Modern businesses face constant change, increasing complexity, and rising expectations for speed and accuracy in decision-making. To stay ahead, they need planning tools that are flexible, collaborative, and built to scale.
That’s where Anaplan comes in. Big data, big decisions—Anaplan claims to handle it all. But does it truly deliver?
This review covers what works, what doesn’t, and who it’s best for. So, what exactly makes Anaplan stand out in a crowded market?
Overview of Anaplan
Anaplan is a platform that helps businesses improve the way they plan, analyze, and make decisions. It enables users to view real-time performance data in context and forecast future outcomes, leading to faster and more confident decision-making.
This is especially valuable for Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) teams, who can use the platform to build multiple scenarios with no limit on dimensions.
The platform supports connected planning across different departments, helping businesses grow and move forward. Anaplan is based in San Francisco and works with more than 175 partners, serving over 1,900 customers around the world.
Most of Anaplan’s customers are large companies with big finance teams and large volumes of data.
As of 2025, Anaplan has achieved significant growth and transformation since its acquisition by Thoma Bravo in 2022. The company’s Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) has surpassed $1 billion, up from approximately $600 million two and a half years prior.
Anaplan’s Finance unit has surpassed $600M in ARR, with Supply Chain nearing $200M—its fastest-growing segment. It added 300+ customers last year and now has 200+ clients paying over $1M annually.
Important Features
- Connected Planning Across the Enterprise – Easily align planning efforts across all departments using clear, collaborative dashboards and tools.
- Scalable and Smart Architecture – Use powerful computing capabilities to improve insights, forecasts, and strategic planning.
- Fast Time to Value – Quickly build models, work with team members, and make informed decisions through a unified platform.
- User-Friendly Experience – Give employees access to real-time updates from any device, helping them stay informed and productive.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Turn complex data into clear recommendations using built-in optimization, predictive models, and AI. Machine learning speeds up decision-making in many areas.
- Advanced Planning and Modeling – Create detailed business scenarios with flexible, multi-dimensional models that stay consistent across all updates.
- Flexible Integration – Gather and analyze data in one place. Easily share information with others using APIs, data connectors, and built-in integrations.
- Strong Security – Protect your data with advanced security features, including Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), role-based access, user controls, Single Sign-On (SSO), and encryption.
Anaplan Pros
Anaplan Pros are experienced users who understand how to leverage the platform’s full potential for business planning, forecasting, and modeling. They help teams streamline workflows, improve data accuracy, and make faster, more informed decisions.
- Strong modeling and scenario planning – Reviewers appreciate Anaplan’s advanced capabilities for building complex models and planning different business scenarios.
- Multi-device access – Users can access Anaplan through desktop browsers and supported iOS or Android devices. “The app can be built in a mobile-friendly manner supporting planning on-the-go.” – Verified user
- Cloud-based platform- Anaplan allows users to access data and features from anywhere, which is helpful for remote or distributed teams.“The power of Connected Planning is one of the biggest strengths of Anaplan, where multiple departments in an organization can all be connected via the same cloud platform.” – Verified user
- Highly customizable – The platform supports flexible design, making it easy to model business processes and create custom analyses to fit specific needs.“Great customization for your business processes.” – Verified user
- Strong security – Anaplan offers advanced security features to ensure only authorized users can access sensitive data and models. “Anaplan is a very flexible and easy-to-use platform, but secure and robust at the same time.” – Verified user
- Powerful calculation engine – Anaplan’s Hyperblock® engine supports fast and complex calculations for multi-scenario modeling. “All the data in Anaplan’s Hyperblock is like a giant pivot table, meaning reports and tables can be re-pivoted with different dimensions in a few seconds.” – Verified user
Anaplan Cons
Anaplan’s powerful capabilities come with a learning curve, often requiring significant training for new users. Some businesses also face challenges with high implementation costs, limited workflow customization, and performance issues when handling large, complex models.
- User adoption challenges – Although Anaplan is a low-code platform, casual or non-technical users often need training or support to use it effectively. “Certain aspects of model building are more complicated than they need to be.” – Verified user
- Performance with large models – The system can struggle with large, complex models. Users note that following best practices for data structuring is important to maintain smooth performance. “Managing new development and production bug fixes is still a painful process.” – Verified user
- Limited workflow capabilities – Some users found the platform lacking in terms of creating customized workflows and visualizations. “Anaplan is limited in the capacity for the graphs.” – Verified user
- Reporting limitations –While reporting is supported, users found formatting and customization options restrictive. Many prefer to build reports outside of Anaplan to better meet their needs. “Anaplan has a limited (but fast improving) range of formatting options.” – Verified user
- Steep learning curve – Despite having a comprehensive training library, it can take over 60 hours to complete the courses and become proficient in the system. “Implementation was difficult.” – Verified user
- Long and costly implementation – Implementation timelines can vary widely, from 8 to 24 weeks, depending on the use case and whether consultants are involved. Costs typically range from $50,000 to $250,000. Even Anaplan acknowledges that implementations can take months or longer, and there are entire firms dedicated to supporting Anaplan deployments.
