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Business Intelligence · head to head

Anaplan vs Automation Anywhere

Anaplan logo

Anaplan

Business Intelligence

Connected planning platform with an in-memory calculation engine for large multidimensional models

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Automation Anywhere logo

Automation Anywhere

Automation Integration

Enterprise automation software

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Anaplan workspace is licensed by memory consumed, so a model that grows as the business adds SKUs, regions or scenarios generates a bill increase without a single new user being added, and teams end up optimising models for licence cost rather than clarity.; Automation Anywhere no enterprise pricing tiers published; contact sales required for commercial deployment pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Automation Anywhere covers Desktop RPA.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anaplan and Automation Anywhere actually diverge.

Attributes where Anaplan and Automation Anywhere differ
AttributeAnaplanAutomation Anywhere
Starting priceOn request$200/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOSDesktop, Web
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceAutomation Integration
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Anaplan

  • Hyperblock calculation engine
  • Connected planning
  • Scenario and versioning
  • Model builder
  • Anaplan PlanIQ
  • Workflow and approvals
  • Application lifecycle management
  • Data integration

Only in Automation Anywhere

  • Desktop RPA
  • Cloud RPA
  • No-code automation
  • Intelligent process automation
  • Analytics
  • Monitoring
  • Scalability
  • 500+ connectors

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Anaplan

  • Sales territory and quota planning across thousands of reps where a change to segmentation must reflow quota immediatelynot Automation Anywhere
  • Demand and supply planning at SKU and location level for a manufacturer with tens of thousands of itemsnot Automation Anywhere
  • Workforce planning that ties headcount, cost and capacity to a revenue plan across dozens of business unitsnot Automation Anywhere
  • Replacing a spreadsheet estate where the master planning model has become too large and too fragile for Excel to open reliablynot Automation Anywhere

Automation Anywhere

  • Workflow Automationnot Anaplan
  • Data Integrationnot Anaplan
  • Process Automationnot Anaplan
  • App Integrationnot Anaplan
  • API Connectivitynot Anaplan

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Anaplan

  • Workspace is licensed by memory consumed, so a model that grows as the business adds SKUs, regions or scenarios generates a bill increase without a single new user being added, and teams end up optimising models for licence cost rather than clarity.
  • Model building requires certified Anaplan modellers using a proprietary formula language, and the labour market for that skill is small, so most customers stay dependent on a systems integrator long after go-live.
  • Thoma Bravo took the company private in 2022 in a $10.7bn deal, and customers have since reported firmer renewal terms; a private-equity owner optimising for cash flow is a real factor in a multi-year planning contract.
  • Native reporting and visualisation are weak for anything beyond planning grids, so most customers push data out to Power BI or Tableau for executive reporting, adding another tool and another latency point.
  • Implementations are long. A connected planning programme across finance and supply chain routinely runs six to eighteen months before the first production plan, which is difficult to justify when the business wants a forecast this quarter.

Automation Anywhere

  • No enterprise pricing tiers published; contact sales required for commercial deployment pricing
  • Cloud Community Edition is free but limited compared to enterprise offerings

Pricing, plan by plan

Anaplan

On request
  • Anaplan$undefined/year
    • Licensed by user tier and by workspace capacity
    • Workspace charged on memory consumed by models, independent of user count
    • Multi-year enterprise agreements are the norm

Automation Anywhere

$200/month
  • CommunityFree
    • Community version
    • Limited use
  • Enterprise$200/month
    • Full RPA capabilities
  • Premium$500/month
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Anaplan if

  • You need hyperblock calculation engine.
  • You work on Web, iOS.
  • You also want connected planning.
Anaplan review

Choose Automation Anywhere if

  • You need desktop rpa.
  • You work on Desktop, Web.
  • You also want cloud rpa.
Automation Anywhere review

Questions people ask

Is Anaplan or Automation Anywhere better?
Neither clearly leads. Anaplan starts at On request and Automation Anywhere at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anaplan or Automation Anywhere?
Anaplan starts at On request and Automation Anywhere at $200/month.
Does Anaplan or Automation Anywhere run on more platforms?
Anaplan runs on Web, iOS. Automation Anywhere runs on Desktop, Web.
What is Anaplan best used for?
Anaplan is most often used for sales territory and quota planning across thousands of reps where a change to segmentation must reflow quota immediately, demand and supply planning at sku and location level for a manufacturer with tens of thousands of items, workforce planning that ties headcount, cost and capacity to a revenue plan across dozens of business units, replacing a spreadsheet estate where the master planning model has become too large and too fragile for excel to open reliably. Of those, sales territory and quota planning across thousands of reps where a change to segmentation must reflow quota immediately and demand and supply planning at sku and location level for a manufacturer with tens of thousands of items are not what Automation Anywhere is typically brought in for.
What can Anaplan do that Automation Anywhere cannot?
Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Connected planning, Scenario and versioning, Model builder. Automation Anywhere covers Desktop RPA, Cloud RPA, No-code automation, Intelligent process automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Anaplan: Why is Anaplan expensive even when user counts are low?

Because workspace is licensed on the memory your models consume as well as on users. Large models cost money regardless of how many people log in.

Automation Anywhere: How much does Automation Anywhere cost?

Automation Anywhere provides a Cloud Community Edition available free with full-featured automation access. Enterprise and commercial deployment pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires contact with the sales team for a custom quote.

Source
Anaplan: Do we need a systems integrator?

Almost always for the first implementation. The proprietary modelling language and the scale of typical models make an experienced partner or an internal certified team effectively mandatory.

Automation Anywhere: Does Automation Anywhere offer a free version?

Yes, Automation Anywhere offers the Cloud Community Edition as a free option with full-featured automation access for learning and development purposes. Commercial and enterprise use requires different licensing arrangements.

Source
Anaplan: Who owns Anaplan?

Thoma Bravo, which took it private in 2022 for $10.7bn.

Anaplan: Can it replace our BI tool?

No. It is a planning and calculation platform; most customers still export to Power BI or Tableau for reporting and dashboards.

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