Coffee roasting software connects to the temperature probes in your roaster and draws the roast curve live on a laptop or tablet. It saves each batch as a profile. You can repeat a roast you liked and see where a bad one went wrong. Most roast profiling software also tracks rate of rise, first crack and development time. Some platforms go further and manage green coffee inventory and production.
The two names you will hear first are Cropster and Artisan. Cropster is a subscription platform built for commercial roasteries. Artisan is free, open-source and runs on a huge range of machines. Both log the same core data. The difference is in setup, support and what sits around the roast log.
Your senses still do the roasting. Smell, sound and color tell you a lot. But handwritten notes can't capture a 3°F swing in charge temperature or a stalled rate of rise. Software can, and your customers taste the difference when every batch lands the same way.
Coffee roasting software reads live data from your roaster. It turns that data into a graph you can save, compare and replay. The industry uses a few names for it: roast profiling software, roast logging software and coffee roaster software. They mostly describe the same tool.
Most platforms do some mix of three jobs:
Small roasters often start with logging alone. Production roasteries usually want all three in one place. A roast log is most useful when it ties back to a green lot and a customer order.
Setup is easier than most roasters expect. You need four things in place before the first logged batch. The diagram after this list shows how they connect.
Probe placement matters more than people think. A BT probe that sits too high in the drum reads air instead of beans, and every curve after that is off. If you're buying a used roaster, ask where the probes sit and whether they have been replaced.
Every coffee roasting software platform draws the same basic curve. Learn these points once and you can read a roast log in any program. The illustrated curve below shows where each one falls.
After the drop, check the result. A roast color reader gives you a number to save next to the profile. CoffeeTec lists roast color readers and analyzers from brands such as Lighttells for this step. For the green side, our guide on moisture, water activity, density and color metrics explains what to measure before the beans hit the drum.
First crack happens when steam pressure inside the bean breaks the cell structure. You hear a popping sound, usually around 385°F (196°C). The beans expand and shed most of their remaining chaff. Marking first crack lets you compare development time across batches. That is one of the clearest links between the curve and the cup.
Room-temperature beans pull the probe reading down right after charge. The curve bottoms out at the turning point, then climbs as the Maillard reaction builds color and aroma.
Rate of rise (RoR) shows how fast bean temperature climbs, usually measured over 30 or 60 seconds. A smooth, declining RoR is a common goal. A sudden flick or crash near first crack often shows up in the cup as flat or baked flavors. RoR is the single number most roasters watch on screen.
Environment temperature reads the hot air around the beans. Airflow moves that heat through the bean mass and carries smoke and chaff out. Too much airflow can push bright or sour notes. Too little can leave the coffee flat or smoky. Logging your airflow settings next to the curve is how you learn which setting fixes which problem.
Exhaust temperature reads the heat leaving the roasting chamber after it passes through the beans. It shows how much energy the beans are absorbing. When you try to replay a favorite profile, a matching exhaust curve is a good sign the heat transfer is matching too.
Charge temperature is how hot the drum is when the beans go in. It sets the pace for the whole roast. Charge too low and the beans can bake. Charge too high and you risk scorching. Saving charge temperature with each profile is the easiest consistency win you'll get from roasting software.
Cropster and Artisan are the two platforms most roasters compare first. Both log real-time curves, save profiles and support replay. The real differences are setup effort, support and the business tools around the roast log.
| Feature | Cropster Roast | Artisan |
|---|---|---|
| Software model | Paid subscription, cloud-based | Free and open-source, runs locally |
| Roast logging | Real-time curves, archive and reference curves | Real-time curves, archive and background profiles |
| Setup | Close to plug-and-play on supported machines | More hands-on device configuration |
| Roaster control | Gas and airflow control and replay on supported roasters | Control through PID and device settings on many roasters |
| Inventory and production | Green inventory, production planning, cupping and reporting built in | Green inventory through the artisan.plus companion service |
| Support | Vendor support, onboarding and training content | Developer and volunteer community support |
| Best fit | Production roasteries, multi-roaster sites and teams | Home, sample and small commercial roasters who like to configure their own tools |
Cropster began as a data tool for coffee farms and grew into software for importers, exporters and roasters. Cropster Roast now covers roast logging, reference curves, gas and airflow control with replay, green inventory, cupping and production reports. Its Roasting Intelligence (RI) system is the part that sits next to the roaster. Many manufacturers ship machines with Cropster connectivity ready to go.
Artisan is free, open-source software maintained by its developer and a global volunteer community. It looks plain, but it does a lot: real-time plotting, background profiles for matching a past roast, event buttons and alarms. Its device list is one of the widest in the industry, so it often works with older or less common roasters. The artisan.plus service adds green inventory tracking for roasters who want it.
Pick by how you roast, not by feature count.
Still not sure? Answer four quick questions about your roaster and how you work, and the tool below suggests a software path and the hardware you'd need.
Software fit finder
Which Roasting Software Fits Your Setup?
Pick one answer for each question to see a suggested software path and the hardware you'd need.
Suggested path
Want a roaster that already has the data setup you need? Tell us what you're looking for.
