Summary
Manufacturing ERP and inventory management with real-time stock, production planning, and shop floor control for SMB brands.
Overview
Katana is cloud-based inventory and manufacturing management software built for product-selling businesses. It combines real-time inventory across locations, production (work orders and routings), purchasing and order management in one system and connects with ecommerce and accounting tools. Katana offers a free plan for small SKUs, a Core subscription starting at a monthly base price, and a customizable Advantage enterprise solution with dedicated support. The product emphasizes integrations, traceability (batch/serial), warehouse mobile workflows and API-first extensibility.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
✓ Real-time inventory visibility across channels and locations, reducing stockouts and oversells.
✓ Integrated manufacturing workflows (work orders, routings, shop floor app) to link production with inventory.
✓ Traceability for batches and serial numbers to support recalls and expiry management.
✓ Open API and many native ecommerce/accounting integrations for end-to-end workflows.
✓ Usage-based pricing with modular add-ons lets businesses pay for what they use.
Cons:
✗ Core manufacturing, warehouse and planning features are sold as add-ons with separate monthly fees.
✗ Free plan limits (30 SKUs) and trial conditions mean larger catalogs require paid plans.
✗ Some advanced implementations typically require guided onboarding (additional cost/effort).
✗ Enterprise customization requires contacting sales for custom pricing and scope.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Free Trial | Pricing Model | Setup Fee |
|---|
| Free Plan |
$0/mo |
- |
15 days |
Free with SKU limits (SKU-limited free tier (30 SKUs referenced)) |
$0 |
| Core Plan |
$299/mo |
- |
15 days |
Subscription base + usage-based add-ons (Base monthly fee + usage-based billing for sales orders and additional locations; add-on monthly fees for modules) |
$2000 |
| Advantage Plan |
Contact |
- |
- |
Custom/enterprise (Custom scoped pricing) |
$0 |
Features
Automation
API
Multi-channel
Real-time
Reporting
Mobile
Inventory Sync
Order Management
Integrations
Shopify
WooCommerce
BigCommerce
Amazon
QuickBooks
Xero
Problems Solved
Preventing stockouts and oversells across multiple sales channels and locations
Replacing error-prone spreadsheets and disconnected inventory/production systems
Providing traceability for batches and serials for recalls and compliance
Coordinating production (work orders and routings) with inventory and purchasing
Capabilities
Real-time inventory across channels and locations
Manufacturing management with routings, costing and shop floor app
Batch and serial number traceability with expiry tracking
Warehouse mobile workflows with barcode scanning and bin locations
AI-powered replenishment and demand planning recommendations
Open API for custom integrations and automation
Best For
Business Size: SMB, Mid-Market
Industry: Ecommerce, Food & Beverage, Fashion
Use Case: Fulfillment, Shipping, Package Tracking
Not For
Not a good fit for service-only businesses that have no inventory, manufacturing, or multi-channel fulfillment needs.
