LeanIX vs erwin Evolve comparison

Quest Software and SAP LeanIX are both solutions in the Enterprise Architecture Management category. Quest Software is ranked #11 with an average rating of 9.0, while SAP LeanIX is ranked #1 with an average rating of 7.9. Quest Software holds a 2.8% mindshare in AM, compared to SAP LeanIX’s 13.1% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of Quest Software users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of SAP LeanIX users who would recommend it.

erwin Evolve

Read 19 erwin Evolve reviews

1,227 Views
883 Comparison Views

81% willing to recommend

LeanIX

Read 25 LeanIX reviews

5,958 Views
4,707 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

erwin Evolve

LeanIX

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 19, 2025

Erwin Evolve and LeanIX compete in the enterprise architecture domain. LeanIX has an upper hand in features and value, offering superior integration and a strong collaborative environment.

Features: Erwin Evolve excels in robust modeling capabilities, extensive analytics, and comprehensive enterprise architecture planning. LeanIX offers superior integration capabilities, a strong collaborative environment, and efficient application portfolio management.

Room for Improvement: Erwin Evolve could improve its deployment complexity, responsiveness of customer support, and adaptability to rapid changes. LeanIX may enhance its initial cost structure, expand customization options, and improve support for non-technical users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: LeanIX offers seamless cloud-based deployment and responsive customer service, while Erwin Evolve involves more complex deployment and less suited support for rapid response.

Pricing and ROI: Erwin Evolve's cost-effective setup appeals to budget-conscious enterprises, offering reasonable ROI over time. Despite a higher initial cost, LeanIX justifies the investment with a faster ROI through enhanced analytics and operational efficiencies.

To learn more, read our detailed LeanIX vs. erwin Evolve Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

LeanIX vs. erwin Evolve

September 2025

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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

erwin Evolve

Ranking in Enterprise Architecture Management

11th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Business Process Design (19th)

LeanIX

Ranking in Enterprise Architecture Management

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Enterprise Architecture Management category, the mindshare of erwin Evolve is 2.8%, down from 2.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of LeanIX is 13.1%, down from 15.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Architecture Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
LeanIX	13.1%
erwin Evolve	2.8%
Other	84.1%

Enterprise Architecture Management

Featured Reviews

Asish Sahu

SPM at Infosys

The reverse engineering capabilities are quite useful.

Evolve is primarily focused on the entity's licenses diagrams, but it would be nice if erwin could integrate case development, so that it shows the ER diagram plus certain inputs on the use cases and how the data is used. That deviates somewhat from the overall scope, so maybe they could call it a different product.

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SidneyWong

General manager of Enterprise Architecture at Metcash Trading

Has provided a structured way to align business capabilities with IT while showing potential for support improvements

What it does is it creates a register in the documentation of all your applications and technologies. When you align or map it to your business capabilities, this is how you identify duplication of technologies in your business and how you can potentially rationalize and standardize on them. In conjunction with my business policies, LeanIX is quite effective because using it as a tool to determine what is an endorsed technology can prevent other technologies from being used. I would call it effective in preventing technology sprawl in my environment if it is used alongside my business policies. It does assist in aligning IT with business goals.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"One of the most valuable features is the website that sits on top of the database. There's a database of objects and how they are related, and you can make views and diagrams and visual elements out of that information on the website. The website is the part that is called Evolve and we use the Evolve Designer and publish the website out to our employees. They can click around and navigate and search, etc."

"Forward and reverse engineering were valuable features."

"We can efficiently deploy business models into the databases and generate SQL scripts."

"Evolve's reverse engineering ability is quite useful."

"You can use different kinds of diagrams to represent the architecture setting."

"Support for a broad range of data sources from relational to big data to the Cloud."

"I have not seen capabilities for web-sharing and interaction with the architecture from any other supplier. It's a great capability..."

"Workgroup Repository collection of data models allows research across models without worry about platform incompatibilities and provides easy KPIs about corporate data assets."

More erwin Evolve pros

"The most valuable feature would be application portfolio management, which is where they came from, but over time, they have got artificial intelligence. They built up a very good repository. If I identify a system by name, from historical information, oftentimes, they can tell me that this is deployed with this number of CPUs and they can give me a really good profile of the application for me to put it into a change management database with very little effort."

"My favorite feature of LeanIX is its ability to induct attribute-driven surveys."

"The most valuable features are the clean user interface and the fact sheet feature in Application Portfolio Management. The tool integrates well with ServiceNow, which is the usual CMDB platform."

"I would rate LeanIX at an 8.5, trending towards nine."

"The solution has a very useful assessment tool that automatically populates from input data to produce a detailed analysis of customer's environments."

