Fiddle vs Katana
Katana sells batch and lot tracking as a $249/mo Traceability add-on. Fiddle includes lot and expiry tracking from Growth ($499/mo), alongside BOMs, work orders, purchasing, fulfillment, and connections to Shopify, Faire, QuickBooks Online, and Xero.
Last updated . Competitor details are sourced at the bottom of this page.
Katana and Fiddle both handle bills of materials, manufacturing orders, purchasing, Shopify, and QuickBooks Online or Xero, and both offer an MCP server for AI assistants. The biggest difference is packaging. Katana Core starts at $299/mo plus usage, with lot tracking ($249/mo), routings ($199/mo), and warehouse tools ($149/mo) sold as add-ons. Fiddle publishes every price and includes lot and expiry tracking from Growth ($499/mo), with batch records for supplement and food makers available as the Advanced Manufacturing Records module ($299/mo on Growth and up). Katana may suit you better if you are very small (its free plan covers up to 30 SKUs), need serial numbers or shop-floor barcode scanning today, or want unlimited users on the base plan.
A check means the capability is available. A half circle means it is partial or sold as an add-on — see the note.
| Capability | Fiddle | Katana |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory & Purchasing | ||
| Multi-location inventory | YesSites included by plan | Yes1 location on Core; more are billed |
| Purchase orders and receiving | YesApprovals, partial receipts, landed costs | Yes |
| Bin and shelf locations | YesEvery plan | Partly, or as an add-onWarehouse add-on ($149/mo) |
| Mobile barcode scanning | NoLabel printing today; mobile app coming soon | Partly, or as an add-onWarehouse add-on or Shop Floor App |
| Traceability | ||
| Lot tracking with expiry dates | YesIncluded from Growth ($499/mo) | Partly, or as an add-onTraceability add-on ($249/mo) |
| Serial number tracking | No | Partly, or as an add-onTraceability add-on ($249/mo) |
| Manufacturing | ||
| Bills of materials and manufacturing orders | YesMulti-level BOMs, every plan | Yes |
| Sales Channels & Accounting | ||
| Shopify | YesOrders, products, stock by location | Yes |
| Faire | YesNative order import and fulfillment | YesVia Extensiv Integration Manager, with stock sync |
| Amazon and WooCommerce | YesAmazon FBM and WooCommerce | Yes |
| QuickBooks Online and Xero | YesInvoices, purchase orders, and bills | Yes |
| AI & API | ||
| MCP server for AI assistants | Yesfiddle.io/mcp | YesLaunched August 31, 2026 |
| Open API | YesREST API with API keys | Yes |
| Pricing & Plans | ||
| Free plan | No | YesUp to 30 SKUs |
| Unlimited users on the base plan | NoExtra users $49/user/mo | Yes |
| Usage and overage rates published | YesListed on fiddle.io/pricing | Partly, or as an add-onSales-order rates not listed |
| Onboarding included | Yes30-Day Onboarding on Starter; longer on higher plans | Partly, or as an add-on$2,000 optional package |
Lot and expiry tracking is included from Growth ($499/mo) up: lots carry expiry dates and quarantine or release status, picking can follow FEFO, and a recall report traces a lot forward to every customer order and shipment.
Master batch records with revisions, approvals, procedures, and specifications, and an issued record for every production batch. Available as the Advanced Manufacturing Records module ($299/mo on Growth and up).
Shopify and Faire orders and direct wholesale orders draw from one inventory record. Fiddle updates Shopify stock per location, and invoices, purchase orders, and bills sync to QuickBooks Online or Xero.
Every Fiddle plan, add-on, and overage block is published on fiddle.io/pricing. Plans start at $299/mo, with onboarding included.
Filo, the AI agent inside Fiddle, checks stock, recommends what to reorder, and drafts purchase orders and work orders for you to review. Fiddle’s MCP server lets Claude and other AI assistants use the same reviewed tools.
Our team helps you move items, suppliers, supplier pricing, lots, and stock levels from Katana exports or spreadsheets, and set up your bills of materials in Fiddle.
The price on the page is the price you pay
3 users · 250 inventory items · 1 site · 1,000 orders/month
8 users · 2,500 inventory items · 3 sites · 3,000 orders/month
15 users · 25,000 inventory items · 10 sites · 10,000 orders/month
Unlimited users · Unlimited inventory items · Unlimited sites · Unlimited orders
Published list prices
Up to 30 SKUs after a 15-day grace period
Plus usage fees for delivered sales orders and extra locations
Annual pricing
Katana also offers an optional $2,000 onboarding package and a Shop Floor App add-on whose price is not listed.
Fiddle Growth
$499/mo
Lot and expiry tracking included, with 8 users, 2,500 inventory items, and 3,000 orders/month.
Katana Core + Traceability
From $548/mo
Core from $299/mo plus the $249/mo Traceability add-on, before sales-order usage fees. Unlimited users and SKUs.
Add Katana’s Manufacturing add-on ($199/mo) for routings. Fiddle plans include 3, 8, or 15 users, with extra users at $49/user/mo. Fiddle batch records are sold as the Advanced Manufacturing Records module ($299/mo on Growth and up). List prices as published on each vendor’s site.
Katana is a capable manufacturing inventory tool, and for some teams it is the better choice.
“We've looked at a lot of systems over the years, and nothing comes close to Fiddle when it comes to batch records. They clearly understand how nutraceutical contract manufacturers actually work. Our records are accurate, traceable, and something we can stand behind during any audit. Fiddle has the best batch record system we've seen, hands down, and the team genuinely listens when we have feedback.”
“We chose Fiddle because of the ease of use. We view Fiddle as a Trusted Partner, and highly endorse them.”
Competitor details were checked on from the pages below. Prices are published list prices in USD and can change; check each vendor's site for current terms. Fiddle prices come from fiddle.io/pricing.
Bring a real product, BOM, and supplier, and we will show you how Fiddle tracks it from receiving to shipment.