Canadian bars, pubs and clubs · 2026
Bar inventory apps for Canada, compared
Eight apps: four with a real Canadian footprint, four US products worth a look, and how each one counts liquor.
What kind of bar are you?
A liquor inventory tells you whether the stock you bought matches what you sold and what is left on the shelves. Pick the card that sounds like your bar, or scan the chart and matrix below.
- Restaurant with a bar that wants food and drink costed togetherMarginEdge with FreepourInvoice processing, recipe costing and a daily P&L, with Freepour liquor weighing as an add-on.See MarginEdge with Freepour
- Bar that wants to count liquor by voice, hands-freeLixorSay each level out loud with the phone in your pocket. From CA$79 a month, 30 days free.See Lixor
- iPhone bar that wants to weigh bottles on a Bluetooth scaleWISKBluetooth scale, barcode scanner and recipe costing on every tier. No free trial, and a 60-day money-back guarantee.See WISK
- Group that wants an expert to run the count with themSculpture HospitalitySculpture pairs an app with local consultants across Canada, with an Ontario regional director.See Sculpture Hospitality
What they charge
Monthly prices as each company publishes them, read on the day we checked.
Prices as each company publishes them
Only Lixor publishes Canadian-dollar prices that we could find. Every other price is shown as written and never converted.
- LixorFrom CA$79 a month
- WISK$249, currency not stated
- BevSpot$948 a year (Starter)
- BackbarFree, then from $79
- MarginEdge with Freepour$350, plus $150 for Freepour
- Sculpture Hospitality$199 plus setup
- Bar Patrol$69 monthly, $49 annual
- Partender$199 annual, $299 monthly
Prices are per month. Any taxes that apply are added on top. None of the other pages we read say whether prices include GST or HST, or which currency the dollar figures are in. Ask each company before you budget.
Side by side
Every app on the same five points.
| App | Counting method | Free trial | Hardware | Platforms | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lixor | Voice, hands-free | 30 days, no card | Your own phone | iPhone, Android, web dashboard | From CA$79 a month |
| WISK | Bluetooth scale and barcode scanner | None, 60-day money-back | Bluetooth scale and scanner, bought separately | iOS app, web portal | From $249 a month, currency not stated |
| BevSpot | Not described on the pricing page | Free trial, full features | Not stated | "Inventory on any device"; no iOS app found | Starter $948 a year, currency not stated |
| Backbar | Barcode scanning on web, iOS and Android | One month on paid plans | Your own device | Web, iOS, Android | Free plan, paid from $79 a month, currency not stated |
| MarginEdge with Freepour | Freepour add-on: weigh liquor on a scale | Not stated | Freepour scale, from MarginEdge | Mobile app, web | $350 a month per location, currency not stated |
| Sculpture Hospitality | App with scanners and scales, plus consultant audits | Not stated | Scanners and scales | Mobile app, web dashboard | Self Service $199 a month plus setup, currency not stated |
| Bar Patrol | Point count or weigh on a Bluetooth scale | Free test-drive account | Bluetooth scale, $159 outside the US per its FAQ | iOS app, cloud dashboard | $69 a month, $49 on an annual plan, currency not stated |
| Partender | Tap the level on a bottle image | 14 days | None | iOS, Android, web | From $199 a month annual, currency not stated |
Swipe the table sideways. The app names stay in place.
Read on the day
Every competitor price and feature was read on 29 September 2026 from the page linked in its card.
Nothing converted
Canadian-dollar prices are as published, and only Lixor publishes one that we found. Other prices are shown as written, never converted.
Gaps stay gaps
Where a company does not publish something, we say "not stated" instead of guessing. No other page says whether GST or HST is included. Lixor says its prices are per month and applicable taxes are added on top.
The 4 apps with a Canadian footprint
Open Details and sources on any card for the longer notes and the pages we read.
Lixor
We built thisVoice, hands-freeFrom CA$79 a month
Best for: Bars that want to count liquor by voice, and teams counting together
- Pro: Voice-first, hands-free: no scanning or weighing every bottle
- Pro: Counts without signal in a cellar (solo counts)
- Con: Only Toast is connected directly for Canadian tills today
- Con: No supplier ordering listed, and no automatic delivery-invoice feed in Canada yet
Details and sources
How counting works
- In "Lixor leads" the app reads each bottle out in shelf order and you say the count. In "You lead" you call the bottle and the count in any order and it echoes each one back.
- If a name is not recognised it asks again and holds anything unmatched for a quick review at the end.
- Counts work without signal: open the area once online, then count in the cellar. Solo counts sync later. Team counting still needs a connection.
Canada set-up
- New bottles default to 750 ml, 1 oz and 1.5 oz pours are offered, and amounts show in Canadian dollars. The tax line is labelled GST/HST and Lixor never calculates it for you.
Plans, in Canadian dollars
- Essentials CA$79 a month: one user plus free view-only owner access, voice counting, unlimited inventories, Excel reports.
