Katana

katanamrp.com
Inventory Management
Weekend Project

Cloud Inventory Software for Total Visibility

How to Replace Katana

Overview

Katana is a cloud-based inventory management software that helps businesses simplify inventory management, track production, and manage orders across multiple channels. It provides real-time visibility into stock levels, manufacturing processes, and supply chain operations without requiring expensive ERP implementations.

Features

42 features across 15 categories

AI(1)

AI-powered AssistantAI

AI assistant to help users navigate and optimize the platform

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Contact Management(1)

Contact Management

Manage customer and supplier contact information and addresses

Customization(1)

Custom Fields

Create custom fields to share extended item information with customers and suppliers

Also in: monday.com, Obsidian, Smartsheet

Integration(1)

Katana API

Open API for creating custom integrations and automated workflows

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Integrations(1)

3PL and WMS Integrations Support

Integrate with third-party logistics and warehouse management systems

Also in: ReadMe, Hugging Face, Setmore

Inventory Management(5)

Automated Stock Movements

Automatic tracking and movement of stock across inventory locations

Expiry Date Management

Manage and track expiration dates for batch items

Items Management

Manage item information including categories, variants, SKUs, and pricing

Multilocation Support

Manage inventory across multiple warehouse and storage locations

Real-time Inventory Visibility

Live, connected insights across all channels and locations to maintain correct stock levels

Manufacturing(10)

BOM and Subassemblies

Create and manage bills of materials and product subassemblies

Contract Manufacturing

Manage outsourced production and coordinate with co-manufacturers

Insights for Real-time Planning

Real-time production insights to identify and resolve issues promptly

Manufacturing Cost Calculations

Track and calculate production costs per order

Manufacturing InsightsPremium

View manufacturing costs and usage per order, compare planned vs used materials

Manufacturing RoutingsPremium

Set up operations in the correct order to match production workflows

MTS and MTO Workflows

Support for Make-To-Stock and Make-To-Order manufacturing workflows

Operator Tasks and Live ProgressPremium

Create operator tasks, assign work, and see real-time progress on the shop floor

Production Reporting on the FloorPremium

Record quantities made and materials used as work happens with barcode scanning

Shop Floor AppPremium

Mobile app for live shop floor updates, task assignment, and production reporting

Order Management(5)

Kits and Bundles

Create and manage bundled products with automated inventory tracking

Omnichannel Order Sync

Sync orders automatically across multiple sales channels like Shopify, Amazon, and WooCommerce

Partial Order Fulfillment

Fulfill orders partially when inventory is limited

Return Management

Manage product returns across sales channels

Sell Goods and Services

Manage and sell both products and services in one workflow

Planning(2)

Planning and ForecastingPremium

Advanced demand planning and forecasting with replenishment planning and inventory control

Real-time Inventory Planner

Monitor product and material availability for sales and production in real time

Pricing(1)

Price Lists

Set and manage customer-specific pricing

Purchasing(5)

Added Costs

Track and assign additional costs on purchase orders for landed cost calculations

Multicurrency Support

Sell and purchase in multiple currencies with automatic daily conversion

Purchasing Insights

Track and analyze purchasing patterns and supplier performance

Receiving and Partial Receiving

Receive purchase orders partially or in full with mobile support

Smart Order RecommendationsAI

AI-powered recommendations for reorder points and purchase quantities

Reporting(2)

Insights

Track and analyze production costs, sales, purchasing, and more

PDF Printouts

Customize and print PDF templates for all documents created in Katana

Security(1)

User Permissions

Manage user access to workflows and restrict access to sensitive information

Traceability(2)

Batch/Lot and Serial Number TrackingPremium

Track items by batch numbers, serial numbers, and expiry dates from supplier to customer

TraceabilityPremium

Get end-to-end traceability for materials and products via batch or serial numbers

Warehouse Management(4)

Barcode-enabled Workflows

Barcode scanning for receiving, stocktakes, and material consumption

Bin LocationsPremium

Assign storage bins to items and organize warehouse locations

Pick and PackPremium

Streamlined picking and packing workflows with mobile support

Warehouse AppPremium

Mobile app for warehouse operators to complete picking, packing, receiving, and transfers

Pricing

Free Plan

Free
  • Up to 30 SKUs
  • 3 inventory locations
  • Unlimited users
  • Unlimited integrations
  • Full product access for 15 days
  • API access
  • Order management
  • Sales and purchase orders
  • Contact management
  • Multicurrency support
  • Kits and bundles
  • Price lists
  • Items management
  • Real-time inventory planner
  • Barcode scanning
  • Insights
  • PDF printouts
  • Custom fields
  • User permissions

Core Plan

Popular
$299/month
  • Unlimited SKUs
  • Unlimited users
  • Unlimited integrations
  • 1 included inventory location
  • Full visibility across operations
  • Sales order and purchase order management
  • Real-time data
  • API access
  • 24/7 support
  • All Free Plan features

Manufacturing Management Add-on

$199/month
  • Manufacturing routings
  • Manufacturing insights
  • Plan and track production
  • Bills of materials
  • Subassemblies

Planning and Forecasting Add-on

$249/month
  • Advanced demand planning
  • Forecasting
  • Replenishment planning
  • Inventory control

Warehouse Management Add-on

$149/month
  • Warehouse app
  • Bin locations
  • Pick and pack
  • Receiving with mobile device
  • Barcode scanning
  • Stock visibility inside warehouses

Onboarding

$2,000
  • Dedicated onboarding manager
  • Personalized workflow design
  • Data migration and account configuration
  • Dedicated customer success manager after onboarding

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Katana

Monthly$149/mo
Yearly$1.8k/yr
5-Year Total$8.9k

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~3 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyVery Easy

Total Cost Comparison

1 YearSave $1.5k
SaaS
$1.8k
DIY
$240
3 YearsSave $4.6k
SaaS
$5.4k
DIY
$720
5 YearsSave $7.7k
SaaS
$8.9k
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 42 features at very easy complexity.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Katana alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 42 features.

Buy Katana

Monthly cost$1,490/mo
3-year total$53,640
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Better Value
Development cost$24,000
Maintenance$360/mo
3-year total$36,960
Dev time~2 months

Building could save ~$16,680 over 3 years.

Estimates based on 42 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

7 known integrations

3PL SystemsAccounting SoftwareAmazonShipping SoftwareShopifyWMS (Warehouse Management Systems)WooCommerce