SFDIFY
For a small or mid-size manufacturer, the shortlist usually comes down to five vendors. Katana offers a free plan for up to 30 SKUs and custom-priced annual contracts above that [1]. MRPeasy publishes per-user prices from $49 a month [2], Fishbowl's manufacturing product "starts at" $675 a month [3], Odoo lets you run one app free with unlimited users [4], and Oracle NetSuite sells an annual license plus a one-time implementation fee [5]. Which manufacturing software company fits depends on your team size, how much setup help you want, and whether you need full accounting in the same system.
Choosing manufacturing software is less about features (all five handle bills of materials, inventory and production orders) and more about pricing model, implementation effort, and how far the system reaches into finance. Below we compare what each vendor says on its own site, what it costs, and who it fits.
How we chose
We picked the manufacturing software companies that small and mid-size manufacturers most often put on a shortlist when they outgrow spreadsheets: two MRP-first tools (Katana and MRPeasy), an inventory-first system built around QuickBooks (Fishbowl), a modular open-source suite (Odoo) and a full cloud ERP (Oracle NetSuite). Everything below comes from each vendor's homepage, product pages and pricing pages, checked on 2026-11-08. We did not run hands-on tests, and we do not score or rank products. Prices change often, so confirm them on the vendor's site before you sign.
Manufacturing software companies compared
| Product | Best for | Starting price | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katana | Product brands that make and sell across Shopify, Amazon and wholesale | Free plan ($0, up to 30 SKUs); paid plan is "Custom pricing" [1] | Multi-level BOMs with subassemblies and routings [6] |
| MRPeasy | Small manufacturers that want published, per-user pricing | $49/user/month (Starter) [2] | Aimed at companies with "10 - 200 employees" [7] |
| Fishbowl | QuickBooks or Xero shops adding production control | Advanced Manufacturing from $675/mo [3] | Implementation package included with every purchase [3] |
| Odoo (Manufacturing app) | Teams that want MRP plus other apps on one platform | One App Free; Standard $24.90/user/month billed yearly [8] | MRP, MES, PLM, quality and maintenance on one platform [4] |
| Oracle NetSuite | Growing manufacturers that need full ERP and financials | Annual license, quote-based [5] | Costed bills of materials tracked in real time [5] |
Katana — MRP for brands that make and sell online
Katana positions itself as one system for orders, inventory and production, aimed at product businesses that sell through several channels. It is the most e-commerce-oriented option on this list.
Verified features: Katana lists "multi-level BOMs with subassemblies and routings," production planning and scheduling "based on real capacity," a shop floor app, and "batch, lot and serial tracking" [6]. Its featured integrations include Shopify, Amazon, QuickBooks Online and HubSpot [6].
Pricing: There are two options. The Free plan is "$0, no card required" for "up to 30 SKUs," with unlimited users, integrations and inventory locations plus API access [1]. The paid plan, Advantage, is "Custom pricing": Katana describes it as "a custom annual contract" where it scopes your workflows and quotes one price [1].
Strengths: The Advantage plan bundles implementation and support. Katana says it includes an assigned customer success manager, an implementation manager and "24/7 live support" [1], and it does not charge per user [1].
Limitations: You cannot see a paid price without talking to sales, which makes early budgeting harder than with MRPeasy or Fishbowl. The Free plan is a trial-sized tier: after the first 15 days you need to get down to 30 SKUs, and "only Shopify currently integrates with Free" for e-commerce [1].
Best fit: Consumer product brands with Shopify or marketplace sales that want production, stock and orders on one live count, and that prefer a done-for-you setup over self-service.
MRPeasy — transparent per-user pricing for small factories
MRPeasy calls itself "the AI-powered MRP software for small manufacturers" and says it is "ideal for companies with 10 - 200 employees" [7]. Of the five, it is the easiest to price out before a sales call.
Verified features: Even the entry Starter plan lists production planning and reporting, BOM management, lot traceability, a warehouse management system, CRM and standard accounting, with integrations including QuickBooks Online, Shopify and Xero [2]. Serial numbers, quality control and subcontracting appear on the Professional plan [2].
