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Alternatives

Katana alternatives for food makers

Katana is strong for production planning on Shopify. If it is more than you need, costs too much, or you need different lot and wholesale features, these are the tools food makers look at.

Updated November 2026 by the Madeline's team, who set these tools up for makers and farms.

Katana alternatives compared
5In view
6On track
1Needs you
ToolBest forLots and batchesProduction planning
Katana Production on Shopify Yes Strong
Craftybase Small batch makers Yes Basic
MRPeasy Small manufacturers Yes Strong
inFlow Simple stock Check plan Basic
Cin7 Core Wholesale, many channels Yes Some
Features, plans and fees change; check each vendor before you switch.

The short answer

Craftybase fits small batch makers who want cost per batch and lots with little setup. MRPeasy fits small manufacturers planning production with bills of materials and lot tracking. inFlow fits simple stock and purchasing. Cin7 Core fits brands selling wholesale across many channels.

The alternatives

  1. Craftybase

    Best for small batch makers

    Inventory and manufacturing software built for makers: materials, packaging, batches with lot numbers and cost of goods per batch.

    Good fit if
    • You make in batches from recipes
    • You want cost per batch without a spreadsheet
    Watch for
    • Not built for large warehouses
  2. MRPeasy

    Best for small manufacturers

    Manufacturing software for small producers, with bills of materials, work orders, production planning and lot tracking.

    Good fit if
    • You plan production runs
    • You want MRP features without an ERP
    Watch for
    • More setup than a small kitchen needs
  3. inFlow

    Best for simple stock

    Inventory, purchasing and order tracking for small businesses.

    Good fit if
    • You mostly need stock counts and purchase orders
    Watch for
    • Check whether lot and expiry tracking is in your plan
    • Light on production
  4. Cin7 Core

    Best for wholesale and many channels

    Inventory and order management across retail, wholesale and marketplaces, with batch tracking.

    Good fit if
    • You sell wholesale and on several channels
    • You need B2B ordering tied to stock
    Watch for
    • More than a small maker needs
    • Costs more

Want one of these set up for you?

Tell us what you make. We send back a short plan and a price.

Get a plan and a price

How it works

  1. Tell us what you make

    What you make and what you use now. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer.

  2. Get a short plan

    Keep this, replace that, connect these, and the cost.

  3. We set it up

    Setup and migration done for you. You approve before anything goes live.

  4. Run it or hand it off

    Take it from there yourself or keep us on for the upkeep.

Questions

What is the best Katana alternative for a small food maker?

Craftybase for most small batch makers. MRPeasy if you plan production runs with bills of materials.

Which alternatives track lots for recalls?

Craftybase, MRPeasy and Cin7 Core all track batches or lots. With inFlow, check that lot tracking is in your plan.

Do any of these make nutrition labels?

No. Use label software like ReciPal or LabelCalc.

Can Madeline's set this up?

Yes. We load materials, recipes and opening stock, connect sales channels and set up lot numbering.

Get a plan and a price

Tell us what you make and what you use today. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer. We reply by email with what we would keep, what we would change and what it costs.

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