How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Small manufacturers should start with Katana, MRPeasy, or ERPAG: all three offer affordable entry pricing and trials, with Katana providing a genuinely useful free plan.
- Odoo is the value play for teams that want MRP inside a broader business suite, with a free one-app plan and full ERP at $24.90 per user per month billed annually.
- NetSuite, Acumatica, and Epicor are enterprise-grade ERP platforms with deep manufacturing capability, but all three use quote-based pricing and suit larger or more complex operations.
- Fishbowl and JobBOSS serve specific niches well: Fishbowl for QuickBooks-centered manufacturers, JobBOSS for make-to-order job shops.
- If published pricing matters to your buying process, shortlist the vendors that publish it: hidden pricing usually means a longer sales cycle.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Katana | Small manufacturers that want visual, easy-to-learn MRP | See website (custom annual Advantage contract; pricing page lists a Free plan) | Yes (Free plan, up to 30 SKUs) |
 MRPeasy | Small manufacturers that want affordable, straightforward MRP with published pricing | $49/user/month (Starter plan) | No (15-day free trial) |
 Odoo | Manufacturers that want MRP inside a complete, affordable business suite | $24.90/user/month billed annually (Standard plan, $31.10 month-to-month) | Yes (One App Free plan at $0) |
 Unleashed | Inventory-heavy manufacturers and distributors that need strong stock control with manufacturing | $410/month (Medium plan, 1 to 5 users); Large $785/month; Large Plus $1,188/month | No (14-day free trial) |
 NetSuite | Growing manufacturers that need full cloud ERP with manufacturing built in | See website (quote-based) | No (3-day guided test drive available) |
 Fishbowl | QuickBooks-centered manufacturers that need manufacturing inventory without leaving their accounting | $229/month billed annually (Inventory Essentials, 2 users); Advanced MRP by quote | No |
 Acumatica | Mid-size manufacturers that want flexible, consumption-based cloud ERP | See website (quote-based, consumption-based licensing) | No |
 Epicor | Established manufacturers in industries like automotive, fabrication, and distribution | See website (quote-based) | No |
 JobBOSS | Job shops and make-to-order manufacturers that live on custom quotes and short runs | See website (quote-based) | No |
 ERPAG | Small manufacturers that want full cloud MRP and ERP at a flat, predictable price | $49/month (5 users included) | No (free trial, no credit card required) |
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We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Starting priceSee website (custom annual Advantage contract; pricing page lists a Free plan)
Free planYes (Free plan, up to 30 SKUs)
Katana built its reputation on making MRP approachable. The interface is visual, almost Kanban-like, which means shop staff can understand the production schedule without training on traditional ERP screens. That accessibility is why it became popular with small manufacturers, craft producers, and D2C brands that make their own products. A Free plan covering up to 30 SKUs lets very small operations start without spending anything, and integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and QuickBooks connect the shop floor to sales and accounting.
The current pricing page has moved paid plans to custom annual contracts, so budgeting requires a conversation with their team. That is a real change from the flat-rate pricing Katana previously published. For simple to moderate manufacturing, the visual approach remains one of the easiest on-ramps to MRP. Complex multi-level BOMs, advanced capacity planning, and multi-plant scenarios will push you toward heavier platforms, but many small manufacturers never need those.
What we like- Visual and intuitive for non-technical teams
- Free plan available for very small operations
- Strong integrations with Shopify and QuickBooks
Watch out for- Current paid pricing is quote-based
- Advanced manufacturing features trail enterprise ERP
- Best suited to simpler production environments
#2
MRPeasy
Best for: Small manufacturers that want affordable, straightforward MRP with published pricing
Visit mrpeasy.com
Starting price$49/user/month (Starter plan)
Free planNo (15-day free trial)
MRPeasy does exactly what its name promises: it makes MRP accessible to manufacturers that cannot afford enterprise ERP. The Starter plan costs $49 per user per month, and it covers the essentials: bill of materials, production planning, inventory management, procurement, and basic CRM. A 15-day free trial lets you test it with your own data before paying. For a shop of five to fifty people, that combination of honest pricing and focused features is compelling.
You will not mistake it for NetSuite, and it does not try to be. The interface prioritizes function over beauty, and companies with complex multi-site operations or deep customization needs will outgrow it. But most small manufacturers do not have those needs; they have spreadsheets, whiteboards, and a growing sense that neither scales. MRPeasy replaces that chaos with real material planning at a price a small business can actually budget.
