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PeerSpot user
Principal Consultant - DPA at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
May 5, 2022
Has a variety of notations and custom attributes but renders slow with large models
Pros and Cons
  • "We could capture the process models around 24 countries with all their local variations."
  • "SPARX EA is well suited for a client that does not have an Enterprise Architecture or Business Process and that needs to get started, so you can leverage the product right from scratch."
  • "When the model is large, it is a bit slow to render."
  • "Navigating from EA Models to Business Process Models becomes a nightmare if the repository is heavily loaded."

What is our primary use case?

I have used the solution for BPMN Modeling for a German Bank where regulatory processes were required to model for around 24 countries. After process modeling, process harmonization, process standardization was also included. SPARX EA, with a variety of notations and custom attributes, helped track the process delivery for each center smoothly. 

We have also created application, information, and data models linked them with BPMN process models. So net-net, process modeling, process improvement, and process optimization were the primary use cases.

How has it helped my organization?

We could capture the process models around 24 countries with all their local variations. After process modeling, we have depicted the similarities and differences in SAPRX for process harmonization, process standardization. 

SPARX EA, with a variety of notations and custom attributes, helped track the process delivery for each center smoothly. We have also created applications, information, and data models linked with BPMN process models. 

What is most valuable?

SPARX EA is well suited for a client that does not have an Enterprise Architecture or Business Process and that needs to get started, so you can leverage the product right from scratch. You can import from Word and Excel. That is the best feature. The information is available in Excel and you can get started by importing the artifacts in the proper structure. Word documents can also be imported by using the proper plugins. It can be used as a jump-start for a team of five people that can share a common repository. This import/export reduced a lot of licensing requirements too.

What needs improvement?

When the model is large, it is a bit slow to render. Also sometimes it is difficult (selecting and holding it) to move a single attribute from one entity in the diagram to another. At times check-in and check-out procedures are slow. 

Navigating from EA Models to Business Process Models becomes a nightmare if the repository is heavily loaded. I have worked on some other tools which work pretty well in this area. SPARX Systems should consider improving on this point in their upcoming releases.

Buyer's Guide
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,880 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used the product for around two years.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Principal at Mire Consulting
Real User
Apr 2, 2022
Reliable, beneficial streams, and good support
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is the value streams."
  • "The most valuable feature of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is the value streams."
  • "The initial setup of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect It's very complicated. It's very difficult to start with the right templates because there are many possibilities. The deployment took approximately two days."
  • "The initial setup of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is very complicated. It's very difficult to start with the right templates because there are many possibilities."

What is our primary use case?

We use the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect to guide the enterprise data model used for documentation.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is the value streams.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for approximately three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the scalability of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a four out of five.

We have approximately 60 people in my organization using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

I rate the technical support of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a four out of five.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect It's very complicated. It's very difficult to start with the right templates because there are many possibilities. The deployment took approximately two days.

I would rate the ease of implementation of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect one out of five.

What about the implementation team?

I did the implementation of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect myself. It's a long whole process to activate it and to be on the right path. It takes a lot of communication with the technical team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is no license required for this solution.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to others is to get off to the right start by choosing the correct template. That's very important, otherwise, you will be lost.

I rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,880 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Enterprise Architect - Integrations at BCA
Real User
Mar 8, 2022
Scalable platform for modeling, collaboration, and project sharing; offers good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "Scalable solution for modeling, project sharing, and collaboration. Support for it is good."
  • "Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is used by our architects to put out artifacts, collaborate, work together, and share those artifacts."
  • "The stability and performance of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect could still be improved. Setup for it is also slightly complicated and could be improved."
  • "I'd like Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect to be more stable, and have a more improved performance."

What is our primary use case?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is used by our architects to put out artifacts, collaborate, work together, and share those artifacts. The product is used to maintain the versions of architectural diagrams, use case diagrams, etc.

What needs improvement?

I'd like Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect to be more stable, and have a more improved performance. It should also have a sharing feature and allow us to easily share artifacts with our business partners, rather than requiring them to install the product on their site first. If people who don't have licenses could also view what we're sharing, that would be great.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for the past 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This product should be more stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The cloud version of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is scalable, without a doubt.

How are customer service and support?

I'm satisfied with the technical support for Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for this product was slightly complicated. It was complicated for the business users, the non-IT teams, and the non-technical teams, but I was able to do the setup myself.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay for the license of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, and it is a yearly subscription.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated Visio. I use it in parallel with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

What other advice do I have?

I used Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect on-premises at the start, then later on for other clients, I used it on cloud. I used the latest version on cloud, but for the on-premises deployment, I used an earlier version, but I don't remember the version number.

There is a learning curve with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, e.g. to be comfortable and to start using it full-fledged. It took me a month of practice.

On average, we have 50 users of this product, and 20 technical people in charge of its deployment.

I can recommend Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect to other people who may want to start implementing it.

