Best Order Management Software of 2026

Here's what we'll cover:

What you need to know about order management software

What is order management software?

Essential features of order management software

Benefits and competitive advantages of using order management software

How to choose the best order management software for your business

Software related to order management

More resources for your order management journey

What you need to know about order management software

Order management software facilitates the entry, processing, and fulfillment of orders from the point of purchase through to payment and delivery. Businesses utilizing this type of system gain access to comprehensive customer, vendor, and purchase order records. Additionally, they benefit from a real-time overview of available inventory quantities and locations. 

The software also allows businesses to establish rules that enable the system to determine the most efficient way to source orders based on inventory location and availability. In the past year, we’ve spoken to over 1,799 retail software buyers to help them find the right tool to support order management. [1]

To give you an idea of the market, there are over 600 order management software vendors on our site, and we’ve published more than 4,772 verified user reviews for order management products in the past year alone. [2]

Most order management software solutions on the market are priced on a ‘per month’ basis and typical entry-level pricing can be around $62 per month. Premium and advanced system subscriptions can cost about $267 a month. [3]

First-time buyers should start by considering their budget, the number of users, the volume of orders, and necessary integrations with existing systems. It's also important to engage with key stakeholders to compile a list of critical questions that will guide your evaluation process based on your specific needs. Some questions to consider include:

• Does the software support multi-channel sales and can it integrate with our current sales platforms?

• How does the software handle inventory management and does it provide real-time inventory tracking?

• Can the system automate order processing tasks to streamline our operations?

• Does the software offer customization options to align with our unique business rules and workflows?

• What level of customer support and training does the vendor provide?

With numerous vendors to choose from, selecting the right order management solution can be challenging. This guide will help you understand the key features and benefits of order management software and provide step-by-step advice on selecting the best fit for your business. 

What is order management software?

Order management software (OMS) is a tool designed to enhance the efficiency of order processing and fulfillment activities. By automating key components of the order management process, ranging from order creation and tracking to inventory management and shipping, OMS helps streamline operations. 

These systems enable companies to effectively manage orders across various sales channels, including eCommerce websites, retail stores, and phone orders, by providing a unified platform for overseeing the sales order process. As a result, businesses can minimize errors, boost order accuracy, and improve customer satisfaction.

Common features of order management systems include order fulfillment and tracking. In addition, this software helps businesses improving their productivity, offering customization, and helps in business growth. According to the more than 1,700 retail software buyers we spoke to in the last year, users commonly work across industries such as restaurants and hospitality, salons and spas, groceries, and consignment businesses.

Essential features of order management software

When choosing the right order management software, it’s important to know what features you can expect to see. Some functionality, like order fulfillment and order tracking, are core features that will be available in every order management system. Other features, like inventory management, billing and invoicing, or eCommerce management, are offered in some but not all tools. We analyzed thousands of reviews and spoke to thousands of retail buyers to determine what we believe are core and common features of order management software. [2]

Core order management features

Common order management features

Benefits and competitive advantages of using order management software

Our analysis of 4,738 reviews from verified order management software users from the past year shows that productivity, improved collaboration, business growth and integrations are some of the top benefits of this product category. These directly address the requirements of organizations, addressing needs such as easier interactions across teams, better use of time, and control and visibility over different stages of order processing.

• Improves productivity: Order management software helps by streamlining processes, integrating into existing workflows, optimizing planning and efficiency, and reducing errors, which leads to a noticeable increase in overall productivity levels.

• Enhances collaboration: Such tools enhance team support by facilitating communication, coordinating tasks efficiently, providing real-time updates, and reducing miscommunication and missed messages, which leads to improved collaboration and overall team performance.

• Supports business growth: Order management software aids business growth by optimizing inventory management, streamlining transactions, reducing operational costs, and improving overall efficiency to handle a high volume of orders, thereby enabling users to scale and expand their operations more effectively.

• Offers ease of Integration: Order management systems offer the benefit of integration ease by seamlessly connecting with existing software and platforms, reducing the need for manual data entry, boosting data accuracy, and ensuring smooth information flow across various departments. 

• Adapts to business processes: Businesses can customize their order management software to meet their specific needs, whether by personalizing dashboards and features according to their requirements or adapting web features for branding purposes.

