Looking for an MKG alternative?
MKG is strong at metal production - quoting, work preparation and post-calculation - but thin beyond the shop floor and closed in its ecosystem. Here are the best alternatives side by side: from metal specialists to a broad platform.
Odoo Gold Partner · Amsterdam · experienced with manufacturers and metalworking
What is the best alternative to MKG?
It depends on what you are after. If you mainly want to optimise your metal production deeper and stay in a specialist tool, Ridder iQ, Bemet or Isah are the logical specialists. If you want to connect your production to the rest of the business - CRM, sales, eCommerce, customer portal, service and finance on one modern platform - Odoo is usually the strongest alternative, with our Updoo building blocks for the metal-specific parts.
The best MKG alternatives, honestly scored
We are an Odoo partner, so we are not neutral about what we build. But honestly: for pure depth in metal production a specialist tool can be stronger. The difference is whether you want to connect production to the whole business.
| Alternative | Breadth (beyond production) | Metal/manufacturing depth | Cloud & modern | CRM / eCommerce / portal | Open & extensible | Short verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OdooTop pick | Broad platform | Strong via Updoo building blocks | Yes, browser-first | Native | Open source | Best if you want to connect production to the whole business |
| Ridder iQ | Production-focused | Strong (metal/manufacturing) | Cloud available | Limited | Closed | Strong metal specialist if you want to stay in a specialist tool |
| Bemet (Plan-de-CAMpagne) | Production & planning | Strong (planning) | On-premise heritage | Limited | Closed | Strong at production planning; narrower beyond it |
| Isah | Project/make-to-order | Strong (machine building, ETO) | Cloud available | Limited | Closed | Strong for engineer-to-order and machine building |
| Infor LN | Broad, enterprise | Strong (discrete manufacturing) | Cloud available | Via apps | Heavy, partner-dependent | Enterprise manufacturing; often too heavy for SMBs |
Which alternative fits which situation?
Briefly per option, so you can shorten the shortlist faster:
Odoo
Strongest if you want to connect your metal production to the rest of the business: CRM, sales, eCommerce, customer portal, service and finance on one modern, browser-first platform. For the metal-specific parts (configurator, shop floor, post-calculation) we build Updoo blocks on top of standard Odoo - without locking you into a closed add-on ecosystem.
Ridder iQ
A strong Dutch metal/manufacturing specialist with deep production and calculation functionality. Logical if you want to stay in a specialist tool and your need is mostly on the shop floor; beyond production (CRM, eCommerce, portal) it is narrower and more closed.
Bemet (Plan-de-CAMpagne)
Strong at production planning and scheduling for manufacturers. A good choice if planning is your biggest pain; beyond that thinner, with on-premise heritage and integrations that get harder on software that no longer develops.
Isah
An ERP for project and order-driven production, strong in machine building and engineer-to-order. Logical if your work is mostly complex one-off projects; broader business use leans on integrations sooner.
Infor LN
An enterprise manufacturing ERP for larger, international discrete production. Powerful and deep, but heavy to implement, pricey and partner-dependent - often too much for the Dutch SMB manufacturer.
What MKG does, and where you find it in Odoo
MKG revolves around the metal shop floor. Here is how each area maps to Odoo:
| In MKG | In Odoo |
|---|---|
| Quoting & calculation | Sales with a product configurator (Updoo) and cost build-up |
| Work preparation | Bills of materials and routings (MRP/PLM) |
| Work orders | Manufacturing (MRP) with work orders; Updoo Shopfloor on the floor |
| Stock & warehouse | Multi-warehouse, reservations, lot tracking |
| Purchasing | Purchase with reordering rules and vendor pricing |
| Post-calculation | Analytic accounting: hours and material booked back to the order |
| CRM & sales | Native CRM and Sales, where MKG is thin |
| eCommerce & customer portal | Native Website, eCommerce and Portal |
| Service & maintenance | Helpdesk, Field Service and Maintenance |
Why manufacturers look for an MKG alternative
MKG earned its place with deep metal production: quoting, work preparation, work orders and post-calculation. The pain is usually beyond the shop floor: CRM, sales, eCommerce, a customer portal and service are thin or missing, so a second system often runs alongside. On top of that the ecosystem is closed - integrations go through add-on partners - and the client-server, on-premise heritage feels dated next to modern, browser-first software.
Specialist or platform? The honest trade-off
This is the heart of it, and we are honest about it. MKG, Ridder iQ, Bemet and Isah are deep metal and manufacturing specialists. If you want to optimise your production further - the quoting, work-prep and planning rituals a specialist tool has refined over years - a specialist can be stronger than a broad platform. Odoo wins the moment you want to connect production to the rest of the business: one data model from quote to work order to invoice, with CRM, webshop, portal and service native alongside. So the question is not "which is better", but: do you want to deepen production, or integrate the whole business?
Where Odoo matches the specialist: Updoo
The misconception is that a broad platform misses the metal depth. For the parts where standard Odoo stops, we build Updoo blocks: a product configurator for quoting, a glove-friendly Shopfloor layer for the floor, and post-calculation that books hours and material back to the order. The difference with a closed add-on ecosystem: it is open source, you can read the code, extend it deliberately, and switch partners without switching platform.
How to choose
Three rules of thumb. One: if your pain is purely deepening metal production and you want to stay in a specialist tool, Ridder iQ, Bemet or Isah are the logical candidates. Two: if you want to connect production to CRM, sales, eCommerce, portal and finance on one modern platform, Odoo is usually the strongest choice, with Updoo for the metal-specific parts. Three: if you are a large, international discrete manufacturer, an enterprise ERP like Infor comes into play. Start from where your biggest pain is, not from the feature list.
Curious about realistic hours, cost and timelines? See the Odoo implementation benchmark →
Frequently asked questions about MKG alternatives
Is Odoo a good alternative to MKG?
For manufacturers that want to connect production to the whole business - CRM, sales, eCommerce, portal, service and finance on one modern platform - Odoo is usually the strongest alternative. For the metal-specific parts we use Updoo building blocks on top of standard Odoo.
What are the best MKG alternatives for a metal company?
If you want to stay in a metal specialist, Ridder iQ, Bemet and Isah are the logical options, each strong on the shop floor. If you want a broad platform that connects production to the rest of the business, Odoo is usually the strongest choice.
Can Odoo handle MKG-level metal production?
Standard Odoo covers MRP, bills of materials, work orders, stock and purchasing. For metal-specific parts like quoting, shop floor and post-calculation we put Updoo blocks on top of Odoo - open and extensible, not in a closed add-on ecosystem.
What if I want to stay in a metal specialist?
That is a legitimate choice. If your need is mostly deepening production, a specialist tool like Ridder iQ or Isah can go deeper than a broad platform. We say honestly when that is the case.
How long does switching from MKG take?
A well-scoped implementation takes weeks to a few months, depending on scope and customisation. We start with a fit-gap and a data plan; master data, open orders and post-calculation history are planned in explicitly.
Connect production to the whole business?
We are happy to think along about which alternative fits your manufacturing business - even if that is a metal specialist rather than Odoo. Honest about where a specialist goes deeper, and where a platform wins.