Carbon
6.7#11 in bill of materials softwareFrom $40 a monthWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted
VisitCarbon vs Cascadia PLM
Cascadia PLM
8.2#1 in product lifecycle management softwareFree planFree planWebAPILinuxmacOS
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Carbon | Cascadia PLM |
|---|---|---|
| API | Carbon provides REST endpoints, webhooks and an MCP server, with typed client generation for TypeScript, Python, Go, Ruby, C# and PHP. | The free core includes REST and SysML v2 APIs; managed-cloud API access is an optional paid add-on. |
| Configuration | It can generate bills of materials, routings and quoted prices from product rules, with revision control and effectivity dates. | Item types, workflows, lifecycles, and permissions can be configured in TypeScript files and reviewed through pull requests. |
| Deployment | Carbon can run in managed cloud, a customer cloud account, Docker, on-premises or an air-gapped network; air-gapped deployment is an Enterprise feature. | Cascadia is self-hostable and documents Docker Compose, single-server, distributed high-availability, and Kubernetes deployments. |
| Integrations | The site lists Onshape, SolidWorks, Slack, Linear, Jira, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, Stripe, Ramp, Okta and Microsoft Entra among its integrations. | The pricing page lists optional Solid Edge and SolidWorks add-ins, and configurable ERP, MES, or CRM connectors including Epicor, Global Shop, and Odoo. |
| Product | Carbon combines ERP, MRP, MES and QMS to plan materials, run production, manage quality and track actual costs. | Cascadia connects requirements, parts, bills of materials, engineering changes, and work orders in a product lifecycle management record for manufacturers. |
| Security | Self-hosted deployments use a Postgres database with row-level security, and the customer controls the network, encryption, backups and retention. | The security documentation describes role-based and program-based access controls, session security, CSRF checks, and same-origin CORS by default. |
| Self-hosting | Carbon can run in a customer cloud account, on-premises or air-gapped; air-gapped deployment and licensing are Enterprise features. | Deployment options include Docker Compose, single-server installations, distributed high-availability setups, and Kubernetes. |
Carbon plans
- Starter$40 a month
- Business$100 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
Cascadia PLM plans
- Self-Hosted CoreFree
- Managed Cloud$850 a month
- Managed Cloud — up to 20 editors$850 a month
- Managed Cloud — up to 50 editors$1,750 a month
- Commercial License — Pilot$2,090, paid once
- Managed Cloud — up to 100 editors$3,000 a month
Pick Carbon if…
Carbon suits discrete manufacturers that need to coordinate materials, production and quality records. It may also suit teams that need customer-cloud or on-premises deployment options.
Pick Cascadia PLM if…
Cascadia PLM suits engineering and manufacturing teams managing product data, requirements, changes, and work orders. It may also suit teams moving from spreadsheets or needing self-hosting.