The 6 Best MRP Software for Manufacturers

When spreadsheets are breaking, and ERP systems force you to pay for a bunch of features you don’t want, what solution can a manufacturer turn to? 

At this point, many turn to MRP system software to help them manage their inventory and run production, without the headaches of bloated ERP solutions or the high price tag. To help you get started with your research to choose the best MRP software for manufacturing, we’ve compiled this list of the 7 best ones available on the market right now. We wanted to diversify the list with tools that are better suited to specific stages of business growth. 

So, whatever stage your business is at, there’s a tool below that can help you manage your materials, production, and demand, without getting in the way of your workflows. 

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1. Digit

Digit is the best MRP software for manufacturers due to its affordability and ease of use.

Rating: 4.9/5

Pricing: Starts at $199/month

Free trial: Yes

Digit, a cloud-based system, is one of the newest MRP software examples on this list but is already proving itself in the manufacturing industry. 

Digit gives you everything you need to optimize and manage your materials planning, purchasing, production, and fulfillment operations, so you can manage your entire supply chain from a single screen. 

If your business's growth has been locked behind the cells of a spreadsheet, then Digit is a significant upgrade, helping you unify all your important business information so it’s accessible to your shop floor operators and manufacturing managers, allowing both to see the progress of tasks and know exactly what needs to be done next to fulfill an order. 

Digit's Core Features

Digit takes the number 1 spot on this list of best MRP software for manufacturing, as it not only gives you the tools you need to manage your inventory and production, but it also helps you with: 

• Inventory Management — See exactly where every item is in your business in real time. Also, if you work in the food and beverage or electronics industry, you can track batches, lots, and serial numbers for a detailed overview of where all your inventory went after it leaves your warehouse or for warranty tracking.
• Procurement Management — Create and receive purchase orders, in full or in part. And if supplies arrive but weren’t recorded in the system, you can create a PO retroactively so everything is properly documented. 
• Manufacturing and MRP — Create and maintain your bill of materials, either at a single-level or multi-level if you handle subassemblies, so you can guarantee consistent product builds, as BOMs also help automate production scheduling.

Pros

• Easy to use with fast implementation and hands-on onboarding 
• Unify your inventory, warehouse, and production processes and teams 
• Real-time inventory with barcode scanning, with quick inventory counts 
• Native integrations, as well as access to an open API to create your own integrations 

Cons

• It’s a relatively young MRP software, and some advanced manufacturing features are still in development

Is Digit Right for You? 

Due to its affordability and how quickly you can get it up and running within your business, we would recommend Digit if you’re looking for real-time visibility into your entire business. Another thing about this MRP software system is that it offers businesses the opportunity to set up a free account, so you can pilot Digit within your business before making a commitment. Try it for free here. 

2. MRPeasy 

Best purpose-built MRP for small manufacturers. 

Rating: 4.5/5 

Pricing: Starts at $49/user/month 

Free trial: Yes 

MRPeasy is a well-known MRP software system designed for smaller manufacturing operations looking to scale their operations and business.  

If you’re looking for a little more than an MRP, MRPeasy is a good compromise if you don’t want to commit time and money to a large-scale ERP system, as it comes with a lot of features to help you manage most of your business. 

Pros

• Good value for the money you’ll spend when compared to similar-sized MRP and ERP systems 
• Comes built with comprehensive BOM support, including multi-level and configurable BOMs 

Cons

• Reviews online suggest that the UI is dated and cluttered
• Onboarding is mostly self-service and self-led, which can make the process tedious
• Reporting features are limited, with reviews suggesting that many go back to spreadsheets 
• Costs can increase quickly as you scale, making it less viable for larger operations  

Is MRPeasy Right for You?

Due to how costs increase as you scale, MRPeasy is a great MRP software system for smaller manufacturers that need to get their production under control. However, if your team is unfamiliar with using MRP software tools, it might be a struggle to get them on board, as they will need to take the initiative and learn how to use them themselves.  

3. NetSuite  

We’ve allowed one ERP system into the list because this is likely a better solution if you’re a large enterprise.

Rating: 4.2/5 

Pricing: Contact vendor (typically $999+/month; implementation costs range from $50,000 to $250,000+) 

Free trial: No 

Due to limitations of most MRP system software, if you’re a large company, then it’s more cost-effective to opt for an ERP platform like Oracle’s NetSuite. 

The reason is that with most solutions, costs increase based on users and orders, so it’ll likely be more cost-effective to opt for NetSuite instead, and centralize your entire business so you can manage everything, such as: 

• Financials
• Inventory
• Production
• Supply chain
• Procurement
• Warehouse management 

And ultimately, a manufacturing ERP system is always going to be able to do a lot more than an MRP, and is a better choice if you're a big business looking to get a handle on multi-subsidiary structures, multi-currency transactions, and multi-location inventory.

Pros

• Features and tools to manage your entire business, regardless of how complex your workflows are
• Best for mid-market businesses and enterprises, especially if they’re using Oracle products already
• Scales well from mid-market to enterprise without requiring a system change

Cons

• The most expensive in this list, which is pricier depending on how many modules, users, and customizations you need 
• Will take a long time to implement and require paid consultants to help with onboarding
• Interface is complex, and many routine tasks involve multiple steps or require admin involvement

Is NetSuite Right for You?

If you’re a larger business with a complicated manufacturing operation, but you need something to centralize your entire business across multiple locations, entities, and markets, then NetSuite could be worth a look. If you’re a smaller manufacturer, then it will likely be too costly and overkill. 

4. Katana Cloud Inventory 

Best for e-commerce businesses making and selling their own inventory. 