Anaplan Business Application
Anaplan’s business applications support a wide range of functions including finance, supply chain, HR, and tax planning. By connecting data and teams on a single platform, it enables real-time collaboration, scenario modeling, and smarter decision-making across the enterprise.
Supply Chain Forecast and Simulation
Anaplan allows supply chain teams to forecast demand, simulate scenarios, and respond to disruptions in real time. With dynamic modeling and real-time data updates, users can test various outcomes and adjust plans quickly to stay ahead of market changes.
Tax Provision
Anaplan streamlines the tax provision process by integrating financial data, automating calculations, and improving transparency. It helps tax teams reduce errors, stay compliant, and respond faster to regulatory changes with accurate and up-to-date information.
Human Resource Management
Anaplan supports strategic workforce planning by aligning HR initiatives with business goals. Teams can forecast headcount, plan compensation, and manage talent needs, all while maintaining visibility across departments and improving decision-making.
FP&A (Forecast Revenue and Expense)
Anaplan enhances financial planning and analysis by enabling accurate revenue and expense forecasting. Finance teams can build multi-scenario models, track performance in real time, and align financial plans with strategic business objectives.
AI Integrations
Anaplan acts as a reliable source of business data for its users. Companies that have adopted its AI capabilities have seen clear improvements in forecasting performance and increasing revenue.
Below are some of the AI-powered features currently available in the Anaplan platform:
- PlanIQ – PlanIQ improves forecast accuracy, which is essential for effective business planning. It uses advanced statistical methods to help companies make accurate predictions by analyzing both internal and external factors. Users can test different scenarios, identify patterns, and spot new trends to continuously improve sales and demand forecasts.
- Predictive Insights – This feature helps businesses develop strategic sales plans by using detailed customer insights and buyer-intent data. It identifies high-value market segments and target accounts by collecting buying signals and insights from companies around the world. This allows businesses to discover growth opportunities and focus their market efforts more effectively.
- Optimizer – Optimizer uses predictive analytics and advanced optimization algorithms to help businesses quickly solve complex problems. With easy-to-use optimization tools built into the platform, companies can make better decisions based on data and achieve the best possible outcomes.
Anaplan Integrations
Anaplan offers seamless integrations with popular platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Tableau, and various data tools such as SnapLogic and Boomi. These integrations help unify data across systems, enabling real-time updates, streamlined workflows, and more accurate planning and analysis.
- SnapLogic – SnapLogic is an integration platform that connects data, applications, and devices through a visual interface. It automates workflows and enables seamless data transfer between Anaplan and other enterprise systems.
- Microsoft Office – Microsoft Office tools like Excel and PowerPoint are essential for daily business tasks. Anaplan’s integration with Office allows users to import and export data easily, enabling better reporting and analysis through familiar tools.
- Tableau – Tableau is a data visualization tool that helps businesses turn complex data into interactive dashboards. Integrating Anaplan with Tableau enables users to visualize real-time planning data and share insights across teams.
- MuleSoft – MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform connects Anaplan with a wide range of applications, APIs, and data sources. This integration ensures real-time data synchronization and streamlines workflows across enterprise systems.
- Informatica – Informatica is a data integration platform that helps businesses automate data processing and management. By integrating Anaplan with Informatica, companies can ensure accurate, consistent data for planning and decision-making.
Think Beyond Planning — Drive Smarter Decisions with Anaplan
Anaplan is a powerful, enterprise-level platform built for organizations that demand agility, precision, and alignment in their planning processes. Its core strength lies in connecting departments, managing complex models, and delivering real-time insights, making it especially valuable for large enterprises dealing with shifting priorities and high volumes of data.
While implementation can take time and effort, the long-term gains in productivity, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic focus make it a smart investment. With AI-driven forecasting, robust integrations, and a high-performance calculation engine, Anaplan offers more than just planning—it delivers measurable impact.
If your business is aiming to enhance operational visibility, improve forecasting accuracy, and stay prepared for what’s next, Anaplan could be the right solution. Don’t just plan—plan to lead.
FAQs
How much does Anaplan cost?
Anaplan pricing varies depending on the scale and complexity of your needs, with customized plans for different industries and business sizes. Typically, costs can range from mid-five figures to several hundred thousand dollars annually.
How does Anaplan support financial modeling?
Anaplan offers a flexible platform for building dynamic financial models that adapt quickly to changing business scenarios. Its cloud-based architecture enables real-time collaboration across finance teams, making complex modeling faster and more accurate.
What is Anaplan’s annual revenue?
As of recent reports, Anaplan generates over $600 million in annual revenue, reflecting its strong growth and widespread adoption across industries. The company continues to expand as demand for connected planning solutions increases globally.
How can Anaplan improve financial planning?
Anaplan streamlines financial planning by integrating data from various departments into one centralized platform. This approach helps businesses make more informed decisions, quickly adjust forecasts, and align operational plans with financial goals.