Softwr

Inventory · head to head

Katana vs UpKeep

Katana logo

Katana

Inventory

Smart manufacturing ERP for scaling businesses

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UpKeep logo

UpKeep

Inventory

Mobile-first maintenance management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only UpKeep 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; UpKeep offline mobile mode limited to Professional tier and above
  • They diverge on capability: Katana covers Production planning, UpKeep covers Work order management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Katana and UpKeep actually diverge.

Attributes where Katana and UpKeep differ
AttributeKatanaUpKeep
Starting price$99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20152014

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Inventory).

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
  • Xero
  • BigCommerce

Only in UpKeep

  • Work order management
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Asset management
  • Mobile-first
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • Salesforce
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Web support
  • Cloud-based support

What people use each for

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

Katana

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

UpKeep

  • Preventive and reactive maintenance schedulingnot Katana
  • Work order management across multiple locationsnot Katana
  • Asset lifecycle tracking and compliancenot 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

UpKeep

  • Offline mobile mode limited to Professional tier and above
  • Per-user pricing model; costs scale significantly with team size
  • Free trial available but tier details not documented; duration unspecified

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

UpKeep

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the UpKeep review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Katana if

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

Choose UpKeep if

  • You need work order management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want preventive maintenance.
UpKeep review

Questions people ask

Is Katana or UpKeep better?
Neither clearly leads. Katana starts at $99/month and UpKeep at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Katana or UpKeep?
UpKeep has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Katana and Free for UpKeep.
Does Katana or UpKeep run on more platforms?
Katana runs on Web. UpKeep runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use UpKeep for free?
Yes. UpKeep 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 UpKeep is typically brought in for.
What can Katana do that UpKeep cannot?
Katana covers Production planning, Real-time inventory, BOM management, Shop floor control. UpKeep covers Work order management, Preventive maintenance, Asset management, Mobile-first. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support, Cloud-based 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
UpKeep: How much does UpKeep cost per user?

UpKeep pricing starts at $24/user/month for the Essential tier, $55/user/month for Premium, with Professional and Enterprise tiers available at custom quotes. All plans include unlimited work orders and locations.

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
UpKeep: What does the free trial include?

UpKeep offers a free trial with no credit card required on the Essential and Premium tiers. Users can try the product before committing to paid plans.

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
UpKeep: Are Nova AI credits included in the pricing?

Yes, Nova AI credits are included with every plan: 250 credits with Essential, 500 with Premium, 750 with Professional, and 1,000 with Enterprise tiers.

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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