The 10 best MRP software on the market [2026]

What to look for in MRP software as a small manufacturer

The best MRP software for small manufacturers in 2026 is Brahmin Solutions for growing manufacturers ($500K–$50M), MRPeasy for very small shops, Katana for make-to-order with Shopify, and Fishbowl for QuickBooks-centric operations.

The right choice depends on your production complexity, team size, and whether you need deep inventory control or lightweight scheduling. Below, we compare 10 platforms side by side — pricing, features, and who each one is actually built for.

Here’s how each tool stacks up — and what to look for before you commit.

MRP run and purchase planning. The whole point of MRP is answering: "What do I need to buy, how much, and when?" The software should look at your demand, check your inventory, reference your BOMs, and generate purchase order suggestions automatically.

Lot tracking and traceability. If you're in food, supplements, cosmetics, or any regulated space, forward and backward lot traceability isn't optional. Even if you're not regulated, lot tracking saves you during recalls and quality investigations.

QuickBooks integration. Most small manufacturers run their accounting in QuickBooks. Your MRP system should sync with it — not replace it. Look for bidirectional sync that keeps inventory values, purchase orders, and cost of goods sold in line without double entry.

Implementation speed. Enterprise ERP implementations take 6–12 months. You don't have that kind of time or budget. Look for a go-live timeline measured in weeks, not quarters.

Transparent pricing. Per-user pricing can quietly double or triple your bill as your team grows. Ask about per-user fees upfront and understand what's included at each tier.

For a deeper look at tradeoffs, check out our breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of using an MRP system.

Sources

• Mrpeasy
• Skysize
• Craftybase
• Ultraconsultants
• Cbinsights
• Top10erp
• Cin7
• Sh
• Odoo
• Brokenrubik
• Site
• Oracle
• Wearewaypoint
• Workcell
• Cudio
• Bizowie
• Canopyinventory

1. Brahmin Solutions — best purpose-built MRP for growing manufacturers ($500K-$50M revenue)

• Starting price: $199/month (no per-user fees)
• Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)
• Implementation: 3-6 weeks typical go-live
• Free trial: 30-day money-back guarantee

Brahmin Solutions was built from the ground up as a manufacturing platform — not an inventory tool that bolted on production features, and not an enterprise ERP stripped down for smaller teams. The core of the platform is a full MRP engine: define multi-level bills of materials, run MRP against real demand, and the system generates purchase order suggestions for what you need to buy and work orders for what you need to produce.

BOM explosion handles sub-assemblies and variants, so if your finished product contains a sub-assembly that itself has a component list, Brahmin traces the full material tree and calculates net requirements at every level. Lot traceability is built into every plan, not locked behind an upgrade tier. Every batch gets tracked from receiving through production to finished goods, with forward and backward trace available in seconds.

Brahmin syncs with QuickBooks Online and Desktop, keeping your financials in QuickBooks while production, inventory, and purchasing live in Brahmin. Sales orders sync from Shopify and WooCommerce, and closing an order on either side updates both systems — including carrier and tracking information pushed back to the sales channel. Since 2019, Brahmin has onboarded 300+ manufacturers. Average support response time is under 15 minutes.

Best for: Manufacturers with 10-200 employees who need MRP, multi-level BOMs, lot tracking, and QuickBooks integration at a predictable monthly cost.

Not for: Companies that need a full general ledger, CRM, or advanced demand forecasting inside a single platform. Brahmin handles manufacturing operations — accounting stays in QuickBooks. See pricing | Book a demo

2. MRPeasy — best for very small shops that need basic MRP (10–50 employees)

• Starting price:~$49/user/month
• Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)
• Implementation time: 1–4 weeks

MRPeasy is one of the most visible names in small-manufacturer MRP, and for good reason — it's straightforward, affordable for small teams, and covers the essentials: production planning, BOMs, inventory, purchasing, and basic CRM.

The interface is clean and doesn't overwhelm first-time MRP users. If your shop has a handful of employees and relatively simple BOMs, MRPeasy can get you off spreadsheets quickly.

The per-user pricing model is the main watch-out. At $49/user/month, a 20-person team would pay roughly $980/month — and you may need a higher tier to unlock features like lot tracking or advanced reporting. For a deeper comparison, see our MRPeasy vs. Brahmin Solutions breakdown.

Best for: Very small shops (under 50 employees) with single-level BOMs and straightforward production workflows who want an accessible entry point into MRP.

Not for: Manufacturers with multi-level BOMs, complex lot traceability requirements, or growing teams where per-user pricing becomes a burden.

3. Katana — best for make-to-order manufacturers with a Shopify storefront

• Starting price:~$199/monthKatana
• Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)
• Implementation time: 2–6 weeks

Katana has strong brand recognition among direct-to-consumer manufacturers, and its Shopify integration is genuinely polished. If you sell finished goods through an online store and need to manage raw materials and production behind the scenes, Katana's visual production scheduling is appealing.

