We primarily use the solution for approvals.
BPM Developer at a wholesaler/distributor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Lots of data types, easy customization, and simple to set up
Pros and Cons
- "Technical support is helpful."
- "There is no UI customization possible."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The data types that we've built in Appian are very vast. We can customize the solution or point to predefined data sources. That makes it very unique.
The reusability is great. You can build it in one place and use it in many places.
It is stable and reliable.
The solution can scale well.
Technical support is helpful.
It is easy to set up.
What needs improvement?
There is no UI customization possible. We'd like it to be more flexible for branding purposes.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for almost two years.
Buyer's Guide
Appian
May 2026
Learn what your peers think about Appian. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
893,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. There sometimes is downtime during upgrades, however, it is reliable. I'd rate it eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. I'd rate it eight out of ten.
We have about 500 users right now, and we expect to expand usage in the future.
How are customer service and support?
We've had good support from the Appian team. They have a good support model and are easy to reach.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I'm not sure if there was another solution used previously.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward. It's not overly complex. It's a cloud-based tool which makes it very light. There's not a lot of overhead.
We had basically a one-click deployment. The implementation is deployed via predefined screens. It makes it very simple.
There are also good import/export features that are helpful.
Appian mostly manages the deployment, and one or two people are required to manage the overall platform once deployed.
What about the implementation team?
We did not use any outside assistance.
What was our ROI?
It does take time to get an ROI. Depending on the licensing type, chances are you will begin to see an ROI, especially for time to market.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't deal with licensing. I'm not sure of the exact cost.
What other advice do I have?
I'm an end-user.
We are using the latest version of the solution.
While there are a lot of factors when it comes to choosing a solution like this, Appian is a very robust platform, and it does offer advanced use cases. If you are more into Microsoft, however, Power Apps may be a better option.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
CIO at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
A scalable solution with a valuable Workflow Engine feature
Pros and Cons
- "Even with an on-premise implementation, the scalability is still high, so it is easy to scale up."
- "Sometimes, clients expect us to implement ERP using Appian, which is very complicated. In such cases, I don't believe that Appian is a good tool for that."
What is our primary use case?
I am working in a software house, and we are using Appian to build a custom-made application while trying to fulfill our client's requirements.
How has it helped my organization?
I don't think we currently have any applications for our internal processes, which include a set of Oracle APEX products or applications, especially custom-made applications, which is something we need for ourselves. However, we have many use cases for our clients.
What is most valuable?
Workflow Engine is a valuable tool. Besides the resource kit, I believe both tools are very, very convenient for our clients.
What needs improvement?
I don't think I have anything to comment on the areas that need improvement in the solution, but I can refer back to my technical team. As the solution architect, I don't have hands-on experience with both products.
If you ask me about my thoughts on what is missing in Appian or my opinion on what I would want the vendor to add in the future, I would say that the product is in a state of perfection. However, we can't really guess what AI and big data models might sell us in the near future.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am currently using Appian and Oracle APEX, and I will soon start to use Appian Version 23.1. Also, our company has a partnership with Appian.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I won't be complaining near the client. Stability-wise, everything is okay.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is definitely a scalable tool. I would rate its scalability not less than eight and a half out of ten.
Even with an on-premise implementation, the scalability is still high, so it is easy to scale up.
How are customer service and support?
I don't have any experience with it personally, but our team that practices on Appian uses the technical support very frequently, maybe on a daily basis or so.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have been using APEX in our organization for some time now, and I was checking the comparison between Oracle APEX and Appian on peerspot.com for an unbiased opinion. Presently, we are implementing both Oracle APEX and Appian almost equally for small to medium purposes. However, for enterprise needs, I think we will choose Appian.
How was the initial setup?
It depends on the functionality that we are using. For instance, having an LMS solution for our clients is a bit straightforward. Sometimes, clients expect us to implement ERP using Appian, which is very complicated. In such cases, I don't believe that Appian is a good tool for that.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When it comes to pricing, it's definitely not affordable. However, it really depends on the requirements that you're seeking from the solution. If you're looking for an on-premises distribution, it can be a bit expensive. But this is usually the case with on-premises solutions. That's why we have a cloud solution available, which is more cost-effective.