Upgrading from your current machine? See how selling your roaster on CoffeeTec works.
How we suggest a path: we apply the rules in this guide. Cropster suits plug-and-play setups, multi-roaster sites and built-in inventory. Artisan suits roasters who configure their own tools. Always confirm your exact roaster model is supported.
Cropster and Artisan are not the only options. These platforms come up often in roastery conversations:
Built-in software is common on sample roasters, where repeatable small batches matter for green buying decisions. If you plan to run Cropster or Artisan as well, check compatibility for the exact model before you buy.
Coffee roaster inventory software tracks every green lot from arrival to roast. The best setups connect it to the roast log. Each batch then deducts the right weight from the right lot, with no manual math.
Here's what good inventory software handles:
You have three broad paths. Roast platforms with inventory built in include Cropster, artisan.plus and Typica. Roastery operations tools such as RoasterTools focus on orders, production and stock. General inventory systems, like Unleashed or Acctivate with QuickBooks, suit larger roasteries that run coffee as one part of a bigger operation.
Many small roasteries still track green coffee in spreadsheets. That works until you run three blends across two shifts. Once deductions start drifting from the scale, it's time to connect inventory to the roast log.
A saved reference curve gives a new roaster something concrete to follow. They can watch the live line track the target and ask better questions when it drifts. You can hand off more batches and spend your own time on quality control and new coffees.
Every logged batch adds to a library of what worked. Over a season you can see which profiles suit which green coffees and why. That history cuts down on test batches and wasted beans.
Wholesale accounts and café regulars expect the same cup every time. Matching a reference curve batch after batch is how you deliver that. Consistent coffee is what keeps those accounts coming back.
Adding a second machine or upgrading? Your saved profiles give you a starting point. They won't copy over perfectly, because drum size, burner output and airflow differ. Still, match the turning point, first crack timing and development percentage first. That gets you close in a few batches, not weeks of guesswork.
Inventory and production tools help you plan batches against orders. You're less likely to run out of a popular origin. Small roasters can buy green with more confidence. Mid-size roasteries can coordinate several machines across shifts from one screen.
Data logging readiness is one of the most common questions buyers ask about a used roaster. We checked CoffeeTec's 1 October 2026 product export. Of 649 active roaster listings, 266 (about 41%) mention Cropster or Artisan, a data port, or thermocouple logging. Listings for Diedrich IR-series, Mill City MCR and Toper TKM roasters, for example, often call out Cropster or Artisan output.
If you're buying, ask the seller these questions:
Browse the used coffee roasters collection by size and brand. Where a listing doesn't mention the data setup, ask us before you commit.
If you're selling, list the data setup clearly. Name the probes, the interface and the software the roaster has run. Buyers who roast with Cropster or Artisan search for exactly that detail. Our guide on how much your used coffee roaster is worth covers the other details that shape a buyer's offer.
Profiles are also how you build distinct flavors on purpose. Our guide to roasting coffee for different flavors shows how roast level and development change the cup.
Software only works as well as the roaster feeding it. CoffeeTec has served the coffee industry since 1972. We take time to understand how you roast and what your roastery needs. If you're planning a new roastery or adding automation, our roastery consulting team can help you match the machine to the software.
Upgrading to a machine with full Cropster or Artisan control? Your current roaster can fund the next step. List your used roaster on CoffeeTec and reach buyers looking for exactly that setup.
For a broader look at how far to take automation in your roastery, read When Automation Meets Art.
It depends on your roastery. Cropster is the most common choice for production roasteries that want support and built-in inventory. Artisan is the most popular free option and works with a very wide range of roasters. Smaller tools such as Typica, RoastLog and RoastPATH fit specific needs.
Yes. Artisan is free, open-source software. You may still need hardware, such as thermocouples and an interface board, to connect it to your roaster. The artisan.plus inventory service is a separate add-on.
You need bean and environment temperature probes, a way to send their readings to a computer, and a laptop or tablet. Older roasters often use an interface board such as Phidgets or TC4. Newer machines with a PLC usually connect directly over USB, Ethernet or Modbus.
Coffee roaster inventory software tracks green coffee lots, roasted stock and production. The most useful versions connect to your roast log, so each batch automatically deducts green coffee from the right lot. Cropster, artisan.plus, Typica and RoasterTools all offer inventory features.
Rate of rise is how fast bean temperature increases, usually measured per 30 or 60 seconds. Roasting software calculates it from the bean probe and shows it as a second line on the graph. Many roasters aim for a smooth, gradually falling RoR through the roast.
You can use it as a reference, but expect to adjust. Drum size, burner output, airflow and probe placement all change how a curve looks. Match the turning point, first crack timing and development percentage first, then fine-tune by cupping.
Many do. About 41% of the roasters listed on CoffeeTec mention Cropster, Artisan, a data port or thermocouple logging. Older machines without a data output can often be retrofitted with probes and an interface board. Check the listing or ask the seller about the probe and data setup.
No. Software shows you what happened in the drum, but you still decide what the coffee should taste like. Think of it as a precise notebook. Your senses and cupping notes tell you which curve to keep.
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