Encircle vs Sortly for Moving Boxes in 2026
A side-by-side look at Encircle and Sortly for a home move: what each source says it does, what each costs, and what to check first.
CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.
Encircle's pages describe a field app that works offline, and say an estimator reviews every line. [1] [1] Sortly's pages describe uploading an inventory list, organizing items in folders, and getting low-stock alerts. [2] [2] [2] Packing Buddy turns photos of box contents into an item list, and its labels print from a home printer. [3] [3]
| Option | Own price | What its source says it is |
|---|---|---|
| Encircle | not published | A field app that works offline, and an estimator reviews every line [1] [1] |
| Sortly | not published | Describes itself as inventory management software for small businesses, including supplies, materials, tools and equipment [2] |
| Packing Buddy | Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account, or with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box; Plus $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes; Pro $19.99 a month or $99 a year [3] [3] | Photos of moving box contents turn into an item list, and labels print at home [3] [3] |
The short answer
Encircle's pages describe a field app that keeps working with no signal and syncs once the device is back in range. [1] Encircle says customer data stays private, and that an estimator reviews every line. [1] Sortly's pages describe a way to upload an existing inventory list, sort items into folders by location and type, and see low-stock alerts. [2] [2] [2] Packing Buddy lets you photograph what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. [3]
If you want capture that works offline, Encircle's sources say its field app does that. [1] If you want folders by location and low-stock alerts, Sortly's sources say it offers both. [2] [2] If you want a list of items made from photos of each box, Packing Buddy says it does that. [3]
What Encircle and Sortly are built for
Encircle's page describes its pricing as straightforward and aligned to restoration. [1] It includes a dedicated Customer Success Manager, unlimited Help Desk access and live training every week, at no extra cost. [1] Its field app works offline, and captured data syncs once the device is back in range. [1] Encircle says customer data stays private and that an estimator reviews every line. [1]
Sortly lets users upload an existing inventory list and organize inventory folders by location, type and more. [2] [2] Items can carry custom fields for details, and an in-app barcode and QR code scanner speeds up counts. [2] [2] Users can upload high-resolution photos to track each item visually, and get alerted when stock runs low. [2] [2] Sortly gives real-time reporting insights and lets users export custom PDF or CSV reports. [2] [2] It syncs inventory automatically across devices and teams, and works on mobile, desktop and tablet. [2] [2]
What Packing Buddy is built for
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. [3] Each box gets a code like K-03, printed on its label. [3] Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. [3] On Pro, Bluetooth label printers work in the phone app, not in the browser. [3]
Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. [3] You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in. [3] Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed; the movers link comes with your plan. [3] You can print blank QR labels in advance and start a box later by scanning one. [3] The app and its AI box lists are available in 30 languages. [3]
Pricing and fees
Encircle's page says its pricing is not seat-based, with no hidden fees. [1] The sources used for this page give no price figure, so check with Encircle for current costs. Encircle offers a 2-week trial, and its free trial requires no commitment. [1] [1]
Sortly's pricing is not given in the sources used for this page, so check Sortly's site for plan prices and what each plan includes.
Packing Buddy's Free option gives 3 test boxes per device without an account, or with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. [3] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes, and Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year, with unlimited boxes and Bluetooth printers. [3] If you cancel, you keep your boxes and can still open, edit, reprint and search them, but you cannot add new ones. [3]
Getting started
Encircle offers a 2-week trial, and a sales expert can help start it. [1] Its free trial requires no commitment. [1] The sources give no further setup steps, so check with Encircle for how sign-up and onboarding work.
Sortly lets users upload an existing inventory list, so you can bring in a list you already keep. [2] It works on mobile, desktop and tablet through cloud-based syncing. [2] The sources give no sign-up steps, so check Sortly's site for how to create an account.
The Packing Buddy web app is live, and on a computer you can choose photos you already took, with nothing to install. [3] It runs on phones and in a web browser; Bluetooth printing works only in the phone app, not on the web. [3] After you sign in, AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can search and read your backed-up boxes, but cannot change them. [3]
Things to check before you choose
Ask these of either tool:
- Is it built for the kind of work you need, such as household moves or restoration jobs?
- Does it let you photograph box contents and get an item list without typing each item?
- Can you print labels at home, and can someone scan a label with a phone camera to see what is inside?
- Can a partner or movers see your items without creating an account?
- Does it work offline, and what happens when your phone has no signal?
- What does the free option include, and what does a paid plan cost and add?
- Can you still open and search your items if you stop paying?
- Does it work on the devices you already own?
- How does it handle privacy for the photos and data you upload?
How to choose
If you want to photograph moving box contents and get an item list with room picks, Packing Buddy says it does this. [3]
If you want a partner or movers to see boxes without an account, Packing Buddy says its share links do this. [3]
If you want to scan a box with any phone camera to see what is inside, Packing Buddy says it does this. [3]
If you want field capture that keeps working with no signal, Encircle says its field app does that. [1]
If you want to track items by location, with barcode scanning and low-stock alerts, Sortly's sources say it offers those. [2] [2] [2]
Frequently asked questions
Is Packing Buddy free?
Packing Buddy's Free option gives 3 test boxes per device without an account, or with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. [3] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes, and Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year. [3] Check the Free limits against the number of boxes you plan to label before you sign up.
Does Encircle publish its pricing?
Encircle's page says its pricing is not seat-based and has no hidden fees. [1] It offers a 2-week trial, and its free trial requires no commitment. [1] [1] The sources used for this page give no price figure, so check with Encircle for current costs before you compare it with other tools.
Does Sortly publish its pricing?
The sources used for this page do not give Sortly's prices. Sortly lets users upload an existing inventory list, and its sources describe real-time reporting and exports as PDF or CSV. [2] [2] [2] For plan prices and what each plan includes, check Sortly's site directly.
Can movers or family view Packing Buddy boxes without an account?
Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed. [3] The movers link comes with your plan, so check your plan before you rely on it for a move. Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera also opens that box in the browser, with no app needed. [3]
Can you still access boxes after cancelling Packing Buddy?
If you cancel, you keep your boxes and can still open, edit, reprint and search them, but you cannot add new ones. [3] The Free option allows up to 10 boxes with a free account, so count the boxes you expect before choosing a plan. [3]
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. [3]
Try Packing BuddySources
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