Anaplan vs Workiva Wdesk comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Anaplan and Workiva are both solutions in the Business Performance Management category. Anaplan is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.4, while Workiva is ranked #16. Anaplan holds a 5.8% mindshare in BPM, compared to Workiva’s 3.0% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Anaplan users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 71% of Workiva users who would recommend it.

Anaplan

Read 36 Anaplan reviews

7,018 Views
4,141 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Workiva Wdesk

Read 7 Workiva Wdesk reviews

5,452 Views
1,363 Comparison Views

71% willing to recommend

Anaplan

Workiva Wdesk

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Anaplan and Workiva Wdesk compete in the enterprise software market focusing on planning and reporting. Anaplan appears to have the upper hand in scalability, while Workiva Wdesk excels in collaboration for real-time teamwork.

Features: Anaplan offers comprehensive planning and forecasting with robust modeling capabilities, making it appealing for organizations needing scalable solutions for complex scenarios. It provides extensive options for "what-if" analysis and seamless data integration. Workiva Wdesk is distinguished by its integrated reporting, compliance, and accurate data linkage across documents, which are crucial for regulatory requirements. Its standardized data flow allows easy document management and dynamic updates.

Room for Improvement: Anaplan could enhance its user-experience design to reduce the learning curve and streamline initial training processes. It's important to advance its collaboration tools to better support real-time teamwork across dispersed teams. Further improvements in its reporting capabilities could help bridge gaps in regulatory compliance. Workiva Wdesk might refine its integration with non-ERP systems to expand usability across diverse IT environments. Enhancing mobile accessibility could improve workflow efficiency for users on the go. Continued focus on improving scalability would better accommodate growing enterprises.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Anaplan provides a flexible SaaS model that supports easy integration and customization, although some users find the learning curve steep without proper training. Workiva Wdesk ensures seamless implementation and outstanding customer support, facilitating rapid onboarding and minimizing downtime, which benefits smaller teams needing quick adjustments.

Pricing and ROI: Anaplan's pricing reflects its rich feature set and powerful capabilities, often leading to a higher initial setup cost but delivering significant returns through improved process efficiencies over time. Workiva Wdesk, while perceived sometimes with higher subscription costs, offers value through accelerated compliance processes and reduced manual workloads, providing solid ROI, especially for clients in regulated industries.

To learn more, read our detailed Anaplan vs. Workiva Wdesk Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Anaplan vs. Workiva Wdesk

November 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Anaplan

Ranking in Business Performance Management

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Production Planning (4th), Predictive Analytics (5th)

Workiva Wdesk

Ranking in Business Performance Management

16th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

GRC (9th), Financial Close Software (10th)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Business Performance Management category, the mindshare of Anaplan is 5.8%, down from 9.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workiva Wdesk is 3.0%, up from 2.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Business Performance Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Anaplan	5.8%
Workiva Wdesk	3.0%
Other	91.2%

Business Performance Management

Featured Reviews

Segun Oladele

Associate Manager, Accounting at BIC

Reporting and forecasting have become more automated through intuitive data organization and flexible number calendarization

I do not have any improvements from my own end at this time.There are some specific features or functionality that I would like to see included in Anaplan in the future. From what we have been using, I do not think there is any specific one because we import and export numbers. Importing and exporting with CSV files is already available in Anaplan. I do not have any special requests from Anaplan. I still decided to give Anaplan an eight because I have not seen a specific dashboard on Anaplan. Anaplan could have a dashboard where you can see the flow of your numbers displayed on pictorials rather than just saying this is the number. Simple dashboards should be implemented.

Read full review

Thomas Edward Biller

Senior Financial Analyst at Bakelite Synthetics

Allows multiple users, each responsible for specific sections, to collaborate efficiently

One area where Workiva Wdesk could improve is by ensuring that its cloud-based system is fully compatible with the most current versions of PowerPoint and Excel. Sometimes, the features available in their versions of these applications fell short of the company's standards, which could be limiting. Having access to the latest versions might increase costs, but it is essential to keep up with the evolving technology landscape and meet the demands of companies that require faster reporting processes. This would make it easier to handle custom requests and adjustments, like creating specific data categories in Excel and seamlessly transferring them into Wdesk for presentations without the need for time-consuming manual adjustments.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Anaplan is excellent for summarizing clean data and is easier to use for reporting and security, while Planning Analytics is better for data cleansing and low-level data manipulation."

