Sortly for home use: is it worth it, and what are the alternatives?
Sortly is a capable inventory app, but its plans are now priced for businesses. Here is what a household actually gets, what it costs, and the alternatives.
Updated 3 November 2026 · By the FindMyItem team at Railstons GmbH
For most households, Sortly's free plan is too small and its paid plans cost more than a home needs. Sortly is a well made app, but its pricing, features and marketing are now aimed at businesses: construction firms, warehouses, medical practices and retailers. If you run a business from home it may be exactly right. If you just want to know which box the Christmas lights are in, there are cheaper options built for that job, and some of them, FindMyItem included, do not charge for each extra person.
What Sortly costs
| Plan | Price | Unique items | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 | 1 |
| Advanced | $49/month, or $24/month billed yearly in the first year | 500 | 2 |
| Ultra | $149/month, or $74/month billed yearly in the first year | 2,000 | 5 |
| Premium | $299/month, or $149/month billed yearly in the first year | 5,000 | 8 |
The yearly prices include a 50% introductory discount that applies to the first year only for new customers. After that, Sortly says a 20% discount applies to yearly plans. Paid trials require a credit card.
Where Sortly falls short for a household
- Sharing is priced per person. Every user takes a seat: one on the free plan, two on Advanced, five on Ultra and eight on Premium, and seats beyond your plan cost extra. A family of four who all want access would be looking at the Ultra plan, at $149 a month.
- The free plan is narrow. 100 unique items and one custom field. QR label creation is listed on the paid plans.
- Business features you pay for but will not use: purchase orders, pick lists, stock counts, low stock alerts, QuickBooks and Slack integrations.
Where Sortly is the right choice
To be fair to Sortly, it is strong where it is aimed.
- You sell online and need stock counts and low stock alerts.
- You track tools or equipment across jobs or vans.
- You need detailed activity history, reports and integrations with accounting software.
For those uses the price is reasonable, and the app is polished.
Alternatives built for homes
FindMyItem
Built for finding things across several places: home, a storage unit, a relative's loft. Print QR labels on ordinary sticky label sheets, search with partial words, ask Siri, and get directions to the place on a map. Free for 3 places and 100 items. Pro is £3.99 a month or £39.99 a year after a free month, with unlimited places and items. Pro includes sharing with up to 5 other people (6 including you), each a Viewer or an Editor, and there is no charge for additional users: the people you invite never pay. Only on iPhone for now (iOS 16 or later); Android and iPad versions are coming.
Itemtopia
An established inventory app for iPhone, Android, Mac and the web that handles home and work. There is a limited free version; Premium, at $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year, adds QR labels and sharing, and extra users cost $2.99 to $34.99 more.
HomeZada
A whole home app: inventory, maintenance schedules, budgets and renovation planning, and a good choice for an insurance record. Family members can join for free; Premium, which adds reports, costs $118 a year. Less focused on finding things in boxes.
What's in that Box?
A new QR box catalogue for iPhone and iPad with printable labels and shared spaces, where people can be Editors or Viewers. Free to use, with a $1.99 Pro unlock. Very simple, with few ratings so far.
For a wider comparison, see the best apps for finding things in storage boxes.
A family of four, compared
| Sortly | FindMyItem | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan needed for 4 people with full access | Ultra | Pro |
| Cost | $149/month, or $74/month in year one on a yearly plan | £3.99/month or £39.99/year |
| People who can use it | 5 users on Ultra | Up to 6 including you, each a Viewer or an Editor |
| Cost of each extra person | A paid seat; seats beyond the plan cost extra | Nothing: the people you invite never pay |
| Items included | 2,000 | Unlimited (fair use) |
| Print your own QR labels | Yes | Yes, also on the free plan |
| Android | Yes | Not yet |
Moving from Sortly
Sortly lets you export your inventory as a CSV file. FindMyItem can import a spreadsheet: once for up to 100 rows on the free plan, and without limits on Pro. Export from Sortly, tidy the columns, and import.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sortly free for personal use? There is a free plan with 100 unique items and one user. Most households outgrow it, especially if more than one person needs access.
What is the cheapest Sortly alternative for home inventory? HomeZada and What's in that Box? can be used for free. FindMyItem has a free plan for 3 places and 100 items, and Pro costs £3.99 a month.
Does FindMyItem charge for each person? No. Pro includes sharing with up to 5 other people (6 including you), each a Viewer or an Editor, and the people you invite never pay. With Sortly, every person is a paid seat.
Does Sortly work offline? Sortly lists offline mobile access among its features. FindMyItem also works offline and syncs when you are back online.
FindMyItem
Remember where everything is. Never wonder where you put it. FindMyItem is a home inventory app: label boxes with QR codes, search your belongings and find stored items on a map.
More guides
- The best apps for finding things in storage boxes
- QR code labels for storage boxes: do you need to buy special stickers?
- How to organise a storage unit so you can find anything in it
- How to label moving boxes so unpacking takes a day, not a month
- Moving house checklist: what to do and when (free printable)
- Garage sale checklist: plan, price and sell in a weekend (free printable)