Are you still using an Excel sheet to track all of your inventory, sales, and contacts? It may work for some, but if you’re looking to take your art business to the next level you’ll very likely benefit from inventory software created especially for artists. The great thing is that there is a variety of both free and paid all-online software (which means you can access it from any device anywhere you can connect to the internet). We dug into a few of the top inventory management websites to give you the details.
ArtLook (UK)
Features
- Detailed artwork catalog with images, categorization, and tagging features.
- Hosted website with custom templates.
- Promotional materials such as info sheets, catalogues, and price lists. Can share private lightboxes to prospective clients.
- Contacts database to keep track of past and present clients and leads.
- Sales records, reporting, and invoice generation software.
- Software to create consignment records and gallery paperwork.
Price Range
£6-£12 monthly, slightly less for annual payment plan. A £250 express option provides professional assistance with set up of database and website.
The Takeaway
If you’re in the UK and looking for a well built-out option to manage your inventory of works, this is a reasonable option. The monthly price is low, and a website is included (you can use your own domain name, if you have one). The website stresses the flexibility of their platform — you can include as much or as little detail in your database as you need, with the option to track limited-edition print runs as well. If you are looking for a one-stop-shop, ArtLook gets you financial tools and a contact database as well.
Artmoi Studio
Features
- Free cataloguing tool with globally unique ID numbers for each work and the option to group the works into collections.
- Custom reports
- Private and public sharing tools
- Mobile app to track works-in-progress with phone pictures
- Integration with Shopify
Price Range
Free, with upgrade options
The Takeaway
If all you need is a quick and easy way to track your inventory, ArtMoi is a great choice. The mobile app and cloud storage mean you can update your inventory from anywhere- this may be a good choice for artists that work in a studio outside of the home.
Artwork Archive
Features
- Detailed inventory to build a full history for each piece
- Reporting features including consignment reporting
- Invoicing tools
- Contact management
- Location tracking and show history
- Searching, sorting, and filtering tools
Price Range
$6-$19/month, all options come with a free 30-day trial
The Takeaway
We’ve written about Artwork Archive before and also featured one of the founders, Justin, on our podcast here. If you can spare a few dollars a month, you won’t find a better option out there than Artwork Archive. There is an abundance of features, with more added frequently.
ArtCloud
Features
- Inventory management with printable tear sheets
- Ability to generate private view sites for clients.
- Mobile POS software and e-commerce shopping cart integration
- Invoicing and reporting tools
- Website integration
- Client tracking
Price Range
Free-$49/month (Free option is inventory-only, no extra features)
The Takeaway
ArtCloud offers a good free option for those looking for an inventory platform but without the need for extra services. You can create sub-lists to track pieces in various locations, and there are some helpful features like batch-editing to make life easier. The paid upgrade is quite a bit spendier than other options out there.
ArtLogic
Features
- Comprehensive inventory database with branded documents and reports
- Contact database
- Ability to generate private views for clients
- Website integration
- Invoicing tools
- Marketing tools
Price Range
$80/month
The Takeaway
Similar to ArtCloud, ArtLogic has a high range of features, but also a much higher price point. The appeal here is the extreme level of detail and integration amongst the various things you can track with the software — the contact database isn’t just an email list, it’s a comprehensive list of all your contacts including past and present clients, what works are in their possession, their locations, all financial history with each person, etc.
With free options and trials available on several of these sites, there’s really no reason not to give inventory management software a try. You may find that the integrations and automation provided by inventory software frees you up to do more of the thing you love most: making art!
For more apps we recommend, try the top apps for previewing your art on a wall and the best time management apps for artists.
Do you use inventory software right now? Love it or hate it? Is there a great website we missed? Let us know in the comments!
Thanks for checking out artcloud! We’re passionate about helping artists build carriers by making management and marketing a breeze. One thing you didn’t mention in your post that we’d love to include is the ability to virtually install your artwork on someones wall and share that ‘installation’ on instagram. With so much work being sold on instagram we believe this is an important vehicle for enabling artists to succeed.
I’m unsure about Artcloud, but I’m interested in reasonably priced web-based software with would allow for an informative introduction, an artist’s statement and work and life. The software should tastefully display the items and allow for storage and details in an inventory list on a storage system. This feature might be helpful for people such as relatives, the community and the power of attorney who can easily access and evaluate the works in case the website is unavailable.
