Softwr

Business Intelligence · head to head

Anaplan vs Marketing Evolution

Anaplan logo

Anaplan

Business Intelligence

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Marketing Evolution logo

Marketing Evolution

Marketing

Advanced marketing analytics and attribution modeling

From
$5000/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.; Marketing Evolution pricing not published on vendor website; enterprise data infrastructure platform requires custom quote
  • They diverge on capability: Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Marketing Evolution covers Multi-touch attribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anaplan and Marketing Evolution actually diverge.

Attributes where Anaplan and Marketing Evolution differ
AttributeAnaplanMarketing Evolution
Starting priceOn request$5000/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOSWeb, Api, Analytics
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceMarketing
FoundedUnknown2008

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 Marketing Evolution

  • Multi-touch attribution
  • Marketing mix modeling
  • Channel performance
  • ROI analysis
  • Forecasting
  • Budget optimization
  • Custom reporting
  • Advanced analytics

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 Marketing Evolution
  • Demand and supply planning at SKU and location level for a manufacturer with tens of thousands of itemsnot Marketing Evolution
  • Workforce planning that ties headcount, cost and capacity to a revenue plan across dozens of business unitsnot Marketing Evolution
  • Replacing a spreadsheet estate where the master planning model has become too large and too fragile for Excel to open reliablynot Marketing Evolution

Marketing Evolution

  • Marketing data unification across paid, owned, and third-party data sourcesnot Anaplan
  • Attribution modeling and customer journey reconstructionnot Anaplan
  • AI-agent-ready marketing data context and business ontologynot Anaplan
  • Marketing budget planning and scenario simulation with Darwin toolnot Anaplan
  • Cross-channel performance monitoring and KPI standardizationnot 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.

Marketing Evolution

  • Pricing not published on vendor website; enterprise data infrastructure platform requires custom quote

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

Marketing Evolution

$5000/month
  • Professional$5000/month
    • Basic attribution modeling
    • Multiple channels
    • Monthly reporting
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Advanced attribution
    • Unlimited channels
    • Real-time analysis
  • Custom$undefined/month
    • Custom implementation
    • Professional services
    • Consulting included

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 Marketing Evolution if

  • You need multi-touch attribution.
  • You work on Web, Api, Analytics.
  • You also want marketing mix modeling.
Marketing Evolution review

Questions people ask

Is Anaplan or Marketing Evolution better?
Neither clearly leads. Anaplan starts at On request and Marketing Evolution at $5000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anaplan or Marketing Evolution?
Anaplan starts at On request and Marketing Evolution at $5000/month.
Does Anaplan or Marketing Evolution run on more platforms?
Anaplan runs on Web, iOS. Marketing Evolution runs on Web, Api, Analytics.
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 Marketing Evolution is typically brought in for.
What can Anaplan do that Marketing Evolution cannot?
Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Connected planning, Scenario and versioning, Model builder. Marketing Evolution covers Multi-touch attribution, Marketing mix modeling, Channel performance, ROI analysis.

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.

Marketing Evolution: How much does Marketing Evolution Substrate cost?

Marketing Evolution does not publish pricing on its website. The Substrate platform is sold through enterprise contracts requiring custom quotes.

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.

Marketing Evolution: What is the cost of Darwin proactive intelligence?

Darwin is included with the Substrate platform. Marketing Evolution does not publish per-user or per-instance pricing on its website.

Source
Anaplan: Who owns Anaplan?

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

Marketing Evolution: Does Marketing Evolution offer a free trial?

Marketing Evolution directs users to request a demo or get started on the website. No free trial period is mentioned or offered.

Source
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.

Share

Related pages

More on Anaplan

More on Marketing Evolution

Keep looking

Other head to heads