Manufacturing Software for Small Business: What Actually Works

If you're running a small manufacturing operation and still juggling spreadsheets, whiteboards, and sticky notes to track production, you're leaving money on the table. Manufacturing software (sometimes called MRP or manufacturing ERP) centralizes your bills of materials, inventory, production scheduling, and purchasing into one system.

The problem? Most manufacturing software is built for enterprise companies with six-figure budgets. The good news is that cloud-based options have made professional-grade production planning accessible to shops with 10-200 employees.

I've dug into the actual pricing, features, and user feedback on the top options. Here's what you need to know.

Quick Summary: Best Manufacturing Software for Small Business

What Small Manufacturers Actually Need

Before diving into specific tools, let's be clear about what "manufacturing software" means for small businesses. You're typically looking at MRP (Material Requirements Planning) or lightweight ERP systems that handle:

• Bills of Materials (BOMs) - Define what raw materials and components go into each product
• Production Planning - Schedule manufacturing orders based on demand and capacity
• Inventory Management - Track raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods
• Purchase Order Management - Know what to order and when
• Shop Floor Control - Track job progress and labor

Entry-level manufacturing software typically starts around $450-$500/month for basic functionality and a small team. But several cloud options now offer legitimate manufacturing capabilities starting under $100/month.

MRPeasy: Best Overall for Small Manufacturers

MRPeasy consistently ranks as the best value in the small manufacturing space. It's a cloud-based MRP/ERP system specifically designed for manufacturers with 10-200 employees.

MRPeasy Pricing

MRPeasy has four pricing tiers, all billed per user per month:

• Starter: $49/user/month - Production planning, BOM management, basic inventory
• Professional: $69/user/month - Adds CRM, multi-currency, workforce planning
• Enterprise: $99/user/month - Advanced features, API access
• Unlimited: $149/user/month - Full feature set

Here's where it gets interesting: users beyond 10 only cost $79 per group of 10 users. So scaling up doesn't kill your budget.

What MRPeasy Does Well

Users consistently praise the platform for combining "robust manufacturing planning and inventory management capabilities with three traits that small companies value most – a great price-to-performance ratio, ease of use, and scalability." The drag-and-drop scheduling, one-click cost estimates, and integration with QuickBooks and Xero make it approachable for non-technical users.

The software handles production scheduling, multi-level BOMs, lot traceability, and supply chain management without feeling overwhelming. Most businesses report going live within 2-4 weeks, compared to months with traditional ERP systems.

Where MRPeasy Falls Short

Support is primarily through tickets and documentation rather than phone calls. Some users with complex subcontracting workflows have found limitations in how the system handles multi-vendor processes. If you need extensive customization, you'll hit walls.

Katana: Best for E-commerce Manufacturers

Katana positions itself as cloud inventory software with strong manufacturing features. It's particularly popular with businesses selling through Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce.

Katana Pricing

Katana's pricing is based on sales order volume and features, not users (all plans include unlimited users):

• Starter: $179/month (billed annually)
• Standard: $359/month
• Professional: $799/month
• Professional Plus: $1,799/month

There's a catch: pricing limits are calculated based on monthly consumption. If you exceed sales order or GMV limits for three consecutive months, you're automatically upgraded to a higher tier.

What Katana Does Well

The visual interface is genuinely excellent. Users describe it as intuitive enough that non-technical staff can be productive quickly. Real-time inventory tracking across all sales channels, automatic stock updates as you manufacture, and seamless Shopify integration are standout features.

One user reported the software "saved me nearly $20,000 in annual payroll because I was able to almost completely replace an employee with this software."

The Katana Pricing Problem

Here's where I have to be direct: Katana has a pricing credibility issue. Multiple users report significant, unexpected price increases. One reviewer described it as having "the worst possible customer policy, pricing plans and billing methods." Reports mention prices jumping from $199/month to $349/month without warning, and features being moved to expensive add-ons.

Some users find the value justified, but go in with eyes open about potential cost escalation.

Fishbowl: Best for QuickBooks Users

Fishbowl has been the go-to inventory and manufacturing add-on for QuickBooks users since 2001. It's available as both cloud-based (Fishbowl Drive) and on-premise (Fishbowl Advanced) software.

