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ERP · head to head

Aptean vs Katana MRP

Aptean logo

Aptean

ERP

ERP solutions for manufacturing and distribution

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Katana MRP logo

Katana MRP

ERP

Smart manufacturing software for scaling brands

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Katana MRP has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aptean a portfolio of industry-specific products rather than one platform, spanning ERP, TMS, PLM, EAM, WMS, MES and more, so the evaluation is which Aptean product before any feature comparison; Katana MRP the free plan caps SKUs at 30 after a 15 day unlimited period
  • They diverge on capability: Aptean covers Financial management, Katana MRP covers Visual production scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aptean and Katana MRP actually diverge.

Attributes where Aptean and Katana MRP differ
AttributeApteanKatana MRP
Starting price$1500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, WebCloud, Web, Mobile

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (ERP), founded (2017).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aptean

  • Financial management
  • Manufacturing
  • Supply chain
  • Inventory management
  • Quality management
  • REST APIs
  • EDI
  • IoT systems

Only in Katana MRP

  • Visual production scheduling
  • Real-time inventory
  • Bill of materials
  • Purchase orders
  • Shop floor app
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • QuickBooks

Both cover

  • Cloud support
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aptean

  • Industry-specific ERP for manufacturing and distributionnot Katana MRP
  • Transportation and warehouse managementnot Katana MRP
  • Product lifecycle management for food and apparelnot Katana MRP
  • Enterprise asset management and maintenancenot Katana MRP
  • EDI and payment processing alongside the core systemsnot Katana MRP

Katana MRP

  • Manufacturing resource planning for small production businessesnot Aptean
  • Tracking live inventory across making, selling and purchasingnot Aptean

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aptean

  • A portfolio of industry-specific products rather than one platform, spanning ERP, TMS, PLM, EAM, WMS, MES and more, so the evaluation is which Aptean product before any feature comparison
  • Pricing is not published for any product
  • Aimed at mid-sized and large businesses rather than small operations

Katana MRP

  • The free plan caps SKUs at 30 after a 15 day unlimited period
  • The Core plan starts at $299 a month and includes one location, with more sold as a usage based add on
  • Core is billed per sales order delivered on top of the base price, so cost tracks throughput
  • Manufacturing management, traceability and warehouse management are separate add ons at $199, $249 and $149 a month
  • A full manufacturing setup therefore stacks to well above the headline $299

Pricing, plan by plan

Aptean

$1500/month
  • Standard$1500/month
    • Core ERP modules
    • Manufacturing
    • Supply chain
  • Premium$3000/month
    • Advanced modules
    • Analytics
    • Priority support

Katana MRP

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 30 SKUs (unlimited during 15-day trial)
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited integrations
  • Core$299/month
    • Unlimited SKUs
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited integrations
  • Advantage$null/mo
    • Custom annual contract
    • Everything in Core plus custom integrations
    • Custom dashboards and automations

Which should you pick?

Choose Aptean if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want manufacturing.
Aptean review

Choose Katana MRP if

  • You need visual production scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want real-time inventory.
Katana MRP review

Questions people ask

Is Aptean or Katana MRP better?
Neither clearly leads. Aptean starts at $1500/month and Katana MRP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aptean or Katana MRP?
Katana MRP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for Aptean and Free for Katana MRP.
Does Aptean or Katana MRP run on more platforms?
Aptean runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web. Katana MRP runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
Can I use Katana MRP for free?
Yes. Katana MRP has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aptean starts at $1500/month.
What is Aptean best used for?
Aptean is most often used for industry-specific erp for manufacturing and distribution, transportation and warehouse management, product lifecycle management for food and apparel, enterprise asset management and maintenance. Of those, industry-specific erp for manufacturing and distribution and transportation and warehouse management are not what Katana MRP is typically brought in for.
What can Aptean do that Katana MRP cannot?
Aptean covers Financial management, Manufacturing, Supply chain, Inventory management. Katana MRP covers Visual production scheduling, Real-time inventory, Bill of materials, Purchase orders. Both handle Cloud support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aptean: What is Aptean's pricing?

Aptean does not publish pricing on its website. Use the Request Pricing link or contact the sales team directly.

Source
Katana MRP: How much does Katana MRP cost?

Katana offers a free plan with 30 SKUs and all core features. Core plan starts at $299/month for unlimited SKUs and users. Usage-based pricing applies to sales orders delivered and additional locations beyond the 1 included. Add-ons like Manufacturing Management cost $199/month.

Source
Aptean: Does Aptean offer free product tours or demonstrations?

Yes, Aptean offers free interactive product tours and personalized demos that can be scheduled at your convenience.

Source
Katana MRP: How does Katana charge for multiple locations?

Core plan includes 1 location. Additional locations beyond the included location are charged separately with per-unit costs decreasing at higher volumes. Exact pricing for additional locations is calculated based on scale.

Source
Aptean: What support is included after implementation?

Aptean provides 24/7 unlimited support and expert consultation following implementation.

Source
Katana MRP: What are the manufacturing add-on costs for Katana?

Katana charges $199/month for Manufacturing Management, $249/month for Traceability, and $149/month for Warehouse Management add-ons. Onboarding package costs $2,000 but is included with Core plan.

Source
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