Key Takeaways: Order Management Software (OMS) automates the entire order lifecycle, from order capture to returns, giving eCommerce teams real-time visibility and control. The right OMS reduces manual work, syncs multi-channel orders, and improves fulfillment speed by up to 40%. Leading OMS tools in 2025 include Zoho Inventory, NetSuite, Shopify, Brightpearl, Katana, and QuickBooks Commerce, each serving different business sizes. Pairing your OMS with delivery optimization software, such as Upper, ensures faster and more cost-efficient last-mile fulfillment. Most solutions, including the ones given below, have a free trial option. Choosing the right order management system has become harder than ever. Every platform claims to be the best, and business owners often end up overwhelmed before they even start. Many growing companies say order management slows them down the most. But when they look for solutions, it’s tough to tell which tools actually work and which ones are just heavy on marketing. This confusion between what vendors promise and what businesses actually experience makes the decision even more difficult. That’s why we created this guide. We reviewed more than 50 order management software, studied real user feedback, and compared performance data. From that research, we narrowed it down to 14 solutions that consistently deliver real, measurable results for different types of businesses. Table of Contents How Does the Order Management Process Actually Work? Must-Have Features for Order Management Software in 2025 Top 14 Order Management Software Solutions How to Choose the Right Order Management System for Your Business? FAQs Conclusion How Does the Order Management Process Actually Work? Here’s how the software works: A customer places an order through the website, app, call, or marketplace. The order details automatically flow into the software, including customer information, items ordered, and payment status for seamless customer order management. The software checks stock availability, validates the order, and calculates totals and taxes. Fulfillment starts as the system creates picking and packing tasks, assigns them, and prepares shipping labels. The package is handed over to the selected carrier, and the customer gets a tracking link. The system monitors the order’s journey and updates the business and the customer in real time while adjusting inventory levels. Once delivered, the customer receives a completion update, and the business records the order as fulfilled in the system. Don’t Stop at Order Processing; Optimize Delivery Too! Perfect orders deserve perfect delivery. Upper’s route optimization integrates with your order management software to ensure efficient last-mile fulfillment. Try Upper Must-Have Features for Order Management Software in 2025 Let’s cut through the marketing fluff and focus on what actually matters: 1. Multi-Channel Order Synchronization Your customers don’t care if you sell on five different platforms; they just want their stuff. Real-time syncing keeps all your sales channels updated at the same time. This prevents overselling and avoids situations where the same item gets sold twice. 2. Automated Order Processing Workflows If you’re still manually copying and pasting order details, you’re burning money. Automation handles most of the data entry for you and cuts out common mistakes, like sending orders to the wrong address. 3. Real-Time Inventory Management No more guessing whether an item is available. Real-time visibility of stock shows exactly what’s in stock across every location. You won’t have to send those “sorry, we’re out of stock” messages anymore. 4. Shipping Integration Direct carrier integration lets you compare rates, print labels, and get tracking updates in one place. You don’t have to jump between multiple shipping websites. Everything you need is handled inside the software. 5. Returns Management Easy return processing helps turn unhappy customers into repeat buyers. One-click return labels and automated refunds make the whole process smoother. 6. Analytics Get clear insights into sales trends, inventory movement, and fulfillment performance. These aren’t just graphs; they help you make real decisions. Nothing sits unused or ignored. Top 14 Order Management Software Solutions 1. Zoho Inventory Rating: 4.5/5 Pricing: $39/month Zoho Inventory feels built for the everyday business owner, not for consultants, not for IT, but for the actual people processing orders on the ground. The interface is clean, the workflows make sense, and the automation options help small operations feel much bigger without overwhelming the team. Instead of piling on enterprise-only features, Zoho focuses on essentials done right: multi-channel sync, warehouse tracking, reordering, and solid reporting. It’s a system that grows with you rather than forcing you to overhaul operations. Features Handles 15+ sales channels without breaking a sweat Mobile app that actually works Barcode scanning Automated reordering Advantages Beginner-friendly for small teams Affordable compared to competitors Great for scaling from small to mid-sized operations Smooth integration with the Zoho ecosystem Disadvantages Learning curve for complex inventory setups Limited customization for advanced workflows What do Zoho Inventory customers have to say? “I liked to use it for my stock management and in addition to the other Zoho tools when we were using them.“ – Jason M. “It greatly improved management because you can have a more organized process that also makes it easier to keep track of detailed transactions without losing information.