Stock control app: scan it, count it, know what you have
By mise · Updated September 29, 2026
Quick answer: a stock control app keeps a running figure of what you have on hand: deliveries go in, usage and waste go out, and a stock take by barcode scanning corrects the figure. mise does this with AI that finds the product from the barcode or a photo, so nothing needs setting up first; it runs on iPhone, Android and the web, free for 7 days with no card, then £26 a month.
Stock control is not the same as a stock take. The stock take is the count; stock control is knowing, between counts, what you have, what you're about to run out of and where it went. A stock control app is what makes the second part possible without a full-time person on it.
What "stock control" actually involves
- Receiving: deliveries recorded against the invoice, so stock goes up at the price you paid.
- Usage and waste: what left the shelf — sold, used in the kitchen, broken, out of date.
- Counting: a regular stock take that resets the figure to reality and shows the gap.
- Par levels and ordering: a minimum per line and a list of what to order to get back to it.
- Reporting: stock value, usage by category, GP for pubs and restaurants, shrinkage for shops.
What to expect from a stock control app
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Barcode scanning with no product set-up | Typing 800 product names is why most apps never get used. The scan should bring the product back complete. |
| Count by area | Cellar, bar, kitchen, shop floor — counted separately, totalled together. |
| Part units | Open bottles in tenths, open cases, weights from a scale. |
| Deliveries from the invoice | Photo, PDF or XML of the invoice → stock in, at cost. |
| Par levels and an order list | The app tells you what to order; you don't walk the shelves twice. |
| Works offline | Cellars and stockrooms don't have signal. |
| Exports | Excel, PDF and CSV for the accountant or the head office. |
How mise does it
You scan the barcode with the phone camera and the product comes back complete — name, brand, category, size and photo — because the mise AI finds it from the barcode or a photo. If it isn't there, the AI identifies it. You type the quantity. Deliveries come in from a photo of the invoice; waste is logged in two taps; the stock take is a count by area with part bottles and weights. At the end you get on-hand stock, usage, variance against the last count, GP and an order list built from your par levels.
Who it suits
Independent shops and convenience stores, pubs and bars, cafés, restaurants, hotels, and anyone running stock control across two or three sites who wants each site separate and the total in one place. It is not a till or an accounting package — it does the stock and exports the numbers.
"Stock control app free": what free gets you
Free tiers usually cap the number of products or users, or leave the scanning out — which puts you back to typing. mise gives you everything for 7 days with no card, then charges £26 a month per business, with unlimited products, counts and users. For most venues that is cheaper than the hour a week a spreadsheet costs.
Scan the barcode, type the quantity, and the product comes complete: the mise AI finds it from the barcode or a photo. Deliveries, waste, stock take, par levels and GP in one app. 7 days free, no card, then £26 a month.
Start free
See also: stock take app, how to do a stock take, the stock control spreadsheet if you want to start on a sheet, and barcode lookup UK to check any code.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stock control app and a stock take app?
A stock take app helps you count. A stock control app also tracks deliveries, usage and waste between counts, keeps par levels and builds an order list. mise does both: the stock take is one part of the stock control.
Is there a free stock control app?
Free apps tend to cap products or leave scanning out. mise is free for 7 days with everything included and no card, then £26 a month per business with unlimited products and users.
Does it work on Android and iPhone?
Yes: Google Play, the App Store, and a browser version for the office. One account, the same stock everywhere.
Do I have to set up my products first?
No. Scan the barcode or take a photo and the mise AI finds the product and brings it back complete. Items without a barcode — a home-made pie, a keg — are added once by name or by a photo of the label.
Can I control stock across more than one site?
Yes. Each site keeps its own stock and counts; the owner sees them separately or together, and can decide which staff see costs.