Two Light-Manufacturing Platforms, Different Starting Points#
Katana and Cin7 Core (formerly DEAR Systems) both serve ANZ light manufacturers but came from different directions. Katana was built around manufacturing — production planning, BOMs, shop-floor visibility from day one. Cin7 Core was built around inventory and order management, with manufacturing added over time. The product DNA still shows.
This comparison covers what actually differs between them for ANZ light manufacturers.
Headline Positioning#
Katana. Manufacturing-led inventory and light-MRP platform. Multi-level BOMs with routing, production scheduling, shop-floor visibility through a dedicated app. Built for product makers from day one. Tallinn-based (Estonia), global SaaS.
Cin7 Core (DEAR). Inventory and order management platform with light manufacturing added. Strong Xero integration, multi-channel sales, light-manufacturing modules including multi-level BOMs and auto-assembly. Originally Auckland-built; now part of Denver-headquartered Cin7 Inc.
Pricing — Headline and Real#
| Dimension | Katana | Cin7 Core |
|---|---|---|
| Annual licences (typical SMB) | NZ$4,000–18,000 | NZ$4,500–12,000 |
| Implementation | NZ$5,000–25,000 | NZ$5,000–25,000 |
| Pricing tiers | Essential / Advanced / Professional | Standard / Pro / Advanced |
| Per-user fees | NZ$720/year (additional users) | NZ$600/year |
| Users included in base | 3 | 5 |
Pricing is similar at most tiers. Katana's Professional tier (for businesses needing the deepest manufacturing depth) is slightly more expensive than Cin7 Core's Advanced tier.
Manufacturing Depth#
This is the core comparison.
Katana Manufacturing. - Multi-level BOMs with routing — each stage maps to work centres and operators - Production planning with capacity awareness - Shop-floor app (mobile/tablet) showing operator views and machine status - Work order management with material reservation - Batch tracking for compliance industries - Quality control workflow - Multiple production stages with handoffs
Cin7 Core Manufacturing. - Multi-level BOMs with auto-assembly - Work order management - Production tracking against orders - Basic batch/serial tracking - Contract manufacturing support
The depth difference. Katana's manufacturing module is the core product; Cin7 Core's manufacturing is an add-on to an inventory platform. For operators where production planning, routing, and shop-floor visibility are central operational concerns, Katana has meaningful depth. For operators where manufacturing is light (single-level or simple multi-level BOMs without routing), either product handles it.
Inventory and Multi-Channel#
This is where Cin7 Core has the edge.
Cin7 Core Inventory. - Multi-warehouse stock management - Multi-channel sales (Shopify, Amazon, eBay, retail POS) - Channel-aware stock allocation - Customer-specific pricing and B2B portal - Strong purchasing workflow with vendor management - Mature Xero integration
Katana Inventory. - Multi-warehouse stock management - Sales channel integration (Shopify, WooCommerce primarily) - Lighter multi-channel capability than Cin7 Core - Manufacturing-focused inventory views (raw materials, WIP, finished goods)
For manufacturers selling across multiple channels with diverse inventory beyond raw-material-to-finished-goods, Cin7 Core has broader inventory and channel capability. For manufacturers focused on production flow with simpler sales channels, Katana's manufacturing-centric inventory views are clearer.
Shop-Floor Visibility#
Katana. Dedicated shop-floor app for operators. Shows current work orders, materials needed, machine status, production progress. Operators can mark work order stages complete from the shop floor. Real-time visibility back to planning.
Cin7 Core. No dedicated shop-floor app. Production tracking happens through the web UI. Operators typically use shared workstations or paper-based work orders.
For manufacturers with multiple operators or machines where real-time floor visibility matters, Katana's shop-floor app is a significant operational advantage. For smaller manufacturers (1–3 operators in one shop), the lack of dedicated floor app is less critical.
Production Planning#
Katana. Visual production planning with drag-and-drop scheduling. Capacity awareness across work centres. Forecast-driven planning for repetitive manufacturing. MRP-light planning that drives purchase order recommendations.
Cin7 Core. Production tracking against sales orders. Less emphasis on forward planning; more emphasis on responding to incoming orders. Auto-assembly handles repeated manufacturing of stocked finished goods.
For manufacturers running on forecast-driven production with capacity constraints, Katana's planning is meaningfully deeper. For manufacturers running order-driven production (build to demand, no forward planning), Cin7 Core's order-response approach is simpler.
Xero Integration#
Both integrate with Xero bidirectionally.
Cin7 Core + Xero. Mature, deep integration. Sales invoices, purchase orders, inventory adjustments, COGS all sync cleanly. Most ANZ Cin7 Core deployments are Xero-attached.
Katana + Xero. Deep integration with Xero and QuickBooks Online. Strong sync of sales invoices, purchase orders, and inventory cost adjustments.
Both handle Xero well; Cin7 Core has the slightly more mature integration (longer track record, more edge cases handled).
ANZ Localisation#
Cin7 Core. Built originally for ANZ businesses (Auckland origins). Strong ANZ tax handling, native NZ Couriers and Australia Post integration, ANZ chart of accounts defaults.
Katana. Tallinn-built with global localisation. ANZ tax handling, NZ payroll/AU BAS via accounting integration. Carriers via integrations rather than first-party.
For ANZ-specific operational depth, Cin7 Core has the edge. For global operations or businesses with international focus, Katana's global-first design is more flexible.
ANZ Partner Landscape#
Cin7 Core. Strong ANZ partner network — Xero-adjacent consultancies and dedicated Cin7 implementation partners.
Katana. Smaller ANZ partner network. More businesses implement Katana directly or with light partner support.
When Katana Wins#
- Manufacturing is the central operational driver of your business
- You need shop-floor visibility for multiple operators or machines
- You run forecast-driven production with capacity planning needs
- Multi-level BOMs with routing are essential
- You value a manufacturing-first product designed by manufacturing-focused engineers
- Your sales channels are relatively simple (Shopify, direct, wholesale via spreadsheet)
When Cin7 Core Wins#
- You're primarily a multi-channel ecommerce or wholesale operator with light manufacturing
- Inventory and order management are the central operational drivers
- You need strong Shopify, Amazon, eBay, retail POS integration
- You're Xero-attached and want the mature Xero workflow
- ANZ operational defaults (NZ Couriers, Australia Post, ANZ tax) matter
- Your manufacturing is light (single-level BOMs or simple multi-level without complex routing)
What to Ask Both Vendors#
- Demo my production workflow end-to-end — order to production order to shop floor to inventory to invoice.
- Show me the multi-level BOM handling with my actual BOM structure.
- What does the shop-floor experience look like for my operators?
- How does the platform handle production capacity constraints?
- Show me 3 ANZ references in my industry from the partner.
See Also#
For broader context, see What is a WMS?, Manufacturing ERP Requirements, Inventory Management Module Architecture, and ERP Vendor Landscape 2024.