Aside from these important considerations, our expert advisor Michael Ziemba highlights a practical scenario where using a software solution for managing orders can make a difference in firms that are growing. He explains that “businesses selling online, or distributors that currently handle all their work manually by email may have tools that are geared towards selling to consumers but now they need to scale up and find something a little more robust. An order management system can improve that efficiency.”

How to choose the best order management software for your business

Step 1: Define your needs

Before selecting an order management system, it's crucial to define your specific requirements, such as the volume of orders you handle, the complexity of your inventory, and the level of integration needed with existing systems. These criteria will guide you toward a solution that aligns with your current processes and supports your growth objectives.

Other considerations include the software's functionality, budget constraints, training support, and data migration needs. Assessing your needs carefully based on your industry, inventory, and audience can also help make it easier. Our advisor Michael Ziemba explains one example of how this can play out.

“A frequent pain point that a distributor is going to have is that they may want to interface with a retailer and they may need EDI to interface into the retailer’s system. So you’re going to need an order management system to be able to interface with bigger systems.”  

What is the cost of order management software?

The cost of order management software varies based on factors like the number of users, required features, and order volume. However, our analysis of recent order management buyer reviews of top-rated products indicates that most businesses budget around $62 per month for entry-level systems, while premium and advanced system subscriptions typically cost about $267 a month. This fits well within the normative budget expectations of retail software buyers.

Be aware of potential drawbacks

When it comes to potential drawbacks, users often cite experience performance speed issues, such as server delays, and face challenges in obtaining timely fixes for bugs and glitches, which can lead to productivity loss. When creating a shortlist of order management software products, it's important to research the level of technical and customer support offered by vendors.

Additional pain points include payment issues, particularly with payment processing and software updates, so buyers should ensure that the chosen software integrates seamlessly with their accounting tools and that software updates do not disrupt any customized features that have been implemented.

Integration considerations for order management software

Analysis of our extensive reviews database reveals that the three most commonly integrated categories with order management software are:

• CRM systems: Customer relationship management (CRM) systems help manage customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. When integrated with order management systems, CRM software can provide a comprehensive view of customer orders, preferences, and history, enabling personalized service and better customer relationship management.

• Accounting software: Accounting software manages financial transactions and records. Integration with order management systems ensures that sales orders, invoices, and payments are automatically recorded in the financial system, reducing manual data entry requirements, improving accuracy, and providing real-time financial insights.

• eCommerce platforms: eCommerce platforms facilitate online sales and transactions. When integrated with order management systems, they enable seamless processing of online orders, inventory updates, and fulfillment operations, ensuring that stock levels are accurate and orders are processed efficiently from purchase to delivery.

Overall, user sentiment regarding integrations is positive, highlighting such tools’ comprehensive capabilities, support, and user-friendly interfaces. During evaluation, confirm that your shortlisted provider offers OMS integration support to ensure seamless data flow between your systems.

Step 2: Make a shortlist of order management software

With numerous options available, selecting the best order management software can be challenging. However, with the right resources and support, the process becomes easier.

You can also start compiling your shortlist of order management with our FrontRunners report. Only products that earn top user ratings make this list; check out our full methodology description for more details on how the report is compiled.

For more help creating a shortlist and a free, downloadable comparison chart, check out The Ultimate Software Vendor Evaluation Guide. This guide and comparison chart will help you compare software evaluation criteria for each prospective vendor by tracking functionalities, training and support offerings, costs, and deployment options.

Step 3: Pick your best option

After narrowing down your options, vendor demonstrations (demos) are the next step. These sessions allow you to explore features and ask questions to make an informed decision.

How to prepare for vendor demos

During demos, ask questions about software customization, integration capabilities, and ongoing support. Understanding these aspects will help you choose the right system for your business. Ask the vendor questions such as:

• How customizable is the software to fit our specific order management processes?

• What integrations does the software support, and how seamless are they with our existing systems?

• What kind of ongoing support and training do you provide to ensure successful adoption?

Step 4: Successful implementation of the new order management software

Once you've selected your order management system, focus on successful implementation. Key considerations include:

• Establish clear change management communication: Create a plan outlining the implementation process, benefits, and workflow changes. Transparent communication reduces resistance and prepares the team for a smooth transition.