“ – Janne L. Who is it best for? Growing businesses processing 100–5,000 orders monthly that need reliable order management without enterprise costs. 2. NetSuite Rating: 4.2/5 Pricing: Custom pricing that depends on business requirements NetSuite is a full-scale ERP disguised as an order management system, meaning it does much more than simply track orders. Large enterprises rely on it because it centralizes accounting, finance, inventory, supply chain, and order workflows in one unified platform. If you’re running multiple warehouses, subsidiaries, or product lines, NetSuite handles that complexity with ease. It’s extremely powerful but also requires proper planning, trained staff, and a partner who knows how to configure it. The payoff is a fully integrated operation with real-time financial and operational visibility. Features Multi-subsidiary support Custom workflow automation Full financial integration Compliance tracking Advantages True end-to-end ERP Industry-grade customization Excellent for scaling globally Single source of truth for operations and finance Disadvantages High cost Long implementation timelines Requires trained staff What do NetSuite customers have to say? “From enhanced efficiency, a reduction of errors, and a consolidation of numerous data sources into one, this has drastically improved our scalability as we take that step from a start-up company to a big player in the market.“ – Callie R. “Nsuite has simplified our ability to keep track of financial records, inventory, and order processing in one place.“ – Connor T.B. Who is it best for? Large enterprises and fast-scaling companies need a full ERP suite alongside order management. 3. QuickBooks Commerce Rating: 4.3/5 Pricing: $35/month QuickBooks Commerce is built for businesses that want their accounting and order management to live in the same ecosystem. Instead of jumping between two or three tools, you get one unified workflow that covers financials, sales orders, invoicing, payments, and basic inventory. Because of its tight integration with QuickBooks, it works well for teams that need simple, reliable sales order management software that keeps all financial activity connected. It’s not the most advanced inventory system, but for clarity and simplicity, it gets the job done with far less hassle. Features Accounting and order sync Automated invoices Cash flow visibility Built-in tax support Advantages Best-in-class accounting integration Easy for non-technical users Affordable for small teams Reduces duplicate data entry Disadvantages Limited manufacturing features Not ideal for complex warehouse workflows What do QuickBooks Commerce customers have to say? “QuickBooks Online excels in accessibility, automation, and integration, making it a strong choice for small to medium-sized service-based businesses that prioritize cloud access and collaboration.“ – Johnny V. “QuickBooks online gives you all your business features at your fingertips income and expense tracking, invoicing, bill payment, bank reconciliation, and even payroll.“ – Sandra Toribio S. Who is it best for? Small and mid-sized businesses already using QuickBooks for accounting. 4. Shopify Rating: 4.5/5 Pricing: $29/month Shopify keeps order management simple because it’s baked directly into your online store. You don’t need custom integrations, and you don’t need a complex setup; it all works from day one. The dashboard shows orders, inventory, customer profiles, fulfillment, payments, and analytics in one place. For e-commerce-first businesses, Shopify remains the most user-friendly order management experience available. With thousands of apps, you can customize almost anything. Features Built-in order management Shopify Flow automation Abandoned cart recovery Large app ecosystem Advantages Seamless and native experience Great for omnichannel retail Extremely easy to set up Strong automation options Disadvantages Transaction fees for external payments Limited B2B tools on lower plans What do Shopify customers have to say? “It makes starting a business a breeze and give you access to a whole suite of ecommerce management option and also plugin to pretty much anything ecommerce related“ – Mathieu V. “The storefront is cool and it has amazing features that enable me to sell my product, market my goods and collect payment online from my customers.“ – Fidelis A. Who is it best for? Ecommerce retailers who want simplicity, native tools, and minimal technical setup. 5. Brightpearl Rating: 4.4/5 Pricing: Custom pricing based on business size and needs Brightpearl is built for retailers who want to automate everything after the sale. From warehouse operations to order routing to financial reconciliation, Brightpearl removes manual tasks and replaces them with smart, rules-based automation. Its forecasting, reporting, and multi-location tools give mid-size retailers enterprise-level performance without needing an entire IT team. Features Workflow automation Inventory forecasting Multi-channel retailing Actionable analytics Advantages Very strong automation Handles large order volumes Deep retail-focused features Excellent Shopify integration Disadvantages Higher cost than SMB tools Can require guided onboarding What do Brightpearl customers have to say? “The integration with Shopify works very well and allows us to seamlessly track our orders as well as managing stock for multiple sites.“ – Sharon P. “We’ve been able to move away from multiple systems to one, and streamline many processes saving huge amounts of time and reducing human input and errors. When needed, support is great, and the team at BrightPearl are always a pleasure to speak and deal with.