Encircle alternatives for moving boxes in 2026

Compare Encircle alternatives for household moves, including Packing Buddy, Sortly, Scanlily, and Avery, with key features and pricing.

By CleverDings · 2026-10-12

CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

Compare Encircle alternatives for household moves, featuring Packing Buddy, Sortly, Scanlily, and Avery.

Option	What it does	Cost
Encircle	Pricing not seat‑based, includes Customer Success Manager, unlimited Help Desk and weekly training; works offline and syncs data ^[1] ^[1] ^[1]	not published
Packing Buddy	Photos become AI item list, prints labels on Avery 5163 or plain paper, QR code opens box in browser ^[2] ^[2] ^[2]	Free: 3 test boxes per device or 10 boxes with free account; Plus $12.99/mo or $59/yr for 100 boxes; Pro $19.99/mo or $99/yr for unlimited boxes ^[2] ^[2]
Sortly	Inventory software with photo upload, custom fields, QR/barcode scanner, folder organization and cloud sync ^[3] ^[3] ^[3]	not published
Scanlily	Inventory plans with item limits, equipment booking and multi‑site stock transfer ^[4] ^[4] ^[4]	Pro $9/mo; Ultra $35/mo; Premium $75/mo; Enterprise custom pricing ^[4] ^[4] ^[4] ^[4]
Avery Design and Print	Blank labels you can print yourself, free templates and designs, custom sheet and roll labels for higher volume ^[5] ^[5] ^[5] ^[5]	not published

Why people running a household look past Encircle

Encircle says its pricing is not seat‑based and has no hidden fees ^[1]. It also includes a dedicated Customer Success Manager, unlimited Help Desk access, and weekly live training at no extra cost ^[1]. The field app works offline and syncs data once back online ^[1]. A 2‑week trial starts only after speaking to a sales expert ^[1]. These facts describe a service built around dedicated support, live training and a sales-led trial ^[1] ^[1]. Whether that fits a household move is for the reader to judge ^[1]. The facts here do not cover a personal plan, so check Encircle's pricing page for what it offers a family moving boxes ^[1].

Packing Buddy: photos become a box list and a printed label

Packing Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You take photos of what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room ^[2]. Each box gets a code like K‑03 printed on its label ^[2]. Labels print from a home printer on store‑bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on ^[2]. Scanning a box’s QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, with no app needed ^[2]. You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in ^[2]. Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed ^[2]. The app runs in a web browser and on phones; Bluetooth label printers work only in the phone app ^[2] ^[2]. Free gives 3 test boxes per device, or 10 boxes with a free account ^[2]. Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes; Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year with unlimited boxes ^[2].

Sortly: inventory software with photos, QR codes and folders

Sortly describes itself as inventory management software for small businesses ^[3]. Users can upload an existing inventory list ^[3]. It provides custom fields for item details ^[3]. Inventory syncs automatically across devices and teams ^[3]. Low‑stock alerts and real‑time reporting insights are also provided ^[3] ^[3]. Export to PDF or CSV is possible ^[3].

Scanlily: inventory plans with item limits and equipment booking

Scanlily’s Pro plan costs $9 USD per month and is aimed at homes, collectors and solo professionals ^[4]. The Ultra plan costs $35 USD per month and supports 2,000 items ^[4] ^[4]. The Ultra plan also offers a 14‑day free trial ^[4]. A Premium plan costs $75 USD per month ^[4] and an Enterprise option provides custom pricing and supports 10,000+ items ^[4]. Users can download all data, images and attachments at any time without lock‑in ^[4].

Avery Design and Print: blank labels you can print yourself

Check Avery's page for its label options.

How to pick the right Encircle alternative

Match the tool to your situation.

You want to photograph a box, get an AI item list and print a label at home: Packing Buddy does that ^[2] ^[2].
You want to try an inventory app before paying: Scanlily's Ultra plan has a 14‑day free trial ^[4].
You already have an inventory spreadsheet and want to import it: Sortly lets users upload an existing inventory list ^[3].
You want an inventory app with a stated item limit: check Scanlily's page for the current details.
You prefer printable labels: check Avery's page for its label options.

You can combine tools. For example, use Packing Buddy for box lists and Avery sheets for extra labels, or Sortly for a broader home inventory while still printing labels with Packing Buddy.

Frequently asked questions

What is Encircle?

Encircle says its pricing is not seat‑based and includes a dedicated Customer Success Manager, unlimited Help Desk access and weekly training at no extra cost ^[1] ^[1]. Its field app works offline and syncs data once back online ^[1]. A 2‑week trial starts after speaking to a sales expert ^[1].

Is there a free alternative to Encircle for moving boxes?

Packing Buddy has a free option with 3 test boxes per device without an account and 10 boxes with a free account ^[2]. Sortly and Scanlily have inventory features, so check their pages for current pricing details ^[3] ^[4]. Avery provides printable blank label sheets ^[5] and free templates and designs ^[5].

Which tool prints moving box labels at home?

Packing Buddy prints labels on store‑bought Avery 5163 sheets or on plain paper you cut out and tape on ^[2]. Avery sells blank label sheets you can print yourself ^[5].

Can movers see the box list without creating an account?

Packing Buddy share links let partners, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed ^[2]. Scanning a box’s QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser without an app ^[2].

Does Packing Buddy require installing any software?

Packing Buddy runs in a web browser on phones and computers; no installation is needed to upload photos or view boxes ^[2] ^[2]. Bluetooth label printers work only in the phone app, not in the browser ^[2].

Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[2]

Try Packing Buddy