Dissatisfied - Software Engineer Katana Employee Review

2.0
23 Mar 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good vibes, knowledgable people, senior management has a clear vision. In general, Katanauts (as they call themselves) are a friendly and hardworking tribe.

Cons

Each team runs business their own way. At least one of the engineering teams (the one I happened to be in) is misaligned with company values. Essentially, the team collaboration is punished and all communication with other team members has to be done through the team lead. Also a team-lead operates as a mentor, pull request gate keeper for all PRs and a feature lead. Moreover, he is in charge of implementing the most critical features. Due to overwork, he becomes a delivery bottleneck and makes poor judgements. Code review process is rather slow since you would have to decrypt cryptic comments of the team lead in pull requests OR you would be expected to make a call to verbally discuss each comment with him which is extremely time-consuming. It's likely in the end you would be blamed for his mistakes. Be careful which team you join!

Explore other reviews about Katana

5.0
13 Feb 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

✅ Transparent culture ✅ Open to growth, no silos ✅ Not a sprint, but a marathon ✅ Really amazing colleagues

Cons

✖️ Can be stressful if you're not used to scale up type companies ✖️ Pivoting is consistent ✖️ Growing pains and working on getting it 'right'

3
4.0
16 Oct 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working at Katana has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I love the flexibility of being part of a fully remote team, yet we still get the chance to connect in person during our annual company trip to Estonia—which is always a highlight. The product itself reflects the same values we work by: simple, powerful, and scalable. Katana’s UI is clean and intuitive, making it easy for users to get started right away. The open API and native integrations are robust, which is a huge win for manufacturers looking to streamline operations without overcomplicating things. Everything is clearly organized, and our team thrives on the structure and efficiency that carries through from our internal workflows to the product we deliver. If you’re passionate about helping businesses move from clunky spreadsheets to modern, connected systems—and you want to grow in a remote-first, high-impact environment—Katana is the place.

Cons

That said, there are a few challenges. The product is missing some key features that would make selling easier, especially in more complex sales cycles. And while the compensation is fair, I do wish the pay were slightly more competitive, especially given the strategic nature of the role and market.

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Katana Response
5mo
Thanks for sharing this. It’s great to hear the remote setup and Estonia trip have been highlights for you. We put a lot of care into creating that balance between flexibility and meaningful connection, so it’s nice to know it’s landing. I also really appreciate you being honest about what’s not working too. The feature gaps you called out are valid, and we know they can add friction in the sales process. These are exactly the kind of insights that help us get sharper. Grateful to have you on the team! Christina De Giovanni Head of People and Culture, North America/NZ
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