Business Intelligence · head to head
Anaplan vs Postgres
Anaplan
Business Intelligence
Connected planning platform with an in-memory calculation engine for large multidimensional models
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Postgres has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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.; Postgres each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
- They diverge on capability: Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Postgres covers ACID compliance.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Anaplan and Postgres actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Postgres
- ACID compliance
- Complex queries
- Foreign keys
- Triggers
- Views
- Stored procedures
- JSON/JSONB support
- Full-text search
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 Postgres
- Demand and supply planning at SKU and location level for a manufacturer with tens of thousands of itemsnot Postgres
- Workforce planning that ties headcount, cost and capacity to a revenue plan across dozens of business unitsnot Postgres
- Replacing a spreadsheet estate where the master planning model has become too large and too fragile for Excel to open reliablynot Postgres
Postgres
- Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Anaplan
- Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Anaplan
- Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot 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 $10.7bn deal, and customers have since reported firmer renewal terms; a private-equity owner optimising for cash flow is a real factor in a multi-year planning contract.
- Native reporting and visualisation are weak for anything beyond planning grids, so most customers push data out to Power BI or Tableau for executive reporting, adding another tool and another latency point.
- Implementations are long. A connected planning programme across finance and supply chain routinely runs six to eighteen months before the first production plan, which is difficult to justify when the business wants a forecast this quarter.
Postgres
- Each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
- Major version upgrades break on-disk compatibility and require a full dump and reload or the pg_upgrade tool
- New major versions ship about once a year, so staying supported means a disruptive upgrade cycle
- Minor releases contain only frequently-encountered bug fixes, low-risk fixes, security issues and data corruption fixes, so feature gaps are not addressed within a major version
- There is no vendor SLA; commercial support must be bought separately from third party professional services listed by the project
Pricing, plan by plan
Anaplan
On request- Anaplan$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
Postgres
Free- Community EditionFree
- Full database features
- No limitations
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Anaplan if
- You need hyperblock calculation engine.
- You work on Web, iOS.
- You also want connected planning.
Choose Postgres if
- You need acid compliance.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- You also want complex queries.
Questions people ask
- Is Anaplan or Postgres better?
- Neither clearly leads. Anaplan starts at On request and Postgres at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Anaplan or Postgres?
- Postgres has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Anaplan and Free for Postgres.
- Does Anaplan or Postgres run on more platforms?
- Anaplan runs on Web, iOS. Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- Can I use Postgres for free?
- Yes. Postgres has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Anaplan starts at On request.
- 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 Postgres is typically brought in for.
- What can Anaplan do that Postgres cannot?
- Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Connected planning, Scenario and versioning, Model builder. Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers.
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.
Postgres: How much does PostgreSQL cost to use?
PostgreSQL is completely free to download, install, and use. No licensing fees, subscription costs, or per-seat charges apply. The database is open source under the PostgreSQL License. Source: https://www.postgresql.org
SourceAnaplan: 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.
Postgres: Are there commercial PostgreSQL support options available?
Official PostgreSQL (the project) is free. Commercial PostgreSQL services such as hosting, professional support, training, and managed database services are offered by third-party vendors, not the PostgreSQL project itself. Source: https://www.postgresql.org
SourceAnaplan: Who owns Anaplan?
Thoma Bravo, which took it private in 2022 for $10.7bn.
Postgres: Do I need a license to use PostgreSQL commercially?
No. PostgreSQL is open source under the PostgreSQL License, which permits free commercial use without royalties, licensing fees, or support obligations. Source: https://www.postgresql.org
SourceAnaplan: 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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