Carbon vs. Plex
Plex (by Rockwell) is a mature cloud ERP+MES built for high-volume, repetitive plants — capable, closed, cloud-only, and priced by quote. Carbon is open and self-hostable, exposes the whole backend over API and MCP, and runs high-volume assembly and prototype parts on one model — without the enterprise weight or lock-in.
- 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. Plex, feature by feature
| Carbon | Plex | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope & fit | ||
| What it is | ERP + MRP + MES + QMS on one data model | Cloud ERP + MES + QMS suite |
| Built for | Discrete manufacturers, from prototype to rate production | High-volume, repetitive discrete & process (automotive) |
| Volume range | High-volume assembly and prototype parts in one system | High-volume plants; not built for small runs |
| Capabilities | ||
| Shop-floor execution (MES) | Built in | Built in |
| Quality (QMS) | Built in | Built in |
| Scheduling & capacity planning | Live; updates as the floor reports | Supply-chain planning via DemandCaster module |
| Serial & batch traceability | Built in | Built in |
| Product configurator (CPQ) | Built in | Not offered |
| 3D CAD / STEP viewer | Built in | CAD-to-work-instructions authoring |
| Platform & ownership | ||
| Deployment | Cloud or self-host | Cloud-only SaaS; no on-prem |
| Full ownership of the code | Yes — the entire codebase is yours | No — proprietary |
| API coverage | Full backend over REST — every table | REST/JSON API + webhooks (selected endpoints) |
| AI / agent-ready (MCP) | Hosted MCP over the full backend | Embedded AI features; no public MCP |
| ITAR / GovCloud / CMMC | ITAR, GovCloud & CMMC / NIST 800-171 ready | IATF 16949 / automotive quality focus |
| Getting started | ||
| Implementation | Self-serve; live in days | Months to a year+; services-heavy |
| Pricing | $40–$100 / user / mo, published | Quote-only; per user + per module |
Where Plex still fits
For a Tier-1 or Tier-2 automotive supplier running high-volume lines across plants, Plex is a mature, proven cloud ERP+MES backed by Rockwell's automation ecosystem. Carbon gives you the same unified model — open, self-hostable, and transparently priced — running high-volume assembly and prototype parts side by side, without the enterprise weight or lock-in.
You may be outgrowing Plex if…
You run more than high-volume lines
Plex is built for high-volume, multi-plant production and says so. Carbon runs those same lines and the prototype and low-volume work beside them — one model, any volume.
Cloud-only, closed, and quoted
Plex holds your backend in a shared cloud you can't self-host. Carbon is open-source — own the data and run it where you like.
You want the whole backend for agents
Plex's AI is embedded features. Carbon exposes the entire backend over a hosted MCP server your agents can act on.
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 — there is nothing to integrate and nothing to reconcile.
Open and API-first
The source is yours: run Carbon in the cloud or self-host it, with no lock-in. The whole backend — every table and capability, not a curated subset — is open over REST and MCP, so you point the best agents (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) at your live data instead of being boxed into a vendor's built-in assistant.
Live capacity planning
Capacity and demand forecasts update the moment the floor reports progress — not on the next overnight run — so the plan you're looking at is the plan that's true.
Right-sized and open
Start free for 30 days with published, per-user pricing. No sales call, no six-figure implementation, no consultants required to make a change.
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.