My rating for Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
CEO at SEP Consulting kft.
Real User
Feb 20, 2022
Practical, stable solution for electronic signature design
Pros and Cons
  • "The advantages of Enterprise are that it's cheaper and much more practical than MagicDraw."
  • "The advantages of Enterprise are that it's cheaper and much more practical than MagicDraw."
  • "The integration could be improved."
  • "The model integrity is not the same as MagicDraw, so MagicDraw is a bit better as a tool."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use cases are electronic signature design. The electronic signature is typically the NETLOCK, and the electric number is a secret, so it's the NETLOCK electronic signature.

The solution is deployed on-premises.

What is most valuable?

The advantages of Enterprise are that it's cheaper and much more practical than MagicDraw.

What needs improvement?

The model integrity is not the same as MagicDraw, so MagicDraw is a bit better as a tool.

The integration could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for one year, but I don't use Enterprise Architect on a daily basis.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. It doesn't require any specific maintenance.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have also used MagicDraw. We changed from MagicDraw to Enterprise Architect because the client has Enterprise Architect, and we have tried to export all the delivery products to the Enterprise Architect, and more or less, it should be possible.

How was the initial setup?

My understanding is that setup is easier than MagicDraw.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We had a yearly license.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 9 out of 10. 

That tool is still alive. We recognize that 10 years back, it was the same product, and at the moment it seems to be still alive. That means the background of the product is okay, and it can be in life for the next 10 years.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1405377 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Solutions Architect at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Jan 28, 2022
Flexible, light on resources, but portfolio planning could improve
Pros and Cons
  • "Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is very flexible and it is simple to define the metamodel. Additionally, it is lightweight on resources."
  • "Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is very flexible and it is simple to define the metamodel, and additionally, it is lightweight on resources."
  • "In a future release, they should improve portfolio planning."
  • "If you are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect as an individual contributor, then it's not a great choice."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for enterprise architecture modeling, where interrelationship among different enterprise entities.

What is most valuable?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is very flexible and it is simple to define the metamodel. Additionally, it is lightweight on resources.

What needs improvement?

The solution could improve by having more aggressive working sessions with other product vendors. It would be a benefit to have demo sessions where users of the solution can ask questions to product experts and receive answers. For example, people who are struggling with the initial setup.

The team setup is very crucial for the success of a tool like this. I don't know if we looked into it properly. However, if some part of it, such as user setup can be automated, then it would be great for adoption.

In a future release, they should improve portfolio planning.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for approximately eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is fairly good. However, I do not have, for example, 100 users to be able to fully determine the scalability.

In my organization, we have the chief, enterprise, architect, infrastructure, and security architect that are supposed to use the solution. However, only one or two people are using it at this time.

We are pushing for evolving tools but I am not sure if we are going to increase the usage.

How are customer service and support?

I have never used technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using other solutions and we switched to Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect because it is lightweight, simple to use, and inexpensive.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy to do. However, with the implementation, people struggle with how multiple people can work in a collaborative structure. That doesn't come easily. You have to define many things. There is room for improvement because people do not understand the solution.

The solution is not fully deployed but individual people are using it. The beauty of enterprise modeling tools is to collaborate into a single workspace. A single workspace means a single model where everything is interrelated. People have traceability.

If you are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect as an individual contributor, then it's not a great choice. It's not implemented in the current organization effectively. If Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect can provide demonstrations or a checklist it would be very useful.

What about the implementation team?

We do not have a separate team that manages the solution. We all manage the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is priced well. The price we pay is approximately $20 per month. Other solutions I have found to be much more expensive.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated other solutions before choosing Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Most of the other solutions had very big footprints and were very heavy tools. Our use cases were mostly related to EA modeling. For that, this tool was good.

What other advice do I have?

The customer that is using this solution has not implemented it in the right way, but they are expected to. It's not fully utilized. If you start putting the model together, it's definitely a great thing to improve the overall ecosystem. If you put tools, such as Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect everything is always up to date.

If we will have this fully implemented, our productivity will increase. Since I work as an architect, most of the time we spend understanding as-is state and current state. If somebody is utilizing this solution, you don't need to spend a lot of time. You will always have an up-to-date depiction of the current state.

I rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a seven out of ten.

There are other use cases that cover enterprise architecture, which is not part of the tools. This tool does what it is built for, which is modeling the enterprise architecture. I gave the seven ratings based on the overall ecosystem which is required.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer977976 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Architect, SCRUM Product Owner at a tech company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Dec 2, 2021
Usability could improve, more options needed, but simple installation
Pros and Cons
  • "The installation was very easy."
  • "We are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for model-based system engineering."
  • "I have found the solution is lacking options. The general usability needs improvement and more compliance to CML definitions."
  • "I have found the solution is lacking options. The general usability needs improvement and more compliance to CML definitions."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for model-based system engineering.

