Carbon vs. Fulcrum
Fulcrum and Carbon both replace legacy manufacturing software with something modern — but Fulcrum runs the shop floor and syncs the books to a separate system like QuickBooks. Carbon unifies ERP, MRP, MES and QMS — with native accounting and job costing — on one open, API-first data model, with pricing you can read on the website.
- 4-in-1
- ERP, MRP, MES & QMS on one data model
- 1 month
- implementations
- 30 days
- free trial, no sales call
- Yours
- full source-code ownership
Carbon vs. Fulcrum, feature by feature
| Carbon | Fulcrum | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope & fit | ||
| What it is | ERP + MRP + MES + QMS on one data model | Cloud manufacturing ERP / MRP |
| Built for | Discrete make-to-order manufacturers and job shops | Small-to-mid manufacturers and job shops |
| ERP + MES + QMS unified | One schema, one record | MRP + MES; accounting lives elsewhere |
| Native accounting & GL | Built in — GL, AP/AR and job costing | No native GL; syncs to QuickBooks |
| Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & capacity planning | Forecasts update as the floor reports | Autoschedule + demand planning |
| Product configurator (CPQ) | Parametric BoM, routing and price | Quoting & estimating |
| Quality (QMS) | Built in | Built in |
| Serial & batch traceability | Built in | Built in |
| 3D CAD / STEP viewer | Built in | Not offered |
| Platform & ownership | ||
| Deployment | Cloud or self-host | Cloud only |
| Full ownership of the code | Yes — the entire codebase is yours | No — proprietary |
| Own your data model | Open Postgres you control | Closed, vendor-controlled |
| API coverage | Full backend over REST — every table | REST API (selected endpoints) |
| MCP server for agents | Hosted MCP over the full backend | Fulcrum MCP (curated tools) |
| Choice of AI agent | Bring any agent — Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor | Archie only — the vendor's model & limits |
| ITAR / GovCloud / CMMC | Self-host or hosted; CMMC / NIST 800-171 ready | Azure GovCloud (hosted) |
| Getting started | ||
| Implementation | Self-serve; live in days | Onboarding + one-time implementation fee |
| Free trial | 30 days | Demo only |
| Pricing | $40–$100 / user / mo, published | Quote-based, revenue-tiered |
Where Fulcrum still fits
Fulcrum is a solid modern manufacturing ERP, and if a fully managed, closed SaaS is exactly what you want, it does the job. Carbon is for teams that also want the source code, the full API surface, and the option to run it themselves.
Why teams pick Carbon over Fulcrum
Your books live in another system
Fulcrum runs the floor but keeps the ledger in QuickBooks, so cost, inventory and accounting never fully reconcile. In Carbon, accounting and job costing are native — they roll up from the same records as production.
You don't want to be locked in
Fulcrum is proprietary and cloud-only. Carbon is source-available — self-host it, extend it, and keep your data in a Postgres model you own.
You want pricing you can read
Fulcrum is quote-based and sold on revenue, with no public trial. Carbon publishes per-user pricing and a 30-day free trial — evaluate it before you talk to anyone.
Why manufacturers choose Carbon
One system, one record
ERP, MRP, MES and QMS share a single data model. Quote, plan, buy, build, inspect and ship all write to the same record — nothing to integrate, nothing to reconcile.
Open, and yours
The source is yours and the data lives in an open Postgres model you can host, extend and query directly — no black-box cloud, no lock-in. A REST API and a hosted MCP server expose the whole backend, not a curated slice, and it's CMMC / NIST 800-171 ready for defense work.
Configuration and CAD, built in
A parametric configurator resolves BoM, routing and price per order, and a native 3D/STEP viewer puts the part where the work is — capabilities Fulcrum doesn't offer.
Transparent pricing
Published, per-user pricing and a 30-day free trial. No revenue-based quote, no sales call to see a number.
See Carbon on your own parts.
Start free for 30 days, or read the source and run it in your own environment. No sales call required.
