Katana is solid software — built for mid-market manufacturers with complex operations. But most small-batch makers who land on Katana's pricing page end up paying for features they'll never touch. Craftybase is manufacturing and inventory software built specifically for makers like you: handmade, small-team, cost-conscious.
No credit card required. Cancel any time.
Trusted by makers worldwide
Heads up: We make Craftybase, so we're obviously biased. We've tried to be fair — including being upfront about where Craftybase falls short. If Katana genuinely fits your needs better, we'll tell you.
Comparing Katana Starter vs Craftybase Business — both at roughly the same annual price.
| Katana — Starter | Craftybase — Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual price (billed yearly) | ~$149/mo | $166/mo |
| Mandatory onboarding fee | Yes — adds significant first-year cost | $0 — 30-min onboarding call included |
| Free trial | No (book a demo) | 14-day hands-on trial, no card needed |
| Recipe / BOM costing | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Automatic COGS calculation | ✔️ | ✔️ GAAP-compliant, tax-ready |
| Etsy / Shopify / Amazon sync | Shopify only on Starter | ✔️ All channels on all plans |
| Batch & lot traceability | Higher tiers only | ✔️ Included on Business |
| Expiry date tracking | Limited | ✔️ |
| Multi-level BOM (5+ levels) | ✔️ — full enterprise depth | Limited — built for 2–3 level depth |
| Demand forecasting / MRP planning | ✔️ | Not currently available |
| Built for handmade / artisan makers | No — general manufacturing focus | ✔️ — only product in class built for makers |
Pricing reflects publicly available data as of early 2026. Katana requires an onboarding fee that significantly increases first-year costs above the monthly rate.
The #1 job for most makers: knowing what products actually cost to make. Craftybase tracks every material, every batch, every labour hour and rolls it up into a real cost per unit automatically. No spreadsheets. No guesswork.
When you manufacture a batch, Craftybase automatically deducts the right materials and adds finished stock. What you see in the app is what you actually have — no manual reconciliation, no end-of-month catch-up.
Craftybase connects with every channel makers actually use — Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, Wix, Square, PayPal, Faire. Orders import automatically, inventory adjusts, COGS updates. Every channel on every plan.
Katana's Starter plan limits integrations to Shopify only. With Craftybase, your full channel mix is covered from day one.
Track batches, lots, and expiry dates across your materials and finished products. Full purchase-to-sale traceability — so if you ever need to recall a product, you know exactly which customers received it and which materials were used.
On Katana, batch traceability requires upgrading to a significantly more expensive tier. On Craftybase, it's included in the Business plan at the same annual price.
We'd rather tell you now than have you find out after signing up.
Craftybase handles 2–3 level BOMs well. If your products require 5+ levels of nested assemblies, or you're running a contract manufacturing operation, Katana's deeper MRP capabilities are genuinely better suited.
We have solid batch and lot tracking — but if you need lot-level traceability across thousands of SKUs with regulatory compliance documentation at scale, you'll want a purpose-built compliance platform.
Craftybase doesn't currently have automated demand forecasting or MRP-style production planning. If your operation relies on that kind of forward planning, Katana may be a better fit.
Craftybase works well for teams up to about 10 people. If you're running a larger operation with granular role-based access control needs, an enterprise MRP platform will serve you better.
Import orders automatically and sync stock levels across all your channels — so you never oversell or run out of stock.
I'm impressed with the ability to track minute quantities of essential oils and other materials used in multiple products. I love the conversion from purchase to tracking units, and love the ability to make components and recipes.
Craftybase makes it easy to create my formulas and automatically calculates what I need to use, when to re-order, how much it costs me to make my products, and so much more. I literally could not function without it!
This report makes tax time almost enjoyable. No more lists and spreadsheets — I just run the report for the time I need, and it's done!
Craftybase has given me the tools amp; resources to accurately track my materials, recipes, and inventory. I love that I can build out my recipes and make adjustments to see my cost in real time.
We do not know what we would do without this application. Spreadsheets and confusing documents is a thing of the past now!
I love that the app keeps track of how much material I have on hand and how much it costs me exactly… This allows me to really know how much my products cost me to make and how much I should charge.
My favourite feature is the software's ability to calculate the cost of our products in real-time, taking into account the increase in the costs of raw materials.
Craftybase is an instrumental part of our bookkeeping. Having a business that manufactures products with countless raw materials, Craftybase keeps us organized and helps us have a clear picture of the health of our business.
I love that Craftybase keeps track of the cost of materials over time including shipping. As costs creep up I can make sure my product prices reflect that reality.
Craftybase allows us to be lean with our materials inventory so we won't have any overage of inventory. It provides a great easy-to-use analysis of COGS to help us better manage our margins.
Craftybase helps me keep my sales automatically entered into my system so that I can get on with doing the fun part: the creative products I make!
It's super important that we can record and trace ingredient lots and production batches. Craftybase has made this process streamlined and easy to stay organized.
Katana MRP Coupons
Here's a thought: if you're hunting for a Katana coupon, their plans are probably too expensive for where you are right now. A discount buys you a few months — then you're back in the same spot. Craftybase is priced for the stage you're actually at, not the stage Katana hopes you'll grow into.
Yes — if you're a small-batch maker or artisan manufacturer. Craftybase covers recipe/BOM costing, batch manufacturing, inventory tracking, multi-channel order sync, and COGS reporting — the core jobs that most small manufacturers hire software to do. It won't replace Katana's advanced MRP planning or complex multi-level BOMs, but for most makers, those features aren't needed. Craftybase has been purpose-built for handmade businesses for over a decade, with thousands of active customers.
Craftybase Business is around $166/mo billed annually — roughly the same as Katana's entry Starter plan. The real difference is what you get for that price: Craftybase includes batch traceability, all integrations, and a free 30-minute onboarding call. Katana requires an additional mandatory onboarding fee that significantly increases first-year costs, and reserves most integrations for higher-tier plans. If budget is your main reason for considering an alternative, Craftybase delivers comparable core features without the onboarding barrier.
Craftybase supports CSV import for materials, products, and inventory counts, so you can export from Katana and bring your core data across. The 14-day free trial gives you enough time to set up your products and recipes before committing. Our onboarding call (included free on all plans) is specifically designed to get switchers up and running quickly — we know the first setup is the hardest part.
Craftybase Business includes batch tracking, lot numbers, and expiry date tracking for materials and finished products — giving you full purchase-to-sale traceability. This covers most compliance needs for small manufacturers in personal care, food, and cosmetics. For enterprise-grade lot traceability at very high volume with regulatory documentation, Katana's higher-tier plans are built for that level of complexity.
Craftybase integrates with Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, Wix, Square, PayPal, Faire, and more — on every plan, not just premium tiers. Orders import automatically, stock adjusts, and COGS updates in real time. Katana's Starter plan only includes Shopify integration; additional channels require upgrading. If you sell across multiple platforms — which most makers do — Craftybase gives you everything connected from day one.
14 days free, no credit card, no sales call required. Set up your first recipe, import your materials, and see your real cost per product — usually within the first session.
No credit card required
