Cin7 Core (formerly DEAR Systems) vs Unleashed
Comparison last checked October 10, 2026. Every figure comes from the two product records, each with its own sources and check dates.
The short answer
Pick Cin7 Core if you need suggested orders with required-by dates and many sales channels: planning is included from Pro at $599 a month with ten users. Pick Unleashed if batch and serial tracking with simple assembly is enough: Core with the production module is $468 a month with three users, and its planning is only partly evidenced.
Choose Cin7 Core if
- You want suggested purchase, transfer and assembly orders with required-by dates.
- You need more seats: Pro includes ten users, where Unleashed's Core includes three.
- You sell across Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart and more.
Choose Unleashed if
- You need batch and serial tracking on the cheapest plan: Unleashed lists it on all three.
- You want the production module without the top tier: it is $69 a month on Core and included on Pro.
- You are a team of two to five; Cin7 Core's record starts its fit at six people.
Key differences
The rows that separate these two. Unknown means we have not found evidence; it is not the same as No.
| Attribute | Cin7 Core | Unleashed |
|---|---|---|
| Useful entry priceWhat you pay to get the manufacturing capability, not the cheapest nominal tier. | $599 a monthSource: cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab)Checked October 10, 2026 | $468 a monthSource: unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab)Checked October 10, 2026 |
| Billing basis | Per module | Mixed |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan: NoFree trial: 14 days | Free plan: NoFree trial: 14 days |
| Produces dated buy/make suggestionsThe output is an actionable list with dates, order this much by this date, start this batch on this date. | YesCin7 says: "This will generate a list of suggested transfer, purchase, assembly, and purchase orders to meet the demand in each location by the required by dates.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab) | PartialThe vendor's Xero listing names "Production planning (kanban, MRP)" and automated reorder alerts.Source: apps.xero.com › Unleashed software(opens in a new tab) |
| Lot and batch traceabilityWhich incoming material lots went into which finished batch, and where those finished goods went. | YesBatch and serial number tracking is listed inside Standard Assembly Manufacturing, included on all Core tiers.Source: cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | YesThe pricing page lists Batch & Serial Tracking in core inventory management on all three plans, not in the paid production module.Source: unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) |
| Ecommerce connectionPulls orders and pushes stock levels to a storefront or marketplace. | YesCin7 says: "Sell to your customers with Shopify and download orders to Cin7 Core.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Introduction to Shopify(opens in a new tab) | YesThe vendor states: "Unleashed integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and more – acting as a central hub for all your sales and purchasing data.Source: apps.xero.com › Unleashed software(opens in a new tab) |
| Product classWhat kind of system it is. | Manufacturing ERP | Light manufacturing |
| Best-fit team sizes | 6–20 people, 21–50 people, 51+ people | 2–5 people, 6–20 people, 21–50 people |
What it costs at your size
Entry prices leave out users, add-ons, order limits and extra locations. Put in your own numbers and both products are worked out the same way, from each vendor's published prices.
Full comparison
Every sourced field, side by side. It opens on the rows where the two differ.
Unknown means we have not found evidence. It is not the same as No.