What needs improvement?

I have found the solution is lacking options. The general usability needs improvement and more compliance to CML definitions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for approximately two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability could improve.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability could improve in my experience.

We have hundreds of employees in my company that are using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

The company does not put a lot of focus on technical support. I am not sure if they are overloaded but there is improvement needed.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I was previously using PTC Windchill and we switched to Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect because it was too expensive.

How was the initial setup?

The installation was very easy.

What about the implementation team?

Our IT department did the implementation of the solution.

What other advice do I have?

I would not recommend this solution to others.

I rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a five out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
consultant at Government of Saskatchewan
Consultant
Nov 11, 2021
Cheaper than most similar tools
Pros and Cons
  • "I like Sparx's BPM features and the way it lets you create the diagram."
  • "Sparx is very reliable and it's integrated with ServiceNow via the cloud, so you can share info and store everything inside the Sparx EA."
  • "When many users are accessing the system at the same time, Sparx slows down. It can't easily support a large team."
  • "When many users are accessing the system at the same time, Sparx slows down. It can't easily support a large team."

What is our primary use case?

We use Sparx to design the whole enterprise architecture, from the highest level down to the physical level, and to generate those XML messages. Also, we generate the DDL for the database to support DevOps. 

How has it helped my organization?

In the beginning, I didn't have any training. I just wanted to try, but I spent two hours and I couldn't do anything. I clicked here, then clicked there—it didn't work. Eventually, I learned how to use it, but in the beginning, it wasn't very straightforward. Usually, because of my computer experience, I can do things by intuition. So if you do not get training, read the user manual, or Google how to use it, then it's hard to do anything. With some other tools, you can immediately do something, but I had to take some time with this one.

What is most valuable?

I like Sparx's BPM features and the way it lets you create the diagram.

What needs improvement?

I check the Gartner report pretty regularly and I see that Sparx keeps on going down in the rating. The Sparx EA needs to catch up. I believe the one reason is the strategic architecture. Also, other tools might work better for those high-level executives for whom the quality of the diagram is very important. Sometimes these little differences set a product apart. 

For how long have I used the solution?

Almost about 10 years, I think. Yeah.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sparx is very reliable. And it's integrated with ServiceNow via the cloud, so you can share info and store everything inside the Sparx EA. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

When many users are accessing the system at the same time, Sparx slows down. It can't easily support a large team. I'm a contractor and for my latest contract, there are 30 architects and 20 business analysts.

How are customer service and support?

Sparx support isn't very responsive. 

How was the initial setup?

The Sparx setup wasn't complex.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The license I use is on-premise. We haven't gone to the cloud where we have to pay monthly or something like that. Sparx is cheaper than most similar tools. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect nine out of 10. I recommend it, and I also go to other organizations and train their employees how to use it.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Enterprise Architect at CCandC Solutions
Real User
Oct 21, 2021
Economical, easy to use and deploy, and approved by the Open Group, but the support can be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "It is an EA tool that is approved by Open Group. It is in the tool register of Open Group."
  • "I like it because it is very economical, price-wise Sparx EA is very low cost, it is easy to use, connecting entities is very easy in this, and it is an EA tool that is approved by Open Group and is in the tool register of Open Group."
  • "Their technical support is not good in India. I wrote to them because I had a question, but I never got an answer. So, I just left it behind."
  • "Their technical support is not good in India. I wrote to them because I had a question, but I never got an answer."

What is our primary use case?

I use it to demonstrate Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) and architecture repository. I also demonstrate the document generation facility of the tool. It has got a plugin named BRC, binary enterprise architecture system integration, and I use that to show to my participants' diagram-driven architecture, gap analysis using diagrams, work package creations, and architecture roadmap creation. 

It is a desktop solution. I have purchased the desktop version.

What is most valuable?

I like it because it is very economical. Price-wise, Sparx EA is very low cost. 

It is easy to use. Connecting entities is very easy in this.

It is an EA tool that is approved by Open Group. It is in the tool register of Open Group. 

What needs improvement?

Their technical support is not good in India. I wrote to them because I had a question, but I never got an answer. So, I just left it behind.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for the last three years for my class.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not used it for large projects, but I have asked Sparx people whether it can have multi-faring and configuration management, and they said yes. 

I am the main trainer of my organization, and I am the only one who is using it.

How are customer service and support?

Their technical support is not good in India. It could be better. I wrote an email to the support, but I didn't get a response. I did not call them and pursue it too much because my need was not professional. My need was more education-based. It is good for my use, and I'm able to fill the time in my class with topics. 

How was the initial setup?

It is easy to install. You just execute an MSF file, and it is implemented quickly. It took a maximum of three minutes.

What about the implementation team?

I did it myself. I did not take the help of any technical team of Sparx EA.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is very economical and low cost. You have to pay for a one-time license, and it is active forever.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution. I would rate it a six out of 10.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.