Rating: 4.6/5 

Pricing: Starts at $299/month (Core plan; manufacturing management add-on $199/month extra) 

Free trial: Free plan available (limited to 30 SKUs) 

Katana Cloud Inventory is a bit of a tricky one to define, as it is only a few years older than Digit and has undergone several facelifts over the years. 

We’ve included it in this list of best MRP software for manufacturers because it is indeed a form of MRP, but with a heavier focus on inventory management, with add-ons to extend its functionality. Katana comes with many native integrations, all of which are essential for managing e-commerce stores, and every time a new order comes through one of these channels, inventory is automatically committed to that order. Implementation is very quick, especially compared to other ERP vendors, typically taking around six weeks. 

Pros

• Users praise its interface 
• You can easily take an omnichannel sales approach with its integrations 
• Strong customer support with fast response times
• No per-user fees, and costs center around product usage

Cons

• Pricing is difficult to understand as features are hidden behind add-ons, and some costs, like onboarding, are mandatory. Also, because of the pricing model, it’s going to be expensive at higher order volumes and essentially not viable for some businesses like wholesalers. Finally, most reviewers have pointed out that there have been price increases mid-contract and that features have been moved behind paid add-ons 
• Manufacturing features and tools are behind a paid add-on 
• BOM functionality is considered below-average when compared to other tools in this list 

Is Katana Right for You?

It’s a very good choice if you’re a DTC brand with a heavy focus on e-commerce sales. However, due to the changes to pricing and which features have been moved from the basic package to paid add-ons, it feels like this tool is better suited to businesses with a very specific manufacturing operation (selling online, low volume of orders, size doesn’t matter so much). 

5. Odoo 

Best Open-Source / Free Option for Budget-Conscious Businesses

Rating: 4.2/5

Pricing: Free Community plan; paid plans start around $31/user/month (typically ~$9.90–$31 depending on plan/region)

Free trial: Free plan available (Community edition)

Odoo is a modular, open-source ERP platform that covers nearly every core business function. 

Out of all the MRP system software that has appeared on this list so far, Odoo stands out because it is modular, so you only pay for what you need. That means a business can start with a single app for free and slowly expand into a fully integrated ERP as they grow.

Pros

• Very flexible and scales alongside your business 
• Free, open-source Community version  
• Pay for the features you need, such as inventory, manufacturing, CRM, and accounting

Cons

• A steep learning curve and technical setup that will likely require paying developers or partners to set up 
• Frequent bugs and upgrade challenges are reported by users
• Costs can rise quickly as more apps, users, and hosting are added
• Customer support is inconsistent, especially on the lower-tier plans

Is Odoo Right for You?

If you don’t have much budget, or your business is just starting up and you need to keep costs as low as possible, Odoo is a great choice, as you can easily customize it to give you exactly what you need from your software. Once your business starts to scale, you simply add more modules. 

6. Epicor Kinetic 

Best for Mid-Market Discrete Manufacturers

Rating: 3.8/5

Pricing: Custom pricing (contact vendor)

Free trial: Not available

Epicor Kinetic is a cloud-focused ERP platform purpose-built for discrete and make-to-order manufacturers that need deeper operational control, advanced production planning, and end-to-end visibility across their business and supply chain processes. 

Positioned squarely in the mid-market, it combines traditional ERP capabilities with embedded AI, business intelligence, and IoT integrations to support more complex manufacturing environments. 

Pros

• Strong fit for discrete and make-to-order manufacturing workflows
• Deep functionality across production, supply chain, and financials
• Highly customizable system with flexible deployment options
• Built-in AI, analytics, and IoT capabilities for advanced operations

Cons

• According to reviews, customer support is a consistent pain point 
• A steeper learning curve and a more complex implementation than lighter systems
• Costs can escalate with customization, modules, and ongoing support 
• Interface and usability can feel less intuitive compared to newer tools 

Is Epicor Kinetic Right for You?

It’s a strong fit for mid-market manufacturers with complex operations that need robust planning, deep customization, and full ERP coverage across the business. If you have the resources for implementation and ongoing management, Kinetic can deliver. But smaller teams or those prioritizing ease of use and fast deployment will likely find it too heavy.

How to Choose the Best MRP Software for Your Business

This article contains just six of the best MRP software for manufacturers, but if any of these don’t sound as though they’re a good fit for you, there are still tons of vendors floating around online to choose from. 

When you start investigating and testing solutions, whether from this list or found elsewhere, we’d like to give you a quick checklist you can follow to help you determine which is the best solution for you: 

• Ease of use — Are your operators tech savvy, or will they need hands-on training to get set up with new software? 
• Implementation time — How long can you afford to have potential downtime as you move over to the new software? Can you do a full rollout, or will it need to be iterative? 
• Pricing transparency — As pointed out in this list, some costs are hidden, and historical price changes have been unpredictable. What is your budget, and have you analyzed all the implementation costs? 
• Core MRP functionality — Does it cover the basic MRP functionalities, or are features like BOMs, production scheduling, inventory, and procurement hidden behind paid add-ons? 
• Implementation and customer support — Is implementation handled via self-onboarding, or is help available for post-implementation check-ins? 
• Integrations — Will you be able to integrate the software into your current tech stack?

And with that said, there you have it! The best MRP software for manufacturing is available today, and some questions to ask yourself when choosing software for your business. 

If you already want to start testing solutions, we recommend trying Digit — an affordable, easy-to-implement MRP software that gives you and your team an end-to-end view of your operations from any device with an internet connection. You can try it for free. Try it out on your shop floor today and see how quickly you can optimize your manufacturing flows.