Additionally, the cost is justified by the use cases, and Appian is a good solution overall.
In terms of hidden or extra costs for additional features beyond the standard license, I don't think we've had any exposure to such scenarios, except for the resource kit. From a technical standpoint, I'm not sure if it's paid for separately or included in the license cost. As you may be aware, we've partnered with Appian, so I believe we have an official case here.
What other advice do I have?
I suggest that those planning to use Appian take care of the practice lead because many resources claim to have solid and vertical knowledge of Appian. We are not sure why there is a risk of resources being unavailable during this trip. Additionally, we have a shortage of Appian resources, so finding a good practice lead could be a challenge. Overall, I rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
Buyer's Guide
Appian
May 2026
Learn what your peers think about Appian. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
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Head of Digital Solutions, Head of Appian Department, Digital Transformation Director at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Easy to deploy, stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are the low coding and low code data."
- "The solution needs more features. For example, a way to connect to our viewing database, to record, and more interface and component design."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used for automating software processes for creating internet sites for internal usage. The solution can also be used to make the process easier for external entities. Appian can be deployed on the cloud and on-premises.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution helps by providing an automated out-of-the-box process that helps us quickly publish applications within six weeks without requiring any customizations.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the low coding and low code data.
What needs improvement?
The solution needs more features. For example, a way to connect to our viewing database, to record, and more interface and component design.
The cost of the solution has room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 20 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 solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support for Appian was just expanded to support multiple regions.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used APEX Oracle Application Express and OutSystems. From a local perspective between the two solutions, I prefer to go with OutSystems. Overall I prefer Appian because it has a VPN engine compared to OutSystems which is just a workflow engine.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. The average deployment takes around two days and requires around 30 percent of our developers.
What about the implementation team?
We complete the implementation for our customers.
What was our ROI?
In general, our customers are satisfied with the return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is high.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a nine out of ten.
We have multiple environments. We can move our application from one environment to another environment through a governance process and approval through the application manager.
The solution is easy to maintain and very configurable.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Sr AVP - EXL Digital at EXL Services
It's flexible so you can reuse it for a variety of use cases
Pros and Cons
- "Appian helps you do a lot of things. It's easy to configure and build an application platform, and it offers a lot of features that you find in an RPA solution. It's flexible so you can reuse it for a variety of use cases."
- "Appian helps you do a lot of things, it's easy to configure and build an application platform, and it offers a lot of features, making it flexible so you can reuse it for a variety of use cases."
- "While Appian is generally flexible, it's rigid in some ways. It takes longer to do something that isn't available out of the box."
- "While Appian is generally flexible, it's rigid in some ways and doesn't allow you a lot of options to customize."
What is our primary use case?
Appian is primarily used for building workflows and low code applications.
What is most valuable?
Appian helps you do a lot of things. It's easy to configure and build an application platform, and it offers a lot of features. It's flexible so you can reuse it for a variety of use cases.
What needs improvement?
While Appian is generally flexible, it's rigid in some ways, doesn't allow you lot of options to cutomize. It takes longer to do something that isn't available out of the box.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Appian for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Appian is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Appian is scalable. We have a few more ongoing deployments, so the number of users will definitely go up.
How are customer service and support?
There can be some improvement in support, start giving customer more importance than process
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The cloud version is managed by Appian, so it doesn't take a lot of time.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of Appian varies depending on the kind of license, and there are no additional costs that I'm aware of.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Appian eight out of 10.
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.
Head of Publishing Solutions at a media company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Technical support is excellent, but it is quite expensive
Pros and Cons
- "The workflow designer is the most valuable feature."
- "The initial setup is fine once you get your head around it, but there is a steep learning curve."
What is our primary use case?
We use Appian for some exam results, and related material, as well as some publishing solution material.
What is most valuable?