"LeanIX has good usability and stability. This SaaS is intuitive, easy to use, and comes with a nice reporting feature."

"I do see some return on investment, some ROI, time saving, money saving; it's more than 30%, so ultimately, the work that I do in using LeanIX will pay for itself."

"It offers neat visualization and referencing functionality while enabling the creation of landscape maps and showing the relationship between different applications."

More LeanIX pros

Cons

"Business process modelling could be improved."

"It could have had a more streamlined navigation. It seemed that when you went to the explorer panel, there were just so many different ways of doing the work that I could not remember, "How did I do this? How did I get to that point in that model to get back to it?" If I wanted to build a new one, where do I start? It just seemed like there was such a smorgasbord of ways of doing it that it was just overwhelming."

"There might be improvement required to better support some of the MPP databases for non-relational data structures and NoSQL databases."

"erwin Evolve by Quest could have additional features to manage the architecture of enterprises and businesses."

"The solution needs to focus on allowing for more integrations."

"I feel that the UML drawing capability needs to be improved."

"What they need to do is to consolidate more of their products. For example, I was just looking and I couldn't figure out what erwin DT is. It's on the website but it would help if they could put information together and make it more clear as to what products they have and how they work with other things."

"They have improved the search engine a little bit but it can always be improved more. The more data you put inside it, the more you want to use it."

More erwin Evolve cons

"Improvements in user interface simplicity could be made, particularly with the reporting and filtering capabilities."

"LeanIX has limited in-build diagramming capabilities, requiring the purchase of another tool. That is the main drawback of LeanIX because they don't have a built-in add-on product for diagramming."

"Report generation could be more detailed. There are some shortcomings when creating reports. We can't create tag-based reports or go beyond basic technical reports."

"Does a poor job of being able to allocate detailed costings to components within the network."

"LeanIX experiences a lot of server timeouts. Nearly every transaction needs to be done twice due to these issues."

"The challenge with support was probably the response time."

"The initial setup has room for improvement."

"Adjustments related to specific organizational requirements are complex."

More LeanIX cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Unless you are a one person shop – always go with the Workgroup edition and Concurrent licensing."

"I think erwin is quite expensive. I have difficulty selling the portal, in fact."

"The cost is something like $15,000, per license. But I haven't looked at those numbers in three years. It was over $100,000 to initially set everything up and get it all configured."

"Yearly, our cost is €100,000."

"I estimate that we pay between $40,000 and $50,000 a year for the solution, not including the upfront costs to buy things the first time."

"The licensing enables you to differentiate between people who edit the content and the people who consume it. We are able to keep the licensing costs down by keeping the "contributor" licenses to a minimum, and we then just roll out the content in a read-only version for the rest of our users."

"On a yearly basis, our licensing costs are 50,000 euro. There are no additional costs because we are on a SaaS model."

"The tool needs to include more flexible licensing options. We do not use the tool all the time. So pricing should be considered only when we use the tool."

"There is a sweet spot of where they need to be on pricing right now. They could go up a little bit in pricing, but it has to do with the cost savings, and it has to do with the practitioners using it. I use it where I get cost savings and I can justify it, but they probably have the ability to flex a 10% up channel on their sales on that. So, they could increase their settle price, not their offering price, when they sell. They can probably hold that up a little bit higher than it is because there are cost savings that we can drive from it."

"The pricing is very good. We definitely get good value for the money."

"The solution's pricing is based on a licensing model that is competitive and in line with other products."

"I would rate the pricing a one out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."

"As the tool is cloud-based, its cost is more affordable."

"It cost me $91,000 a year for 300 applications. For any enterprise, 300 applications are minimal, as many have well over 1,000 applications."

"LeanIX uses application-based account licensing, where the cost is multiplied by the number of applications in the software implementation."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

21%

Performing Arts

Government

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	13

Questions from the Community

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Earn 20 points

Any experience with Strategic Project Portfolio Management Solutions?

Hi @Cheryl Joseph Looking at the crossover between Project and Portfolio management with EA, then Planview could be a good choice. If looking at Portfolio Management from an EA perspective then Le...

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What do you like most about LeanIX?

The ability to import data and generate reports from it. That's where its power lies.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for LeanIX?

My experience with pricing is not directly known, as it was handled by others, but it is subscription-based. The tool was part of the RISE license in a previous project.