“ – James F. Who is it best for? Mid-sized and large retailers seeking automated operations and multi-channel control. 6. Katana Rating: 4.6/5 Pricing: $399/month Katana focuses on manufacturing-first workflows, giving businesses real-time visibility into production, materials, and fulfillment. It connects inventory with production planning, ensuring you always know what you can build today and what needs restocking. Its visual dashboards and automated scheduling make it ideal for manufacturers who want to sync production with sales without dealing with rigid ERP systems. Features Production scheduling BOM management Raw material tracking Quality control Advantages Perfect for small/mid manufacturers Real-time production updates Helps prevent material shortages Clean and intuitive UI Disadvantages Expensive for very small businesses Limited beyond manufacturing workflows What do Katana customers have to say? “Katana was the goldilocks inventory solution for our manufacturing company. It wasn’t too much, and it wasn’t too little, it was just right. I was able to create our product recipes and input all of our sku’s relatively easily and get us onboarded quickly. It allowed us to see shortages earlier and remedy them before they became issues. Saved us time and money.” – Tim P. “KAtana manufacturing Erp is a solid choice for small and medium sized business looking for a user-fried and Integrated solutions for their manufacturing process“ – Dominique F. Who is it best for? Manufacturing companies needing live production planning integrated with order management. 7. Salesforce Commerce Cloud Rating: 4.6/5 Pricing: Ranges from $200,000 to over $1,000,000 annually Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers enterprise-level ecommerce with heavy emphasis on personalization, automation, and AI-driven insights. It centralizes customer experiences, order management, and predictive analytics across massive product catalogs and global operations. Its strength lies in scale; if you handle thousands of daily orders, multi-storefront operations, or complex customer journeys, Salesforce gives you tools that few competitors can match. Features AI-powered routing Predictive analytics Personalization engine Global scalability Advantages Enterprise-grade performance Deep customer insights Highly customizable Supports huge order volumes Disadvantages Extremely expensive Requires certified partners for setup What do Salesforce Commerce Cloud customers have to say? “It’s a scalable yet enterprise-level platform tool for tracking customers throughout their journey, increasing data on them, segmenting them, and leveraging list-building and CRM to ensure that you’re providing the best outgoing marketing messaging for particular users at particular times.“ – Gabriel S. “I also value how the platform offers comprehensive insights into customer behaviors, sales patterns, inventory, and much more. Whether you are rapidly expanding or facing slow periods during certain seasons, Salesforce Commerce Cloud adapts effortlessly.“ – Jackie S. Who is it best for? Large enterprises with complex ecommerce and personalization needs. 8. Odoo Rating: 4.2/5 Pricing: $28/user/month Odoo gives businesses full control over their system—something most platforms don’t allow. If you need a customized workflow, a custom module, or integrations with your internal systems, Odoo lets you build it. It’s modular, open-source, and highly flexible, making it a strong choice for teams with technical resources who want to avoid vendor lock-in. Features Fully customizable Huge app ecosystem Modular pricing Strong developer community Advantages Unlimited customization Affordable for its flexibility Great for unique workflows Open-source transparency Disadvantages Needs technical knowledge Not plug-and-play for beginners What do Odoo customers have to say? “Odoo is an all-in-one suite of open-source business applications that integrates a vast range of functions from CRM and e-commerce to accounting, inventory, and human resources into a single, modular platform.“ – Fujimory C. “We especially benefited from the flexibility Odoo gives developers—using it, we’ve even built our own apps like the WooCommerce Connector available on the Prefortune store, which integrates perfectly for real-time sync.“ – Vibha T. Who is it best for? Businesses with custom workflows or in-house dev teams wanting flexibility. 9. Finale Inventory Rating: 4.7/5 Pricing: $99/month Finale Inventory is designed for businesses juggling inventory across multiple warehouses, stores, or fulfillment centers. Its strength is in real-time visibility and intelligent allocation, ensuring stock moves where it’s needed most. It’s simple enough for small teams but powerful enough for large retailers with complicated stock flow. Features Multi-location tracking Automated purchasing Demand forecasting Intelligent stock allocation Advantages Excellent for multi-location setups Reduces carrying costs Simple to use Strong reordering automation Disadvantages UI feels dated Limited native manufacturing features What do Finale Inventory customers have to say? “I look at stock levels on a daily basis and easily create Purchase Orders from the same software. Inventory levels are adjusted as soon as product is received, and as soon as it’s picked for an order. I can see what’s on hand, what’s on order, and even how many days’ worth of product I have. Stock levels take BOMs into account. That’s huge. Product Lookups are simple to create and link. There’s also the ability to create Custom Fields. Finale barcoding makes life in a warehouse much easier.” – Mike. “Excellent, helped our company scale no doubt. It has some very strong integrations & reporting I really like and wouldnt have been able to accomplish what I wanted without them.” – Omar. Who is it best for? Retailers and distributors managing stock across multiple warehouses. 