Retail Scan & Stock vs Mobile Inventory: counts, movements and orders

This comparison concerns the Mobile Inventory product at mobileinventory.net, not the general category of mobile inventory apps. Compare physical counts, daily stock entries and the documents needed after counting.

By Neil SinghUpdated: October 16, 2026

Conceptual sketch of barcode stock and two workflow choices — Workflow illustration, not a screenshot of either app.

Choose the workflow you need to finish

Mobile Inventory documents both stock-taking and daily stock movements. Consider Retail Scan & Stock when counted quantities should lead into reviewed min/max supplier orders.

Practical workflow comparison

Main workflow: Retail Scan & StockCounts, orders and stock documents
Mobile InventoryStock-taking and stock transactions
Offline counting: Retail Scan & StockLocal counting on Free
Mobile InventoryOffline mobile operation
Excel workflow: Retail Scan & StockExcel/CSV files; Excel catalog updates
Mobile InventoryExcel/CSV import and export
Replenishment: Retail Scan & StockReviewed min/max supplier drafts
Mobile InventoryPRO low-stock alerts; verify order workflow
Team use: Retail Scan & StockPaid sync; verify before order completion/export
Mobile InventoryPRO team synchronization
Free access: Retail Scan & Stock1,000 products; 1 supplier; 5 open documents; 1 device
Mobile InventoryFree features; check export and license allowances

Start with the job after scanning

Choose between physical counts, daily stock movements and configurable forms. Scanning alone does not establish the full workflow. Retail Scan & Stock includes counts, purchase orders, receiving, write-offs and a web cabinet.

Mobile Inventory distinguishes physical stock-taking from daily IN, OUT and MOVE entries. Those entries are a relevant fit for transaction-based stock management.

Separate files from live connections

Retail Scan & Stock exports Excel/CSV files and updates catalog settings through Excel. File exchange is different from a continuously connected workbook.

Mobile Inventory documents Excel/CSV import and export. Check export allowances and column mapping before replacing an established spreadsheet process.

Sketch of counting, reviewing and preparing supplier order drafts — Retail Scan & Stock: count, review, then create drafts.

Check the count-to-order calculation

For min/max orders, Retail Scan & Stock uses selected completed counts. Count 3, minimum 5, target 20 and pack multiple 6 suggest 18. You review drafts grouped by assigned supplier, not an automatically chosen cheapest supplier.

The default uses each product’s newest count among the selected documents; sum only separate stock parts. Uncounted products are not zero. Open orders warn without automatic subtraction.

Plan for offline work and team checks

Mobile Inventory documents offline mobile work. Its paid-feature matrix separates team synchronization and unlimited exports from the basic free features.

Retail Scan & Stock Free includes offline counting, min/max and Excel export within 1,000 products, 1 supplier, 5 open documents and 1 device. Teams synchronize and check source conflicts before completing or exporting min/max orders.

Try a small stock cycle

Try a zero, a recount, a pack-rounded order and an export. Check identifiers, units and warnings before migration.

For Mobile Inventory, test both stock-taking and transaction entries. Check how your required output is produced rather than treating a low-stock alert as a supplier order.

Which fits your work?

Retail Scan & StockConsider Retail Scan & Stock for physical counts, reviewed min/max orders and exchanged Excel files.

Mobile InventoryConsider Mobile Inventory when daily receiving, dispatch and location-movement entries are central to your inventory routine.

Sketch of a checklist for choosing an inventory workflow — Compare the output you need, offline behavior and plan limits.

Inspect a worked replenishment example

These educational CSV files illustrate two products and two assigned suppliers, not an app export or import template. The proposals are 18 and 12 units after pack rounding. Free can use the first supplier; two suppliers require a plan that allows them.

Common questions

Can I use Retail Scan & Stock Free for real counts?

Yes, within its stated limits. Several selected counts are supported; multiple suppliers need a plan that allows them.

Does Mobile Inventory mean any inventory app on a phone?

Here it means the product at mobileinventory.net. The comparison does not describe every app in the broader mobile-inventory category.

Is switching automatic?

No one-click competitor migration is promised. Check the target import template and verify a small sample first.

Official sources

Research snapshot: October 16, 2026. Check current plans and platform details before subscribing.