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Anaplan vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.2
Anaplan delivers varied ROI, enhancing accuracy and efficiency, with results dependent on successful implementation within six months.
Sentiment score
5.5
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central improved efficiency and savings but returns vary, with some experiencing delays up to six months.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.5
Anaplan's customer support is praised for quick, effective issue resolution, reliable service, and valued resources despite occasional delays.
Sentiment score
4.1
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers responsive customer support, though technical assistance can be slow and sometimes checklist-driven.
The technical support from Anaplan is amazing, with a dedicated team to assist in case of any issues.
The lack of senior technical consultants means Tier 1 support sometimes has limited experience, which could be better.
Some support personnel seem to stick to a checklist, which can be frustrating for experienced users.
Microsoft provides real-time support, which makes a big difference compared to SAP.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Anaplan offers scalable solutions for large projects, integrating various systems, but costs can rise with increased usage.
Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is scalable, best with cloud deployment, yet may require alternatives for large implementations.
Anaplan had issues before, but the new Polaris engine solves them.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Anaplan offers high stability and reliability with in-memory computing, despite minor downtimes and performance issues from model design.
Sentiment score
7.7
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a stable, reliable platform for diverse, demanding organizational needs with minimal bugs.
For the cloud, we have not faced any downtimes or stability issues.
 

Room For Improvement

Anaplan faces challenges in model efficiency, integration, pricing, and user support while needing AI enhancements and improved usability.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central faces challenges in pricing, customization, integration, and user experience while needing enhancements in support and management.
Advanced planning with AI, machine learning, and related plugins would be great to see in the future.
There's a gap in advanced features that other platforms like NetSuite handle better.
There is a need for improvement in consolidation and multi-country master data management.
 

Setup Cost

Anaplan's pricing is premium yet justified, with costs escalating by features and complexity, transparency in pricing is needed.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers cost-effective, flexible pricing, starting at $70-$100 per user, with variable implementation fees.
Currently, Anaplan is more expensive compared to other tools.
The pricing is slightly on the premium side, but I do not have detailed knowledge about the exact licensing structure.
However, it was very costly due to the numerous integrations we had.
The pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central is reasonable.
 

Valuable Features

Anaplan offers user-friendly, real-time planning with dashboards, flexibility, and integration, enhancing collaboration and reducing manual data tasks.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central streamlines operations with seamless Microsoft integration, real-time insights, customization, scalability, and global compliance.
Anaplan's connected planning feature is its most valuable aspect, allowing for seamless financial planning, HR planning, and updates.
The value for money is very high as it fits the business well.
It provides localized compliance for every country, covering VAT compliances, taxing policies, and corporate taxes.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is scalable, as it was able to grow with increasing business demands.
 

Categories and Ranking

Anaplan
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
Business Performance Management (2nd), Production Planning (4th), Predictive Analytics (4th)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Busi...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
66
Ranking in other categories
ERP (3rd), Activity Based Costing Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

Anaplan and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Anaplan is designed for Business Performance Management and holds a mindshare of 10.3%, down 14.6% compared to last year.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, on the other hand, focuses on ERP, holds 6.5% mindshare, up 6.3% since last year.
Business Performance Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Anaplan10.3%
Oracle Hyperion8.1%
CCH Tagetik6.6%
Other75.0%
Business Performance Management
ERP Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central6.5%
SAP ERP17.2%
SAP S/4HANA9.6%
Other66.7%
ERP
 

Featured Reviews

Antonio Flor - PeerSpot reviewer
Real-time data integration enhances operational efficiency and flexibility
As a client developer and solutions architect, I use Anaplan for building modules and deploying logic end-to-end. I work closely with the business in an agile manner to ensure the model aligns with business needs Anaplan offers flexibility in building different options within the platform. The…
StefaanVandesompele - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides end-to-end accounting and finance module at reasonable pricing
365 Business Central integrates with Office 365 to streamline the invoice approval process. This allows businesses to manage and approve invoices efficiently within a unified system. Our organization plans to transition to the Dynamics 365 environment, where various functions will be centralized. We will consolidate everything into one system instead of maintaining multiple databases for each country with local data. Dynamics 365 is fully integrated, which should address many of our challenges when we migrate to this new environment. We look forward to seeing how it performs in practice. The project is progressing well overall, though integrating it with other tools and ensuring Dynamics 365 operates smoothly can be challenging. Dynamics 365 is user-friendly and effective. However, a deeper understanding of its technical capabilities and architecture might be necessary to optimize its use fully. The software landscape is evolving, and achieving the best reporting and functionality with just a click can be complex. A clear vision of what you want to achieve with Dynamics 365 is essential. Proper preparation and configuration are crucial to achieving the desired outcomes. This principle applies not only to Dynamics 365 but to all software packages. Understanding the system's flexibility and adaptability based on your specific business needs is key to its successful implementation. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Retailer
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Retailer
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise12
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise19
 

Questions from the Community

What are your main use cases for Anaplan?
Anaplan is an industry-leading cloud-based corporate performance management (CPM) platform that combines business planning and analytics in a single solution. It is designed to assist organizations...
Is Board better than Anaplan as a Business Intelligence (BI) solution?
We've had several FP&A departments include Anaplan in their analytics discussions, and while BI information IS generated, the focus is generally on compiling input from various sources and simu...
Is Anaplan better than SAP ERP?
There are different aspects of both Anaplan and SAP ERP that I like and dislike. Anaplan improves forecast accuracy and drives up the quality of analytics. Rather than spending all of their time co...
What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
The platform offers a robust and comprehensive cycle for supply chain and inventory management, with features like minimum and maximum settings, dynamic monitoring of inventory levels, and integrat...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
I don't have specific information about the pricing of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. However, it was very costly due to the numerous integrations we had.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics NAV?
When I started working with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, I was new and didn't know what ERP was or its purpose, but I was eager to learn more each day. The system can become overwhelmed...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Dynamics NAV, MS Dynamics NAV
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

HP, ForeScout, DocuSign, EAT, Pandora, Aviva, Intel Security, Zalora
Harris Farm Markets, Mister Spex GmbH, Bounce Foods, Eurofin Services SA, Medica Medizintechnik, Associated Gaskets, Onduline, Sitka Surfboard Corporation, World Animal Protection
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle, Anaplan, IBM and others in Business Performance Management. Updated: September 2025.
867,497 professionals have used our research since 2012.