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ERP · head to head

IQMS vs Katana

IQMS logo

IQMS

ERP

Single database manufacturing ERP and MES, now sold by Dassault as DELMIAworks

From
$1200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Katana logo

Katana

Inventory

Smart manufacturing ERP for scaling businesses

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IQMS dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.; Katana limited BOM explosion and lead-time offset planning requiring manual work that should be automated
  • They diverge on capability: IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Katana covers Production planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IQMS and Katana actually diverge.

Attributes where IQMS and Katana differ
AttributeIQMSKatana
Starting price$1200/month$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, WebWeb
CategoryERPInventory
Founded19942015

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 IQMS

  • Single database ERP and MES
  • Real time machine monitoring
  • Production scheduling
  • Quality management
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Inventory and lot traceability
  • EDI
  • Financials

Only in Katana

  • Production planning
  • Real-time inventory
  • BOM management
  • Shop floor control
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero

What people use each for

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

IQMS

  • An injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accuratelynot Katana
  • A repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availabilitynot Katana
  • An automotive component supplier that must meet EDI release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer auditnot Katana
  • A plant currently reconciling an ERP against a separate MES and finding the two never agreenot Katana

Katana

  • Production schedulingnot IQMS
  • Material planningnot IQMS
  • Work order managementnot IQMS
  • Inventory optimizationnot IQMS

Where each one falls short

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

IQMS

  • Dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.
  • This is a discrete and repetitive manufacturing system, not a process one, so a batch producer needing formulation, potency, catch weight or co-product handling will hit capability gaps that configuration cannot close.
  • The product has an on premise heritage with an underlying commercial database, so a deployment carries database licensing and administration skills as costs that sit outside the ERP quote.
  • Its depth is on the shop floor rather than in the office, so organisations with complex multi-entity consolidation, international statutory reporting or sophisticated financial planning needs generally find the finance side thinner than the manufacturing side.
  • The knowledge base is split across two product names and two eras, so searching for help returns a mixture of IQMS-era community material and current DELMIAworks documentation, and it is not always obvious which applies to your version.

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

IQMS

$1200/month
  • Standard$1200/month
    • Quality management
    • MES
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$2500/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • AI capabilities
    • Priority 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 IQMS if

  • You need single database erp and mes.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want real time machine monitoring.
IQMS review

Choose Katana if

  • You need production planning.
  • You also want real-time inventory.
Katana review

Questions people ask

Is IQMS or Katana better?
Neither clearly leads. IQMS starts at $1200/month and Katana at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IQMS or Katana?
IQMS starts at $1200/month and Katana at $99/month.
Does IQMS or Katana run on more platforms?
IQMS runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web. Katana runs on Web.
What is IQMS best used for?
IQMS is most often used for an injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accurately, a repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availability, an automotive component supplier that must meet edi release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer audit, a plant currently reconciling an erp against a separate mes and finding the two never agree. Of those, an injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accurately and a repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availability are not what Katana is typically brought in for.
What can IQMS do that Katana cannot?
IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Real time machine monitoring, Production scheduling, Quality management. Katana covers Production planning, Real-time inventory, BOM management, Shop floor control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IQMS: Is IQMS the same as DELMIAworks?

Yes. Dassault Systemes acquired IQMS in 2018 and markets the product as DELMIAworks. The underlying application, EnterpriseIQ, is the same lineage, but contracts, support and the sales channel are now Dassault's.

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.

Source
IQMS: Why choose this over an ERP plus a separate MES?

Because the interface between them is the usual failure point. One database means production status, scrap and costing agree by construction. The cost of that is a narrower product that suits a specific kind of manufacturer rather than any manufacturer.

Katana: 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.

Source
IQMS: Does it suit process or batch manufacturing?

No. It was built around discrete and repetitive production. Formulation, potency adjustment and co-product handling are the domain of process ERP and you should look at a specialist for that.

Katana: 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.

Source
IQMS: What should I check before buying under the current ownership?

Ask for the published release history since the acquisition, the support escalation path, who implements it in your region and whether they are Dassault staff or a partner, and what integration with the rest of the Dassault portfolio is assumed in the roadmap.

Katana: 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.

Source
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