IBM Controller vs IBM Planning Analytics comparison

IBM Controller and IBM Planning Analytics are both solutions in the Business Performance Management category. IBM Controller is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.0, while IBM Planning Analytics is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.0. IBM Controller holds a 1.0% mindshare in BPM, compared to IBM Planning Analytics’s 5.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM Controller users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of IBM Planning Analytics users who would recommend it.

IBM Controller

Read 1 IBM Controller review

246 Views
170 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Planning Analytics

Read 25 IBM Planning Analytics reviews

2,944 Views
1,178 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

IBM Controller

IBM Planning Analytics

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IBM Controller and IBM Planning Analytics based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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To learn more, read our detailed Business Performance Management Report (Updated: December 2025).

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Business Performance Management

December 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

IBM Controller

Ranking in Business Performance Management

17th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM Planning Analytics

Ranking in Business Performance Management

6th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Business Performance Management category, the mindshare of IBM Controller is 1.0%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Planning Analytics is 5.3%, down from 9.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Business Performance Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
IBM Planning Analytics	5.3%
IBM Controller	1.0%
Other	93.7%

Business Performance Management

Featured Reviews

Tom Runar Lauritzen

Enterprise Architect at Veidekke

User support and consolidation capabilities have strengthened financial reporting

We primarily use IBM Controller for the consolidation of all our company results and yearly reporting IBM Controller appeals significantly to our user group led by the Chief Financial Officer and the team under them. The strong user support and capability in consolidation are standout features.…

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reviewer1517922

Responsable B.I at a retailer with 51-200 employees

Ensured functionality meets user needs, yet complexity remains a challenge

Since I'm using TM1 as an old version of Planning Analytics, it wouldn't be fair to specify what needs improvement because it's possible these issues have already been addressed in newer versions. If we talk only about the TM1 engine, it's quite rich and possibly too rich, making it complex to perform simple tasks. The abundance of features results in complexity, requiring strict guidelines for developers to ensure simplistic approaches are adhered to. This complexity makes it hard to maintain and evolve developments.

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

"The strong user support and capability in consolidation are standout features."

"IBM Controller appeals significantly to our user group led by the Chief Financial Officer and the team under them."

"The flexibility of IBM Planning Analytics is a great feature of this solution. The design flexibility with data rules and defining calculations The ability to combine online and offline calculations are a benefit. Additionally, the forecasting features and predictive analytics is very good."

"Its stability helps controllers win time in their planning processes."

"A lot of the platform is in-memory, so Planning Analytics can run calculations quite fast. It also offers several user interfaces. And in the newest version of Planning Analytics, there is a new one called the Planning Analytics Workspace. Maybe it could be useful for the business side."

"The most valuable feature is that it is able to slice and dice the data."

"The product's stability is good."

"The most valuable features of IBM Planning Analytics for streamlining planning processes include a unified database where all data are centralized."

"The scenario modeling capabilities are frequently used to create different scenarios, compare them, and see which action leads to which result."

"IBM Planning Analytics can help us build scenarios through a sandbox environment, allowing us to test multiple variables and assess their impact on our budget and planning."

More IBM Planning Analytics pros

Cons

"I am uncertain about the delivery model of IBM Controller and the direction it is headed."

"If we talk only about the TM1 engine, it's quite rich and possibly too rich, making it complex to perform simple tasks."

"Extracting data is a little slow."

"It is a bit expensive, but it does the job."

"It would have been better if the solution was not just a tool kit."

"Adding predefined templates could be beneficial."

"It's wonky, and not super user-friendly with Excel."

"The workspace API should be improved and documented so we know better which objects are used."

"The dashboard is very poor and needs a lot of improvement."

More IBM Planning Analytics cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"I would rate the tool's pricing a nine out of ten since it's expensive."

"IBM Planning Analytics is not the cheapest solution, but it's priced per the market standard for this type of solution. I rate the price at seven out of ten."

"It is a bit expensive, but you get what you are paying for."

"Compared with the other tools in the market, IBM Planning Analytics is a bit expensive."

"IBM Planning Analytics is priced well, and licensing costs are yearly."

"Our licensing cost is approximately $50,000.00 per year."

"The license of this solution is paid annually. Most of my customers choose a license that includes support."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Retailer

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	9

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Controller?

I haven't provided a definitive opinion on pricing. However, knowing our CFO's cost-conscious nature, the pricing is likely very competitive and has never been an issue.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Controller?

I am uncertain about the delivery model of IBM Controller and the direction it is headed. While the delivery model includes both cloud and on-premises options, it causes confusion. A more straightf...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM Controller?

We primarily use IBM Controller for the consolidation of all our company results and yearly reporting.

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM Planning Analytics?

The most valuable features of IBM Planning Analytics for streamlining planning processes include a unified database where all data are centralized.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Planning Analytics?

While IBM's solutions were costly before, the introduction of SaaS models has reduced prices significantly. Comparatively, IBM rates may be better than those of competitors, such as Hyperion ( /pro...

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Planning Analytics?

IBM is behind competitors like Tableau ( /products/tableau-reviews ) and Power BI in terms of visualization. Their visuals are less innovative and practical with fewer varieties. IBM's visualizatio...

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Comparisons

IBM Cognos vs IBM Controller

Compared 65% of the time

More IBM Controller Competitors

Microsoft Power BI vs IBM Planning Analytics

Compared 18% of the time

SAP Analytics Cloud vs IBM Planning Analytics

Compared 14% of the time

Anaplan vs IBM Planning Analytics

Compared 9% of the time

IBM Cognos vs IBM Planning Analytics

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle Hyperion vs IBM Planning Analytics

Compared 7% of the time

More IBM Planning Analytics Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Business Performance Management

December 2025

Download IBM Controller product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Planning Analytics

December 2025

Download IBM Planning Analytics product report

Also Known As

No data available

Cognos TM1, IBM Cognos TM1

Overview

IBM Cognos Controller supports the close, consolidation and reporting process with the agility and affordability of a cloud-based solution. It enables finance teams to automate and accelerate the financial close with minimal IT support. It also helps finance teams deliver financial results, create informative financial and management reports and provide the chief financial officer (CFO) with an enterprise view of key financial ratios and metrics.

IBM

IBM Planning Analytics is an integrated planning solution that uses AI to automate planning, budgeting, and forecasting and drive more intelligent workflows.

Built on TM1, IBM’s powerful calculation engine, this enterprise performance management tool allows you to transcend the limits of manual planning and become the Analytics Hero your business needs. Quickly and easily drive faster, more accurate plans for FP&A, sales, supply chain and beyond.

IBM

Sample Customers

California Franchise Tax Board, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Mirle Automation Corp., Radware

ManpowerGroup, Convergys, AIG, Orchard Brands, Citibank, InterGen, Northwestern University, EF Education First, Ironside, Bazan Group, CSOB Insurance, Macquarie Group, Charles Stanley, SATO, Government of Sint Maarten, BMW Financial Services

Buyer's Guide

Business Performance Management

December 2025

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