Brahmin Solutions vs Katana MRP
Katana has raised prices 300–523% for long-term customers and moved traceability features behind a paid add-on. Brahmin starts at $199/month — predictable per-tier pricing, no traceability paywall.
Looking for MRP software? Read our complete guide to MRP software for manufacturers.
Quick comparison
Where Katana falls short
Based on verified reviews from G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot.
Pricing that grows faster than your business
Katana started at $99/month. Today it starts at $299/month — and that's before add-ons. Multiple customers report price increases of 300–523% over their time as customers. Katana's usage-based pricing scales with your order volume and number of locations: the more you sell and the more warehouses you add, the more you pay. Manufacturers scaling operations get hit hardest.
"We ended up paying almost the same as companies doing $50M+ in annual sales." — Katana customer, Trustpilot
Features you expected are now add-ons
In 2024, Katana moved features that existing customers already had — including serial number tracking — into separate paid add-on packages. Lot and batch traceability that manufacturers rely on for FDA compliance sits behind a paywall. The result: your base plan gets you less than you thought, and "full" functionality costs significantly more.
"They recently notified us they were about to DOUBLE our monthly subscription cost." — Katana customer, G2
Support without a dedicated point of contact
Katana now offers 24/7 support, but it runs through self-serve channels — chat, email, and help center articles. You won't get a dedicated account manager who knows your setup. Multiple reviews note that complex issues go unresolved for days even after initial contact. When your production line is stopped, you need someone who already understands your workflows, not a first-touch agent reading your ticket for the first time.
"Customer service will only meet you at 2am." — Katana customer, Capterra (Australia)
No real shop floor control
Katana tracks inventory and BOMs well, but it has no machine occupancy tracking, no work center panels, and no shop floor scheduling. You can't see which machines are running, assign tasks to worker groups, or get a live view of what's happening on the floor. For manufacturers who do more than simple batch production, this ceiling shows up fast.
"There is no function to see who is doing what. We have been promised this, but it has not been implemented." — Katana customer, G2
Reporting that leaves you guessing
Users consistently flag Katana's reporting as inflexible and incomplete. There is no transaction history, making audits difficult. Custom reports require exporting to spreadsheets and rebuilding manually. For a manufacturer who needs real insight into costs, margins, and production performance, Katana's reporting is a significant limitation.
"Sub-optimal reporting flexibility. No transaction history. Hard to audit issues." — Katana customer, Capterra
Where Brahmin excels
Predictable pricing, faster implementation, and real humans on support.
Predictable pricing. $100/mo less to start.
Brahmin plans start at $199/month — $100 less than Katana's starting price. Both platforms scale by order volume and locations, but Brahmin's per-tier model means your bill stays the same as you grow within your tier.
<15 minute support. A dedicated manager who knows you.
Katana offers 24/7 support through self-serve channels. Brahmin gives you a dedicated account manager who knows your setup, your workflows, and your team. Our average response time is under 15 minutes — and the person responding already has context on your account.
Lot traceability at a fraction of the cost.
Katana requires a paid add-on for lot and serial number tracking — it's not included in their base plans. Brahmin's Compliance add-on is just $75/month on Growth — and on Brahmin Pro, full lot traceability, expiration management, and one-click recall reports are fully included.
Dedicated implementation. Live in 3–6 weeks.
Every new customer gets a dedicated implementation manager who stays with you through go-live and beyond. Average implementation is 3–6 weeks. You will never be left to figure it out from a help center article.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Starting price
Katana Core plan, single location
Pricing model
Katana costs scale with order volume and locations
Free plan or trial
Katana free plan is limited to 30 SKUs
Lot/serial tracking add-on cost
Katana lot tracking requires a separate paid add-on
Price stability over time
Katana has raised prices 300–523% for long-term customers
Average support response time
Dedicated implementation manager
Average time to go-live
Dedicated account manager
Katana offers 24/7 support but no dedicated point of contact
Unlimited training calls
Real-time multi-location inventory
Bills of materials (multi-level)
Work orders
Real-time production cost tracking
Shop floor scheduling / work centers
Yield and scrap tracking
Subcontract manufacturing
Batch & lot traceability
Brahmin add-on is $75/mo; Katana add-on price not published
Expiration date management
One-click recall reports
FDA/FSMA audit trails
Certificate of analysis (CoA) storage
QuickBooks integration
Xero integration
Shopify integration
ShipStation integration
WooCommerce integration
B2B wholesale customer portal
Mobile warehouse app
MRP / demand planning
Reporting and custom reports
REST API
VC-backed / investor pressure
Katana raised $11M Series A
Katana pricing and features based on publicly available information as of March 2026. Features and pricing subject to change.
