Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Inventory management for makers & manufacturers. Create bills of materials & track profitability
| Materials Inventory | VSI | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed | ||
| Last updated | — | — |
| Metric | Materials Inventory | VSI: Variants Shared Inventory |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 ★ | 3.2 ★ |
| Total reviews | ★ 52 | 15 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free trial available | Free plan available |
| Built for Shopify | — | — |
| Pricing tiers | 3 tiers | ★ 4 tiers |
| Listed features | 5 | 5 |
| Languages | 1 supported | 1 supported |
| Listed since | Jan 2021 | Aug 2024 |
Based on the data on this page, Materials Inventory is the stronger choice for most Shopify App Store merchants — 5.0★ vs VSI: Variants Shared Inventory's 3.2★ is a meaningful gap that usually reflects real product or support quality differences across the user base.
Pricing entry tiers: Materials Inventory at Free trial available, VSI: Variants Shared Inventory 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 — VSI: Variants Shared Inventory's 15-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 • VSI: Variants Shared Inventory audit
| Keyword | Materials Inventory | VSI |
|---|---|---|
| raw materials inventory | #3 | Not ranked |
| manufacturing | #4 | Not ranked |
| share | Not ranked | #15 |
| multiple variant | Not ranked | #18 |
| inventory management | #24 | Not ranked |
No tracked changes.
Both Materials Inventory and VSI: Variants Shared Inventory offer paid plans only. Materials Inventory starts at Free trial available; VSI: Variants Shared Inventory starts at Free plan available. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
Materials Inventory has the higher average rating (5.0★ from 52 reviews) compared to VSI: Variants Shared Inventory (3.2★ from 15 reviews). Both are tracked daily by AppRanks, so the figures here update each refresh cycle.
Materials Inventory holds the higher average rating (5.0★ vs 3.2★). That is the one dimension AppRanks can separate them on here — 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 15), 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). VSI: Variants Shared Inventory typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (15 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 VSI: Variants Shared Inventory 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 VSI: Variants Shared Inventory" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