The workflow designer is the most valuable feature.
It's pretty good as it stands at the moment.
What needs improvement?
In terms of usability, there is a learning curve.
Licensing fees could be reduced.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Appian for a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Appian is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Appian is scalable.
In our company, we have approximately 100 users.
Appian's use may be expanded in the future. It's a bit of a niche on the exam side right now.
How are customer service and support?
According to my understanding, the technical support team is quite impressive.
It's fine; there's no need to improve technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are also working with Salesforce.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is fine once you get your head around it, but there is a steep learning curve.
We have developers to maintain this solution.
What about the implementation team?
We were able to complete the installation ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could always be better.
The full user license is quite expensive. It's cheap if all you want them to do is look at things, but if more people use an Appian app to update their information, it becomes more expensive.
Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
You must consider what your use cases will be and ensure that there is a fit, because it is not a cheap option, you must ensure that you get a good return on investment.
I would rate Appian a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Advanced App Engineering Sr Manager at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Used to automate processes that were previously done manually
Pros and Cons
- "I find the BPM the most valuable feature."
- "Prior to Appian, when we were handling a particular process manually, it took 40 days to resolve, after Appian was implemented, it took only seven days, and the improvement in time is amazing."
- "Appian could include other applications that we could reuse for other customers, CRM for example."
- "If you have a lot of cases, 150,000 for example, the stability will not be good because the memory required is so heavy that the RAM that you need is backed in."
What is our primary use case?
We use Appian to automate processes that we are currently doing manually. We are working on an agile project. We have 500 people using this solution, most of which are operational.
This particular project started with four cases, or four processes. Next year we plan on doubling this and implementing eight more cases.
How has it helped my organization?
Prior to Appian, when we were handling a particular process manually, it took 40 days to resolve. After Appian was implemented, it took only seven days. The improvement in time is amazing.
What is most valuable?
I find the BPM the most valuable feature. It is easy to develop as it is a local solution. Appian is quick to understand and develop.
What needs improvement?
Appian could include other applications that we could reuse for other customers, CRM for example. This would make implementation quicker.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Appian for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We had some concerns with the stability of Appian when we had a lot of cases. During normal operation it is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability depends on how much you want to embrace the capacity of Appian. If you have a lot of cases, 150,000 for example, the stability will not be good because the memory required is so heavy that the RAM that you need is backed in. If you pass a certain number of cases, and the processes are complex, the situation is not suitable for Appian.
How are customer service and support?
I have had no concerns with customer service.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Appian was straightforward. We have an architect on our team who did the deployment. The deployment depends on the environment. For us, configuration took a day and to deploy no more than an hour.
We use one person, the architect, to maintain the program.
What was our ROI?
The ROI has been good. Profits increased because of this solution, this is why we are going to implement eight more cases next year.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost can be improved, however it is not too high for the customers here in Spain.
What other advice do I have?
My advice before starting to implement this solution you need to consider what you want to do in Appian because everything is not possible. Sometimes when you think BPM process, you think that the interface application is the same, but it's not.
I would rate Appian an 8 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Clear application life cycle, easy to learn documentation, and comes with a fundamentals course
Pros and Cons
- "The application life cycle is very clear. I started learning it and giving some workshops to my team. Creating the users and the building is very structured. Documentation is nice and it's easy to learn."
- "The application life cycle is very clear, creating the users and the building is very structured, the documentation is nice, and it's easy to learn."
- "Something I would like to see improved is an SQL database connection."
- "You can't really test the software properly without actually buying the license first."
What is our primary use case?
Normally, we are building platforms. At the moment, we are running 19 big projects, and we had never used Appian before. One of our customers is a big consulting company, and one of their customers wanted a project with Appian.
They don't have Appian developers, but we have a very good team. They reached out to us and they had some projects in 2022 with Appian, and they asked for our support. I gave my BAs and PMs an introductory level Appian course, and now some of the developers are doing the associate and lead developer part for Appian.
What is most valuable?
