Software · head to head
Finale Inventory vs Katana
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Finale Inventory the entry plan starts at $499 a month, which is a high floor for a small operation; Katana limited BOM explosion and lead-time offset planning requiring manual work that should be automated
- They diverge on capability: Finale Inventory covers Serial tracking, Katana covers Production planning.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Finale Inventory and Katana actually diverge.
| Attribute | Finale Inventory | Katana |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | $99/month |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based | Web |
| Founded | 2010 | 2015 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Finale Inventory
- Serial tracking
- Lot control
- Multi-channel
- Barcode scanning
- Amazon
- eBay
- Mobile app support
Only in Katana
- Production planning
- Real-time inventory
- BOM management
- Shop floor control
- WooCommerce
- Xero
- API access support
Both cover
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- QuickBooks
- Web support
- Cloud-based support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Finale Inventory
- Inventory and warehouse management across sales channelsnot Katana
- Barcode scanning and stock control for multichannel retailersnot Katana
Katana
- Production schedulingnot Finale Inventory
- Material planningnot Finale Inventory
- Work order managementnot Finale Inventory
- Inventory optimizationnot Finale Inventory
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Finale Inventory
- The entry plan starts at $499 a month, which is a high floor for a small operation
- Both published prices are starting figures rather than fixed rates
- The mobile barcode warehouse module requires the $799 Growth plan
- Order volume and user limits are stated for the platform overall rather than per plan, so what a given tier actually allows is not published
- Enterprise pricing is on request
Katana
- Limited BOM explosion and lead-time offset planning requiring manual work that should be automated
- No native invoicing capability, making it standalone without accounting system integration
- Limited native integrations, with heavy reliance on Zapier for non-core tools
- Slow performance with large datasets and high SKU counts
Pricing, plan by plan
Finale Inventory
On request- Starter$75/month
- 5000 items
- 2 users
- Standard support
- Bronze$199/month
- 25000 items
- 5 users
- Priority support
- Silver$349/month
- 100000 items
- 10 users
- Premium support
Katana
$99/month- Essential$99/month
- Core inventory management
- Production scheduling
- Stock tracking
- Pro$299/month
- Shop floor control
- API access
- Advanced reporting
Which should you pick?
Choose Finale Inventory if
- You need serial tracking.
- You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based.
- You also want lot control.
Questions people ask
- Is Finale Inventory or Katana better?
- Neither clearly leads. Finale Inventory starts at On request and Katana at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Finale Inventory or Katana?
- Finale Inventory starts at On request and Katana at $99/month.
- Does Finale Inventory or Katana run on more platforms?
- Finale Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud-based. Katana runs on Web.
- What is Finale Inventory best used for?
- Finale Inventory is most often used for inventory and warehouse management across sales channels, barcode scanning and stock control for multichannel retailers. Of those, inventory and warehouse management across sales channels and barcode scanning and stock control for multichannel retailers are not what Katana is typically brought in for.
- What can Finale Inventory do that Katana cannot?
- Finale Inventory covers Serial tracking, Lot control, Multi-channel, Barcode scanning. Katana covers Production planning, Real-time inventory, BOM management, Shop floor control. Both handle Shopify, BigCommerce, QuickBooks, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Katana: What is Katana's pricing structure?
Katana starts at $99/month for the Essential plan with core MRP features. The Pro plan costs $299/month and adds shop floor control and API access. Add-ons for traceability, manufacturing, and warehouse management cost extra and can reach $747-$1,095 total.
SourceKatana: Does Katana support multi-level bills of materials?
Katana has limited BOM explosion and lead-time offset planning capabilities. Complex multi-level BOMs with sub-assemblies require manual workarounds, which becomes increasingly problematic as SKU count grows.
SourceKatana: Can Katana integrate with my accounting software?
Katana has no native invoicing capability and limited integrations with accounting systems. It is essentially standalone and requires manual data export or Zapier integration for most accounting workflows.
SourceKatana: Does Katana have an offline mode?
No, Katana is a cloud-only solution requiring internet connectivity. There is no built-in offline mode for production floor access without internet.
SourceRelated pages
More on Finale Inventory
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