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Business Intelligence · head to head

Anaplan vs PR Newswire

Anaplan logo

Anaplan

Business Intelligence

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PR Newswire logo

PR Newswire

News

The global leader in press release distribution

From
On request
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.; PR Newswire pR Newswire is structured as an annual membership organization with a separate fee, on top of per-release distribution charges (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, PR Newswire covers Press release distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anaplan and PR Newswire actually diverge.

Attributes where Anaplan and PR Newswire differ
AttributeAnaplanPR Newswire
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
PlatformsWeb, iOSWeb
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceNews
FoundedUnknown1954

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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 PR Newswire

  • Press release distribution
  • Multimedia support
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Targeted distribution
  • Regulatory disclosure
  • Cision platform
  • Google News
  • Yahoo Finance

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

PR Newswire

  • Press release distributionnot Anaplan
  • Product launchesnot Anaplan
  • Earnings announcementsnot Anaplan
  • Corporate newsnot Anaplan
  • SEC filingsnot 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.

PR Newswire

  • PR Newswire is structured as an annual membership organization with a separate fee, on top of per-release distribution charges (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)
  • Single state-level press release distribution starts at $355 USD for only a 400-word release, with pricing rising per additional word or wider circuit (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)
  • Top Markets distribution, a wider circuit than a single state, starts at $650 USD for a 400-word release, and a four-release Top Markets bundle is $3,095 USD (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)

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

PR Newswire

On request
  • US1 - State$575/one-time
    • State distribution
    • Online posting
    • Basic analytics
  • US2 - Regional$825/one-time
    • Regional distribution
    • AP inclusion
    • Enhanced analytics
  • US3 - National$1475/one-time
    • National distribution
    • All wire services
    • Multimedia options
  • GlobalFree
    • International distribution
    • Translation services
    • Global reach

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 PR Newswire if

  • You need press release distribution.
  • You also want multimedia support.
PR Newswire review

Questions people ask

Is Anaplan or PR Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. Anaplan starts at On request and PR Newswire at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anaplan or PR Newswire?
Anaplan starts at On request and PR Newswire at On request.
Does Anaplan or PR Newswire run on more platforms?
Anaplan runs on Web, iOS. PR Newswire runs on 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 PR Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can Anaplan do that PR Newswire cannot?
Anaplan covers Hyperblock calculation engine, Connected planning, Scenario and versioning, Model builder. PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Multimedia support, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution.

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.

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.

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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