| Attribute | Cin7 CoreCin7 · record checked October 9, 2026 | UnleashedUnleashed Software · record checked October 9, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Product classWhat kind of system it is. | Manufacturing ERP | Light manufacturing |
| One-line fit | Capable manufacturing, but only if you buy the module that has it. | Batch and serial tracking on every plan, with production $69 a month extra on Core and free on Pro. |
| Real cost | ||
| Pricing | From $349/mo · $599/mo usefulSource: cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab)Checked October 10, 2026 | From $99/mo · $468/mo usefulSource: unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab)Checked October 10, 2026 |
| Useful entry priceWhat you pay to get the manufacturing capability, not the cheapest nominal tier. | $599/mo | $468/mo |
| Billing basis | module | mixed |
| Required add-ons | Material requirements planning, on the Standard tier only (price not published), Advanced Production Manufacturing, for heavier production than the included MRP (price not published) | Production & Manufacturing module, $69/month on Core (included on Pro) |
| Planning | ||
| Accepts dated demandYou can tell it what is due and when, sales orders with dates, a forecast, or a production schedule. | YesCin7 says of the MRP run: "Required by date of the demand should be within planning period" Sales, production, assembly and transfer orders all count as demand when their required-by date falls in the planning period. MRP is an add-on on Standard and included on Pro and Advanced, going by the pricing matrix; the help article's "MRP requires an add-on to your base subscription" names no tier and reads as a general note. That is our reading of the two pages, not a statement from Cin7.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab); help.core.cin7.com › Capacity Planner(opens in a new tab); cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | YesSales orders carry a "RequiredDate" field in the API reference, so demand is recorded with a due date. This is an API field; we have not seen the planning side use it. Checked 2026-09-18.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › SalesOrders(opens in a new tab) |
| Nets against stock on handIt subtracts what you already have before telling you to buy more. | YesCin7 says: "The suggested supply orders tab displays the results of the MRP run calculation, based on demand quantity and required by dates, supply rules, planned transfer days, stock on hand, stock on order, and MRP run parameters." Its worked example counts stock on hand and stock on order before suggesting anything. MRP is an add-on on Standard and included on Pro and Advanced, going by the pricing matrix; the help article's "MRP requires an add-on to your base subscription" names no tier and reads as a general note. That is our reading of the two pages, not a statement from Cin7.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab); cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | PartialThe API reference defines available quantity as "Quantity on hand - allocated quantity + quantity that can be assembled based on components". That nets allocated stock out of on-hand, but no documented planning run nets demand against it.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › StockOnHand(opens in a new tab) |
| Counts incoming ordersIt knows about purchase orders and production orders already placed, so it does not tell you to order twice. | YesCin7 says: "This adds up all the sources of actual, draft (if requested), compares it to actual and draft (if requested) supply orders, and supply order required by dates." Open purchase, production, transfer and assembly orders count as supply, and drafts can be included. MRP is an add-on on Standard and included on Pro and Advanced, going by the pricing matrix; the help article's "MRP requires an add-on to your base subscription" names no tier and reads as a general note. That is our reading of the two pages, not a statement from Cin7.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab); cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | PartialStock on hand in the API includes an "OnPurchase" quantity, so open purchase orders show in the stock picture. Nothing documents them feeding a requirements calculation, and open assemblies are not covered.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › StockOnHand(opens in a new tab) |
| Uses lead timesIt works backwards from when you need something to when you must order or start it, using supplier and production lead times. | YesThe production order help says its release date is worked out as: "From Planned date forward: Planned Date + the critical path among lead times of components" This is for production orders and needs the Advanced Manufacturing add-on. MRP suggestions are dated differently: "Purchase orders from the same supplier to the same location will be consolidated, using the earliest required by date as the date of the purchase order." Supplier lead time is a required MRP input, but no help article says the purchase date is set back by it.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Managing Production Orders(opens in a new tab); help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab) | PartialThe API change log adds a "LeadTimeDays" field to suppliers and to supplier product codes. In a 2023 vendor video on AIM (Advanced Inventory Manager), lead days size the minimum stock level: "using just in time my minimum stock level is going to be based on the lead days". That is lead time setting a reorder level, not a suggested order or start date. Checked 2026-09-18.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › APIChangeLog(opens in a new tab); Vendor video, 2023, at 1:53(opens in a new tab) |
