inFlow vs Katana
We give inFlow a 2.6 GPA and Katana a 2.4, out of 4.0. inFlow grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
inFlow
Inventory, orders and barcoding for wholesalers and small warehouses
Katana
Inventory and production software for makers and manufacturers
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAinFlowGood | 2.4GPAKatanaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFor a shop and an online store, Lite does it: $99 a month billed yearly ($129 monthly) for 2 team members, 1 location and unlimited integrations. Right in the middle of this category. A second location is $39 a month more, and Core jumps to $299 plus $499 onboarding. | CA shop with an online store will pass the free plan's 30 SKUs fast, since every variant and material counts. After that it's Advantage, quoted after a scoping call on one yearly contract, so there's no monthly figure to set against other tools. With no published price, it sits in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, just a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Long enough to scan in some stock and connect your store before paying. | CFree for up to 30 SKUs with every feature, unlimited users and the API, plus 15 days of unlimited SKUs with no card. A real way to try it, but 30 SKUs is a cap most makers will hit, and support on free is the AI assistant only. |
| Features | BStock across locations, sales orders to invoices, purchase orders with reorder points, barcode scanning, lots and serials, and a B2B portal. The whole stock-control job, though lots, serials and the portal are $39 add-ons on lower plans, and makers need the separate inFlow Manufacturing. | BMulti-level bills of materials, routings and work orders, live stock across locations, batch and serial tracking, sales and purchase orders and AI reorder suggestions. That's the whole job for a maker. There are no native phone apps, but the browser warehouse app handles scanning. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You'll import products, set up locations and connect your store and accounting, and every plan above Lite requires a $499 onboarding package. | CNo store rating on record to go by. Before it earns its keep you'll set up materials, bills of materials, routings and locations, and the paid plan comes with guided setup for a reason. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, iPhone and Android, with Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Etsy, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Zapier, plus an API ($49 a month on lower plans). That's the full spread. | BWeb only, with no native phone apps. It connects to Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, QuickBooks Online, Xero, ShipStation and HubSpot, has an API, and links to Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini over MCP. |
| Best for | wholesalers who scan stock with their phones | makers who build their own products |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: inFlow and Katana. How we grade
Where they differ
- Katana has a free plan. inFlow does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only inFlow lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- inFlow also covers invoicing and reports.
At a glance
| inFlow | Katana | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $99 per month, billed annually ($129 billed monthly) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | Free plan for up to 30 SKUs with unlimited users, integrations and locations, every Katana feature and API access. Support is the AI assistant and knowledge base only. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | A new free account can use unlimited SKUs for 15 days, no card required |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Archon Systems Inc. | Katana Technologies OÜ |
| Price read from | inflowinventory.com | katanamrp.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
inFlow
- Small wholesalers and distributors that sell to trade customers
- Field service and installer businesses tracking stock in vans and job sites
- Teams that want barcode scanning from ordinary phones
Katana
- Small manufacturers that make their own products from raw materials
- Shopify brands that also run production in-house or with co-manufacturers
- Food, cosmetics and other businesses that must trace batches
Worth knowing
inFlow
- Core, Pro and Max require a one-time $499 onboarding package; it is optional only on Lite.
- Extra team members cost $29 a month each, and extra locations on Lite and Core cost $39 a month each.
- Lot numbers, serial numbers and the B2B portal are $39 a month each and the API is $49 a month on lower plans.
- inFlow Manufacturing is priced separately from $169 a month billed annually; Stockroom alone is $69 a month billed annually.
Katana
- No price is published beyond the free plan: Advantage is quoted after a scoping call and sold as one annual contract.
- The free plan stops at 30 SKUs, counting each product or material variant, and has no live support.
- There are no native phone apps; the warehouse app runs in a mobile browser at wh.katanamrp.com.
Key features
inFlow
- Stock across locations
- Real-time stock levels across warehouses, stores and job sites, with transfers, sublocations and stock counts.
- Sales, invoicing and purchasing
- Quotes, sales orders, invoices, purchase orders and receiving in one system, with reorder points to restock in time.
- Barcode scanning and labels
- Scan with the iOS and Android apps or inFlow's own smartphone scanner, and print barcode labels on its portable printers.
- Showroom B2B portal
- An online ordering portal for trade customers on your own domain, with abandoned cart notices, included from Pro.
- Lots, serials and access rights
- Lot, batch, expiry and serial number tracking, and access limits by location or sales rep with purchase-order approvals.
- Windows app and integrations
- A Windows app beside the web app, and connections to Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Zapier.
Katana
- Production planning
- Multi-level bills of materials, routings and work orders, with materials assigned to orders and finished goods returned to stock when production ends.
- Live inventory across locations
- Stock for products and materials across warehouses, production sites and partner locations, with transfers and a real-time availability planner.
- Batch and serial traceability
- Track lot numbers, serial numbers and expiry dates from supplier to customer to answer recalls and audits.
- Sales and purchase orders
- Orders from Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce and wholesale in one list, purchase orders with landed costs, price lists and multiple currencies.
- Warehouse app and barcode scanning
- A browser-based warehouse app for receiving, picking, packing and stocktakes with a phone camera or a rugged scanner.
- AI replenishment and MCP
- AI purchase-order suggestions based on demand history, and an MCP connection to query and update Katana from Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini.
Plans
inFlow
Lite$99
per month, billed annually ($129 billed monthly)
2 team members and 1 location with no sublocations. Unlimited products, orders and integrations; the onboarding package is optional.
Core$299
per month, billed annually ($379 billed monthly)
5 team members and 5 locations, with lot and serial numbers, API and B2B portal as add-ons. Requires a one-time $499 onboarding package.
Pro$499
per month, billed annually ($629 billed monthly)
10 team members, unlimited locations, advanced access rights, the API and the Showroom B2B portal included. Requires $499 onboarding.
Max$699
per month, billed annually ($879 billed monthly)
20 team members, lot and serial numbers included, single sign-on and support calls over Zoom. Requires $499 onboarding.
Katana
Free$0
Up to 30 SKUs, unlimited users, integrations and inventory locations, all features and API access, with self-serve setup.
AdvantageCustom
Unlimited SKUs on one annual contract that includes guided setup, custom integrations and reports, a success manager and 24/7 live support.
Ways to pay less
inFlow
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Paying yearly cuts Lite from $129 to $99 a month, Core from $379 to $299, Pro from $629 to $499 and Max from $879 to $699.
- Other savings
Hardware credit for new customers
A one-time inFlow Shop credit toward scanners and printers: $100 on Lite, $250 on Core, $500 on Pro and $1,000 on Max, as shown with annual billing.
Katana
No public discounts listed.
