Makers Manager
by Makers Manager, LLC
Inventory, recipe costing and batch production for small-batch makers, built by candle makers. Batches pull materials from stock at average cost, lots and expiry are tracked, and a Candle Lab handles burn testing. Plans run from $9 a month.
Why it is classified this way
We call this a Light manufacturing product. Has bills of materials or recipes, consumes stock when you build, and tracks production, but time-phased planning is not verified.
It is not labeled Full MRP because we have not verified that it accepts dated demand, sales orders, a forecast, or a master production schedule; nets that demand against stock on hand and orders already incoming; explodes requirements through at least one level of the bill of materials; uses lead times or required dates; and produces dated buy, make, transfer, release, or reschedule recommendations. That is a statement about the evidence we found, not a claim that the product is weak, see the capability table and the sources below.
The six Full MRP tests, and how Makers Manager does on each (1 of 6)
- YesIt represents a bill of materials, recipe, or formula.Evidence: makersmanager.com › How it works(opens in a new tab); makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)
- UnknownIt accepts dated demand, sales orders, a forecast, or a master production schedule.Not established. No evidence found yet.
- PartialIt nets that demand against stock on hand and orders already incoming.Not established. Only partly shown: the evidence covers some of this but not all of it, so the test is not established.
- UnknownIt explodes requirements through at least one level of the bill of materials.Not established. No evidence found yet.
- UnknownIt uses lead times or required dates.Not established. No evidence found yet.
- PartialIt produces dated buy, make, transfer, release, or reschedule recommendations.Not established. Only partly shown: the evidence covers some of this but not all of it, so the test is not established.
These rules are applied identically to every product and enforced at build time, a record cannot be published as Full MRP unless all six pass with a source attached. Read the methodology.
Best for
- Solo candle makers who want recipe costing, burn testing and batch records in one inexpensive tool
- Market and craft-fair sellers who want booth fees, event sales and profit per event tracked with their stock
- Makers leaving a spreadsheet who need average-cost COGS and a tax export for their accountant
Not a fit when
- Anyone who needs Shopify, Etsy or other storefront stock sync today; it is on the roadmap, not shipped
- Teams that need more than one login now, since extra seats are marked coming soon
- Makers with sub-recipes such as a soap base or candle blend used in several products, since recipes are single-level
Pricing facts
What it costs to do manufacturing in this product.
Advertised from
$9/month
Useful entry price
$9/month
Billing basis
Flat rate
Plans
| Plan | Price | Add-ons and setup |
|---|---|---|
| MakerBilled monthly | $9/mo · single user | — |
| 100 materials and 100 products. The FAQ says Maker includes "1 seat". Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| StudioBilled monthly | $19/mo | — |
| 500 items. The pricing comparison marks multi-seat access "Coming soon"; team workspaces with roles are on the roadmap. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| BusinessBilled monthly | $39/mo | — |
| 2,000 items. The pricing comparison marks multi-seat access "Coming soon"; team workspaces with roles are on the roadmap. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| GrowthBilled monthly | $89/mo | — |
| 10,000 items. The pricing comparison marks multi-seat access "Coming soon"; team workspaces with roles are on the roadmap. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| MakerBilled yearly, shown per month | $7.50/mo · single user | — |
| 100 materials and 100 products. $90 a year. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| StudioBilled yearly, shown per month | $15.83/mo | — |
| 500 items. $190 a year. The pricing comparison marks multi-seat access "Coming soon"; team workspaces with roles are on the roadmap. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| BusinessBilled yearly, shown per month | $32.50/mo | — |
| 2,000 items. $390 a year. The pricing comparison marks multi-seat access "Coming soon"; team workspaces with roles are on the roadmap. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
| GrowthBilled yearly, shown per month | $74.17/mo | — |
| 10,000 items. $890 a year. The pricing comparison marks multi-seat access "Coming soon"; team workspaces with roles are on the roadmap. Prices are shown with "$" and no currency code; the vendor is a US LLC. | ||
Cheapest paid plan that manufactures, by paid users
- 1 user: Maker, $7.50 a month (billed yearly, shown per month); first year $90.
- 5 users: Studio, $15.83 a month (billed yearly, shown per month); first year $190.
- 10 users: Studio, $15.83 a month (billed yearly, shown per month); first year $190.
Pricing detail
Four tiers: Maker $9, Studio $19, Business $39 and Growth $89 a month. The FAQ says "Annual billing is the monthly price times 10": $90, $190, $390 and $890 a year, shown as $7.50, $15.83, $32.50 and $74.17 a month. Maker covers "100 materials and 100 products" and "1 seat"; the higher tiers raise the item cap to 500, 2,000 and 10,000. Production runs are on Maker; Studio adds one MakerLab, AI invoice import and basic reporting; Business and Growth add every MakerLab, full reporting and wholesale tools. There is no free tier ("Why no free tier?" is answered on the page) and no free trial is stated. The FAQ calls today's pricing introductory and says it "may rise as the platform grows". Prices show "$" with no currency code.
