Scanlily can replace Encircle with faster and improved inventorying

Encircle is discontinuing their free Home Inventory product on December 17, 2025. After this date, your data will be inaccessible. If you're an Encircle user looking for an alternative, read on to learn how Scanlily offers a powerful upgrade with more features.

If you've been using Encircle's Home Inventory app, you've likely received the news: Encircle is ending support for their free home inventory product to focus on their paid restoration contractor services. After December 17, 2025, you'll no longer be able to access your data through the app.

This leaves thousands of users searching for a reliable alternative to protect their home inventory documentation. The good news? This might be the perfect opportunity to upgrade to a more capable solution that goes beyond basic insurance documentation.

Why Encircle Is Shutting Down Home Inventory

Encircle was originally built for restoration contractors and insurance professionals who need to document property losses after disasters like fires and floods. The free home inventory app was a side product - useful for homeowners creating basic documentation for insurance claims.

However, Encircle has made the business decision to focus entirely on their paid B2B products for restoration contractors, leaving consumer users without a home. This reveals a fundamental limitation: Encircle was never designed to be a comprehensive home and asset management system. It was insurance documentation software repurposed for consumers.

If you've been using Encircle, you've probably noticed some of these limitations:

1. Insurance-first design: The app was optimized for documenting losses, not for everyday organization, finding items, or managing your belongings actively.
2. Limited photos per item: Many users report frustration with being limited to one photo per item (plus a receipt photo), making it difficult to fully document item condition.
3. No location tracking within rooms: Users frequently requested the ability to track items within boxes or specific storage containers, but this feature never materialized.
4. Manual data entry: Every item description, category, and detail had to be typed manually, making the cataloging process tedious.
5. App-required access: Everyone who needed to view or update inventory had to download the app, limiting family member participation.

The discontinuation is disappointing but unsurprising. Products built as afterthoughts rarely receive the development attention users deserve. Now is the time to move to a solution designed from the ground up for comprehensive inventory management.

What to Look for in an Encircle Alternative

When evaluating alternatives to Encircle, consider what you actually need from an inventory system - not just what Encircle provided, but what you wished it could do:

1. Long-term reliability: Choose a company committed to their inventory product, not one that treats consumers as an afterthought.
2. Easy cataloging: Look for AI-powered image recognition that eliminates tedious manual data entry.
3. Flexible organization: True container nesting that mirrors how you actually store things - boxes within closets within rooms.
4. Multiple photos and attachments: Unlimited photos, documents, and notes per item for complete documentation.
5. Easy access: Browser-based access so family members can participate without downloading apps.
6. Data portability: Full export capabilities so you're never locked into a platform again.
7. Beyond insurance: Features for everyday use - finding items, tracking locations, managing equipment.

Why Scanlily Is the Best Alternative to Encircle

Scanlily addresses every limitation that frustrated Encircle users while adding powerful capabilities that transform how you manage your belongings. Here's why Scanlily is the natural upgrade path.

AI-Powered Speed

Remember spending hours typing item descriptions into Encircle? Scanlily's AI image recognition changes everything. Simply take a photo, and Scanlily automatically identifies the item, writes a detailed description, and suggests appropriate categories. You can catalog hundreds of items in minutes rather than hours.

Even better, Scanlily can identify multiple items from a single photo. Snap a picture of a toolbox, a bookshelf, or a kitchen drawer, and Scanlily will catalog each item it sees. This makes building your new inventory remarkably fast - many users find that re-cataloging with Scanlily takes a fraction of the time it originally took with Encircle's manual entry.

True Container Organization

One of the most requested features Encircle users asked for was better location tracking within rooms. Scanlily delivers with true container nesting:

• Create digital containers for boxes, bins, shelves, and closets
• Nest items within containers, containers within rooms
• Scan a container's QR code to instantly see everything inside
• Move containers and all their contents update automatically

This mirrors how you actually organize your home. When you're looking for your camping gear, you don't just want to know it's "in the garage" - you want to know which bin, on which shelf.

Unlimited Documentation

Where Encircle limited you to one photo plus a receipt, Scanlily offers unlimited attachments per item. Add as many photos as you need to document condition from every angle. Attach receipts, warranties, manuals, and any other documents. Record audio notes for quick updates. Even attach video for items that need demonstrated functionality.

Every attachment is automatically timestamped and attributed to the user who added it, creating a complete audit trail for insurance purposes.

App-Free Access

With Encircle, everyone in your household needed to download the app to participate. Scanlily takes a different approach: anyone can scan a QR code with their phone's camera and instantly view item information in their browser. No app installation, no account creation, no training required.

This makes Scanlily practical for entire families. Your spouse can check what's in a storage box. Your kids can mark items as borrowed. Your elderly parents can access their inventory without struggling with new software.

Natural Language Search

Encircle's search required exact name matches. Scanlily's AI-powered search understands natural language queries like "show me electronics in the basement" or "find winter clothes." You can even photograph an item and ask Scanlily to locate it in your inventory.

Built for the Long Term

Unlike Encircle's consumer product, Scanlily is our core business. We're actively developing new features, responding to user feedback, and committed to the platform for years to come. Your data won't become inaccessible because we decided to focus elsewhere.

Moving from Encircle to Scanlily

Before Encircle shuts down on December 17, 2025, make sure to export your data. Encircle allows you to download PDF reports, Excel spreadsheets, and media files from their web app.

Need help bringing your Encircle data into Scanlily? Our Business plan ($10/month, no annual commitment required) includes migration support. Simply contact us with your Encircle export and we'll help get you set up.

Even if you prefer to start fresh, Scanlily's AI-powered cataloging makes rebuilding your inventory surprisingly fast. Many users complete their entire home inventory in a single weekend - something that took weeks with Encircle's manual entry.

Choosing the Right Solution: Scanlily vs. Encircle Comparison

Here's how Scanlily compares to what Encircle offered:

Beyond Insurance: What You Can Do with Scanlily

While Encircle was built primarily for insurance documentation, Scanlily serves as a complete home and asset management system. Here are use cases that go beyond what Encircle offered:

Moving and Storage

Moving to a new home? Create containers for each moving box, photograph contents as you pack, and generate QR codes to stick on boxes. When you arrive, scan any box to see exactly what's inside without opening it. This eliminates the "which box has the coffee maker?" problem entirely.

Finding Lost Items

Can't remember where you put something? Use natural language search or photograph a similar item to find it in your inventory. Scanlily tells you exactly which container, shelf, or room holds what you're looking for.

Lending and Borrowing

Track items you've lent to neighbors or borrowed from friends. Scanlily's equipment booking features let you mark items as checked out and set return reminders.

Estate Planning

Create a comprehensive inventory of valuable items with photos, appraisal documents, and provenance information. The audit trail documents when items were added and any changes made over time.

Home Maintenance

Attach maintenance records, warranty information, and service schedules to home equipment. Set reminders for filter changes, inspections, and other routine maintenance.

Get Started Today

Don't wait until December 17 to find an alternative. Start exploring Scanlily today and see how much faster inventory management can be with AI-powered cataloging.

With Scanlily's AI assistance, building your inventory is faster than you expect. Many users complete their entire home inventory in a single weekend - something that took weeks with Encircle's manual entry.

Join the thousands of users who have discovered that inventory management can be fast, intuitive, and actually useful for everyday life. Scanlily isn't just a replacement for Encircle - it's a significant upgrade that will change how you organize and manage everything you own.

Ready to make the switch? View our plans or contact us to learn about migration support for Encircle users.

Appendix: Complete Feature Comparison