Carpe Inventory IQ vs Katana
Choosing between Carpe Inventory IQ and Katana? Here is an honest side-by-side for multichannel merchants — features, pricing model, and what switching involves. Where we could not verify a claim, the cell says so; we would rather show a gap than invent a fact.
Carpe Inventory IQ
One source of truth for multichannel merchants: multi-channel sync, bills of materials, raw material tracking, purchase orders, and oversell protection — on flat monthly plans with no per-SKU, per-user, or per-order fees.
Katana
Manufacturing-focused cloud inventory software (Katana Cloud Inventory).
Feature-by-feature comparison
Verified against Katana’s own published materials. Where we could not verify a claim, the cell says so.
| Feature | Carpe Inventory IQ | Katana |
|---|---|---|
| Multichannel inventory sync | Included:One shared pool of stock across every connected channel | Included:Syncs stock across connected stores |
| Shopify | Included:Native Shopify app | Included:Native integration |
| BigCommerce | Included:Native BigCommerce app | Included:Native integration |
| Amazon | Included:FBA, FBM, and AWD | Included:Native, including FBA |
| eBay | Included:Inventory sync | Available with conditions:Via third-party connector (Extensiv) |
| Walmart Marketplace | Included:Included | Available with conditions:Via third-party connector (Extensiv) |
| Bills of materials & raw materials | Included:Dynamic & static BOMs, raw materials, kits | Available with conditions:Via Manufacturing add-on ($199/mo) |
| Nested BOMs | Included:BOMs nest inside BOMs — subassemblies resolve automatically | Available with conditions:Subassemblies up to 10 levels — via Manufacturing add-on |
| Lot & expiry tracking | Included:Lot and expiry date tracking | Available with conditions:Via Traceability add-on ($249/mo) |
| Barcode scanning | Included:Phone-camera scanning — no hardware, included in every plan | Included:Receiving, picking, packing, stocktaking |
| Purchase orders & reorder suggestions | Included:POs with reorder suggestions built in | Included:POs with calculated reorder quantities |
| Oversell protection | Included:Real-time sync backed by Inventory Reserve and Dynamic Cloak™ | Not verified:Not stated by vendor |
| Inventory Reserve & Dynamic Cloak™ | Included:Both — reserve buffers per channel, cloak recalculated with every transaction | Not verified:Not verified |
| Migration Wizard from Finale Inventory | Included:Built in — reads the files Finale already exports | Not offered:None published |
| Risk-free parallel run | Included:Every channel connection starts in Read-Only mode | Not verified:Not verified |
| Pricing model | Flat plans by channel count — no per-SKU, per-user, or per-order fees | Usage-based — scales with sales orders and locations, plus paid add-on modules |
| Starting price | From $99/mo, capped at $187/mo for 3+ channels · 14-day free trial | Free plan; paid from $299/mo (usage-based) |
| Support | Email support, searchable help center, and the Ask Ledger help assistant | 24/7 support on paid plans; CSM on top tier |
Want the whole market at a glance? See the full comparison chart.
Switching systems? Your data comes with you.
Bulk CSV import and export covers SKUs, aliases, bills of materials, supplier data, and inventory levels — and if you are coming from Finale Inventory, a Migration Wizard reads Finale’s export files directly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I try Carpe Inventory IQ while still running Katana?
Yes. Every channel connection in Carpe Inventory IQ starts in Read-Only mode — it imports and tracks your inventory without pushing anything to your marketplaces. Run it in parallel with your current system, compare counts, and go live one channel at a time when you are confident.
Does Carpe Inventory IQ support migrating from Katana?
Yes. Bulk CSV import and export covers SKUs, aliases, bills of materials, supplier data, and inventory levels — export from your current system, tidy up in a spreadsheet, and import in bulk. And if you are coming from Finale Inventory, a Migration Wizard reads Finale’s own export files directly.
How much does Carpe Inventory IQ cost?
Flat monthly plans at $99, $148, or $187 per month depending on how many sales channels you connect — capped at $187/mo no matter how much you sell, with no per-SKU, per-user, or per-order fees. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
See it with your own catalog
Connect in Read-Only mode, watch your real inventory flow in, and decide with your own numbers.
All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Carpe Inventory IQ is not affiliated with any company mentioned on this page. Feature and pricing information reflects our understanding at the time of writing — always confirm details with each vendor directly.