Choosing distillery software is a multi-year decision, so it's worth getting right. This is an honest comparison of the main options Australian distillers consider in 2026, and how to think about the trade-offs. (Yes, CaskPilot is one of them — we'll be upfront about where each tool fits.)
What to compare on
Before names, get clear on the criteria that actually matter:
- Production depth — fermentation, distillation, cuts, blending
- Maturation — cask tracking, rickhouse, angel's share
- Australian compliance — excise on LAL, the $350k remission cap, the AU financial year
- Inventory & sales — raw materials, finished goods, channels
- Integrations — accounting (Xero), live still data
- Pricing model — flat vs per-bottle, and total 3-year cost
- Support — and which time zone it's in
The main options
CaskPilot
Australian-built, with ATO excise, the remission-scheme cap and the financial year built in from day one. Covers production, casks, inventory, bottling, sales, smart-still monitoring and Xero. Flat AUD pricing with no per-bottle fees. Best fit for Australian (and exporting) distilleries that want compliance handled natively without per-bottle cost creep.
DistillX5 (FIVE x 5)
A well-established platform with strong production and compliance features, originally US-focused (TTB) with Australian support added. Uses a per-bottle pricing model, which is inexpensive when you're small but rises as you grow. Worth a look if per-bottle economics suit your volume — but model the long-term cost. See our DistillX5 alternative angle if you're comparing directly.
Ekos
A broad craft-beverage platform (beer, wine, spirits) with solid inventory, production and accounting links. Strong general-purpose tool; Australian excise specifics (LAL, remission cap) are less of a native focus than for AU-first products. Custom quoted pricing.
Distillery Tracker (AU)
An Australian, lower-cost option historically built on Microsoft Access. Appeals to very small or budget-conscious producers, but it's not a modern cloud SaaS, which limits multi-user and remote access. See CaskPilot vs Distillery Tracker.
The pricing question
The biggest hidden cost is the pricing model. Per-bottle pricing looks cheap at launch but scales with your success — every extra bottle costs more. Flat pricing stays predictable. We break the maths down in per-bottle vs flat pricing; for most growing distilleries, flat wins within a year or two.
The Australian compliance question
If you distil in Australia, ask every vendor:
- Do you calculate excise on LAL automatically?
- Do you track the $350,000 remission cap on the Australian financial year?
- Do you produce an excise statement I can verify and lodge?
- Is support in my time zone?
Tools that retrofit Australian tax onto an overseas core will have rougher edges here than AU-first software. This is the gap our ATO excise compliance guide digs into.
How to choose
- Score 2–3 tools against your must-haves, not their feature lists.
- Model the 3-year cost at your projected volume.
- Trial on real data — not just a sales demo.
- Confirm data export so you're never locked in.
The bottom line
There's no single "best" — there's the best fit for your size, location and growth plans. If you're an Australian distillery that wants native excise compliance and predictable pricing, CaskPilot is built precisely for you. Whatever you choose, model the long-term cost and trial it properly.
Compare it yourself — Book a demo.