simPRO or AroFlo for Inventory – Which Platform Wins?
Both platforms are Australian-built, enterprise-grade, and genuinely capable of running serious inventory operations. The difference is in the details. AroFlo's live pricing integrations with Australian suppliers (Reece, Tradelink, Rexel) are the best in the market. simPRO's multi-division stock management and enterprise depth are unmatched. Here's how to pick the right one for your business.
simPRO vs AroFlo — The Short Answer
simPRO vs AroFlo — Feature Comparison
| Feature | simPRO | AroFlo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | POA (enterprise pricing) | From $65/user/month |
| Van Stock Tracking | ✓ Full van stock management | ✓ Mobile-first, field-friendly |
| Supplier Ordering | ✓ PO management, supplier catalogues | ✓ Direct supplier ordering from job |
| AU Supplier Integration (live pricing) | ~ Some integrations, less coverage | ✓ Reece, Tradelink, Rexel, Coventry + more |
| Materials Cost to Jobs | ✓ Real-time cost allocation | ✓ Job-level materials tracking |
| PO Management | ✓ Advanced PO workflows | ✓ Solid PO management |
| Mobile Inventory | ✓ Mobile app with inventory access | ✓ Mobile-first design; stronger UX |
| Multi-Division Management | ✓ Industry-leading multi-division | ~ Limited vs simPRO |
| Reporting | ✓ Advanced dashboards, custom reports | ✓ Good job cost reporting |
Prices in AUD. Verified April 2026 — confirm current rates with each provider.
simPRO and AroFlo — Reviewed for Inventory
AroFlo is a Melbourne-built field service management platform with arguably the best Australian trade supplier integration on the market. If materials costs are eating your margins and you're tired of updating price lists manually, AroFlo's live supplier pricing is the most practical fix available in 2026.
Live Supplier Pricing — The Real Differentiator
AroFlo connects directly with Reece, Tradelink, Rexel, Coventry, and a growing list of other Australian trade suppliers. When you build a quote or raise a purchase order, you're pulling live pricing. Not last month's price list. Not a manually updated spreadsheet. Actual current supplier prices. For plumbing, electrical, and HVAC businesses buying high volumes from these suppliers, this alone can justify the subscription cost.
The practical workflow: you add materials to a job. AroFlo pulls current pricing from your preferred supplier, builds the PO automatically, and allocates the actual cost to the job. Your job cost reporting reflects real spend, not estimated spend. For businesses where materials are 30–50% of job value, that accuracy matters.
Van Stock Management
AroFlo's van stock management is built for mobile workers. Technicians view their van stock in the app, record materials used on each job, and the system adjusts stock levels and allocates costs automatically. The mobile UX is cleaner than simPRO's for field workers who just need to record what they used and move on. Reordering when van stock hits a minimum level can be automated through the supplier integrations.
Where AroFlo Falls Short
AroFlo's multi-division and enterprise capabilities are less developed than simPRO's. If you run separate electrical, plumbing, and HVAC divisions under one company — with separate P&Ls, separate teams, and complex cost allocation — AroFlo will feel constrained. It's a strong platform for single-trade or single-division businesses. For genuinely complex enterprise operations, simPRO has more depth.
AroFlo Pros
- Best Australian supplier integration (Reece, Tradelink, Rexel, Coventry)
- Live pricing in quotes and POs — no manual updates
- Mobile-first van stock management
- Free trial available — easy to evaluate
- Strong job cost reporting
- Melbourne-based support
AroFlo Cons
- Less depth on multi-division enterprise management
- Reporting not as advanced as simPRO
- Per-user pricing adds up for large teams
simPRO is a Brisbane-built enterprise job management platform used by more than 9,000 businesses globally. It's the go-to for Australian trade businesses that have outgrown simpler tools and need genuine enterprise capability. Particularly multi-division operations running commercial contracts alongside residential work.
