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Software · head to head

Katana vs Wasp Barcode

Katana logo

Katana

Software

Smart manufacturing ERP for scaling businesses

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wasp Barcode logo

Wasp Barcode

Software

Barcode-based inventory tracking solution

From
$108/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Katana limited BOM explosion and lead-time offset planning requiring manual work that should be automated; Wasp Barcode basic tier limited to 1 user (additional users cost 17 USD/month in cloud, 25 USD/month on-premise)
  • They diverge on capability: Katana covers Production planning, Wasp Barcode covers Barcode scanning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Katana and Wasp Barcode actually diverge.

Attributes where Katana and Wasp Barcode differ
AttributeKatanaWasp Barcode
Starting price$99/month$108/month
PlatformsWebWeb (Cloud), On-Premise
Founded20151999

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Katana

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

Only in Wasp Barcode

  • Barcode scanning
  • Asset tracking
  • Inventory counts
  • Location management
  • Barcode printers
  • Accounting software
  • CSV import/export
  • Mobile devices

What people use each for

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

Katana

  • Production schedulingnot Wasp Barcode
  • Material planningnot Wasp Barcode
  • Work order managementnot Wasp Barcode
  • Inventory optimizationnot Wasp Barcode

Wasp Barcode

  • Asset tracking and managementnot Katana
  • Inventory management for consumables and suppliesnot Katana
  • RFID-based high-value asset trackingnot Katana
  • GPS tracking for equipment and vehicles in motionnot Katana
  • Multi-location asset auditing and monitoringnot Katana
  • Lost item reduction and recoverynot 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

Wasp Barcode

  • Basic tier limited to 1 user (additional users cost 17 USD/month in cloud, 25 USD/month on-premise)
  • Complete tier limited to 5 users (same additional user costs apply)
  • Enterprise tier pricing not published and requires contacting sales
  • Annual billing required for all plans (no monthly billing option)

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

Wasp Barcode

$108/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Wasp Barcode review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Katana if

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

Choose Wasp Barcode if

  • You need barcode scanning.
  • You work on Web (Cloud), On-Premise.
  • You also want asset tracking.
Wasp Barcode review

Questions people ask

Is Katana or Wasp Barcode better?
Neither clearly leads. Katana starts at $99/month and Wasp Barcode at $108/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Katana or Wasp Barcode?
Katana starts at $99/month and Wasp Barcode at $108/month.
Does Katana or Wasp Barcode run on more platforms?
Katana runs on Web. Wasp Barcode runs on Web (Cloud), On-Premise.
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 Wasp Barcode is typically brought in for.
What can Katana do that Wasp Barcode cannot?
Katana covers Production planning, Real-time inventory, BOM management, Shop floor control. Wasp Barcode covers Barcode scanning, Asset tracking, Inventory counts, Location management.

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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