Inventory App with Barcode Scanner: Scan Stock With the Phone You Already Have

StockFlow is cloud inventory software from Belgium. Point your phone at a barcode and the quantity updates for every location that can see that SKU — shop, warehouse, or van. It is built for small businesses that want to scan stock without buying a scanner gun or an ERP.Start free · See how scanning works.

Key facts

A short snapshot of what the barcode inventory app actually does, before the detail below.

How barcode scanning works in StockFlow

Open the scanner, aim, check, sync. That is the whole loop. Nothing installs from an app store; the same flow runs on a phone, a tablet at receiving, or a laptop with a USB scanner on the packing bench.

1. Open the scanner. Choose the workflow that matches the job: receive, move, count, pick, or consume a component.
2. Aim and capture. The camera focuses on UPC, EAN, Code 128, QR, and the other supported symbologies. A HID scanner types the same code if you have one in your hand.
3. Review in real time. You see the product, the location, and the quantity prompt before anything is saved, so a wrong SKU does not become a wrong stock figure.
4. Sync. The movement is written to inventory immediately. Every other user and location sees the new quantity — there is no end-of-day import.

For a longer setup walkthrough, see how to set up a barcode inventory system. Phone-only workflows also sit on the mobile inventory app page.

What you can do with a scan

A scan is not a lookup gadget. It is the gesture that books a movement. Which movements you get depends on the plan — we do not pretend every workflow lives on Starter.

Receive stock against a purchase order

Scan each line as it comes off the pallet. Camera scanning and basic stock updates are on Starter. Sales and purchase orders themselves sit on Professional, so a full “receive against PO” flow is a paid-plan job. Until then you can still scan receipts onto on-hand quantities.

Move stock between locations

Scan out of the warehouse, scan into the shop or the van. Starter has one warehouse; Professional has two. Extra warehouses are $5/mo. See multi-location inventory.

Count stock (cycle counts)

Walk an aisle, scan, confirm the quantity. Formal pick lists and stock counts are a Professional feature. On Starter you can still keep quantities honest by scanning receipts and adjustments. Cycle-count practice is covered on cycle counting.

Pick orders

Scan to confirm the right SKU left the bin. Pick lists are included from Professional, which is also where sales orders live. That is the plan to use once more than one person is picking from the same locations.

Scan components for BOMs and work orders

Starter includes 3 bills of materials. Professional unlocks unlimited BOMs and the production module, so you can scan components onto a work order instead of typing quantities. Detail: free bill of materials software.

Phone camera vs USB/Bluetooth vs rugged handheld

Most small businesses should start with the phone. Hardware is a volume decision, not a software decision — StockFlow already talks to HID scanners when you are ready. For models and form factors, use the barcode scanner buying guide.

Supported barcode types

One product can hold more than one code, so a supplier EAN and an internal Code 128 can both hit the same SKU. Background on the standards: GS1 barcode standards. QR-specific workflows: how to use QR codes for inventory.

No barcodes yet? Create and print labels

You do not need a GS1 prefix on day one. Generate an internal code, print a label, stick it on, scan. QR label creation is a Professional feature on pricing; the public generator is there if you want labels before you have an account.

• Best barcode generator
• Free barcode generator tool
• How to set up a barcode inventory system

One stock count across warehouses, stores and vans

The point of a barcode inventory app is not a faster spreadsheet. It is one live quantity per SKU per location, so the shop does not sell what is sitting in the van. Scan transfers instead of editing two cells. Starter is one warehouse; paid plans add locations rather than a second product. Multi-location inventory covers the transfer flow.

What it does not do (yet)

Competitors on this SERP sell offline scanning hard. StockFlow does not have it. Saying so is clearer than a footnote.

• No offline queue. A scan is recorded while you are online. There is no local buffer that uploads later.
• No native App Store or Play Store app. It is a browser PWA. Use Add to Home Screen for a full-screen icon.
• SSO and MFA are on the roadmap and are not available today. Roles already limit who can scan, adjust, and export.

What you get instead: real-time quantities across locations, BOM and work orders in the same system, and a scanner that does not need an install.

StockFlow vs Sortly vs Zoho Inventory vs inFlow vs Excel for barcode scanning

This is a scanning comparison, not a full suite review. Competitor limits below are the same figures we already publish on our free-plan and comparison pages; always re-check the vendor site before you buy. Deeper write-ups: StockFlow vs Sortly, vs Zoho Inventory, vs inFlow, vs Excel.

Pricing

Scanning is not a paid add-on. It is on Starter. You pay when the catalogue, the team, or a second location outgrows the free caps — not per scan. Full table: inventory software pricing. If you specifically want free inventory management software, that page owns the free-plan comparison.

Related resources

• Mobile inventory app
• Barcode scanner buying guide
• GS1 barcode standards
• Best barcode generator
• Create a free account