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Maritime · head to head

Kaleris vs Manhattan Associates

Kaleris logo

Kaleris

Maritime

Terminal operating, yard, rail and vessel software assembled from acquired supply chain brands

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Manhattan Associates logo

Manhattan Associates

Logistics

Tier-one warehouse, order and transportation management, now cloud subscription only

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kaleris the portfolio was assembled by acquisition, so the single platform description is commercial rather than technical, and connecting two Kaleris products often requires professional services and a custom interface.; Manhattan Associates manhattan Active is cloud subscription only with no perpetual licence and no on-premises deployment, so organisations with a capital purchasing model or air-gapped requirements are excluded outright.
  • They diverge on capability: Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kaleris and Manhattan Associates actually diverge.

Attributes where Kaleris and Manhattan Associates differ
AttributeKalerisManhattan Associates
PlatformsWeb, On-premise, Private cloudWeb, Cloud, iOS, Android
CategoryMaritimeLogistics

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Kaleris

  • Terminal operating system
  • Carrier and vessel solutions
  • Rail visibility
  • Maintenance and repair operations
  • Execution and visibility platform
  • Equipment control integration

Only in Manhattan Associates

  • Warehouse management
  • Order management
  • Labour management
  • Versionless updates
  • Store and point of sale

Both cover

  • Yard management
  • Transportation management

What people use each for

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

Kaleris

  • A container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programmenot Manhattan Associates
  • A port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layernot Manhattan Associates
  • An ocean carrier that needs stowage planning and vessel performance tooling alongside terminal systemsnot Manhattan Associates
  • A rail or intermodal operator trying to reduce demurrage exposure with asset level visibilitynot Manhattan Associates

Manhattan Associates

  • A retailer fulfilling store, ecommerce and wholesale orders from one inventory pool without separate systems per channelnot Kaleris
  • A distribution centre introducing goods-to-person robotics that needs the WMS to orchestrate the automationnot Kaleris
  • A third-party logistics provider running multiple clients with different processes in one facilitynot Kaleris
  • An operation where labour is the largest cost and engineered standards would pay for the softwarenot Kaleris

Where each one falls short

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

Kaleris

  • The portfolio was assembled by acquisition, so the single platform description is commercial rather than technical, and connecting two Kaleris products often requires professional services and a custom interface.
  • A terminal operating system implementation runs 12 to 24 months with parallel operation, and the software licence is a minor line next to integration, equipment interfaces and retraining crane and gate staff.
  • Private equity ownership means the roadmap is shaped by acquisition strategy and an eventual exit, and a terminal signing a decade-long dependency has no visibility of who the next owner will be.
  • Configuration expertise is concentrated in the vendor and a small consultancy pool, so terminals end up buying vendor services for changes an internal team should be able to make.
  • The strength is container handling, and bulk, breakbulk and ro-ro terminals get a thinner functional fit that has to be closed with configuration and workarounds.

Manhattan Associates

  • Manhattan Active is cloud subscription only with no perpetual licence and no on-premises deployment, so organisations with a capital purchasing model or air-gapped requirements are excluded outright.
  • Legacy WMOS and SCALE customers pay annual maintenance of roughly 18 to 22 per cent of licence value while the vendor steers investment towards Active, so staying put has a rising opportunity cost as well as a cash cost.
  • Implementation is a tier-one project measured in quarters, and system integrator fees routinely match or exceed several years of subscription, which is the part that breaks budgets rather than the licence.
  • Functional depth assumes complexity; operations with simple distribution end up configuring around capability they do not need and paying for it every year.
  • Modules are priced individually, so warehouse, order, transportation and labour management each carry their own line, and a business case built on the WMS alone understates the eventual footprint.

Pricing, plan by plan

Kaleris

On request
  • Kaleris platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per site, by throughput and modules taken
    • Implementation and integration services are the larger share of first-year cost
    • Equipment and gate interfaces scoped and priced individually

Manhattan Associates

On request
  • Manhattan Active Warehouse Management$undefined/year
    • Cloud subscription only, no perpetual licence
    • Versionless with continuous updates
    • Priced per module and by volume or site
  • Manhattan Active Omni and Transportation$undefined/year
    • Order management, point of sale and store fulfilment
    • Multimodal transportation management
    • Each module priced separately
  • Legacy WMOS and SCALE$undefined/year
    • Perpetual licence held by existing customers
    • Annual maintenance typically 18 to 22 per cent of licence value
    • Still sold to existing customers with extended support

Which should you pick?

Choose Kaleris if

  • You need terminal operating system.
  • You work on Web, On-premise, Private cloud.
  • You also want carrier and vessel solutions.
Kaleris review

Choose Manhattan Associates if

  • You need warehouse management.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want order management.
Manhattan Associates review

Questions people ask

Is Kaleris or Manhattan Associates better?
Neither clearly leads. Kaleris starts at On request and Manhattan Associates at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kaleris or Manhattan Associates?
Kaleris starts at On request and Manhattan Associates at On request.
Does Kaleris or Manhattan Associates run on more platforms?
Kaleris runs on Web, On-premise, Private cloud. Manhattan Associates runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
What is Kaleris best used for?
Kaleris is most often used for a container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programme, a port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layer, an ocean carrier that needs stowage planning and vessel performance tooling alongside terminal systems, a rail or intermodal operator trying to reduce demurrage exposure with asset level visibility. Of those, a container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programme and a port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layer are not what Manhattan Associates is typically brought in for.
What can Kaleris do that Manhattan Associates cannot?
Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, Carrier and vessel solutions, Rail visibility, Maintenance and repair operations. Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management, Order management, Labour management, Versionless updates. Both handle Yard management, Transportation management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kaleris: Is Kaleris the same thing as Navis?

No. Navis is the terminal operating system product line, now owned by Kaleris after Cargotec sold it to Accel-KKR in 2021. Kaleris is the parent group and sells several other product lines alongside it.

Manhattan Associates: Can I buy Manhattan Active on-premises or perpetually?

No. Manhattan Active is cloud-native SaaS priced per module by subscription, with no perpetual licence option.

Kaleris: Who owns Kaleris?

It is backed by the private equity firm Accel-KKR and assembled from acquired software businesses.

Manhattan Associates: What happens to my WMOS or SCALE licence?

Existing perpetual licences continue, with maintenance typically 18 to 22 per cent of licence value each year. Manhattan offers discounted transition pricing to move to Active.

Kaleris: How long does a terminal operating system deployment take?

Plan for 12 to 24 months at a working container terminal, including parallel running. Anything shorter usually means a limited scope or a small facility.

Manhattan Associates: What does versionless actually mean?

Updates are applied continuously while the subscription is active, so there is no separate upgrade project, but you also do not control when changes arrive.

Kaleris: Does it suit bulk or breakbulk terminals?

Less well. The functional depth is in container handling, and other cargo types require significant configuration.

Manhattan Associates: How much does implementation cost relative to the software?

Expect a system integrator engagement comparable to or larger than several years of subscription. Budget for it as the main line, not a footnote.

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