See all answers

Comparisons

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs erwin Evolve

Compared 18% of the time

SAP PowerDesigner vs erwin Evolve

Compared 11% of the time

Avolution ABACUS vs erwin Evolve

Compared 11% of the time

IDERA ER/Studio vs erwin Evolve

Compared 11% of the time

erwin Data Modeler vs erwin Evolve

Compared 8% of the time

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ServiceNow vs LeanIX

Compared 22% of the time

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs LeanIX

Compared 12% of the time

MEGA HOPEX vs LeanIX

Compared 8% of the time

SAP PowerDesigner vs LeanIX

Compared 7% of the time

iServer vs LeanIX

Compared 6% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

erwin Evolve

October 2025

Download erwin Evolve product report

Buyer's Guide

LeanIX

October 2025

Download LeanIX product report

Also Known As

erwin EA, erwin Business Process, erwin Enterprise Architecture

No data available

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

Quest Software

SAP LeanIX

Overview

erwin Evolve provides comprehensive graphical support for handling large data models. It offers features such as metadata access, version control, and model comparison, enhancing operational reports and system analytics through its collaborative web-driven design.

erwin Evolve facilitates reverse engineering and database integration, fostering collaboration and process exploration through its web interface. Customizable and easy to configure, it supports workflow configuration and architectural modeling. Users can utilize its capabilities for developing industry models, managing transformation programs, and presenting standard operating procedures. Despite its strengths, there are demands for improved integration, enhanced UML support, and a more modern user experience. Users also express challenges with legacy system updates and call for better connectors and collaborative features.

What are the key features of erwin Evolve?

Graphical Support for Large Data Models: Provides visualization capabilities for complex data structures.
Metadata Access via API: Allows integration and management of metadata across platforms.
Version Control and Model Comparison: Enhances tracking and analysis of model changes.
Collaborative Web Interface: Facilitates teamwork and process exploration remotely.
Architectural Modeling: Supports the design and configuration of enterprise architecture.

What are the benefits and ROI of using erwin Evolve?

Customization and Ease of Configuration: Reduces setup time and adapts to specific organizational workflows.
Enhanced Accessibility and Mobile Usability: Offers access to critical information on the go.
Operational Reports Creation: Generates insights and facilitates informed decision-making.
System Analytics Handling: Provides robust tools for analyzing system performance and integration.

Data-driven organizations in sectors like finance and healthcare implement erwin Evolve for data warehousing, enterprise architecture, and business process modeling. They leverage its capabilities for cataloging architectural elements, linking to CMDBs, analyzing system interfaces, and describing business processes. Utilization extends to IT solution registration, business capability planning, and strategic modeling, with frequent deployments on cloud platforms to support transformation initiatives.

Quest Software

SAP LeanIX provides enterprise architecture solutions that modernize IT and transform businesses, integrating AI-enriched, SaaS tools to enhance architecture visualization and evolution.

Embracing a comprehensive approach, SAP LeanIX supports organizations globally with tools that foster IT landscape optimization and forward-looking architecture creation. It offers solutions for real-time IT overviews, risk management, and architectural planning. These capabilities ensure that enterprises have the flexibility and insights needed to maximize their business impact and align their IT strategies with their organizational goals. SAP LeanIX is recognized for its ease of use, flexible reporting, and the ability to seamlessly integrate various data sources.

What features define SAP LeanIX?

Flexible Reporting: Enables personalized data views.
Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface similar to social networks.
Integration Capabilities: Extensive out-of-the-box options.
Real-Time Feedback: Facilitates instant data integration.
Application Portfolio Management: Comprehensive IT analysis.
Seamless ServiceNow Integration: Smooth data flow integration.

What benefits and ROI can users expect from SAP LeanIX?

Data Management: Efficient data capture and tagging.
Cost Optimization: Streamlines operations cost-effectively.
Dashboard Presentation: Enhances strategic decision-making.
Business Alignment: Aligns technology with business strategies.
Educational Resources: Provides valuable learning materials.

SAP LeanIX is implemented across industries to enhance enterprise architecture, application portfolio management, and business capability mapping. Its use extends into cloud governance, data flow analysis, and integration architecture, allowing multiple organizations to improve operational visibility and strategic planning. It also enables cataloging systems and app rationalization while linking capabilities for improved lifecycle management.

SAP LeanIX

Sample Customers

AT&T, Bank of America, Chevron, Duke University, ESPN, Fidelity, GE, JP Morgan Chase, KPMG, McGraw Hill, NASA, Pfizer, Royal Bank of Scotland, Teradata, Union Pacific, Vodafone, Wells Fargo.

Bosch Rexroth, NSW Department of Education, Yamaha Motor Corporation, Tetra Pak, Deutsche Bahn, Flynn, SKF AB, NTT Group, Travis Perkins, SEEK, Haworth, Asahi Beverages, MediaMarktSaturn, KAO USA, Ørsted, The Mark Anthony Group of Companies, AmTrust, Banco Itaú Unibanco, SHL Medical,...

Buyer's Guide

LeanIX vs. erwin Evolve

September 2025

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