Katana alternative for smaller made-to-order businesses

Katana is a powerful manufacturing system for growing brands, priced from $299 a month plus add-ons. Sentralbee gives made-to-order businesses costing, a production board, measurements on every order line, a WhatsApp and Instagram inbox and Paystack, starting free, with naira pricing for Nigeria.

Facts about Katana checked on 4 October 2026 from its public pages. Tell us if something has changed: [email protected]

Side by side

What matters	Sentralbee	Katana
Built for	Made-to-order businesses: fashion, cakes, furniture	Manufacturers and brands making repeat products
Costing from your materials	Yes, per product and variant (Pro and above)	Yes, bills of materials
Materials stock	Yes, with suppliers and low-stock levels	Yes
Production stages	Yes. A board with your own stages per product	Yes, routings and a Shop Floor app
Measurements on each order	Yes, on every made-to-order line	Not found
WhatsApp and Instagram inbox	Yes, one inbox, with Messenger and Gmail too (Pro and above)	Not found
Invoices and payment links	Yes. Deposits and balances on Enterprise	Through QuickBooks or Xero
Paystack (Nigerian payments)	Yes, built in	Not found
Mobile app	Yes, iOS and Android	Shop Floor and Warehouse apps
Starting price	Free. Pro ₦7,500 a month	Free up to 30 products. Core from $299 a month, plus add-ons

Where Katana is the better choice: You are a funded brand of 10 to 100 people making repeat products, with QuickBooks or Xero and Shopify, and need traceability.

The short version

Where Katana is the better choice

You are a funded brand of 10 to 100 people making repeat products, with QuickBooks or Xero and Shopify, and need traceability.

Where Sentralbee fits

You make products to order, and every order is a little different.
You want to know what each piece really costs before you quote.
Your customers order on WhatsApp and Instagram.
You have a team, and need to see every order at every stage.
You take deposits and want to know who still owes you.

Questions

Is Sentralbee cheaper than Katana?

Sentralbee starts free, with Pro at ₦7,500 a month for makers. Katana: Free up to 30 products. Core from $299 a month, plus add-ons. Compare what you need, not just the price.

When is Katana the better choice?

You are a funded brand of 10 to 100 people making repeat products, with QuickBooks or Xero and Shopify, and need traceability.

Can I move my data across?

Yes. You can import products and materials from a spreadsheet, and we help with setup on a free Clarity Review.

Sources: Katana pricing · Katana make-to-order workflow

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