Where Katana gets thinner is in deeper manufacturing workflows. Multi-level BOM support has historically been limited compared to purpose-built MRP systems, and lot traceability features have been catching up rather than leading. If your compliance requirements are strict — FDA, cGMP — you'll want to verify that Katana's tracking capabilities meet your documentation needs.

For a side-by-side look, visit our Katana vs. Brahmin Solutions comparison.

Best for: Make-to-order or assemble-to-order manufacturers with a Shopify or e-commerce storefront, simple BOMs, and 5–50 employees.

Not for: Batch manufacturers with multi-level BOMs, complex purchasing workflows, or strict lot traceability and regulatory requirements.

4. Fishbowl — best for QuickBooks-centric manufacturers wanting on-premise control

• Starting price:~$329/month (subscription) or perpetual license option
• Deployment: On-premise or hosted cloud
• Implementation time: 4–8 weeks

Fishbowl has been a go-to QuickBooks add-on for inventory and manufacturing for years. It plugs directly into QuickBooks and adds the inventory management, work orders, and BOM capabilities that QuickBooks lacks natively.

The strength here is the depth of the QuickBooks integration and the fact that Fishbowl offers an on-premise option — if your IT policy requires data to live on your own servers, this is one of the few MRP-adjacent tools that still supports that.

The trade-off is that Fishbowl's interface feels dated compared to cloud-native alternatives, and on-premise deployments come with IT maintenance overhead. The software also started as an inventory management tool rather than a true MRP system, so features like production scheduling and MRP runs aren't as deeply developed.

Best for: QuickBooks-heavy operations that want on-premise control, need strong inventory management, and have IT resources to manage a local deployment.

Not for: Teams that want a modern cloud interface, rapid implementation, or a full MRP run with demand-driven purchase order generation.

5. Cin7 — best for manufacturers who also do B2B distribution

• Starting price:~$349/month
• Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)
• Implementation time: 4–10 weeks

Cin7 (now part of the Cin7 family, including Dear Inventory) is a strong pick if your business straddles manufacturing and distribution. It handles inventory across multiple warehouses and sales channels well, with solid B2B order management and EDI capabilities.

On the manufacturing side, Cin7 supports BOMs, work orders, and basic production planning. However, it's fundamentally an inventory and order management platform that added manufacturing features — not the other way around. If your primary need is MRP (material requirements planning, purchase order suggestions, production scheduling), Cin7 can feel like it's doing MRP as a secondary function.

Best for: Manufacturers with $2M–$20M revenue who also distribute third-party products, sell across multiple B2B channels, and need EDI compliance.

Not for: Manufacturers whose core pain is production planning, MRP runs, or lot-level traceability in regulated industries.

6. Odoo — best for tech-savvy teams comfortable with open-source customization

• Starting price:Free (Community edition) / ~$31.10/user/month (Enterprise)
• Deployment: Cloud or self-hosted
• Implementation time: 4–16 weeks (highly variable depending on customization)

Odoo is the Swiss Army knife of business software. Its open-source Community edition is genuinely free, and its module library covers everything from MRP and inventory to accounting, CRM, e-commerce, and HR.

The MRP module includes BOMs, work orders, routing, and basic production scheduling. For a free tool, that's impressive. But "free" comes with caveats. The Community edition requires self-hosting and technical know-how to configure. The Enterprise edition adds a polished cloud experience and premium features but charges per user.

The biggest consideration is implementation complexity. Odoo can be configured to do almost anything, which means it can also take months to set up properly. If you have a developer on staff or an Odoo implementation partner in your budget, it's a powerful option. If you need to be live in three weeks, look elsewhere.

Best for: Tech-savvy teams with development resources who want a single open-source platform covering MRP, accounting, CRM, and more — and have the patience to configure it.

Not for: Small manufacturers without technical staff who need a fast, guided implementation and purpose-built MRP out of the box.

7. NetSuite — best for manufacturers approaching $50M+ ready for full ERP

• Starting price:Quote only (typically $2,000+/month)
• Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)
• Implementation time: 3–6 months

NetSuite is the 800-pound gorilla in cloud ERP. It does everything — financials, CRM, e-commerce, inventory, manufacturing, HR — and it does it within a single integrated platform backed by Oracle.

For manufacturers approaching or exceeding $50M in revenue, NetSuite's depth is hard to match. Multi-entity consolidation, advanced financial reporting, and global tax compliance are built in. The manufacturing module covers BOMs, work orders, routing, and production scheduling.

The reality for most small manufacturers is that NetSuite is overkill. Implementation takes months, costs five to six figures, and the system's complexity means you'll likely need a NetSuite consultant on retainer. Per-user licensing adds up fast.

