Inventory count app: count stock by scanning, not typing
By mise · Updated September 29, 2026
Quick answer: an inventory count app replaces the clipboard: you scan each barcode, type the quantity and the count totals itself. The ones worth using recognize products without you setting them up first, count by location, accept partial units, keep working offline and export to Excel. mise does all of that: its AI finds the product from the barcode or a photo.
Counting is the most boring hour of the week, and it's where most inventory errors are born: a misread line, a skipped shelf, a number typed twice. A good counting app removes the typing, not just the paper. If you're after a free inventory app with a barcode scanner, the 7-day trial is exactly that: everything included, no card.
What an inventory count app should do
- Know the product from the barcode. If you have to create every item before counting, the app just moved your spreadsheet onto a phone. mise brings name, brand, size and category from its own database.
- Count by location. Walk-in, bar, storeroom, front of house — each counted separately, totals combined.
- Accept partial units. 0.4 of a bottle, 2.6 lb of cheese. A Bluetooth scale helps.
- Work offline. Walk-ins and cellars have no signal. The count must be saved on the phone and sync later.
- Several people at once. One counts the bar, another the kitchen, same count.
- Compare with the last count. The point of counting is to see what's missing.
- Export. Excel, PDF, CSV — for your accountant, POS or owner.
How a count works in mise
- Open a count and choose the location.
- Scan: the product appears with its photo and size. Type the quantity, or tap + for each unit.
- Items without a barcode (produce, portions) are added once by name or by a photo of the label.
- Close the count. Choose whether it replaces current inventory or is saved as a periodic count to compare.
- See the result: items and value counted, what differs from what you should have, and in how many units and dollars.
Camera or scanner?
The phone camera is enough for most counts. If you scan hundreds of items, a Bluetooth scanner is faster and works in low light; mise supports both.
Point the camera and the product comes up complete: name, brand, category, size and photo — the mise AI finds it from the barcode or a photo. 7-day free trial, no card.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a free inventory count app?
Several apps have free tiers. mise has a 7-day free trial, with no card, and includes the product database, unlimited counts and exports.
Do I need a barcode scanner to count inventory?
No. A modern phone camera reads barcodes quickly. A Bluetooth scanner is optional for very large counts.
Can I count items that have no barcode?
Yes. In mise you add them once by name (or with a photo of the label) and then count them like any other item.
Does the app work in a walk-in without signal?
Counting works offline: what you count is saved on the device and syncs when the connection returns.