Cosmetic manufacturing software for small makers and MoCRA

Cosmetic manufacturing software: does a small maker need it yet

A small cosmetics maker may not need cosmetic manufacturing software, cosmetic compliance software or cosmetic regulatory software yet. FDA's MoCRA page, current as of October 29, 2026, says MoCRA exempts certain small businesses from GMP, registration and product listing requirements. For MoCRA GMP requirements, the same page lists a draft guidance on cosmetic good manufacturing practices, not a final rule.

The page gives no size for a small business. It says the exemption does not cover products that regularly contact the mucus membrane of the eye, injected products, products intended for internal use or products meant to alter appearance for more than 24 hours. It also lists reporting serious adverse events to FDA within 15 business days.

What MoCRA asks and what the software holds

BatchBuddy's cosmetics page puts electronic batch records and its full compliance suite on Manufacturer, up to 15 members at $749 a month, billed monthly.

FDA's side comes from its MoCRA page. The Try BatchBuddy button opens BatchBuddy's pricing section for the other side.

The BatchBuddy plans a cosmetics maker meets

BatchBuddy's cosmetics page offers formulation, inventory and lot traceability from the Formulator plan, $149 a month, billed monthly ($1,490 a year, billed annually). Formulator is an individual workspace with up to 100 formulations. Full lot traceability starts on Professional, up to 5 members at $349 a month, billed monthly, per the plan cards. Professional also adds MRP and demand planning, which a buyer of cosmetic ERP software will look for.

A contract maker can tag each formulation by client brand name or mark it as in-house.

The cosmetics page also describes a MoCRA documentation hub for Responsible Person records, product listing support documents and adverse event audit trails. It names ISO 22716 and calls its section coverage table an alignment reference, not a certification document.

BatchBuddy's terms say the software does not make products or operations compliant on its own, and its plan cards put electronic batch records on Manufacturer; other vendor pages differ. A cosmetics maker can use the 14-day free trial without a credit card. See BatchBuddy pricing for all four plans.

Rival routes for a small line

Katana has a Free plan up to 30 SKUs, and its page says it tracks lots, serial numbers and expiry dates from supplier to customer. Its paid route is Advantage, a custom annual contract. The Katana pages read name no batch record or e-signature feature.

InstantGMP's cosmetics page describes batch records, traceability, complaints and adverse event records for MoCRA; its Batch Records module is $20,000 a year, with the first 5 users. Pick Katana for a small line that needs lots and expiry dates. Pick BatchBuddy when the line needs batch records and sign-off on a monthly plan; compare it with the best electronic batch record software.