Pricing: Starter is $49, Professional $69, Enterprise $99 and Unlimited $149 per user per month, with Unlimited requiring a minimum of 2 users [2]. From the 11th user, extra seats come in bundles of "$79 per 10 users" [2]. MRPeasy advertises "No contracts. No module-based pricing. No hidden fees." and a free trial of "15 + 15 days" with no credit card required [2]. Optional training is billed at "$150 per hour" [2].
Strengths: Published prices, month-to-month terms and a full-featured trial make it a low-risk first step for a shop moving off spreadsheets.
Limitations: Features are gated by plan, so items such as serial numbers and quality control push you past Starter. Its accounting is labeled "standard," so many buyers will still keep QuickBooks or Xero alongside it.
Best fit: Job shops and small batch manufacturers that want to self-serve, control per-seat costs and keep their existing accounting tool.
Fishbowl — production control on top of QuickBooks
Fishbowl describes its product as "inventory and manufacturing software, built around QuickBooks and Xero" [9]. It sells two lines: Fishbowl Inventory for businesses that resell finished goods, and Fishbowl Advanced, which includes the manufacturing product.
Verified features: Advanced Manufacturing lists "Full BOMs, sub-assemblies & configurations," "MRP & production scheduling," "Job, labor & landed costing," work orders, lot and batch traceability, and "Deep QuickBooks Online, Desktop & Enterprise integration" [3].
Pricing: Advanced Manufacturing is "$675USD/mo." and "starts at · priced by users & deployment," for teams from 2 users to 200+ [3]. Fishbowl says final pricing is quoted to your users and deployment [3]. If you only assemble kits and do not need MRP, the Fishbowl Inventory Essentials plan is "$229USD/mo. billed annually" and "Includes 2 users" [3].
Strengths: Fishbowl states that "an implementation package is part of every Fishbowl purchase," with an assigned implementation specialist and a "6-8 week training certification" [3]. That suits teams that want structured onboarding.
Limitations: The starting price is the highest published entry point here, and the final number is a quote. Its center of gravity is QuickBooks; if you want accounting inside the same system, NetSuite or Odoo are closer fits.
Best fit: Manufacturers already running QuickBooks or Xero who want real MRP, work orders and costing without replacing their books.
Odoo — modular MRP that can grow into a full suite
Odoo markets its Manufacturing app as "MRP + MES + PLM + Quality + Shop Floor + Maintenance" on "one single platform" [4]. You can start with manufacturing alone and add sales, accounting or other apps later.
Verified features: Odoo lists manufacturing order scheduling "with finite capacity planning" tuned on a Gantt chart, a master production schedule, by-products on bills of materials, lot and serial traceability, and a tablet-optimized Shop Floor app [4].
Pricing: The One App Free plan is "Free, forever, with unlimited users" [4], and if the app you choose depends on others, Odoo says "you get these required apps for free too" [8]. The Standard plan, which includes all apps, shows $24.90 per user per month on yearly billing, and the Custom plan $49.00 [8]. Odoo notes "the discount is valid for 12 months, for initial users ordered" [8], so check the regular rate before you budget year two.
Strengths: One vendor can cover manufacturing, inventory, accounting, CRM and more, and the free single-app tier is a genuine way to test production planning with your whole team.
Limitations: Odoo Studio, multi-company on one database and the external API require the Custom plan [8], and Odoo.sh hosting for custom developments is "not included" in the price [8]. Breadth also means more configuration decisions, which is why many buyers bring in an implementation partner.
Best fit: Manufacturers that want to start small on MRP and consolidate other business apps onto the same platform over time.
Oracle NetSuite — full manufacturing ERP with financials
Oracle NetSuite describes NetSuite Manufacturing ERP as integrating "procurement, production, inventory, shipping, and finances into a single management platform" [5]. It is the most complete ERP on this list and the heaviest lift.