Checked on October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab). Prices change. Check before you buy.
Manufacturing capability
15 of 25 fields resolved. "Unknown" means we have not found first-party evidence. It is not a No.
Planning
Working out what to buy or make, and when.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Accepts dated demandYou can tell it what is due and when, sales orders with dates, a forecast, or a production schedule. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation showing demand records that carry a required or due date.Know the answer? |
| Nets against stock on handIt subtracts what you already have before telling you to buy more. | Partial | Before a batch, materials are checked against stock. The homepage says: "A quick check compares the materials you need with what you have on hand and warns you about any shortages before you start." It is a shortage check for one batch, not a calculation of what to buy.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Counts incoming ordersIt knows about purchase orders and production orders already placed, so it does not tell you to order twice. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation showing open purchase or production orders included in the supply picture.Know the answer? |
| Uses lead timesIt works backwards from when you need something to when you must order or start it, using supplier and production lead times. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation showing lead time fields that shift a suggested order or start date.Know the answer? |
| Produces dated buy/make suggestionsThe output is an actionable list with dates, order this much by this date, start this batch on this date. | Partial | Low stock is flagged against your own minimums. The How it works page says: "Your dashboard flags materials that have dropped below their reorder point, so no more end-of-week surprises." These are threshold flags with no order dates.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › How it works(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Capacity planningChecks whether your people and machines can do the work in the time available. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of work-center or resource capacity being compared against load.Know the answer? |
Production
Recipes, bills of materials, and running the work.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Bill of materialsA list of the parts and quantities needed to make one of something. | Yes | Recipes list the materials in a product. The How it works page says: "Add each ingredient with the amount and unit you actually use. Costs pull from live inventory."Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › How it works(opens in a new tab); makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Multi-level BOMSub-assemblies inside assemblies, a part that is itself made from other parts, nested as deep as you need. | No | The vendor's own comparison table rates "Multi-level recipes (recipes built from other recipes)" as partial for Makers Manager, with the note "Single-level".Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › Compare(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Recipes & formulasBatch-style production by weight, volume, or percentage, including scaling a batch up or down. | Yes | The homepage says: "Build a recipe, set your batch size, and every ingredient scales right along with it." Recipes keep a version history you can roll back and compare.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Work / manufacturing ordersA record authorising and tracking the making of a specific quantity. | Yes | Batches are planned and recorded as production runs. The homepage says: "Record the batch, and Makers Manager pulls the materials from inventory (by lot, if you like) and updates your stock for you." The How it works page adds: "Stamp every batch with its number, date, and notes".Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab); makersmanager.com › How it works(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Routings & operationsThe ordered steps a product goes through, and which machine or station does each one. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of operation sequences or routings attached to production.Know the answer? |
| Shop-floor trackingOperators report progress, time, and completions as the work happens. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of a shop-floor, operator, or terminal interface for reporting production.Know the answer? |
| Quality controlsChecks, tests, holds, and non-conformance records tied to production or receiving. | Partial | Testing is recipe development rather than production inspection. The Candle Lab, live now, has "Burn & pour logs with wick testing scores" and "Cure-time reminders so nothing ships early". Other crafts' labs are in development, and no inspection, hold or non-conformance record for production batches is described.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
Inventory & traceability
Knowing what you hold and being able to trace it.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Batch & lot traceabilityWhich incoming material lots went into which finished batch, and where those finished goods went. | Yes | Material lots are tracked and drawn by batch. The homepage lists "Lot and expiration tracking" and says batches pull materials "(by lot, if you like)". Under "Every batch is a record" it says: "Pour temperature, fragrance lot, cure time — we capture the details that shape a batch, so when something goes wrong you can find out why." No trace report from lot to customer is described.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Expiry & shelf lifeBest-before dates on materials and finished goods, with warnings before they lapse. | Yes | The homepage says: "Lot numbers and expiration dates pulled straight from your orders." No expiry warning is described.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Serial numbersUnique identifiers on individual units, for warranty or field service. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of serial number tracking on individual units.Know the answer? |
Commerce & accounting