- Teams CA$169 a month: 5 users, then CA$19 for each extra. Adds team counting and permissions.
- Premium CA$289 a month: unlimited users, till connection, pour cost, variance reports, invoice scanning on the phone app.
- Prices are per month. Any taxes that apply are added on top.
Tills
- Toast is connected in Canada today. For Lightspeed, TouchBistro, Square or Clover, tell us and we connect it, but only Toast is live now.
Other limits
- A newer company with a smaller user base than some names here.
- Offline counting is solo only.
Sources
- Lixor Canada pricing (checked 29 September 2026)
WISK
Bluetooth scale and barcode scannerFrom $249 a month, currency not stated
Best for: Data-heavy bars and hotels on iPhone or iPad
- Pro: Bluetooth scale measurement and recipe costing on every tier
- Pro: On the Canadian App Store, updated 28 September 2026
- Con: Price page does not say which currency the dollars are in
- Con: No Android app, no free trial and a $750 setup fee
Details and sources
How counting works
- You weigh bottles on a supported Bluetooth scale and look items up with a barcode scanner, on an iPhone or iPad. WISK's help centre describes its "hands-free counting" as barcode scanning, not voice.
- There is no Android app, and the web portal on Android does not support the scanner or the scale.
Pricing (dollars, currency not stated)
- Single venue, beverage only: $249 a month. Food only is also $249; food and beverage bundle $399. Multi-outlet beverage is $499, $899 or $1,250 by outlet band.
- One-time implementation fee $750 for a single venue. No free trial, 60-day money-back guarantee. The page does not name a currency and shows no Canadian-dollar option.
- Lists 60+ POS integrations on the paid plans, and names Toast and Lightspeed. Which Canadian tills are supported is not on the page, so ask.
Sources
- WISK pricing (checked 29 September 2026)
- Hands-free counting article (checked 29 September 2026)
- Android help article (checked 29 September 2026)
- App Store Canada listing (checked 29 September 2026)
MarginEdge with Freepour
Freepour add-on: weigh liquor on a scale$350 a month per location, currency not stated
Best for: Restaurants with a bar that want invoices, recipes and liquor in one system
- Pro: Invoices, recipe costing and a daily P&L in the base plan
- Pro: Freepour weighs liquor on a scale, and its FAQ refers to Canadian clients
- Con: A restaurant back office, priced above the bar-only tools here
- Con: Bill Pay is not offered to Canadian clients
Details and sources
What the pricing page says
- MarginEdge $350 a month per location. MarginEdge with Freepour bundle $500 a month per location, so Freepour adds $150. Annual billing takes 10% off. The page does not name a currency.
- Toast users pay Toast a separate $50 a month per location for the Restaurant Management Suite. Its FAQ says it does not offer Bill Pay for Canadian clients.
- Setup is through optional paid onboarding packages, with no traditional setup fee.
Freepour
- Freepour is MarginEdge's liquor inventory add-on that weighs bottles on a scale. Its page carries a testimonial from a Banff bar, which is the company's own material, not our finding. There is a "$500 fee for scales not returned".
Sources
- MarginEdge pricing (checked 29 September 2026)
- MarginEdge Freepour (checked 29 September 2026)
- App Store Canada listing (checked 29 September 2026)
Sculpture Hospitality
App with scanners and scales, plus consultant auditsSelf Service $199 a month plus setup, currency not stated
Best for: Groups that want a local consultant to help or do the count
- Pro: Local consultants across Canada, with an Ontario regional director
- Pro: Self service, shared service and full service levels
- Con: Only the Self Service price is published, and it names no currency
- Con: Shared and full service are quoted per location
Details and sources
What the pages say
- A hybrid of software and service: "Your team counts food and beverage with our app. We handle the data entry, reporting, spot checks, and variance review behind the scenes." Its site lists Canada (all provinces) among its regions.
- Its Ontario page names a regional director. Its App Store description says the app connects to scanners and scales.
Pricing
- Self Service: "$199 per month + setup". Shared Service and Full Service are "Custom - Varies upon location", and in full service the consultant does the counting. The page does not name a currency, and the price is for beverage inventory. Food is quoted.
Sources
- Sculpture Hospitality (checked 29 September 2026)
- Sculpture pricing (checked 29 September 2026)
- Sculpture Ontario (checked 29 September 2026)
- App Store Canada listing (checked 29 September 2026)
Also worth a look
US products we could not tie to Canada: dollar prices with no currency named, nothing published for Canada and few or no Canadian ratings.
