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Software · head to head

Katana vs Odoo Inventory

Katana logo

Katana

Software

Smart manufacturing ERP for scaling businesses

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Odoo Inventory logo

Odoo Inventory

Software

Open source inventory management module

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Odoo Inventory has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Katana limited BOM explosion and lead-time offset planning requiring manual work that should be automated; Odoo Inventory the One App Free plan covers a single app, so using Inventory alongside another Odoo app moves the account onto a paid plan
  • They diverge on capability: Katana covers Production planning, Odoo Inventory covers Inventory management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Katana and Odoo Inventory actually diverge.

Attributes where Katana and Odoo Inventory differ
AttributeKatanaOdoo Inventory
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app, Cloud/On-premise
Founded20152005

Identical on both: 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 Katana

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

Only in Odoo Inventory

  • Inventory management
  • Barcode scanning
  • Multi-warehouse
  • Automated replenishment
  • Odoo ERP modules
  • E-commerce
  • Manufacturing
  • Accounting

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Katana

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

Odoo Inventory

  • Tracking stock across multiple warehouses and locationsnot Katana
  • Running receipts, deliveries and internal transfersnot Katana
  • Connecting inventory to Odoo sales, purchasing and manufacturingnot Katana

Where each one falls short

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

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

Odoo Inventory

  • The One App Free plan covers a single app, so using Inventory alongside another Odoo app moves the account onto a paid plan
  • The Standard plan at $16.90 per user per month is restricted to Odoo Online hosting
  • Odoo.sh and on premise hosting require the Custom plan at $25.50 per user per month
  • Odoo Studio, multi company management and external API access require the Custom plan
  • Billing is per user, defined as any employee with backend access to create, view or edit documents
  • The advertised discounted rates apply for the first 12 months, after which the list rates of $21.10 and $31.90 per user per month apply

Pricing, plan by plan

Katana

$99/month
  • Essential$99/month
    • Core inventory management
    • Production scheduling
    • Stock tracking
  • Pro$299/month
    • Shop floor control
    • API access
    • Advanced reporting

Odoo Inventory

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Open source
    • Basic features
    • Community support
  • Standard$20/month
    • Full features
    • Hosting included
    • Email support
  • Custom$40/month
    • Customization
    • Studio access
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Katana if

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

Choose Odoo Inventory if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud/On-premise.
  • You also want barcode scanning.
Odoo Inventory review

Questions people ask

Is Katana or Odoo Inventory better?
Neither clearly leads. Katana starts at $99/month and Odoo Inventory at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Katana or Odoo Inventory?
Odoo Inventory has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Katana and Free for Odoo Inventory.
Does Katana or Odoo Inventory run on more platforms?
Katana runs on Web. Odoo Inventory runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud/On-premise.
Can I use Odoo Inventory for free?
Yes. Odoo Inventory has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Katana starts at $99/month.
What is Katana best used for?
Katana is most often used for production scheduling, material planning, work order management, inventory optimization. Of those, production scheduling and material planning are not what Odoo Inventory is typically brought in for.
What can Katana do that Odoo Inventory cannot?
Katana covers Production planning, Real-time inventory, BOM management, Shop floor control. Odoo Inventory covers Inventory management, Barcode scanning, Multi-warehouse, Automated replenishment. Both handle 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.

Source
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
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
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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Related pages

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