• Provide training and change support: Schedule training sessions focusing on basic and advanced features. Ongoing support can ease adoption hassles and prevent resistance.

• Start with a pilot project: Test the system on a smaller scale before doing a full rollout. Use this phase to collect feedback and refine your approach, ensuring broader adoption.

For more details on facilitating a smooth transition, check out our guide on successful software implementation.

Software related to order management

When selecting an order management system, you might find it necessary to supplement certain features with related software systems to enhance inventory tracking, customer relationship management, or to manage specialized order processing needs. Some types of software that are closely related to order management systems, but may or may not be included in your chosen solution, include:

• Inventory management software: Inventory management software is designed to track and manage items through various stages along the supply chain.

• Logistics software: Logistics software provides tools to assist third-party logistics (3PL) providers, freight forwarders, air-, land- and sea-based cargo companies, exporters, importers, and related supply chain management (SCM) operations in reducing errors and improving efficiency in the SCM process.

• Order entry software: Order entry is the point of the sales process where orders are captured and submitted in an entry system that allows users to view details of the order and make changes if necessary. Order entry is most often offered as a function of order management software, but there are some options for stand-alone or best-of-breed versions.

More resources for your order management journey

• Unleashing the Power of Ecommerce Analytics: A Comprehensive Guide

• How Automation Enhances (or Hinders) Sensory Experiences in Retail and Food Service

• What Is Consignment, and How Does it Work?

About our contributors

Author

Giorgia Pisano is a content associate at Software Advice. She is always in search of the latest technology trends for small and midsize businesses, with a focus on retail and customer experience insights. 

Giorgia’s research and analysis is informed by more than 120,000 authentic user reviews on Software Advice and nearly 8,000 interactions between Software Advice software advisors and retail software buyers. Giorgia also regularly analyzes market sentiment by conducting surveys of retail and restaurant leaders, as well as consumers, so she can provide the most up-to-date and helpful information to small and midsize businesses purchasing software or services. 

Her research has been featured in various media publications including ANSA, Today, and La Nazione. She has a bachelor's degree in public relations and a master's degree in marketing and management.

Editor

Mehar Luthra is a team lead at Software Advice and specializes in editing reports that cover the latest trends affecting small businesses. With nearly a decade of experience, she has edited a multitude of research articles, top-rated software reports, and thought leadership articles for diverse markets such as Brazil, Japan, Canada, France, Australia, and India. She finds it particularly rewarding to produce content that provides small-business owners with practical tips and helpful advice on topics such as the digitalization of small businesses, eCommerce trends, and HR developments.

Armed with a double bachelor’s in law (LL.B.) and business economics from Delhi University, she won a full scholarship to study for a master’s in creative writing at the National University of Ireland, Galway. In addition, she has written blog articles spanning a variety of topics such as fiction and non-fiction books, mental health and anxiety, the latest restaurants, and more. Her articles have been featured in Ireland’s national magazine The Village, among other publications. A die-hard journaling fan, she enjoys watching psychological thrillers, reading fiction books, and drinking iced coffee (even in the winter).

Advisor

Michael Ziemba is an advisor manager. He joined Software Advice in 2013 as a software advisor, and now he manages a team of nine software advisors. He is based in Austin, TX.

Michael and his team help small businesses find the right business intelligence, HR, manufacturing, and supply chain software for their needs each year. They’re able to do this through one-to-one conversations designed to narrow down the list of potential tools to only those that are the best fit. 

Michael’s favorite part of being an advisor team manager is hearing software shoppers realize the actual value of Software Advice’s services. He enjoys helping buyers by cutting through the noise and saving them potentially months of online research.

Sources

1. Software Advice advisor call notes: Findings are based on data from telephonic conversations that Software Advice’s advisor team had with small-to-midsize businesses seeking retail tools. For this report, we analyzed phone interactions from February 1, 2024, to February 1, 2025. Read the complete methodology.

2. Software Advice reviews data: Software Advice reviews are collected from verified users for individual software products. For this report, we analyzed reviews from the past year as of the research date. Read the complete methodology.

3. Software Advice software pricing data: Only products with publicly available pricing information and qualified software products within the category, as of Feb 19, 2025, are included in the pricing analysis.