Overview

Anaplan brings budgeting, forecasting, scenario modeling, workforce planning and financial consolidation into one platform. Its mix of deterministic calculations, probabilistic AI, connected data, workflows and role-based agents is aimed at decision-making across departments, rather than isolated planning by individual teams. That breadth is valuable when plans depend on one another, but can be more platform than a single team needs.

Anaplan was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida. It describes its offering as an AI-driven platform for scenario planning and analysis.

Key features

Cross-functional planning

Planning areas include finance, supply chain, sales and marketing, HR and workforce, and retail. Purpose-built applications bring domain-specific functionality and planning practices to those areas. This is a strong fit for organizations aligning assumptions across departments; teams focused on a narrow planning task may not need that range.

Mobile and integrations

The iOS and Android app supports reviewing dashboards, updating plans, collaborating and completing workflow tasks. That gives users a way to participate away from a desktop, though the mobile experience is described around these planning activities rather than as a substitute for the broader platform.

Connectors and integration platforms link Anaplan with third-party services, while the Integration API supports data movement, model interaction and process execution. Documented REST APIs also cover financial consolidation, identity management, CloudWorks, application lifecycle management, audit and administration. Integration API requests use the authenticated user's permissions, so they do not create access beyond that user's authorization.

Security and support

Anaplan states that data in transit uses HTTPS with TLS 1.2 as the minimum and TLS 1.3 as the maximum, while data at rest uses AES-256 full-disk encryption. Access controls include single sign-on, SAML 2.0, OAuth, role-based access control and centralized identity management. Its listed frameworks include SOC reports, TRUSTe Privacy Seal, Cloud Security Alliance STAR, and ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 27701. Customer care is available by phone 24x7, a useful support channel for organizations that depend on planning workflows.

Pricing

Anaplan subscription: custom pricing. Cost varies by service purchased and is provided through a Statement of Work or Order Schedule; buyers must contact Anaplan for a quote. There is no public subscription price or self-serve tier to compare, so organizations should establish scope and cost directly with Anaplan before deciding whether the platform fits their budget.

Platforms

Anaplan supports Android, iOS and web access, along with an API for integration. The mobile app covers dashboard review, plan updates, collaboration and workflow tasks on both major mobile platforms.

Who it's for

Anaplan is intended for organizations planning across functions such as finance, sales, supply chain, HR and retail. It is most compelling where teams need connected plans, scenario analysis and shared workflows. A buyer seeking a narrowly focused tool or a published subscription rate should consider whether the cross-functional breadth and quote-based purchasing process are appropriate.

Pros and cons

Pros: Covers multiple planning disciplines, including budgeting, forecasting, workforce planning and financial consolidation, making it useful when departments need to coordinate plans.
Pros: Mobile apps support reviewing dashboards, changing plans and completing workflow tasks on iOS and Android.
Pros: Multiple integration routes and a broad set of documented APIs support data movement and administration; API calls remain governed by the authenticated user's permissions.
Pros: Encryption, identity controls and named security and privacy frameworks give organizations concrete capabilities to assess.
Cons: Pricing is custom and scoped by service, so buyers cannot compare a public tier or estimate a subscription from a listed rate.
Cons: The platform's cross-functional scope may be unnecessary for a team with one limited planning need.

Alternatives

Workday Adaptive Planning is worth considering for buyers who want a paid option with a 30-day trial; it also supports Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows, as well as API access.

o9 Digital Brain is another paid, enterprise SaaS option, with pricing scoped to customer complexity, users and functions, solutions deployed, and implementation. Its platform availability includes Android, iOS, web and API.

IBM Planning Analytics may suit small teams interested in a stated starting point: its Essentials plan starts at 875.00 USD per contact and is designed for small teams. It has a free trial and supports API, iOS, Linux, self-hosted, web and Windows use.

OneStream is a paid alternative for buyers who want to discuss its platform through a demo; its platform spans Android, iOS, web, Windows and self-hosted use.

AIMMS Integrated Business Planning is a paid option for buyers seeking a tailored proposal, with API, Linux, self-hosted, web and Windows platforms.

SIMCEL is a paid, web-based alternative.

Board offers paid Finance, Supply chain and Retail plans, each with customized quotes; it may be relevant to buyers evaluating those particular planning areas. Its listed platform is self-hosted.

Jedox offers paid Business and Professional plans on the web; its Business plan includes full users and basic models, with optional planners, viewers, connectors, and performance or support upgrades.

Compare options by category in Scenario Planning Software, Revenue Planning Software, Financial Forecasting Software, Forecasting Software, Financial Planning & Analysis Software and Corporate Performance Management Software.

Verdict

Anaplan is best for organizations that need connected planning across departments and value scenario analysis, integrations and mobile participation. Its cross-functional scope is the main reason to choose it; custom, quote-based pricing and the absence of a public tier are the main reasons to look elsewhere if cost transparency or a focused tool matters more.

	Anaplan	HOW4
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	Web
Workforce planning	Yes	—
Scenario modeling	Yes	Yes
Free plan	—	No
Diversity analytics	—	Yes
Data refresh	—	real_time

Anaplan vs HOW4

Anaplan

HOW4