"Anaplan's connected planning feature is its most valuable aspect, allowing for seamless financial planning, HR planning, and updates."

"Anaplan's strongest feature is that its GUI is very modern and user-friendly."

"Anaplan, being a cloud-based platform, allows customers to adapt easily; it is easier to enter data, load data, and develop reports compared to Hyperion."

"Anaplan's scalability stands out compared to other platforms, especially for scenario planning and what-if analysis."

"It's highly flexible. If you've got a complex environment with complex calculations, you can build that out. So that's a really good positive."

"The solution is stable and the performance is good, and it is actually performing very well as it has reduced a lot of manual work and manual exercises."

"After we implemented it in Anaplan, it made the calculations much easier and at one time, multiple users could log into Anaplan and work simultaneously for different areas."

More Anaplan pros

"It helps you to maintain a backup of your data, including the connectivity with the tables, which provides a user-friendly way to handle and access your files."

"The cross-functionality between connectivity, whether through API connections between different software platforms or the connection of data collection to the actual written ESG report, is highly valuable. The connectivity of all these aspects significantly aids in data assurance, which I consider a bonus."

"It makes the compliance process more efficient and more effective."

"The most valuable feature is its ability to easily upload and update financial results, creating a dynamic data sheet."

"The collaboration within the platform is valuable."

"Workiva Wdesk has a flow diagram that is standardized, making it easy for people to file documents on ECDAs, which are in HTML format."

"Workiva Wdesk is pretty good in terms of getting the data from the system, automating the reporting schedules...It has a very good integration with ERP tools."

Cons

"Small changes could create massive amounts of data without the Anaplan Builder knowing that they did that. This could push us over space/storage limits quickly."

"One key area of improvement is pricing."

"The solution could improve by better dashboards and while entering the form loss and project implementation the ability to use graphical shapes more effectively."

"There are workspace issues, like the limitation on model sizes."

"There is a chance of improvement for the history. In Anaplan back-end model, if there is any change, it is captured in the history, however, on the front-end UX page, if there are any changes on the UX page, there is no history captured."

"Anaplan lacks a native ETL tool, making it challenging to integrate numerous flat files."

"Right now, we haven't seen any ROI from using Anaplan."

"Anaplan's workflow component is probably the biggest area for improvement. I'd also like to see Anaplan add an ad hoc reporting tool that allows users to query things. It's going to factor into how you design your data set and your models, but I'd like the ability to create ad hoc queries against the data that's in there."

More Anaplan cons

"The tool's script encoding needs to be updated to make it more user-friendly and less of a manual process when changes are made to a company's program. Those changes happen frequently due to mandatory or voluntary reporting requirements, leading to lost linkage connections that must be manually reset each time a change is made. This aspect is not functional now, and I see it as an opportunity for improvement."

"With this product, it's more about the integrated data model where you can have a one-to-many/many-to-one relationship between your policies and processes, risks, and controls. They need to showcase how you can put those pieces together."

"The most critical issue is the need to shift between uppercase and lowercase."

"The speed must be improved."

"Regarding the solution, reporting has certain areas that can be considered for improvement."

"At this point, I don't see a compelling reason to invest in Workiva. It may be necessary for compliance and controlling the version of SCC, but not everyone needs its high-end capabilities."

"One area where Workiva Wdesk could improve is by ensuring that its cloud-based system is fully compatible with the most current versions of PowerPoint and Excel."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost of Anaplan is a challenge for clients, especially if they don't have an ongoing long-term use case for it. It's a $50,000 licensing fee just to get started. Clients need a strong business case to switch from Excel to Anaplan. But if clients have used something similar in the past, such as Hyperion or other solutions, that's not a factor because they know what to expect."

"A value-for-money product and a very reasonable price compared to competitors like SAP or IBM."

"The tool’s pricing is reasonable and competitive with other solutions."

"The price of the solution is expensive."

"We are currently using a free workspace license for 90 days. We are satisfied with the price of the solution. There are additional costs if you want more storage, the default limit is 250 GB."