Who should choose Brahmin over Katana
Choose Brahmin if...
- You are outgrowing Katana — more locations, more orders, more complexity
- Your Katana bill keeps climbing as your order volume or revenue grows
- You need FDA-ready lot traceability — included on Pro, or $75/mo add-on on Growth
- You want support with a dedicated manager, not just self-serve channels
- You sell wholesale and need a B2B ordering portal for your buyers
- You want a dedicated implementation manager, not a help center article
- You manufacture food, cosmetics, supplements, or other regulated products
- You want pricing that does not change as your revenue grows
Katana may be fine if...
- —You sell exclusively through Shopify with low order volume
- —You have a single warehouse location with simple operations
- —You do not need lot traceability or recall reporting
- —You have no wholesale customers who need a B2B portal
- —You are comfortable with self-serve onboarding
“I'm really happy with how fast we were able to set up Brahmin Solutions. It took us three months to get started with Katana, but Brahmin Solutions was ready in a week.”
Adam McFarlin
Kalamazoo Candle Company
How to move from Katana to Brahmin
Book a demo
We'll review your current Katana setup and show you how Brahmin handles it differently.
We migrate your data
Our team imports your items, BOMs, customers, and open orders from Katana. No CSV exports needed.
Connect your integrations
Shopify, QuickBooks, and your other tools connected within the first week — no add-on fees.
Go live in 3–6 weeks
Dedicated onboarding manager walks your team through every workflow.
No long-term contracts. 30-day money-back guarantee. If it\'s not the right fit, you're not locked in.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Katana MRP cost per month?
Katana's Core plan starts at $299/month for one inventory location, but the total cost depends on your sales order volume and number of locations — both trigger usage-based charges. Add-on modules like Manufacturing, Lot Tracking, and Forecasting cost $199–$999/month each, so a manufacturer needing full functionality can easily reach $700–$1,000+/month. Brahmin Solutions starts at $199/month with flat per-tier pricing and no usage-based surprises.
Why are manufacturers switching from Katana MRP?
The most common reasons cited in recent reviews are unpredictable price increases (customers report 300–500% over 2–3 years), features being moved behind paid add-on paywalls mid-subscription, and lack of a dedicated support contact for complex manufacturing issues. Brahmin Solutions offers stable, flat per-tier pricing with unlimited users and a dedicated implementation manager for every customer.
Does Katana MRP include lot tracking for food and beverage manufacturers?
Lot and batch tracking is not included in Katana's base Core plan — it requires a paid add-on. Users in regulated industries like food and beverage report that Katana's traceability has gaps in forward/backward tracking and multi-level BOM scenarios. Brahmin Solutions includes lot traceability on the Pro plan with full forward and backward trace designed for FDA-regulated manufacturers.
What is a good alternative to Katana MRP for growing manufacturers?
Manufacturers leaving Katana typically prioritize predictable pricing without usage-based escalators, included lot traceability, and dedicated implementation support rather than self-serve onboarding. Brahmin Solutions offers flat per-tier pricing from $199/month with unlimited users, a dedicated implementation manager, and under 15-minute support response times.
Is Katana MRP pricing predictable or usage-based?
Katana uses usage-based pricing that scales with the number of sales orders you deliver each month and the number of inventory locations you operate. This means your bill can increase month-to-month as your business grows, without changing plans — problematic for high-volume, low-margin manufacturers like food, cosmetics, or supplement brands. Brahmin Solutions uses flat per-tier pricing where your cost stays the same regardless of order volume.
Ready to see the difference?
Book a 30-minute demo. We\'ll show you Brahmin with your actual products and workflows — no slides, no sales pitch.
30-day money-back guarantee · From $199/month · Live in 3–6 weeks