| Produces dated buy/make suggestionsThe output is an actionable list with dates, order this much by this date, start this batch on this date. | YesCin7 says: "This will generate a list of suggested transfer, purchase, assembly, and purchase orders to meet the demand in each location by the required by dates." Each suggested order carries a required-by date. MRP is an add-on on Standard and included on Pro and Advanced, going by the pricing matrix; the help article's "MRP requires an add-on to your base subscription" names no tier and reads as a general note. That is our reading of the two pages, not a statement from Cin7.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab); cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | PartialThe vendor's Xero listing names "Production planning (kanban, MRP)" and automated reorder alerts. That is a feature-list line only: no documentation or screenshot shows suggestions that carry dates. Production planning is in the Production module, $69/month on Core and included on Pro. A 2023 vendor video on AIM (Advanced Inventory Manager) shows replenishment worked out from lead days and minimum stock, with no order-by date on the list. The pricing page sells AIM, described as "Material Requirements Planning (MRP) at both the product & component level", at $149 a month on Core and free on Pro, separately from the $69 Production module. The AIM page says its MRP is "Material requirements planning that factors in your sales commitments, production duration, supplier lead times and production needs". That is vendor marketing text; no public page shows a suggestion carrying a system-computed order-by date, and the help center is login-only.Source: apps.xero.com › Unleashed software(opens in a new tab); Vendor video, 2023, at 1:53(opens in a new tab); unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab); unleashedsoftware.com › Advanced inventory manager(opens in a new tab) |
| Capacity planningChecks whether your people and machines can do the work in the time available. | PartialThe vendor states: "The Capacity Planner shows the capacity for a selected planning period, which resources are overallocated, and allows re-planning of capacity." Needs the Advanced Manufacturing module added to a Cin7 Core subscription, which is why this is partial. The Production Scheduler helps "plan in which sequence the operations should be completed": it lists a run's operations in their BOM order with dependencies, places released orders backward from the required-by date, and lets planners reschedule by drag and drop. The calendar view ignores resource capacity; the Production view and the Capacity Planner respect it. Production BOMs, the Scheduler, work centers, resources and MES all come with the Advanced Manufacturing add-on.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Capacity Planner(opens in a new tab); help.core.cin7.com › Production Scheduler(opens in a new tab) | Unknown |
| Production | ||
| Bill of materialsA list of the parts and quantities needed to make one of something. | YesBills of materials are included in Standard Assembly Manufacturing on every Core tier.Source: cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | YesBill of materials is part of the Production & Manufacturing module, $69/month on Core and included on Pro.Source: unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) |
| Multi-level BOMSub-assemblies inside assemblies, a part that is itself made from other parts, nested as deep as you need. | YesCin7 says: "Production BOMs can contain finished products (products with their own production BOM) or assembled components (products with their own assembly BOM)." Nested production orders are created automatically, and MRP only explodes nested BOMs when "BOM explosion" is ticked. Needs the Advanced Manufacturing add-on.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Nested production orders production BOM explosion(opens in a new tab) | YesAn Unleashed Academy page, "Creating multi layered Bills of Materials with Sub-Assemblies", says you can "View, edit and share multi-layered Bills of Materials, and create one assembly per finished product without having to search for and manage disparate transactions within Unleashed or use messy spreadsheets to manage your complex assemblies." The BOM API backs this with a "SubBillOfMaterialGuid" field on each line. BOMs sit in the Production & Manufacturing module.Source: unleashedsoftware.com › Creating multi layered bills of materials with sub assemb…(opens in a new tab); apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › BillOfMaterials(opens in a new tab) |
| Work / manufacturing ordersA record authorising and tracking the making of a specific quantity. | PartialAssembly and disassembly are on every tier. Production orders belong to the Advanced Production Manufacturing add-on, which is not on the Standard plan.Source: cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | YesThe Production module covers assemblies and Kanban production planning. It is $69/month on Core and included on Pro.Source: unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) |
| Routings & operationsThe ordered steps a product goes through, and which machine or station does each one. | YesOperations with cycle times and resources sit on the production BOM. From Cin7's worked example: "Now that the preliminary steps are complete, we can set up the Production BOM for the packaged coffee. We want to include a setup operation and quality control operation." Needs the Advanced Manufacturing add-on.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Example production BOM(opens in a new tab) | Unknown |
| Shop-floor trackingOperators report progress, time, and completions as the work happens. | YesCin7 says: "Use MES to carry out production operations. Consume components for production, record wastage, record production time, add notes, edit resources, and more." This is its MES operator screen, and it needs the Advanced Manufacturing add-on.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Carry out a production operation(opens in a new tab) | Unknown |
| Quality controlsChecks, tests, holds, and non-conformance records tied to production or receiving. | PartialA production BOM can include an inspection step: "Select Quality control as the operation Type." We found nothing on recording pass or fail results or handling non-conformance, which is why this is partial. Needs the Advanced Manufacturing add-on.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Example production BOM(opens in a new tab) | Unknown |