"Anaplan is a bit pricier compared to its competitors - the license costs about $4,000 per user annually."

"This is an expensive product and if the price were reduced then it would attract more customers."

"The license is a yearly subscription. There are three licensing tiers: the model builder, planner, and the reporting."

More Anaplan pricing and cost advice

"Our clients in Asia think that the solution is too expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

16%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	1
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

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...

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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...

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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...

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Anaplan

October 2026

Download Anaplan product report

Buyer's Guide

Workiva Wdesk

October 2026

Download Workiva Wdesk product report

Also Known As

No data available

Wdesk

Overview

Anaplan delivers a comprehensive cloud platform designed for three-dimensional data analysis, visualization, and planning. Known for real-time integration with systems such as Salesforce, it enables efficient budgeting, reporting, and modeling without extensive coding knowledge.

The Anaplan platform enhances operational efficiency with its flexible and scalable capabilities, supporting financial planning, supply chain management, and sales operations among others. Users benefit from features like an advanced in-memory calculation engine, quick updates, and ease of integration with systems like SAP. While Anaplan offers a robust toolset, enhancements in dashboard capabilities and integration processes are needed, with improvements requested in visualization tools, more flexible graphs, and better API integration. Additional desires include machine learning features and streamlined data import processes to reduce latency.

What are the key features of Anaplan?

Three-dimensional Planning: Provides robust data analysis and visualization.
Real-time Integration: Seamlessly integrates with systems like Salesforce and SAP.
Advanced Calculation Engine: Enables quick updates across platforms.
Model Map: Aids easy model navigation and management.
Scalability: Adapts to companies of all sizes with ease.

What benefits should users consider?

Operational Efficiency: Enhances planning and execution processes.
Ease of Use: Reduces the need for extensive coding knowledge.
Flexibility: Adapts to diverse business needs and industries.
Cost-effectiveness: Offers potential ROI by optimizing planning efficiencies.

In industries like financial planning, supply chain management, and sales operations, Anaplan facilitates scenario-based analysis, demand forecasting, and business execution. It is employed in marketing, commercial real estate planning, and integrates easily with existing systems. Users in these sectors find it valuable for improving planning accuracy and responsiveness.

Anaplan

Workiva Wdesk specializes in updating financial results with seamless API connectivity and strong data assurance. Valued for its effective compliance processes, the platform enhances collaboration, making it efficient for financial data handling and reporting schedules.

Known for its integration with ERP tools, Workiva Wdesk supports standardized data flow, easing management and document replication for updates. Its user-friendly interface facilitates efficient collaboration for tasks like SOX, internal audit, and SEC filings. However, users point out the need for better compatibility with PowerPoint and Excel features, improved search functionality, and enhanced data linkage management. There are also concerns regarding encoding, data loss during server refreshes, and workflow inefficiencies.

What are the key features of Workiva Wdesk?

Seamless API Connectivity: Allows for easy integration with existing systems.
Data Assurance: Provides robust backup and security.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies navigation and task management.
ERP Integration: Supports standardized data flow and document updates.
Collaboration Tools: Enhances teamwork with multiple contributors on projects.

What benefits should users expect?

Improved Financial Reporting: Streamlined report generation for SEC filings and financial reporting.
Enhanced Compliance: Effective processes for SOX and internal audits.
Efficient Data Management: Standardized data flow and document handling.
Increased Productivity: User-friendly interface aids swift adoption and use.

Workiva Wdesk is extensively used across industries for creating and managing board deck presentations, aiding teams in generating annual reports and preparing detailed reports including data tables. It facilitates collaboration in financial settings, addressing needs in compliance, risk management, and audit preparation.

Workiva

Sample Customers

HP, ForeScout, DocuSign, EAT, Pandora, Aviva, Intel Security, Zalora

Noodles Company, eBay, Winnebago, American Assets Trust, AmericanEnterprise, Calpian, Capstone Infrastructure, Cascades, Circor International, Coeur Mining, Davey, Dr Pepper Snapple

Buyer's Guide

Anaplan vs. Workiva Wdesk

November 2026

Free Report: Anaplan vs. Workiva Wdesk

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