I use Artlook for Artists and have nothing but praise for the system, I can keep my website up to date as easily as my facebook page, which is fantastic for anyone who likes to have latest work on their website. I can also use it to generate reports for sales etc, great when doing my tax return. Plus I have my entire inventory with me at all times, which is incredibly useful and it is all very affordable.
I use GalleyTool which is a brand new artwork manager app. The founder worked in a gallery, very near to the artist. So the app knows everything that really needs an artist. Create a PDF is very simple, as to track exhibitions, owners or location which are also perfect and simple. You could give sublocation as well which is very useful, or share your artwork on Facebook. It is perfect, everything under my hand!
I know it’s been a while and the orig post is 2 years old, but I think you meant “GalleryTool”?
Can I transfer my existing spread sheet to any of these? I don’t want to start over!
Yes you can import your spreadsheet in GalleryTool
Yes – ArtCloud will help you migrate your data into the account from a spreadsheet or another database.
What happens to the inventory if one stops using the app? is the information lost or is kept in a cloud? or is there a way to download the information? or a program one can download to the computer ?
Grisel,
With Artwork Archive you can always export files to XLS or CSV spreadsheets. So all you data entry can be saved. I don’t know about the other software is listed, but I would be surprised if they didn’t have something similar.
I am shopping for an Art inventory system and I’m currently in the Artwork Archive free trial. It looks like the only option to export LS or CSV files is if you subscribe to their top tier level. It’s not included in the two lower priced options. Just FYI!
Lobus offers a free (no trial) cloud-based artist inventory management tool but it’s by invitation only for full-time working artists. They have an artist liaison but you can reach out via their main site at http://lobus.io/
I have been grappling with the idea of cataloging my work using a software database and so I’ve found Artwork Archive, now trying it out. But this is a subscription product which has a monthly cost and over a period of possibly twenty+ years of my life, I will be paying for this cost of $12 month.
So while this appears to be an excellent database, it costs, which beckons the question: Is there a NON-subscription software model I can buy, one-time only, and keep both on the cloud, or on a flash, as well as my computer?
Thanks.
–D
Doug, I am using Tap Forms, which is a good database and is a non subscription software model with excellent backup from its originator. I need a level of detail that left all the others wanting.
For non-cloud based art inventory software: Artist’s Butler- download at http://www.lynnsoft.net/
I use Artwork Archive currently and like it. The interface is pretty clean. I did previously use Artist Butler and I like how you can see a lot of artworks in a spreadsheet.
Lobus offers a free (no trial) cloud-based artist inventory management tool but it’s by invitation only–– full time working artists. They have an artist liaison but you can reach out via their main site at http://lobus.io/
Has anyone come across and Access hosted art database? My husband is a luddite, I work for Microsoft. I need an app for him to photo our collection, enter the details, and dump it into a database hosted on my OneDrive.
P.S. I meant to say, photo using his iPhone.
I am looking for a good inventory software to catalog and manage art supplies specifically, not art work. I am an Art Therapist working at local community mental health clinic and am in charge of ordering and keeping track of supplies. Any suggestions? Or should I just look at basic inventory software like Quickbooks Desktop Enterprise? I am new to this. Thanks!
A question: I want to track both art sales and licensing deals for reproduction. Is there anyone who has experience in both? If so, which system would be the best fit?
This might be a repeat question but I am looking for an inventory type of software where as part of your will it will give the info about existing work, buyers, and collections your work is in. Not interested in monthly fees type of subscription, rather buy outright.
Appreciate any advice.
I have catalogued using many different databases over the years. I started with Snap, then Approach, then Past Perfect which you purchase. There is a free online database called collective Access, but one must link it to a server. You can contact Whirl-i-gig because they are the owners. All these databases can be used by artists or museums and are Identification number driven. I have also researched databases for artists and tried out a few. My favorite which is very easy for a beginner to use is Artwork archive. I have been cataloging in historical societies and small museums since 1988.
I am an artist and art teacher that gives workshops and group classes at my local church. I’m in need of a purchasable software that includes keeping up with class schedules and participants and their work as well as my own inventory. Anything like that available???
As I mentioned to Lindsay below, I think Asana would work for what you are trying to do on the course side, but not the inventory management side.
Are there any inventory apps for Illustrators that can also track usage contracts for images? Especially for multiple non-exclusive contracts. As an illustrator, usage rights are a big part of my business, and it would be great to have a way of keeping track of multiple usage contracts of varying lengths etc for each illustration. I have yet to find something that fits this bill.
Hey there Lindsay – what you’re talking about doesn’t exist as far as I know. I’d probably use a project management app for something like that. Asana or Trello both have free trials.