| Inventory & traceability | ||
| Batch & lot traceabilityWhich incoming material lots went into which finished batch, and where those finished goods went. | YesBatch and serial number tracking is listed inside Standard Assembly Manufacturing, included on all Core tiers.Source: cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | YesThe pricing page lists Batch & Serial Tracking in core inventory management on all three plans, not in the paid production module.Source: unleashedsoftware.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) |
| Commerce & accounting | ||
| PurchasingRaising and tracking purchase orders to suppliers from inside the system. | YesCin7 says: "The Cin7 Core purchase module covers all processes involving buying stock from your suppliers." The same article covers purchase orders and a stock-received step.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Introduction to the Purchase Module(opens in a new tab) | YesThe vendor's API reference states: "The PurchaseOrders resource allows PurchaseOrders to be listed, viewed and created." The same page documents receipting a purchase order, so both ordering and receiving are covered. Checked 2026-09-18.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › Purchases(opens in a new tab) |
| Openness & your data | ||
| APIA documented programming interface so other software can read and write your data. | YesCin7 Core's help center points to its API reference at the old DEAR address: "Sale (see https://dearinventory.docs.apiary.io/#reference/sale)" The pricing matrix lists API access as an add-on on every plan, with no price shown.Source: help.core.cin7.com › User Questions Cin7 Core API(opens in a new tab); cin7.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab) | YesThe vendor states: "The Unleashed API is linked to the Unleashed web application". The public REST API reference covers products, BOMs, assemblies, purchase and sales orders, stock on hand, and batch and serial numbers. Only the account owner gets API credentials, and the rate limit depends on your plan. Checked 2026-09-18.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com(opens in a new tab) |
| WebhooksThe system can notify other software the moment something changes. | YesCin7 says: "Once an order reaches a specified event type you have subscribed to, a JSON payload will be sent to the endpoint you specified during the webhook subscription." The same page says webhooks work through the Automation module, which is a separate subscription.Source: help.core.cin7.com › User Questions Cin7 Core API(opens in a new tab) | YesThe vendor states: "Subscribe to Webhooks to receive real-time notifications when specific events occur in your Unleashed account, such as new product creation or customer updates." Events cover assemblies, products, purchase and sales orders, shipments and stock transfers, with a cap of 5 webhook subscriptions per account. The API FAQ still answers "No, you will need to poll the API to check for new data (pull model).", which is out of date against the Webhooks page. Checked 2026-09-18.Source: apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › Webhooks(opens in a new tab); apidocs.unleashedsoftware.com › Faq(opens in a new tab) |
| CSV exportYou can get your lists out as spreadsheet files. | YesCin7 says: "Suggested supply orders can be exported in CSV format for reference." Reports export to Excel, PDF or RTF. The CSV export quoted here is on MRP suggestions, so it needs MRP.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Material Requirements Planning MRP(opens in a new tab) | Unknown |
| Full data exportYou can take everything, including history and relationships, not just a few screens' worth of rows. | YesCin7 says: "Backups can be scheduled automatically from the Scheduled Reports module. Select which areas of data you wish to back up, the backup frequency, and a recipient to receive Cin7 Core backup files via email." This needs the Purchase Automation module, only the Master User can schedule a full backup. "When backup is generated, an email is sent to the mailing list recipients with a link for downloading a zip archive with backup data." The format of the files inside the zip is not stated.Source: help.core.cin7.com › Data backup(opens in a new tab) | Unknown |
Common questions
- Is Cin7 Core cheaper than Unleashed?
- Cin7 Core starts at $599 a month for the plan that covers manufacturing (per module billing). Unleashed starts at $468 a month for the plan that covers manufacturing (mixed billing). They are billed differently, so which is cheaper depends on your team size. Put your own users, orders and locations into the cost calculator to see what each comes to.
- Does Cin7 Core or Unleashed have a free plan or a free trial?
- Cin7 Core has no free plan and a 14-day free trial. Unleashed has no free plan and a 14-day free trial.
- Which has lot traceability, Cin7 Core or Unleashed?
- Cin7 Core has batch and lot tracking. Unleashed has batch and lot tracking.
- Does Cin7 Core or Unleashed tell you what to order and when?
- That is the test for material requirements planning: a dated recommendation to buy or make. Cin7 Core does. Unleashed partly does.
- Do Cin7 Core and Unleashed work with QuickBooks, Xero or Shopify?
- Cin7 Core: an accounting integration and an e-commerce integration. Named integrations: Xero, QuickBooks Online, Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, BigCommerce, Magento, Etsy, eBay and Walmart. Unleashed: an accounting integration and an e-commerce integration. Named integrations: Xero, Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon and Magento.
Related
How this comparison was made
The short answer and the two lists were written by an editor for this pair. Every other row and answer is read from the two product records, which cite the vendor pages behind each claim. Nobody paid to appear here or to be placed first; the order is alphabetical. How we classify and verify.
Report a correction to Cin7 CoreReport a correction to Unleashed