What we like- Transparent per-user pricing
- Covers core MRP, production planning, and procurement
- Quick to implement for small teams
Watch out for- No free plan
- Interface is functional rather than polished
- Advanced features require higher tiers
#3
Odoo
Best for: Manufacturers that want MRP inside a complete, affordable business suite
Visit odoo.com
Starting price$24.90/user/month billed annually (Standard plan, $31.10 month-to-month)
Free planYes (One App Free plan at $0)
Odoo's pitch is breadth at a price that embarrasses traditional ERP. The Standard plan costs $24.90 per user per month billed annually and includes the full app suite: MRP, inventory, purchase, sales, accounting, CRM, website, and dozens more. There is even a One App Free plan at $0 for businesses that need a single application. For a manufacturer that also needs CRM, accounting, and e-commerce, getting all of it for one per-user price is remarkable value.
The trade-off is depth. Odoo's MRP module handles standard manufacturing scenarios well, but highly specialized requirements, advanced shop floor execution, or complex industry compliance may fit better in a purpose-built system. Implementation also matters more with Odoo than with simpler tools; the right partner makes it sing. Still, as a value equation for small to mid-size manufacturers that want one system instead of five, Odoo is difficult to beat.
What we like- MRP plus accounting, CRM, e-commerce, and more in one system
- Free one-app plan
- Very affordable per-user pricing
Watch out for- Manufacturing depth trails specialized MRP vendors
- Implementation quality depends on the partner
- Breadth can mean complexity
#4
Unleashed
Best for: Inventory-heavy manufacturers and distributors that need strong stock control with manufacturing
Visit unleashedsoftware.com
Starting price$410/month (Medium plan, 1 to 5 users); Large $785/month; Large Plus $1,188/month
Free planNo (14-day free trial)
Unleashed comes at manufacturing from the inventory side, which makes sense because most production problems are inventory problems in disguise. The Medium plan costs $410 per month for one to five users, with Large at $785 and Large Plus at $1,188 as headcount and complexity grow. A 14-day free trial is available. The platform handles multi-warehouse stock, batch and serial tracking, and purchasing deeply, then layers manufacturing and production planning on top.
That heritage shapes who should buy it. If your operation is really about buying, storing, assembling, and selling, with manufacturing as one stage in that flow, Unleashed fits naturally. Pure manufacturers with complex production scheduling might prefer a manufacturing-first tool. The integrations with Xero and QuickBooks are strong, which matters because accounting can stay where it is while operations move to Unleashed.
What we like- Excellent inventory management at its core
- Clear tiered pricing
- Strong integrations with Xero and QuickBooks
Watch out for- MRP functionality builds on an inventory-first platform
- Per-tier pricing jumps are significant
- Smaller makers may find it heavy
#5
NetSuite
Best for: Growing manufacturers that need full cloud ERP with manufacturing built in
Visit netsuite.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo (3-day guided test drive available)
NetSuite is the most widely deployed cloud ERP for growing companies, and its manufacturing edition covers the full arc from demand planning through production to financials. Manufacturing features include work order management, shop floor control, and quality management, all sharing one database with accounting and CRM. That single-system design is the core value proposition: no integrations to maintain between finance and operations.
Everything about NetSuite signals mid-market and up. Pricing is quote-based, implementations typically involve partners and real budgets, and the total cost of ownership reflects that. A 3-day guided test drive gives a taste, but this is a platform you buy with a multi-year view. For manufacturers outgrowing entry-level tools and needing one system for the whole business, NetSuite is the default shortlist candidate. Smaller shops should look at the affordable options above first.
What we like- Complete ERP with financials, inventory, manufacturing, and CRM in one cloud system
- Scales to multi-subsidiary operations
- Mature ecosystem
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing with no public numbers
- Implementation is a significant project
- Ongoing costs exceed small-business budgets
#6
Fishbowl
Best for: QuickBooks-centered manufacturers that need manufacturing inventory without leaving their accounting
Visit fishbowlinventory.com
Starting price$229/month billed annually (Inventory Essentials, 2 users); Advanced MRP by quote
Free planNo
Fishbowl's entire strategy is built around QuickBooks. If your accounting lives in QuickBooks and you need real manufacturing inventory, work orders, and bill of materials management without replacing your financials, Fishbowl is purpose-built for that gap. Inventory Essentials starts at $229 per month billed annually for two users, with Growth at $429 and Scale at $729 as you grow. Fishbowl Advanced, the tier with deeper MRP functionality, is priced by quote.
The QuickBooks integration is genuinely deep: data flows both ways, so purchasing, sales, and manufacturing stay synchronized with the books. The flip side is dependence; if you ever leave QuickBooks, Fishbowl's value proposition weakens considerably. For the large population of small manufacturers running on QuickBooks, though, Fishbowl is often the most practical upgrade path from spreadsheets to real material planning.
