Top 5 Affordable Equipment Software in 2026

Every business nowadays operates on stricter budgets. For smaller businesses, affordable software gives the option to use their budgets more freely. And, affordable equipment management software helps even more when you consider all the hidden costs of chaos you can avoid. However, you wouldn’t want to invest in “cheap” software just to get a subpar performance.

There is a lot of equipment management software available in the market today, with different costs and features. In this post, I’m going to share the top 5 equipment management software that balances low cost with advanced features so your company can focus on investing in something more important.

Key Takeaways The most affordable and value-for-money equipment management software in 2026 is: Equiply: combines operational tracking with superior Financial Intelligence. Its key features include a Dynamic Depreciation Calculator for real-time asset valuation and Immutable Activity Logs, which are crucial for audits and financial accountability. AssetTiger: offers the lowest barrier to entry with a generous free tier for up to 250 assets. EZOfficeInventory: provides flexible, tiered pricing structures and strong maintenance management features. Sortly: prioritizes simplicity and visual tracking for rapid, non-technical user adoption. Cheqroom: Differentiated by its "Book First" philosophy,

Best Affordable Equipment Management Software in 2026

“Affordable” doesn’t mean “cheap”. While picking the software, we focused on the cost efficiency, core functionality, scalability, and future growth. Based on these criteria, here are the top ones that stood out:

1. Equiply (The Most Complete Affordable Solution)

Equiply stands as the undisputed leader for value in 2026. Especially for smaller businesses, it has a lower barrier to entry. And, it scales with your business growth.

Equiply provides all the essential features for real-time tracking, maintenance scheduling, and accountability. So, it directly solves operational problems while saving money. And, you can get everything at a budget-friendly price.

Why Equiply Stands Out

• Different Tier Prices Including Free Version: Equiply offers a complete free version that you can use for up to 150 equipment. Even the starter version offers 1,000 items for just $14.99. There are Pro and Custom versions available with extra features and more items. All of them include a 7-day trial period for you to test out.
• Instant Mobile Check-In/Check-Out: You can scan QR codes and barcodes from your smartphone and instantly log an item’s custody and location. It prevents costly losses and gives you trackable accountability with simplicity.
• Smart Preventative Maintenance: Equiply provides automatic notification reminders for all items based on calendar time and usage metrics. In case you forget (which is very common in day-to-day use), Equiply makes sure you don’t stay behind in extending the life of your equipment.
• Low Barrier to Adoption: Smaller businesses with a low budget can start small with Equiply. When the number of equipment grows, only then can you consider upgrading without paying a huge amount upfront.
• Zero Learning Curve: Your team can start tracking within minutes of installation. The setup is also instant and automatic.
• Actionable Data: Unlike most software, Equiply doesn’t overload you with complex dashboards (although they are still available if you want them). It also creates clear reports (like an equipment staying idle for 90 days) for you to take action.
• Dynamic Depreciation Calculator: Equiply offers a linear depreciation tracker that updates in real time and gives you the current value of an item at that moment. The best part is that you can use it for insurance and tax accuracy.
• Immutable Activity Logs: The software offers role-based data entry/viewing options. As a result, you get an immutable blog that works as a more credible source for audits.

Equiply transforms simple data into a financial tool with proactive maintenance and optimized purchasing. It’s also an affordable accountability tool for businesses that can’t afford to miss equipment with an unbreakable chain of custody.

2. AssetTiger

AssetTiger was developed by MyAssetTag, which is a major retailer of physical asset tags (like barcodes). It is a great fit for organizations that prefer a straightforward tracking system with a modern number of assets.

Advantages:

• A free tier (up to 250 assets)
• Simple pricing model for paid plans
• Includes barcode scanning, alerts, and predefined reports

Disadvantages:

• Lacks dynamic financial intelligence, like a depreciation calculator
• Audit trails aren’t immutable
• Less suitable for complex compliance and financial management

3. EZOfficeInventory

EZOfficeInventory started its journey as EZ Web Enterprises in 2011. It has been serving over 3,000 organizations and 2.5 million users globally. In 2023, the company rebranded as EZO and unified its product suite under the tagline “Asset Intelligence, Reimagined”.

Advantages:

• Strong maintenance management and detailed reporting
• 3 tiers of pricing structure with access to different features
• Customizable pricing options for a larger number of items

Disadvantages:

• All three-tier prices are limited to the same equipment number (250 items)
• Pricing is typically structured for growing teams, so the initial investment is comparatively higher

4. Sortly

Sortly operates on the core focus of simplicity and visual tracking. With an intuitive user experience, non-technical users can easily start using it. You can also add photos to every item, which works as a visual inventory.

Advantages:

• Very simple and easy to use
• Visual tracking with photos
• Customizable options for fields and hierarchical orders

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t have a comprehensive lifecycle and financial management system
• Cost and value tracking is basic
• The activity history and summary report are visible to every user

5. Cheqroom

Unlike other equipment management software, Cheqroom offers a “book first” philosophy. Besides, it offers all the necessary features of check-ins/outs, maintenance management, customizable workflows, etc.

Advantages:

• Built-in booking feature
• Instant repair markings at the moment of check-in
• Clean and intuitive mobile-friendly interface

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t have an automated depreciation tracker
• Requires manual setups and thus more time
• Manual reporting to view deeper usage information
• Pricing is based on per admin/month, which can quickly become less affordable

Comparative Breakdown

Feature	Equiply	AssetTiger	EZOfficeInventory	Sortly	Cheqroom
Pricing Model	Asset-Based	Asset-Based (Free Tier)	Item-Based (Tiers)	User-Based (Tiers)	Admin-Based
Dynamic Depreciation	Yes (Automated)	No/Manual	Yes/Advanced	No	No
Audit-Ready Activity Log	Yes (Immutable)	Yes (Standard)	Yes (History)	Yes (Standard)	Yes (History)
QR/Barcode Scanning	Yes	Yes	Yes`	Yes	Yes
Mobile App	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Conclusion

The right equipment management software is the one that balances cost and core functionality. Your investment should solve your most expensive pain points: the hidden costs of lost gear, missed maintenance, and wasted time.

The platforms we have mentioned achieve this balance by specializing in different areas. Platforms like Cheqroom offer a unique “book first” approach. AssetTiger, EZOfficeInventor, and Sortly fill valuable niches. However, Equiply earned the top place for its overall value for transforming simple asset tracking into a financial tool and offering an automated depreciation tracker and immutable accountability logs at an affordable price.