Costs, purchasing, storefronts, and the books.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Product costing & COGSWhat it costs you to make one, and the cost of the goods you sold. | Yes | The homepage says a recipe "powers a batch that pulls real materials from your inventory at their true average cost", and batches show "Estimated vs. actual batch cost" with "Profit and per-product margins". The Craftybase comparison says production runs "snapshot material costs at pour time".Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab); makersmanager.com › Craftybase(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| PurchasingRaising and tracking purchase orders to suppliers from inside the system. | Yes | Supplier orders are recorded and received. The How it works page says: "Record the order you placed with your supplier (items, pricing, and expected delivery), all tracked alongside your supplier history." On receipt, "your true average cost recalculates".Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › How it works(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Accounting connectionSends financial data to bookkeeping software, or includes its own general ledger. | Partial | There is no accounting connector. The app keeps expenses and produces a tax export: "Every transaction is already mapped to its tax line. Export and you're done." The Craftybase comparison calls it "a Schedule C tax export".Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › How it works(opens in a new tab); makersmanager.com › Craftybase(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Ecommerce connectionPulls orders and pushes stock levels to a storefront or marketplace. | No | No storefront is connected yet. The homepage roadmap lists the Shopify integration as in progress: "Connect your Shopify store so sales flow in and inventory updates automatically. Etsy and Faire sync follow close behind." The comparison table rates online store connections "coming-soon" for Makers Manager. Sales are entered by hand or by CSV import.Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com(opens in a new tab); makersmanager.com › Compare(opens in a new tab)Question this |
Openness & your data
Getting data in, out, and away if you leave.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| APIA documented programming interface so other software can read and write your data. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: public api documentation.Know the answer? |
| WebhooksThe system can notify other software the moment something changes. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of outbound webhooks or event subscriptions.Know the answer? |
| MCP supportA Model Context Protocol server, letting an AI assistant read or act on this data. Useful, but it has nothing to do with whether the product plans materials. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: a first-party mcp server, or documentation of one.Know the answer? |
| CSV exportYou can get your lists out as spreadsheet files. | Yes | The pricing FAQ says: "You can export your reports and market data to a spreadsheet (CSV) any time, on every paid tier."Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Full data exportYou can take everything, including history and relationships, not just a few screens' worth of rows. | No | Exports cover reports and market data only for now. The pricing FAQ says: "Per-entity exports for recipes, materials, production runs, and sales are on the way."Reviewed October 9, 2026. Source: makersmanager.com › Pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
On the vendor's roadmap
The vendor's own account of what is coming, dated. A plan changes nothing in the table above, which records what we saw working.
- Shopify integration is in progress, with Etsy and Faire sync to follow. Vendor statement, October 9, 2026.
- Team workspaces with role-based access for co-founders, helpers and bookkeepers are planned. Vendor statement, October 9, 2026.
- Per-entity CSV exports for recipes, materials, production runs and sales are on the way. Vendor statement, October 9, 2026.
- A Soap Lab is in active development, with Skincare and Ceramics labs planned. Vendor statement, October 9, 2026.
Deployment, licensing and your data
- Deployment
- Cloud (hosted for you)
- Licensing
- Proprietary SaaS
- Team sizes
- Just me
- Manufacturing styles
- Batch & recipe products
Industries
Jobs this product qualifies for
Derived from the capability table above, not hand-assigned.
Editorial notes and cautions
Things we would want a friend to know before buying.
- No storefront integration is live. Shopify is listed as in progress, with Etsy and Faire after it, so online orders have to be entered by hand or imported from CSV.
- The FAQ says today's pricing is introductory and "may rise as the platform grows", with notice to existing subscribers.
- Data export is limited for now: reports and market data go out as CSV, while exports of recipes, materials, production runs and sales are "on the way".
- The MakerLab testing tools exist only for candles today (plus a fragrance blending lab in development). Studio includes one lab; Business and Growth include all.
Alternatives to Makers Manager
An alternative is always an alternative for a reason. There is no universal replacement.
Stocksmith supports nested recipes and many storefront connections today; Makers Manager is cheaper and has candle testing tools, but its recipes are single-level.
- InventoraBetter commerce & accounting connection
Inventora already syncs with Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce and others and connects to QuickBooks, which Makers Manager has only on its roadmap.
Evidence and verification
Why this record is not Verified. Every claim rests on marketing pages; the vendor publishes no documentation or help center.
The site is a JavaScript single-page app, so a plain page fetch returns no text. Quotes were read from the copy shipped in the site's own JavaScript, and the plan prices were cross-checked against a rendered fetch of the homepage. There is no public help center or documentation, so every claim rests on marketing pages.
Sources we checked (5)
What we still want to confirm
We publish our gaps rather than hiding them. If you can point us at a first-party page for any of these, we will update the record and credit the correction.
- Find any help center or documentation. None is linked from the site, so every field here rests on marketing copy.
- Confirm how many users Studio, Business and Growth allow. Maker states 1 seat; the comparison marks seats "Coming soon".
- Confirm whether a free trial exists. The pricing page explains why there is no free tier but says nothing about a trial.
- Confirm whether production runs can be scheduled by date, and whether open supplier orders count toward the shortage check.
- Confirm whether a material lot can be traced to the batches and sales it went into.
Still unknown: accepts dated demand, counts incoming orders, uses lead times, capacity planning, routings & operations, shop-floor tracking, serial numbers, api, webhooks, mcp support.