The application life cycle is very clear. I started learning it and giving some workshops to my team. Creating the users and the building is very structured. Documentation is nice and it's easy to learn.
There's a nice fundamentals course that I can ask my project managers to easily learn, while the other local, no-code platforms don't have that option.
What needs improvement?
The certification is pretty expensive, and it doesn't allow for a tailored UI. I'm a little bit disappointed with the exam. It's different from the preparation, training, and sample exam.
One of my lead developers failed to pass this morning. I'm a bit sad because it's $200. If I ask 10 of my developers to get a certificate, it's $2,000. It's a scaleup company, so we have more than 60 people at the moment, but I can't ask most of my developers to get the certificate.
From a developer point of view, I can't try this in the free version because you can't buy one or two subscriptions. You need to get the minimum package for premium, which is about one hundred seats.
From the first day, I wanted to see the capability of reaching other functions, Google Cloud services, and cognitive services. There is already an OCR, intelligent document that comes in the My Cloud and which Appian gave me as a sample. I can't build it because it uses the Google cognitive services as a backend, and this is the thing that we couldn't try.
You can't really test the software properly without actually buying the license first.
Something I would like to see improved is an SQL database connection.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Appian for over a month. We are still on the trial license instead of the full license.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I'm happy about the stability. It looks promising for me.
I can't predict how many developers it requires. It really depends on the type and size of the app and the capability of the developers.
We run a one-hour workshop from scratch. My developer can create the users' data, custom data types, a small UI, and a nice flow and read right from the databases easily. In one hour, he can complete as many tasks that normally take many days.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is a bit limited for the SQL databases because for some of my cognitive services, I'm using no SQL databases in the cloud. Appian doesn't support it. Appian only supports relational databases. There is no database for the unstructured data.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are building platforms, but normally we are fully in Azure and the whole platform is in Azure, but because some of our customers and potential customers want to use Appian, I'm preparing my team for such opportunities.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You can't really test the software properly without actually buying the license first. Certification is expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Appian is like a butter knife, not a Swiss Army knife. It will serve the business user's solution. It'll create a very good thing and the application is clear.
I really enjoy it because the PowerApps from Microsoft mature and are internally connected to other platforms inside Microsoft.
However, it doesn't explain the learning part very well non-technical people. There is a separation, but in the Appian fundamentals, this course is just for the BAs and the PMs. If they want to lead a project with Appian, this is the minimum standard that they need to know. At that point, it's easy for me to train project managers and business analysts. I think that's the advantage of Appian.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution 8 out of 10.
My humble advice to someone who is looking to implement this solution is that they need to replicate. It's a so-called no-code platform, but it's not no-code because it has its own coding site. That's why they need to build one of their own solutions with Appian first to understand the how-to-dos first and become more confident. Luckily, the learning curve is not that steep.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Practice Leader - Digital Process Automation at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Easy to develop, low-code, and has a good user interface
Pros and Cons
- "Appian has many valuable features, the first being the ease of development—rapid development. Second, the process of learning the product and tool is faster when compared to its peers in the market. It's closer to low-code, and while it's still not very easy, it's more low-code than other products in the industry. Appian has a good user interface, a seamless model user interface, which comes without additional coding. It can also integrate with multiple systems."
- "If you are looking for a fast, rapid rollout of applications and you have multiple medium-scale and small-scale processes that you want to roll out at a faster pace, with ease of maintenance, then Appian is a good product to go with."
- "There are four areas I believe Appian could improve in. The first is a seamless contact center integration. Appian does not have a contact center feature. The second is advanced features in RPA. The third would be chatbot and email bot integration—while Appian comes with chatbot and email bot, it's not as mature as it should be, compared to the competition. The fourth area would be next best action, since there is not much of this sort of feature in Appian. These are all features which competitors' products have, and in a mature manner, whereas Appian lacks on these four areas. I see customers who are moving from Appian to Pega because these features are not in Appian."
- "I see customers who are moving from Appian to Pega because these features are not in Appian."
What is our primary use case?