10. ShippingEasy Rating: 4.8/5 Pricing: $19.99 ShippingEasy is built for ecommerce businesses that need simple, affordable shipping automation without heavy setup. It syncs orders from multiple sales channels, helps choose the cheapest carrier rates, and automates label creation, all from one dashboard. It’s especially popular among small- to mid-sized sellers because of its intuitive interface and low learning curve. Features Multi-channel order import Discounted USPS & UPS rates Automated shipping rules Customer marketing tools Advantages Very easy for beginners Low-cost shipping rates Strong automation options Includes email marketing tools Disadvantages Limited advanced inventory tools The interface looks a bit outdated What do ShippingEasy customers have to say? “ShippingEasy has gone from a powerful shipping program, to a powerful program that gets easier to use with every update. I love that I can save addresses, it cuts down on my computerwork. I can get an order shipped and labeled in under 1 minute. Works for me! And the new tracking that gets sent post shipment to customers is a terrific feature that muy customers love.” – Kristine L., Owner. “Limited carrier options No access to international shipping No international shipping insurance options Limited customer support options“ — Debbie N, Manager. Who is it best for? Small ecommerce sellers needing cheap, easy shipping automation. 11. Shippo Rating: 4.8/5 Pricing: $19 Shippo focuses purely on shipping, making it ideal for businesses that already have an order management system software but want cheaper rates and simpler label printing. It integrates with almost every ecommerce platform and marketplace, making shipping setup painless. Its biggest draw is its pay-as-you-go model, perfect for businesses that fluctuate in order volume. Features Carrier rate comparison Batch label printing Tracking updates Returns management Advantages Easy to set up No monthly fee on the basic tier Great for SMBs Strong marketplace integrations Disadvantages Not a full OMS Limited advanced automation What do Shippo customers have to say? “I use Shippo as an integration with Wix, and the process of adding the extension was simple, easy, and efficient. Once integrated with my website, Shippo allowed me to seamlessly prepare shipping labels for jewelry orders placed on my website.” — Samantha K, Small Business Owner. “Sometimes the tracking updates can be delayed, and carrier options may be limited depending on the shipping location.” — Heldor G., Owner. Who is it best for? Businesses wanting cheaper, simpler shipping without full inventory management. 12. ChannelApe Ratings: 4.9/5 Pricing: $1000 ChannelApe is a premium OMS designed for fast-growing ecommerce brands handling complex fulfillment across multiple warehouses and marketplaces. It gives real-time operational visibility and handles large SKU counts effortlessly. It’s especially strong for brands scaling from DTC to wholesale and retail distribution. Features Real-time operational dashboard Warehouse automation Distributed fulfillment workflows Multi-channel sync Advantages Built for high-volume brands Strong warehouse tools Flexible order routing Handles complex fulfillment Disadvantages Pricing on the higher side Best suited for mid-to-large brands What do customers have to say? “I liked the fact that I could completely automate my inventory and also apply modifiers to the inventory data so that I could create business rules. I also compared to other software platforms such as stitch labs and channeladvisor and channelape was less expensive and also did not have a revenue share. — Anthony Z., President “Some features are a little hard to understand” — Riccardo C., Engineer Who is it best for? High-volume ecommerce brands expanding into wholesale and multi-warehouse operations. 13. Extensiv (Formerly Skubana) Ratings: 4.7/5 Pricing: Custom pricing Extensiv is an advanced OMS built for brands scaling across multiple warehouses, 3PLs, and marketplaces. With deep analytics, strong automation, and intelligent order routing, it reduces manual work for operations teams handling thousands of orders. It also has powerful 3PL integration, ideal for businesses outsourcing fulfillment. Features Advanced order routing Multi-warehouse management Inventory forecasting 3PL integration Advantages Strong automation for scaling Ideal for multi-warehouse setups Very detailed analytics Great for hybrid fulfillment models Disadvantages Steeper learning curve Pricing suited for mid-large teams What do Extensiv customers have to say? “There is a simple and easy-to-navigate feel to it. It never feels overcomplicated to use. I can train an employee to use Extensiv in a few minutes and they are comfortable within a day.” — Chris C., Director. “They are over priced. They cost 7k to start then when you realize its not a good fit. After 4 calls and you are nice about it they keep it all and want you to pay more. Better programs that integrate with you and are better people.” — Kris W. Owner. Who is it best for? Mid-large ecommerce brands using 3PLs or hybrid fulfillment setups. 