2026 Comparison Guide
5 Product Research Tools That Show Profit Margins and Supplier Costs (2026)
Updated . Prices and features checked on each tool's own site.
Ad views and likes tell you a product gets attention. They do not tell you whether you can make money selling it. For that you need the supplier cost, the shipping cost, a realistic selling price and room left for ads.
TL;DRQuick Answer
ProductLair shows the supplier cost, shipping cost and shipping time for each of its 650+ hand-picked products, next to a Shopify store already selling it and a profit estimate. It costs $49 once, with no subscription.
AutoDS shows potential profit and competitor prices in its Product Finding Hub add-on ($14.97/month on top of a plan from $26.90/month). Ecomhunt has a profit calculator with supplier links, Sell The Trend shows a profit margin on product cards, and Dropship.io adds a numbers breakdown and suppliers to its weekly picks. Ad spy tools such as Minea show who the supplier is but not the cost.
Recommended stack: ProductLair ($49 once) for supplier cost and profit context, plus the free ProductLair profit calculator to rerun the numbers with your own ad cost and selling price.
Profit & Supplier Cost Data: What to Know
Most product research tools are built around ads, so profit data is often missing or added as a calculator you fill in yourself. We checked which tools show cost and margin per product, where those numbers come from, and how much each tool costs.
Treat every profit figure as a starting point. Supplier prices change, and a selling price taken from one store is not proof that it sells at that price. Rerun the numbers with your own ad cost before you test. Prices and features were checked on each tool's own site on October 24, 2026.
How We Evaluated Each Tool
Supplier Cost Shown
Does each product show what it costs to buy from the supplier?
Shipping Cost and Time
Is shipping included, or do you have to look it up separately?
Selling Price Source
Is the selling price taken from a real store, or estimated?
Profit or Margin Figure
Does the tool show a margin, or only a calculator you fill in?
Cost of the Tool
One-time or monthly, and what the profit feature actually requires.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ProductLair | AutoDS | Ecomhunt | Sell The Trend | Dropship.io |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier Cost | Yes, every product | Yes (Hub add-on) | Via calculator + links | In margin figure | On weekly picks |
| Shipping Cost and Time | Yes, both | Not listed | Shipping in calculator | Not listed | Not listed |
| Competitor Selling Price | Store price + traffic | "Being sold for" | Competitor store list | Not listed | Competitor research |
| Profit Figure | Profit estimate | Potential profit | Calculator | Margin on card | Numbers breakdown |
| Price | $49 once | $26.90/mo + $14.97/mo add-on | $29-69/month | $49.97-299.97/month | $39-99/month |
5 Product Research Tools That Show Profit Margins and Supplier Costs (2026)
ProductLair
Best Supplier Cost Data on Curated ProductsProductLair shows the supplier cost, shipping cost and shipping time from the supplier listing for each of its 650+ hand-picked products (October 2026). Each product also links to a Shopify store already selling it, with that store's price and monthly traffic, and includes a profit estimate and a 16-point score that rates margin, shipping cost and supplier reliability.
Some selling prices come from the competitor store and some are estimates, so ProductLair is best used to shortlist products whose numbers already work, then confirm with your own calculation. It costs $49 once for the library; $99 adds a launch plan with a testing budget.
Strengths
Supplier cost, shipping cost and shipping time per product
Competitor store price and traffic next to the cost
Margin and supplier reliability built into the score
One-time $49, no subscription
Weaknesses
Some selling prices are estimates
Curated list, not a search of every product
No live supplier price sync
No refunds
AutoDS
Best Profit Filters Inside a Fulfillment ToolAutoDS is mainly an order and import automation tool. Its Product Finding Hub shows potential profit, what a product is being sold for, and lets you filter by item cost.
The Hub is an add-on at $14.97 per month on top of an AutoDS plan ($26.90-66.90 per month, or $19.90-49.90 per month billed yearly). Good value if you already use AutoDS for fulfillment, expensive if you only want research.
Strengths
Potential profit and competitor price per product
Filter products by item cost
Imports products straight to your store
3-day trial for $0.99
Weaknesses
Profit data needs a paid add-on
Two subscriptions to pay
Built for automation first, research second
Products are not hand-vetted
Ecomhunt
Best Built-In Profit CalculatorEcomhunt pairs its hand-picked products with a profit calculator that takes product cost, shipping and ad spend, plus links to suppliers. You enter or adjust the numbers yourself.
It costs $29, $49 or $69 per month ($279-588 per year on annual billing) and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Strengths
Profit calculator with cost, shipping and ads
Supplier links for each product
Hand-picked products
30-day money-back guarantee
Weaknesses
Calculator, not measured margins
Monthly subscription
You still check supplier prices yourself
Popular picks are shared with every subscriber
Sell The Trend
Best Margin Figure in a Large DatabaseSell The Trend shows a profit margin figure on its product cards, across a large AI-filtered database, and can import products and handle fulfillment.
It costs $49.97, $99.97 or $299.97 per month ($32.97-199.97 per month billed yearly), with a 14-day free trial that needs a card.
Strengths
Profit margin shown on product cards
Large searchable database
Import and fulfillment included
14-day free trial
Weaknesses
From $49.97 per month
Margin figure does not show where cost and price come from
Database picks, not hand-vetted
Card required for the trial
Dropship.io
Best Weekly Picks With NumbersDropship.io focuses on TikTok Shop analytics and a Facebook ad library. Its weekly product picks include a numbers breakdown and AliExpress or Alibaba supplier links.
It is the cheapest subscription here at $39, $59 or $99 per month ($312-588 per year), with a 3-day trial that uses a refunded $1 card check.
Strengths
Numbers breakdown on weekly picks
Supplier links to AliExpress and Alibaba
Saturation and competitor research
Cheapest monthly plan here ($39)
Weaknesses
Profit numbers only on weekly picks, not every product
Monthly subscription
Short 3-day trial
Built around ads and analytics
Which Tool Should You Choose?
Want the cost data without a subscription?
ProductLair ($49 once) shows supplier cost, shipping and a competitor price for every product.
Already use AutoDS for orders?
Add the Product Finding Hub for potential profit and competitor prices inside the tool you already pay for.
Like to run the numbers yourself?
Ecomhunt's calculator, or the free ProductLair profit calculator, lets you test your own price and ad cost.
Selling on TikTok Shop?
Dropship.io adds a numbers breakdown and suppliers to weekly picks, alongside TikTok Shop analytics.
Compare These Tools in More Detail
Free dropshipping profit calculator
Check margin after product, shipping, fees and ads.
Dropshipping profit margins by category
Typical margins from ProductLair's product data.
Best supplier research tools
Find reliable suppliers once you have a product.
ProductLair pricing
One-time plans from $49 and what each includes.
Find Winners Before You Source Them
Discover profitable products with real margin data, then source from any supplier you prefer. One-time payment, lifetime access.
Other Buying Guides
Profit and Supplier Cost Data: FAQ
See the Numbers Before You Test
Hand-picked products with supplier cost, shipping and competitor prices. One-time payment from $49.