- BevSpot. US product; prices in dollars with no currency named; nothing published for Canada, and we found no BevSpot app in the Canadian App Store. Free trial with full features; Starter $948 a year and Standard $1,428 a year, Pro shown as "$249 Per Annually" with the period unclear. One-click ordering, and free POS links for Lightspeed, Square, Toast and Upserve on Pro. Its guide describes counting by eye in tenths; the pricing page does not describe a counting method. BevSpot plans and pricing, BevSpot bar inventory guide
- Backbar. US product; prices in dollars with no currency named; nothing published for Canada, and 2 ratings on the Canadian App Store. Free Basic plan, paid plans from $79 a month with one month free. Scans barcodes on web, iOS and Android, with Toast, Square and Shift4 for tills and one-click purchasing on the paid plans. Backbar pricing, App Store Canada listing
- Bar Patrol. US product; prices in dollars with no currency named; nothing published for Canada, and 2 ratings on the Canadian App Store. $69 a month, or $49 a month on a yearly plan, with every feature included. The Bluetooth scale is a one-time cost, listed at $159 "if you're out of the country", shipping included. Point count or weigh with the scale; POS sales data is exported and uploaded. Bar Patrol pricing FAQ, App Store Canada listing
- Partender. US product; prices in dollars with no currency named; nothing published for Canada, and its Canadian App Store listing was last updated in January 2022 (15 ratings). Tap where the liquid sits on each bottle; Pro Monthly $299 a month and Pro Annual $199 a month paid annually, with a 14-day free trial. Partender pricing, App Store Canada listing
Where Lixor is strong
Hands-free by voice
Say each level as you walk the bar. The phone stays in your pocket. We found no voice counting on the other pages here.
Counts in the cellar
Open the area online once, then count with no signal. Solo counts sync when you are back in range.
Set up for Canada
750 ml default bottles, 1 oz and 1.5 oz pours, prices in Canadian dollars and a GST/HST label.
Prices are per month. Any taxes that apply are added on top.
Who should not pick Lixor
We would rather you know now than find out in a fortnight.
Restaurants that want food and drink costed together
Lixor has no automatic delivery-invoice feed in Canada yet, and only Toast is connected directly for tills. MarginEdge is built around invoices, recipes and a daily P&L.
Look at MarginEdge with FreepourGroups that want a consultant to run the count
Lixor is your own count. Sculpture Hospitality lists local consultants across Canada, including a full service level where the consultant does the counting.
Look at Sculpture HospitalityBars that want to weigh every bottle
Lixor counts liquor by voice and does not scan barcodes. If your team would rather weigh bottles on a Bluetooth scale, WISK and Bar Patrol are built around one.
Look at WISKBars that want ordering built in
Supplier ordering is not something Lixor lists. BevSpot offers one-click ordering, and Backbar sends orders to distributors with one click.
Look at BevSpot
What a liquor inventory tells you
Usage and cost
A regular count shows how much of each product you used and what it cost you, so you can see where profit is going.
Source: BevSpot
Variance
The gap between what you should have and what you count. BevSpot puts it as "where is your shrinkage (or lost profits) coming from".
Source: BevSpot
BevSpot advises keeping your inventory periods consistent, "weekly, bi-weekly or monthly". Its guide describes counting partial bottles by eye in tenths, which is the method Partender turns into a tap. Source: BevSpot
Questions
The short answers, from the same sources as the cards above.
What is a bar inventory, and how often should you count?
A bar inventory is a count of the liquor, beer and wine you hold, set against what you bought and sold, so you can see where stock went missing. BevSpot advises keeping your inventory periods consistent, whether that is weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, and says the count shows product usage, cost of goods sold and variance.
How do you count a partly full bottle?
BevSpot describes the most common method as noting by eye how much liquid is in each bottle, in tenths. Partender turns that into a tap on a bottle image. WISK, Bar Patrol and MarginEdge with Freepour use a Bluetooth scale. Lixor counts by voice: you say the level out loud.
How much do bar inventory apps cost in Canada?
Lixor starts at CA$79 a month. We found no other company that publishes a Canadian-dollar price. Backbar has a free plan and paid plans from $79 a month, BevSpot lists $948 a year for Starter, MarginEdge is $350 a month per location, and WISK is $249 a month, all in dollars with no currency named on the page.
Can I count liquor by voice?
Lixor counts by voice, hands-free. We found no voice counting listed on the pages of the other apps in this guide.
Do these apps connect to Canadian tills?
It varies. Lixor Premium connects to Toast today, and other tills such as Lightspeed, TouchBistro, Square or Clover on request. BevSpot connects Lightspeed, Square, Toast and Upserve free on Pro. Backbar lists Toast, Square and Shift4. WISK and MarginEdge list 60+ POS systems. Check that your own till is on the list before you sign up.
Do the prices include GST or HST?
Lixor prices are per month, and any taxes that apply are added on top. The other pages we read do not say whether GST or HST is included, so ask each company before you budget.
Do I need a stocktaking service as well as an app?
Not always. An app lets you count for yourself, while a service such as Sculpture Hospitality can have a consultant count with you or for you. Some owners use both, an outside count now and then and their own count in between.
Try Lixor free for 30 days
Time a real count with your own team. No credit card.