6 Best Manufacturing Accounting Software Solutions
Accounting software for small manufacturing businesses should have advanced inventory management capabilities along with the ability to manage labor costs, production schedules, work orders and bill of materials.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has more than fifteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
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Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has more than fifteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
95+ years of combined
experience covering small-business and personal finance.
50+ categories of best
business loan selections.
Objective and comprehensive business loans ratings rubric
– learn more about our star ratings.
NerdWallet's small-business loans content, including ratings,
recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and
editors who specialize in business lending. Their work has appeared in
The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq,
Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets.
Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Accounting for small manufacturing businesses is a little different than accounting software for other industries — and manufacturers need to make sure that it can accommodate these differences. In particular, you’ll likely want the software you use for your manufacturing business to be able to manage inventory accounting for raw materials, work-in-process inventory and finished goods. You’ll also probably want features that help you track and manage labor costs, create and manage product schedules, produce and track work orders and manage and customize your bill of materials.
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NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including accounting, payment processing and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Here are our top manufacturing accounting software recommendations.
Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
No inbound phone customer support (callbacks are available, though).
Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to claim expenses.
Xero allows unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature for businesses where several users may need at least limited access to the system to run reports or analyze performance. Xero also has a customizable analytics dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels.
Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
No inbound phone customer support (callbacks are available, though).
Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to claim expenses.
Xero allows unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature for businesses where several users may need at least limited access to the system to run reports or analyze performance. Xero also has a customizable analytics dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels.
Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
More than 750 app integrations.
Robust feature set includes record-keeping, reporting, invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
Chat and phone support available Monday through Saturday in all plans.
Cons
Expensive compared with the competition.
Frequent price increases and a tendency toward upselling.
Limited account users with each plan.
QuickBooks Online is an industry leader in the accounting field, thanks to its strong feature set, scalability and ability to accommodate small businesses with more complex financial needs. With millions of users worldwide, your accountant will likely be familiar with it.
Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
More than 750 app integrations.
Robust feature set includes record-keeping, reporting, invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
Chat and phone support available Monday through Saturday in all plans.
Cons
Expensive compared with the competition.
Frequent price increases and a tendency toward upselling.
Limited account users with each plan.
QuickBooks Online is an industry leader in the accounting field, thanks to its strong feature set, scalability and ability to accommodate small businesses with more complex financial needs. With millions of users worldwide, your accountant will likely be familiar with it.
Strong feature set includes thorough record-keeping, invoicing and advanced inventory management and pricing rules.
More than 200 reports, including industry-specific options for various industries.
24/7 phone and chat support.
Cons
Outdated user interface.
Limited direct, third-party integrations for payroll software and popular point-of-sale systems.
Annual subscriptions are expensive; each additional user license costs extra.
As far as locally installed desktop accounting software goes, QuickBooks Enterprise is one of the most feature-rich. It comes with industry-specific features that include specialized reporting for construction companies, nonprofits, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.
Strong feature set includes thorough record-keeping, invoicing and advanced inventory management and pricing rules.
More than 200 reports, including industry-specific options for various industries.
24/7 phone and chat support.
Cons
Outdated user interface.
Limited direct, third-party integrations for payroll software and popular point-of-sale systems.
Annual subscriptions are expensive; each additional user license costs extra.
As far as locally installed desktop accounting software goes, QuickBooks Enterprise is one of the most feature-rich. It comes with industry-specific features that include specialized reporting for construction companies, nonprofits, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.
Best for Overall manufacturing accounting software
Starting at
$329/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $429. There is also a one-time implementation fee.
Promotion
N/A
Pros
Specialized industry software designed for manufacturing businesses.
End-to-end manufacturing software solution.
Integrates with popular accounting software.
Customer support available by phone, chat and email included in all plans.
Mobile app available for all plans.
Cons
Integration needed for accounting functions.
Only two users included in plan pricing; additional users cost extra.
Fishbowl is a complete manufacturing software solution that helps you manage your bill of materials, labor costs, product schedules, work orders and more. And because it integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, it can also handle your manufacturing accounting needs.
Fishbowl
Best for Overall manufacturing accounting software
Starting at
$329/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $429. There is also a one-time implementation fee.
Promotion
N/A
Pros
Specialized industry software designed for manufacturing businesses.
End-to-end manufacturing software solution.
Integrates with popular accounting software.
Customer support available by phone, chat and email included in all plans.
Mobile app available for all plans.
Cons
Integration needed for accounting functions.
Only two users included in plan pricing; additional users cost extra.
Fishbowl is a complete manufacturing software solution that helps you manage your bill of materials, labor costs, product schedules, work orders and more. And because it integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, it can also handle your manufacturing accounting needs.
Katana
Best for Manufacturing inventory management software with accounting integrations
Katana’s inventory software lets you track both raw materials and finished products, set reorder points and see which items have the best profit margins.
Katana
Best for Manufacturing inventory management software with accounting integrations
Katana’s inventory software lets you track both raw materials and finished products, set reorder points and see which items have the best profit margins.
Odoo
4.1
Best for Scalable accounting software for small manufacturing businesses
Starting at
$0
For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.
Promotion
Monthly discount
for the first 12 months.
Pros
Unlimited users.
Vast library of directly integrated apps means the software can grow with your business.
Open-source model encourages regular testing and improvement of the software.
Cons
Paid plan is required to access the full list of features for most apps and any additional apps.