What we like- Deep QuickBooks integration
- Affordable entry point for manufacturing inventory
- Handles work orders and BOMs
Watch out for- Full MRP capability requires the Advanced tier with quote pricing
- QuickBooks dependency
- Less suited to non-QuickBooks shops
#7
Acumatica
Best for: Mid-size manufacturers that want flexible, consumption-based cloud ERP
Visit acumatica.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based, consumption-based licensing)
Free planNo
Acumatica differentiates itself with licensing. Instead of charging per user, it prices on resource consumption, which can be significantly cheaper for manufacturers with many occasional users on the shop floor. The manufacturing edition covers production management, estimating, engineering change control, and material planning within a modern cloud ERP that also handles financials, distribution, and CRM.
Pricing is quote-based, and like most ERP in this class, implementation works best with an experienced partner. Acumatica suits mid-size manufacturers that have outgrown entry-level tools but want to avoid the per-seat economics of traditional ERP. If your user count is high and your transaction volume is moderate, the consumption model deserves a careful look against per-user alternatives.
What we like- Flexible licensing based on usage rather than per-user seats
- Strong manufacturing edition
- Modern cloud architecture
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Implementation needs a partner
- Smaller manufacturers may find it more than they need
#8
Epicor
Best for: Established manufacturers in industries like automotive, fabrication, and distribution
Visit epicor.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Epicor has spent decades building ERP for manufacturers, and it shows in industry depth. The platform serves automotive suppliers, metal fabricators, industrial machinery makers, and distributors with functionality tuned to how those businesses actually operate: configurators, advanced scheduling, quality management, and supply chain tools that generic ERP lacks. Recent releases add AI-assisted features for planning and operations.
This is firmly enterprise territory. Pricing is quote-based, implementations are measured in months, and the total investment reflects the depth. Epicor makes the most sense for established manufacturers with industry-specific requirements that horizontal ERP cannot satisfy. Smaller or simpler operations will find faster, cheaper paths elsewhere on this list.
What we like- Deep industry-specific functionality
- Strong for make-to-order and engineer-to-order
- Long track record in manufacturing
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Implementations are substantial projects
- Better suited to larger operations
#9
JobBOSS
Best for: Job shops and make-to-order manufacturers that live on custom quotes and short runs
Visit jobboss.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
JobBOSS, from ECI Software Solutions, is one of the few systems designed from the ground up for job shops rather than adapted from repetitive manufacturing. Quoting, job costing, scheduling, and shop floor data collection reflect how make-to-order businesses actually work: every job is different, margins live or die on accurate estimates, and the schedule changes daily. The cloud-based JobBOSS2 brings that functionality to a modern deployment model.
Pricing is quote-based, which is standard for this segment. The niche focus is both the strength and the limit: if you run a job shop, few tools understand your business this well; if you run repetitive or process manufacturing, look elsewhere. For machine shops, fabricators, and custom manufacturers still running on spreadsheets and whiteboards, JobBOSS is purpose-built for the transition.
What we like- Built specifically for job shop workflows
- Strong quoting and job costing
- Cloud-based JobBOSS2 for modern deployment
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Niche focus means less breadth outside job shops
- Smaller vendor ecosystem than giants
#10
ERPAG
Best for: Small manufacturers that want full cloud MRP and ERP at a flat, predictable price
Visit erpag.com
Starting price$49/month (5 users included)
Free planNo (free trial, no credit card required)
ERPAG is the value outlier in cloud MRP. For $49 per month with five users included, you get a cloud system covering manufacturing, inventory, sales, purchasing, and more. That price point sits far below per-user competitors, and the free trial requires no credit card, so evaluating it costs nothing but time. For a small manufacturer that needs real MRP functionality on a tight budget, the math is compelling.
The trade-offs are what you would expect at this price. It is a smaller vendor without the brand recognition or partner ecosystem of the big names, and companies with complex multi-plant or heavily regulated operations will need more. But ERPAG's target customer is clear: the small manufacturer that knows spreadsheets are failing and needs proper material planning this quarter, not after a six-month ERP project. On value alone, it belongs on every small shop's shortlist.
What we like- Flat pricing with 5 users included is exceptional value
- Covers MRP, inventory, sales, and purchasing
- Quick cloud deployment
Watch out for- No free plan
- Smaller vendor with less brand recognition
- Advanced features trail enterprise ERP
How to choose MRP software
Start with your production model. Repetitive manufacturers, job shops, and process manufacturers have genuinely different needs, and tools like JobBOSS and Katana reflect that specialization. A system built for high-volume repetitive production will frustrate a custom job shop, and vice versa. Define your production model first, whether make-to-stock, make-to-order, or engineer-to-order, before looking at a single demo.