Multi-Division Inventory — The Real Differentiator
Where simPRO genuinely separates itself is in multi-division stock management. If you run an electrical division and a data cabling division under the same company, simPRO lets you manage separate stock locations, separate van stock for each team, cross-divisional transfers, and divisional P&Ls with accurate materials cost allocation. AroFlo handles a single operation well. simPRO handles complex, multi-entity operations at a different level.
simPRO's purchase order management is also more sophisticated — approval workflows, multi-location delivery, supplier catalogue management, and detailed PO reporting. For businesses processing hundreds of POs per month across multiple projects, simPRO's structure matters.
Real-Time Cost Allocation
simPRO's real-time cost allocation to jobs is one of its strongest inventory features. Materials are allocated as they're consumed — from van stock, warehouse stock, or supplier orders — and job profitability updates in real time. For businesses managing long commercial contracts, knowing your materials spend against budget at any point is genuinely valuable. simPRO's reporting dashboards give you that visibility without exporting to spreadsheets.
Where simPRO Falls Short
simPRO's live supplier pricing integrations are less developed than AroFlo's for Australian suppliers. If your main reason for choosing inventory software is live prices from Reece or Tradelink in your quotes, AroFlo has better coverage. simPRO also requires a bigger implementation investment. It's not a platform you can trial independently. Expect a demo, onboarding, and a proper setup engagement before you're operational.
simPRO Pros
- Industry-leading multi-division stock management
- Real-time job cost allocation — materials, labour, overhead
- Advanced PO workflows and approval chains
- Deep reporting dashboards and custom reports
- Scales to 100+ staff without strain
- Brisbane-based with dedicated AU support
simPRO Cons
- Live Australian supplier pricing less comprehensive than AroFlo
- Significant implementation commitment required
- Overkill and expensive for businesses under 15 staff
- No self-serve trial — requires demo first
simPRO or AroFlo? Use This Decision Framework
Neither platform is categorically better — it genuinely depends on what's costing you money right now.
Choose AroFlo if:
- Your primary pain point is materials costs — specifically, quotes using out-of-date pricing
- You buy heavily from Reece, Tradelink, Rexel, or Coventry and want live pricing in your quotes
- You run a single-trade business (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) with field technicians managing van stock
- You want to trial the platform yourself before committing to a sales process
- You have under 30 staff and don't need multi-division management
Choose simPRO if:
- You run multiple trade divisions and need separate stock management per division
- You have complex commercial project work alongside maintenance and residential jobs
- You need enterprise-grade reporting with divisional P&Ls and custom dashboards
- You have 20+ staff and the business is growing toward 50–100+
- You need sophisticated PO approval workflows and multi-location stock management
Losing money on materials every month?
If you can't tell us what you spent on materials on each job last month, you're bleeding cash. AroFlo's materials tracking pays for itself in the first month most businesses use it.
Try AroFlo Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. AroFlo integrates directly with major Australian trade suppliers including Reece, Tradelink, Rexel, Coventry, and others to pull live pricing into your quotes and purchase orders. This eliminates the need to manually update material costs and ensures your quotes reflect current supplier prices. simPRO also has supplier integrations but AroFlo's Australian supplier coverage is more extensive.
Van stock tracking records the materials stored in each technician's van and allocates them to jobs as they're used. Without van stock tracking, materials from the van that go onto jobs never get charged — they just disappear into the cost of goods with no job allocation. Both AroFlo and simPRO handle van stock well; AroFlo's mobile interface for van stock management is generally considered more practical for field use, particularly for technicians who aren't naturally tech-forward.
simPRO is generally considered more powerful for large, complex businesses with multiple divisions, commercial contracts, and complex project management needs. AroFlo is preferred by businesses where inventory and supplier pricing are the primary operational pain point, particularly those in plumbing, electrical, and HVAC with high-volume materials purchasing from Australian suppliers. Both are strong platforms; the right choice depends on your primary pain point.
AroFlo offers a free trial — you can sign up and explore without commitment. simPRO typically requires a demo and onboarding conversation before you can access the platform, given the setup complexity. Trialling AroFlo is straightforward. Evaluating simPRO is a more involved process with their sales and implementation team. If you're unsure which direction to go, start with AroFlo's free trial to see what good inventory management looks like in practice.