There are multiple use cases of Appian. A banking customer uses it more for agent onboarding; we are working on contract management for a manufacturing customer; and we are working on an incident management system for an airport. There are almost seven to eight use cases, as of now.
We don't use Appian, we are partners and we implement this solution for customers. I'm working on both on-premises and cloud-based deployment. Appian's deployment is hybrid.
What is most valuable?
Appian has many valuable features, the first being the ease of development—rapid development. Second, the process of learning the product and tool is faster when compared to its peers in the market. It's closer to low-code, and while it's still not very easy, it's more low-code than other products in the industry. Appian has a good user interface, a seamless model user interface, which comes without additional coding. It can also integrate with multiple systems.
What needs improvement?
There are four areas I believe Appian could improve in. The first is a seamless contact center integration. Appian does not have a contact center feature. The second is advanced features in RPA. The third would be chatbot and email bot integration—while Appian comes with chatbot and email bot, it's not as mature as it should be, compared to the competition. The fourth area would be next best action, since there is not much of this sort of feature in Appian. These are all features which competitors' products have, and in a mature manner, whereas Appian lacks on these four areas. I see customers who are moving from Appian to Pega because these features are not in Appian.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Appian for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability and performance are good. Appian is focusing a lot on this because they recently came out with a Kubernetes system acquisition, which is providing them the ability to scale as well as an expansion model that can be as stable as required. The performance is very good, as this solution is available across multiple cloud systems.
As far as maintenance, it's pretty straightforward because Appian, as a company, comes with very mature hotfixes when required, as well as seamless upgrades. As long as you do not do any customizations—which is not recommended—it is pretty easy and straightforward to maintain, and does not take much effort.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Appian is definitely easy to scale, especially if you understand the requirements. It's a good architecture.
Of our customers who use Appian, I would say most of them are medium-sized. Next would be large-sized, and then there are not many small-sized customers. Medium- and large-sized companies mostly go for Appian.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the technical support of Appian about a seven out of ten because there is definitely room for improvement when compared to the other product support we are seeing.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is a simple process. If it's on cloud, it does not take much time. If it's on-premise, you have to have all the required hardware. It takes around four hours.
What about the implementation team?
We implement this solution for customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Appian is very flexible in their pricing. In general, Appian's pricing is much, much lower when compared to competition like Pega or other products. Appian also has a flexible licensing model across geographies. Pega usually goes with a single licensing cost—which is a US-based cost—for all global customers, and it's costly. Whereas Appian has a different regional licensing cost model and it can be cheaper, depending on geography. So Appian's licensing is very flexible, and cheaper when compared to other competition.
The pricing is pretty straightforward. If you're going for a cloud-based deployment, there are no additional costs because you're just going to be on the cloud. However, if you're going to deploy it on-premise, you would need to install software, so you might have to procure your own database and servers and everything. The current recommendation, and what most customers are going for, is the cloud because it's easy to maintain. There aren't really any costs except for the licensing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Pega and Appian are both good BPM platforms. The area where Appian has the advantage is that it's really low-code. It takes much less effort when compared to Pega, both for developing and for setup and implementation. Within about 30 days, maximum, you can build out a product in Appian, whereas it will take you much longer in Pega. However, in regard to the four areas in which I believe Appian is lacking, Pega has all those features in a mature manner: seamless contact center integration, advanced features in RPA, mature chatbot and email bot integration, and next best action.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Appian an eight out of ten.
If you are looking for a fast, rapid rollout of applications and you have multiple medium-scale and small-scale processes that you want to roll out at a faster pace, with ease of maintenance, then Appian is a good product to go with. Appian can also be leveraged for large-scale implementation—for example, financial service customers, for loan origination or claims organization—but you would really need to understand your requirements in order to achieve this with Appian. Whereas with Pega, it has framework for loan originations and everything, which Appian doesn't come with. Appian is a plain vanilla product, and if you go for a large-scale core implementation, then you should have enough information and requirements to capture it. Appian is best suited to mid-scale and small-scale processes and a rapid rollout.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
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