Best for: Manufacturers with $30M–$100M+ revenue, 100+ employees, multi-entity or international operations, and the budget for a full ERP implementation.

Not for: Manufacturers under $10M revenue or teams that need to be operational in weeks rather than months.

8. Craftybase — best for artisan/craft manufacturers under $500K revenue

Starting price: ~$41/month

Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)

Implementation time: 1–2 weeks

Craftybase is designed for makers and artisan manufacturers — think handmade candles, soap, small-batch cosmetics, and craft food products. It tracks materials, calculates COGS, and manages simple BOMs. It also integrates with Etsy, Shopify, and Amazon.

This is not a full MRP system. There’s no MRP run, no production scheduling, no purchase order automation, and no multi-level bill of materials in any real detail. But if you’re a one-to-five person operation running a craft business and you need something better than a spreadsheet to track your costs and inventory, Craftybase is purpose-built for that use case.

The limitation is that you’ll outgrow it quickly. Once you need real-time material visibility, production planning, or traceability, Craftybase doesn’t have it. At that point, many manufacturers assume they need to jump to a complex ERP — but a purpose-built MRP like Brahmin Solutions covers everything Craftybase does while adding the production and purchasing tools you’ll need next. It’s more setup upfront, but you won’t have to switch again as you scale.

Best for: Solo makers and micro-manufacturers under $500K revenue selling on Etsy, Shopify, or Amazon who need material tracking and COGS calculation.

Not for: Any manufacturer that needs MRP, lot traceability, multi-level BOMs, or production scheduling.

9. Wherefour — best for food and beverage manufacturers with strict traceability requirements

Starting price: Custom quote (not published)

Deployment: Cloud (SaaS)

Implementation time: Varies — contact vendor

Wherefour is built specifically for process manufacturers — food, beverage, supplements, cosmetics, and similar regulated industries. Its strongest feature is end-to-end lot traceability: one-click lot codes from raw materials through finished goods, with forward and backward trace and mock recall reports in seconds. If FSMA Rule 204 compliance matters to you, Wherefour has it baked in.

The MRP engine generates material requirements from a single click, factoring in open POs, lead times, current stock, and customer demand. Wherefour also includes “what if” scenario planning for production runs, which is useful for batch manufacturers managing seasonal demand spikes.

Where Wherefour falls short is flexibility. The platform is purpose-built for process manufacturing workflows, which means it handles food and beverage well but doesn’t adapt easily when your production process changes or gets more complex. If you need granular control over multi-step discrete workflows — or you’re doing mixed-mode manufacturing — you’ll hit the ceiling fast. Wherefour integrates with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Sage Intacct, and Shopify.

Best for: Process manufacturers in food, beverage, supplements, or cosmetics who need compliance-ready traceability and a simple production workflow.

Not for: Discrete or mixed-mode manufacturers who need deep workflow customization, multi-level BOM complexity, or a platform that adapts as production processes evolve.

10. inFlow — best for small inventory-focused businesses adding light manufacturing

Starting price: ~$186/month (Entrepreneur tier, 2 users)

Deployment: Cloud + Windows desktop app

Implementation time: 1–3 weeks

inFlow started as an inventory and order management tool and has added manufacturing capabilities over time. The manufacturing add-on includes BOMs, work orders, routing steps, and production cost tracking. Serial number tracking is available; lot tracking is currently in beta.

For a small business doing light assembly or simple kitting — say, under 10 employees — inFlow gets you up and running quickly. The interface is clean, and the Windows desktop app is a differentiator for teams that prefer a native application over a browser tab.

The challenge is what happens when you grow. inFlow’s manufacturing module is an add-on, not the core of the platform, and it shows. Complex multi-level BOMs, production scheduling, and MRP-style purchase planning aren’t its strength. The pricing also scales steeply: at $436/month for 5 team members, you’re paying more than double Brahmin’s flat $199/month — and you’re still limited on integrations and order volume.

Best for: Small businesses (under 10 employees) that primarily need inventory and order management with basic assembly/BOM tracking.

Not for: Growing manufacturers who need a full MRP engine, complex production workflows, or predictable pricing as the team scales.

MRP software comparison table

*Prices are approximate and based on publicly available information as of early 2025. Always verify directly with each vendor.*

How to choose the right MRP software for your manufacturing business

With eight tools on the table, here's a practical framework to narrow the field.

Start with your revenue and team size

This single filter eliminates most options immediately:

• Under $500K, 1–5 people: Craftybase or a spreadsheet/Excel template.
• $500K–$50M, 10–200 people: Brahmin Solutions, MRPeasy, Katana, Fishbowl, or Cin7 — depending on your production complexity and sales channels.
• $30M+ and scaling fast: NetSuite or Odoo Enterprise with a consultant.

