Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Inventory management for makers & manufacturers. Create bills of materials & track profitability
| Materials Inventory | Smart Backorder Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed | ||
| Last updated | — | — |
Sell out-of-stock items with confidence. Automate shipping dates and tags to keep customers happy.
| Metric | Materials Inventory | Smart Backorder Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5.0 ★ | — |
| Total reviews | 52 | 0 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free plan available | Free plan available |
| Built for Shopify | — | — |
| Pricing tiers | 3 tiers | 3 tiers |
| Listed features | 5 | 5 |
| Languages | 1 supported | 1 supported |
| Listed since | Jan 2021 | May 2026 |
Based on the data on this page, Materials Inventory is the stronger choice for most Shopify App Store merchants — 5.0★ vs Smart Backorder Manager's 0.0★ is a meaningful gap that usually reflects real product or support quality differences across the user base.
Pricing entry tiers: Materials Inventory at Free plan available, Smart Backorder Manager at Free plan available. Check each app's tier structure for the capacity limits you actually need before deciding — the headline number is the same shape, but the gating shape per tier (seats, usage volume, integrations) varies.
Recommended by size: small/early-stage merchants who need fast install and low risk should default to Materials Inventory; mid-market and enterprise merchants with specific feature requirements should evaluate both — Smart Backorder Manager's 0-review base may include the workflow context that matches your specific use case better than Materials Inventory's broader-but-shallower coverage.
This verdict is generated from the live marketplace data on this page — rating, review count, pricing tier, and category position all refresh from the canonical Shopify App Store listing every 24 hours. AppRanks does not accept payment to influence comparison outcomes; the methodology is documented on the About page and applies identically to every pair on the site.
Read each app's audit: Materials Inventory audit • Smart Backorder Manager audit
| Keyword | Materials Inventory | Smart Backorder Manager |
|---|---|---|
| raw materials inventory | #3 | Not ranked |
| manufacturing | #5 | Not ranked |
| inventory management | #24 | Not ranked |
Both Materials Inventory and Smart Backorder Manager offer paid plans only. Materials Inventory starts at Free plan available; Smart Backorder Manager starts at Free plan available. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
AppRanks cannot separate these two on rating, because neither publishes one. Materials Inventory does carry the larger published review base (52 vs 0). Read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the Shopify App Store. Materials Inventory has the deeper published review base (52 vs 0), which often — though not always — accompanies better-tested setup docs. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly: read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for user-reported install experience.
Materials Inventory typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (52 reviews). Smart Backorder Manager typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (0 reviews). A larger review base generally means the app has been exercised at scale — relevant if you are processing high volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Migration support varies by app and category. Materials Inventory and Smart Backorder Manager both publish their export options on their marketplace listing pages (or in their support docs); some apps offer one-click import from competitors, others require CSV. The fastest check: search "import from Smart Backorder Manager" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.