Fishbowl Pricing

Fishbowl's pricing is less transparent than competitors. Based on recent data:

• Cloud subscription starts around $329/month
• On-premise licenses reportedly start around $4,395-$6,595 for a single user
• Implementation costs range from $2,000 to $10,000

The on-premise option has higher upfront costs but can be more economical for larger teams over time.

What Fishbowl Does Well

The QuickBooks integration is deep and reliable. Fishbowl automatically records the cost of everything that goes into finished products, including raw materials and labor. Work-in-progress reporting gives you visibility into manufacturing's impact on cash flow.

Features like barcode scanning, multi-location tracking, and customizable BOMs receive consistently positive reviews. The user interface is considered friendly for an inventory system of this caliber.

Where Fishbowl Falls Short

Limited reporting capabilities are a common complaint. The QuickBooks integration, while a selling point, can be unstable according to some users. Setup takes time, especially when syncing with accounting systems or importing existing data.

Odoo Manufacturing: Best for Customization

Odoo is an open-source ERP with a manufacturing module that offers extreme flexibility. It's best for businesses willing to invest in configuration.

Odoo Pricing

Odoo's pricing starts at $24.90/user/month, making it one of the most affordable entry points. However, the flexibility that makes Odoo powerful also adds complexity. The manufacturing module is part of a broader ERP suite, and you may need multiple apps to get full functionality.

What Odoo Does Well

Near-unlimited customization. If your manufacturing process doesn't fit standard software workflows, Odoo can be molded to match. Multilingual support and international capabilities make it suitable for global operations.

Where Odoo Falls Short

Setup can be time-consuming and costly. Some users find they need to adjust their workflows to fit the software rather than the reverse. For small businesses wanting a plug-and-play solution, this isn't it.

JobBOSS²: Best for Job Shops

JobBOSS² is specifically designed for job shops, machine shops, and make-to-order manufacturers.

JobBOSS Pricing

JobBOSS starts at around $70/seat/month, making it one of the more affordable options for its target market. It's available both cloud-based and on-premise.

What JobBOSS Does Well

Job costing and quoting features are particularly strong. You can track costs in real-time, adjust selling prices based on actual data, and understand profitability per job. The "what-if" scenario planning helps with delivery date commitments.

Where JobBOSS Falls Short

Primarily serves North American manufacturers. If you're running a process manufacturing operation (rather than discrete/job shop), look elsewhere.

What About NetSuite and SAP?

You'll see Oracle NetSuite mentioned in many manufacturing software lists. While it's a powerful platform, implementation costs typically range from $25,000-$100,000+, with base pricing around $999/month before you add users. It's designed for larger, more complex organizations.

SAP Business One starts around $99/user/month but requires significant implementation investment. These are legitimate enterprise solutions, but overkill for most small manufacturers.

Making the Right Choice

Here's my honest take:

Start with MRPeasy if you're a small manufacturer (under $15M revenue) looking for your first real production planning system. The pricing is transparent, implementation is fast, and you won't outgrow it quickly.

Consider Katana if you're primarily an e-commerce business that also manufactures. The Shopify/BigCommerce integrations are best-in-class. Just budget for potential price increases.

Choose Fishbowl if you're deeply invested in QuickBooks and need manufacturing capabilities without replacing your accounting system.

Go with Odoo if you have technical resources and need a highly customized solution.

Pick JobBOSS if you're running a job shop or machine shop with complex quoting and job costing needs.

Beyond Manufacturing: Other Tools You'll Need

Manufacturing software handles production, but you'll still need supporting systems. If you're managing payroll in-house, check out our payroll software for small business guide or read our Gusto reviews for a solid option that integrates with most manufacturing platforms.

For customer management, see our CRM for small business roundup. And if you're coordinating projects across production, sales, and delivery, our best project management software guide covers tools like Monday.com that work well alongside manufacturing systems.

The Bottom Line

Manufacturing software isn't cheap, but the right system pays for itself through reduced inventory carrying costs, fewer stockouts, better on-time delivery, and less administrative overhead. Most small manufacturers should expect to spend $400-$1,000/month for a capable system with 5-10 users.

Don't overthink it. Pick a solution that fits your current size, offers a free trial, and doesn't require a 12-month commitment upfront. You can always migrate later—most of these systems make data export reasonably painless.

The worst choice is no choice. If you're still running production on spreadsheets, you're making your life harder than it needs to be.