Next, scope the modules you actually need. Core MRP means bill of materials, inventory, purchasing, and production scheduling. Beyond that, consider shop floor data collection, capacity planning, quality management, costing, and accounting integration. Many small manufacturers discover that inventory plus purchasing plus simple work orders covers 90 percent of their pain, which keeps them in the affordable tier instead of the ERP tier.
Finally, be honest about implementation capacity. Cloud tools like Katana, MRPeasy, and ERPAG can be running in weeks with internal effort. ERP platforms like NetSuite, Acumatica, and Epicor are multi-month projects that need partners and executive sponsorship. The best MRP software is the one your team will actually use, and a simpler system adopted fully beats a powerful system adopted halfway.
MRP vs. ERP vs. MES: which does your factory need?
These acronyms overlap, and vendors blur the lines, so here is the practical distinction. MRP plans materials and production: what to make, what to buy, and when. It is planning software. ERP is the bigger system that includes MRP-style manufacturing alongside financials, HR, CRM, and everything else the business runs on. MES, manufacturing execution systems, operate on the shop floor itself: machine data, labor tracking, and real-time production monitoring.
Most small manufacturers need MRP first. When spreadsheets cannot keep up with purchasing and scheduling, tools like Katana, MRPeasy, or ERPAG solve the immediate problem. You need ERP when the business has outgrown disconnected systems and wants finance, operations, and sales on one database; that is the NetSuite, Acumatica, and Epicor conversation. MES enters the picture when you need real-time visibility into machines and labor on the floor, which is a later-stage investment for most shops. Buy the layer that matches your current bottleneck.
How we chose
We started with the MRP software that small and mid-size manufacturers actually evaluate, then verified each vendor's current website and published pricing. Every price shown comes from the vendor's own pricing page; where vendors use quote-based pricing, we say so instead of inventing numbers. Tools that had been discontinued or folded into unrelated products were excluded.
We weighted practical fit for manufacturing SMBs: how well each tool matches common production models, whether pricing is transparent enough to budget against, and how realistic implementation is for a small team. We did not invent ratings, customer counts, or case studies, and we avoided claiming hands-on testing. Use this list to build a shortlist, then trial your top two with real bills of materials before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best MRP software for small business?
Katana, MRPeasy, and ERPAG are the strongest starting points. Katana offers a free plan up to 30 SKUs and a visual interface, MRPeasy provides transparent pricing at $49 per user per month, and ERPAG covers five users for a flat $49 per month. All three can be running in weeks rather than months.
How much does MRP software cost?
Entry-level cloud MRP runs from $49 per month (ERPAG, five users included) to $49 per user per month (MRPeasy) and $410 per month (Unleashed Medium). Mid-market ERP with manufacturing, like Odoo at $24.90 per user per month, stays affordable. Enterprise platforms including NetSuite, Acumatica, and Epicor use quote-based pricing that typically runs far higher.
What is the difference between MRP and ERP?
MRP focuses on planning materials and production: what to make, what to buy, and when. ERP is a broader system that includes manufacturing functionality alongside accounting, HR, CRM, and other business operations. Many ERP platforms contain an MRP module, but standalone MRP tools are simpler and cheaper for manufacturers that only need production planning.
Is there free MRP software?
Katana offers a free plan for up to 30 SKUs, and Odoo has a free one-app plan. Most commercial MRP vendors offer free trials (typically 14 to 30 days) rather than permanent free plans. Open-source ERP options exist but require technical resources to run well.
Do I need MRP software if I use QuickBooks?
QuickBooks handles accounting well but lacks real manufacturing planning. If you are managing bills of materials, work orders, and material purchasing in spreadsheets alongside QuickBooks, tools like Fishbowl (built for QuickBooks integration) or Unleashed add the manufacturing layer without replacing your accounting.
How long does MRP software take to implement?
Cloud MRP tools like Katana, MRPeasy, and ERPAG can be operational in weeks with internal effort. Mid-market ERP implementations typically take two to six months with partner help. Enterprise platforms like NetSuite or Epicor are multi-month projects. Data cleanup, especially bills of materials and inventory counts, usually takes longer than the software setup itself.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://katanamrp.com
- https://www.mrpeasy.com/
- https://odoo.com/
- https://unleashedsoftware.com/
- https://netsuite.com/
- https://www.fishbowlinventory.com
- https://acumatica.com/
- https://epicor.com/
- https://jobboss.com/
- https://www.erpag.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.