Identify your production complexity

If you run multi-level BOMs, manage sub-assemblies, or need lot traceability for regulatory purposes, you need a tool that was built for manufacturing — not one that added manufacturing features as an afterthought. Brahmin Solutions, Fishbowl, Odoo, and NetSuite handle this well. Katana, MRPeasy, and Cin7 are better suited for simpler production environments.

Check your accounting setup

If your books live in QuickBooks (and you want them to stay there), make sure your MRP software integrates cleanly. Brahmin, MRPeasy, Katana, and Fishbowl all connect to QuickBooks. NetSuite and Odoo have their own accounting modules and are designed to replace QuickBooks, not work alongside it.

Be realistic about "free" MRP

"Free MRP software" and "free MRP Excel templates" are among the most common searches in this space. Here's the honest assessment: Odoo Community is genuinely free and genuinely capable, but you'll need technical skills to self-host and configure it. Excel templates can handle basic BOM calculations, but they don't automate purchasing, track lots, or update inventory in real time. For most manufacturers past the startup stage, the cost of maintaining a free system — in time, errors, and workarounds — exceeds the cost of a purpose-built tool.

Ask about total cost, not just sticker price

A $49/user/month tool with 20 users costs more than a $199/month flat-rate tool. Add implementation fees, required consultants, and add-on modules, and the gap can widen further. Always ask: What's included? What costs extra? What does year-two pricing look like?

What most buyers get wrong about choosing MRP software

Most manufacturers start shopping for MRP software because they’ve hit a wall — usually with spreadsheets. And most of them make the same mistakes during the search.

They pick for today, not for where they’ll be in 18 months. The tool that handles your current 3-person operation might not survive adding a second production line or a dedicated purchasing manager. Switching MRP systems is painful and expensive. Pick a platform you can grow into, not one you’ll grow out of.

They underestimate the “5 decision-maker” threshold. Spreadsheets work surprisingly well when one person manages purchasing, production, and inventory. The moment you split those into separate roles — a production manager, an inventory manager, a purchasing manager — each making independent decisions that need to stay in sync, spreadsheets collapse. That’s the real trigger for MRP, not a revenue number.

They ignore vendor support. Getting an MRP system set up isn’t plug-and-play. The bigger your operation, the more help you need during implementation. Ask how fast the vendor responds, whether onboarding is included, and what happens when you’re stuck at 9 PM before a production run. A $49/month tool with email-only support can cost you far more than a $199/month tool with a team that picks up the phone.

They buy too much system. Enterprise ERPs like NetSuite or SAP are powerful — but if you’re a 30-person shop doing $5M in revenue, you probably won’t use 70% of the features. That unused complexity makes your team slower, not faster. The goal of MRP is to make your operations easier. If the system makes things harder, it’s the wrong system.

Frequently asked questions about MRP software for small manufacturers

How much does MRP software cost?

For small manufacturers, cloud MRP software typically ranges from $49/month to $500/month. Per-user pricing models (common with MRPeasy and Odoo Enterprise) scale with your team size. Flat-rate models like Brahmin Solutions start at $199/month regardless of how many users you add. Enterprise systems like NetSuite start at $2,000+/month. Implementation costs vary from zero (self-service onboarding) to $50,000+ for complex ERP deployments.

Is QuickBooks an MRP system?

No. QuickBooks is accounting software. It doesn't support BOM explosion, production scheduling, MRP runs, work order management, or material requirements calculations. Many small manufacturers start with QuickBooks and assume they can make it work for production — but QuickBooks simply wasn't designed for that.

The good news is that you don't have to abandon QuickBooks. Tools like Brahmin Solutions integrate directly with QuickBooks so your accounting stays put while you add real manufacturing capabilities on top.

What's the difference between MRP and ERP?

MRP (material requirements planning) focuses specifically on production: what materials you need, when you need them, and how much to order. ERP (enterprise resource planning) is broader — it wraps MRP together with accounting, HR, CRM, and other business functions into a single platform. Most small manufacturers need MRP. They don't need full ERP until they're well past $20M–$30M in revenue and have the team to manage it.

Can I start with spreadsheets and switch to MRP later?

Absolutely — and most manufacturers do exactly that. The typical tipping point is when you're managing more than 50–100 SKUs, running multi-level BOMs, or spending hours each week manually reconciling inventory. At that point, the time you spend maintaining spreadsheets costs more than MRP software.

Choosing MRP software is a big decision, but it doesn't have to be a complicated one. Match the tool to your revenue, your production complexity, and how you want to work day-to-day.

If you're a manufacturer in the $500K–$50M range and you want to see how Brahmin Solutions handles MRP, BOMs, lot tracking, and QuickBooks integration, book a 15-minute demo. No pressure — just a look at whether it fits.