14. ShipStation Ratings: 4.6/5 Pricing: $14.99 ShipStation is one of the most popular shipping tools in e-commerce, known for its automation rules, marketplace integrations, and fast batch label printing. It simplifies fulfillment even for businesses handling thousands of shipments per day. Its workflow automation lets busy teams handle shipping with minimal manual work, making it a favorite for scaling ecommerce sellers. Features 70+ sales channel integrations Discounted shipping rates Automation rules Branded tracking pages Advantages Highly customizable workflows Handles high order volumes Excellent channel integrations Strong automation engine Disadvantages UI can feel complex at first Customer support is slow on lower plans What do ShipStation customers have to say? “It integrates with almost all of our shopping carts very easily. It is easy to teach our team how to use it to process orders.” — Ryan M., Operations Manager “$110 monthly price increase. Repeated need to update API Keys. Writes to me like I am in IT and know what they are talking about. Not easy communication.” — Christie Z., GM Who is it best for? Small to large ecommerce brands needing fast, automated shipping at scale. How to Choose the Right Order Management System for Your Business? Look for a system that can handle your current monthly orders and scale during busy seasons or future growth. Make sure it integrates smoothly with the tools you already use, like accounting software, ecommerce platforms, shipping apps, CRMs, and payment processors. Consider the full cost, not just the monthly fee. Include setup time, training, add-ons, and the efficiency improvements you’ll gain through automation. Choose software that’s simple for your team to learn and fits naturally into your existing workflow. Automation should reduce manual tasks like order routing, inventory updates, and shipping steps, not add extra work. Reporting should give clear insights into sales, stock levels, and fulfillment performance so you can make better decisions. Good customer support and onboarding matter, especially when order volumes grow or issues arise. Always test the platform with real data and real orders during the trial to see how it performs in your day-to-day operations. Frequently Asked Questions 1. What exactly does order management software do? It collects orders from all your sales channels, checks inventory, sends orders to the right warehouse, creates shipping labels, and updates customers automatically. In short, it handles repetitive work so you don’t have to. 2. How much do I have to spend on order management system software? Small businesses typically spend $62-$267/month, while enterprise solutions range from $1000-$5000/month. Many businesses recover this cost quickly because automation saves time and reduces mistakes. 3. Will order management software integrate with my existing systems? Most modern platforms integrate with major accounting, e-commerce, and shipping systems. Check for pre-built connectors first; custom integrations get expensive fast. 4. How long does it take to implement an order management software? Simple systems like Shopify can be running in a week. Complex enterprise solutions like NetSuite might take 3-6 months. Plan accordingly and don’t rush. Proper setup prevents headaches later. 5. What’s the difference between OMS and ERP? Order management software focuses specifically on orders and fulfillment. ERP systems handle broader business processes, including finance, HR, and supply chain. Some ERPs include order management, but standalone OMS solutions usually offer better order-specific features. 6. How do I know if I’m ready for order management software? If you’re managing 100+ orders a month, doing manual data entry, fixing frequent inventory errors, or juggling multiple sales channels, it’s probably time. When operations start slowing you down, an OMS helps keep everything organized and consistent. 7. Which order management solution is best? The “best” system depends on your business size and workflow. Zoho Inventory works well for small businesses, Brightpearl and Extensiv are great for growing retailers, and NetSuite is ideal for large enterprises. The right choice depends on your order volume, channels, and budget. 8. What is the difference between OMS and CRM? An OMS manages orders, inventory, and fulfillment, while a CRM manages customer relationships, communication, and sales interactions. They solve different problems, but many businesses use both together for a complete workflow. 9. Is QuickBooks an order management system? QuickBooks isn’t a full OMS, but it does include basic order and inventory features. Many businesses pair it with a dedicated order management platform for stronger inventory control and multi-channel workflows. Conclusion A strong OMS brings order, clarity, and control to your entire workflow. From processing orders to managing stock, the right system removes the daily chaos and helps your team stay focused on growth. To extend this efficiency to your last-mile deliveries, Upper pairs perfectly with your OMS to ensure every order reaches the right doorstep faster. Author Bio Jeel Patel Jeel Patel is the Chief Executive Officer at Upper. With 5+ years of experience in dev, outbound, and inbound sales, He is committed to growing conversion through inbound and outbound activities. Outside the office, Jeel loves to spend time with his dog and take him on long walks. Read more. Share this post: Tired of inefficiencies? Get Upper to streamline your delivery process with optimized routes. Try Upper Free Today!
