multi-level BOM support.

Craftybase and Katana handle this well. Sortly and inFlow will require workarounds.

What’s your budget?

Be honest about where your business is. If you’re bringing in $1,000/month from your jewelry work, a $180/month software subscription doesn’t make sense — start with a spreadsheet or Craftybase’s Studio plan at $49/month. If you’re running a proper studio with employees and significant production volume, Katana’s pricing may be justified.

For most independent jewelry artisans, Craftybase sits at the right price point. The Studio plan at $49/month costs less than Sortly’s Ultra tier — and includes manufacturing features Sortly doesn’t come close to.

Do you need cloud-based jewelry inventory management?

If you work across devices — phone in the workshop, laptop at your desk — you need cloud jewelry inventory management, not a desktop app. Cloud-based tools update in real time across every device, meaning your stock levels are always current wherever you check them. Craftybase, Katana, Sortly, and inFlow are all cloud-based. Jewelry Designer Manager and Craft Maker Pro are desktop-only.

Do you need eCommerce integration?

If you sell on Etsy, Shopify, or WooCommerce, you want a tool that syncs orders automatically — so you’re not manually entering sales and adjusting stock by hand. Craftybase, Katana, and inFlow all have strong eCommerce integrations. Jewelry Designer Manager and Craft Maker Pro don’t.

Does knowing your true COGS matter?

It should. Knowing exactly what it costs to make a piece — materials, time, overhead — is how you price handmade items accurately and avoid selling at a loss. If that matters to your business (and it should from day one), you need software that tracks COGS automatically. Only Craftybase and Katana do this properly on this list.

Read more: Managing inventory in a small jewelry business →

FAQ

What inventory system do most jewelers use?

It depends heavily on whether they’re makers or retailers. Independent jewelry makers who handcraft their pieces tend to use maker-focused platforms like Craftybase, which handles manufacturing cost tracking alongside inventory. Larger jewelry retailers often use POS-integrated solutions like Lightspeed or retail-focused systems. Many small jewelry businesses still rely on spreadsheets, though these become difficult to maintain as product lines grow.

Do I need special software for jewelry inventory?

Not necessarily “special” — but you do need software designed for how your business actually works. If you’re handmaking jewelry from raw materials, you need a tool that understands manufacturing: bill of materials, component deduction, and cost of goods sold calculation. General inventory tools often skip these features. If you’re reselling finished pieces, a standard inventory management tool works fine.

How do I track jewelry components like stones and findings?

The key is treating stones, findings, wire, and chain as separate materials with individual stock levels — then linking them to the products they’re used in via a bill of materials. Every time you make a piece, the system should deduct the exact quantities of each component automatically. Tools like Craftybase handle this natively. In a spreadsheet, you’d do it manually with formulas, which works until someone forgets to update it.

Can I track jewelry inventory on a spreadsheet?

Yes, and it’s a reasonable starting point. A spreadsheet with tabs for materials, products, and orders — connected with formulas — gives you basic visibility. The main problem is that spreadsheets require constant manual updates, don’t integrate with your selling channels, and don’t calculate COGS automatically. They also become fragile as your product range grows. Our free jewelry inventory spreadsheet is a solid template if you want to start there.

Is Craftybase good for jewelry makers?

Craftybase is one of the strongest options specifically for handmade jewelry makers. It was built for small-batch makers and handles the full manufacturing workflow — materials tracking, bill of materials, automatic COGS calculation, and integration with Etsy and Shopify. The main limitation is that it’s not a retail POS or jewelry store management system — it’s manufacturing and inventory software for people who make their products by hand.

What’s the best free jewelry inventory software?

Truly free options are limited for makers who need manufacturing features. Sortly has a free plan for up to 100 items (finished goods only, no BOM). Jewelry Designer Manager has a free desktop version for basic cost calculations. For makers who need component tracking and COGS, Craftybase’s 14-day free trial is the best way to test a proper manufacturing solution without committing upfront.

What is cloud jewelry inventory management?

Cloud jewelry inventory management means your stock levels, materials, orders, and product data are stored online and accessible from any device — phone, tablet, or desktop — without installing software on a specific machine. When you record a sale on Etsy, your stock updates immediately. When you add a bead order from your phone, it’s there when you sit down at your laptop. For jewelry makers who move between workspaces or need real-time visibility, cloud-based tools are much more practical than desktop alternatives.