Phone support is only available for database emergencies.
If you just want to use Odoo’s accounting app alone, you and an unlimited number of users can do so for free. If, however, you have need for any of Odoo’s dozens of other open-source business apps (for inventory, sales, marketing, manufacturing, HR and more), then you can choose a paid plan to open your access to the full library of apps that integrate seamlessly.
Odoo
Best for Scalable accounting software for small manufacturing businesses
4.1
Starting at
$0
For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.
Promotion
Monthly discount
for the first 12 months.
Pros
Unlimited users.
Vast library of directly integrated apps means the software can grow with your business.
Open-source model encourages regular testing and improvement of the software.
Cons
Paid plan is required to access the full list of features for most apps and any additional apps.
Phone support is only available for database emergencies.
If you just want to use Odoo’s accounting app alone, you and an unlimited number of users can do so for free. If, however, you have need for any of Odoo’s dozens of other open-source business apps (for inventory, sales, marketing, manufacturing, HR and more), then you can choose a paid plan to open your access to the full library of apps that integrate seamlessly.
Our picks for best manufacturing accounting software
Fishbowl
Best overall manufacturing accounting software
Price
Starting at $329 per month for Warehousing for Fishbowl Drive and Fishbowl Advanced.
Starting at $429 per month for Manufacturing for Fishbowl Advanced.
Pricing not disclosed for Manufacturing for Fishbowl Drive.
Why we like it: Fishbowl Manufacturing provides a full ERP system for your manufacturing business that directly integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero for your accounting needs. It also integrates with a number of other third-party apps and platforms, as well, to round out your manufacturing software solution.
The software allows you to customize your bill of materials, manage work orders and labor costs and keep production plans and schedules organized. It also helps you create an efficient workflow, which is essential to running a manufacturing business.
Katana
Best manufacturing inventory management software with accounting integrations
Price
$129 per month for the Essential plan.
$349 per month for the Advanced plan.
$999 per month for the Professional plan.
Custom pricing available for the Enterprise plan.
Why we like it: Katana’s manufacturing inventory management software offers an “insights” dashboard for monitoring sales, spending, profits and other financial information as well as a Shop Floor app, which caters especially to manufacturers that need to closely track production progress. Katana’s purchase order functionality is another plus: When you create a purchase order, the software will take stock of your inventory from that particular vendor and let you know if you’re missing anything. The system even integrates with well-known accounting and e-commerce products, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, WooCommerce and Shopify.
Best for midsize to large manufacturing businesses
Price
$1,703 per year for the Silver plan.
$2,210 per year for the Gold plan.
$2,717 per year for the Platinum plan.
$5,364 per year for the Diamond plan.
Why we like it: Although this is a desktop solution, QuickBooks Enterprise for Manufacturing & Wholesale can easily be hosted in the cloud (at an additional cost). This version of QuickBooks has many of the features manufacturers need, such as assemblies management, order management, bill of materials tracking and a hub for centralizing all your vendor details. Because QuickBooks Enterprise offers a wealth of advanced, industry-specific reporting and inventory management capabilities, and because costs for this product can add up quite quickly, it makes better sense for a larger, more established manufacturing business.
Odoo
Best scalable accounting software for small manufacturing businesses
Price
$0 per month for use of a single app.
$31.10 per user per month (or $24.90 per month billed annually) for access to all apps.
$46.80 per user per month (or $37.40 per month billed annually) for access to all apps across multiple companies plus Odoo’s external API.
Why we like it: Odoo is a network of open-source business applications that have been designed to work seamlessly together. Odoo offers an enticing pricing model that allows you use of a single Odoo app, say accounting, completely free of cost. You only begin to pay a monthly fee as you add on applications. In that way, Odoo’s software is highly scalable. Start with the accounting and manufacturing apps, then add on sales, CRM, marketing and more as your business needs evolve.
Odoo’s accounting app will fetch you all the expected functions, including automated bank reconciliation, invoice templates, automatic invoice payment reminders for your customers, online payment enablement and financial reporting. Its manufacturing app gives you access to tools for capacity planning, barcode scanning, quality control and analysis, bill of materials management and more.
Why we like it: You may have been told QuickBooks Online is not a good fit for inventory-based businesses like your small-manufacturing company. On its own, this is true. QuickBooks Online has a very limited inventory feature. However, there are more than a dozen third-party applications specifically designed for small-manufacturing businesses that integrate directly with QuickBooks Online, including Fishbowl.
QuickBooks Online is supported by thousands of accountants and bookkeepers around the world, making it easy to find a provider who specializes in accounting for small manufacturers. This, combined with the ease of integration with software specifically designed for manufacturing businesses, makes it a solid manufacturing accounting solution. Read our full QuickBooks Online review.
Xero
Best general accounting software with manufacturing business integrations
Price
$20 per month for the Early plan.
$47 per month for the Growing plan.
$80 per month for the Established plan.
Why we like it: Xero is another household accounting name with feature-rich software that can handle all your necessary accounting functions. Similar to QuickBooks Online, on its own, Xero isn’t specialized enough to serve as a singular manufacturing software solution. It does, however, offer dozens of manufacturing and inventory integrations, including Fishbowl, Katana and Cin7, to build on its strong accounting foundation and meet your manufacturing business needs. Read our full Xero Accounting review.
Billie Anne Grigg contributed to an earlier version of this article, which was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
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