Verified features: NetSuite lists planning and scheduling, shop floor control, quality and compliance management, and MRP with "what-if analysis tools" for modeling demand shifts [5]. Its financial tools "track costed bills of materials in real time" [5].
Pricing: NetSuite does not publish prices. It says "users subscribe to NetSuite for an annual fee," with a license made up of "core platform, optional modules, and number of users," plus "a one-time implementation fee for initial setup" [5].
Strengths: Accounting, multi-entity finance and manufacturing live in one database, so you avoid syncing an MRP to separate books. You can activate new modules and add users as you grow [5].
Limitations: Quote-only pricing, an annual commitment and a separate implementation fee put it out of reach for many small shops, and it is more system than a 15-person job shop needs.
Best fit: Manufacturers with multiple entities, complex finance, or plans to grow past what a QuickBooks-connected MRP can support.
How to choose manufacturing ERP software
Start with three questions.
- Where does accounting live? If you want to keep QuickBooks or Xero, look first at MRPeasy, Fishbowl or Katana, which all integrate with them. If you want finance and production in one system, look at Odoo or NetSuite.
- Do you want to self-serve or be set up? MRPeasy and Odoo let you sign up and start. Katana Advantage, Fishbowl and NetSuite all bundle or charge for guided implementation.
- How will the price scale? Per-user pricing (MRPeasy, Odoo) rewards keeping seats tight. Katana Advantage includes unlimited users, which favors larger shop floor teams.
Run your real bill of materials and one week of orders through a trial before you commit. If none of the five fits your process, a tailored system may be worth a look; our guide to custom software vs off-the-shelf solutions walks through when building pays off. Many manufacturers also need sales tracking that an MRP does not cover well, which is where custom CRM development or AI integration services that connect your MRP to quoting and email can help.
FAQ
What is the cheapest manufacturing software for a small business?
Odoo's One App Free plan is "Free, forever, with unlimited users" [4], and Katana's Free plan is $0 for up to 30 SKUs [1]. Among paid plans with published prices, MRPeasy Starter is $49 per user per month [2].
Which manufacturing inventory software works with QuickBooks?
Fishbowl's Advanced Manufacturing lists "Deep QuickBooks Online, Desktop & Enterprise integration" [3]. MRPeasy includes a QuickBooks Online integration on its Starter plan [2], and Katana lists QuickBooks Online among its integrations [6].
Does manufacturing production planning software require a long contract?
It depends on the vendor. MRPeasy says "No contracts" [2]. Katana's paid Advantage plan is a custom annual contract [1], and NetSuite is sold for an annual fee [5].
Is there cloud manufacturing software with a free trial?
Yes. MRPeasy offers a free trial of "15 + 15 days" with no credit card required [2], and Katana lets you use unlimited SKUs for the first 15 days of its Free plan [1].
Our recommendation
If you want to price it yourself and start this week, trial MRPeasy. If you sell across Shopify and marketplaces and want the setup done for you, talk to Katana. Stay with Fishbowl if QuickBooks is non-negotiable and you want structured onboarding, choose Odoo if you plan to run more of the business on one platform, and move to NetSuite when finance complexity, not production, is the bottleneck.
Sources
- Katana Pricing: Advantage Plan for Multi-Channel Inventory — checked 2026-11-08
- MRPeasy Pricing | Manufacturing Software Plans | Free Trial — checked 2026-11-08
- Inventory Management Software Cost & Pricing | Fishbowl — checked 2026-11-08
- Open-source Manufacturing (MRP) software | Odoo — checked 2026-11-08
- NetSuite Manufacturing ERP Software | NetSuite — checked 2026-11-08
- Cloud Inventory Management Software — Katana — checked 2026-11-08
- MRP software, MRP system, Manufacturing software - MRPeasy — checked 2026-11-08
- Odoo Pricing | Discover Odoo Plans — checked 2026-11-08
- Best Inventory Management Software for QuickBooks & Xero - Fishbowl — checked 2026-11-08
