ARIS Architect and Designer vs erwin Data Modeler comparison

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Software AG and Quest Software are both solutions in the Business Process Design category. Software AG is ranked #14 with an average rating of 9.7, while Quest Software is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.1. Software AG holds a 1.9% mindshare in BPD, compared to Quest Software’s 3.3% mindshare. Additionally, 83% of Software AG users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

ARIS Architect and Designer

Read 11 ARIS Architect and Designer reviews

1,615 Views
1,599 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

erwin Data Modeler

Read 54 erwin Data Modeler reviews

9,776 Views
2,737 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

ARIS Architect and Designer

erwin Data Modeler

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 1, 2026

erwin Data Modeler and ARIS Architect and Designer compete in the data modeling and enterprise architecture software category. ARIS Architect and Designer seems to have the upper hand due to its strong process mapping and integration capabilities, which are essential for enterprise architecture management.

Features: erwin Data Modeler focuses on generating and synchronizing data sources, offering comprehensive visual representations of complex data models, and automating engineering processes. Its standout features include forward and reverse engineering, data lineage documentation, and template flexibility. ARIS Architect and Designer excels in process mapping, metadata definition, and cross-notational alignment, which aid in enterprise architecture management and compliance. It provides enhanced integration capabilities for detailed process analysis.

Room for Improvement: erwin Data Modeler users report difficulties with an outdated interface and cumbersome navigation, and seek better Linux integration, more dynamic reporting, and improved synchronization with big data architectures. ARIS Architect and Designer could improve its cloud reliability, as users encounter occasional data corruption issues, and they seek enhanced collaboration features and simplified licensing options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: erwin Data Modeler offers on-premises and cloud-based deployment options. Its customer service is generally considered satisfactory, though users note some inconsistency. ARIS Architect and Designer also provides on-premises solutions with similar customer service ease, praised for efficient problem resolution but with occasional delays. Both solutions receive positive ratings for overall support quality, despite variability.

Pricing and ROI: erwin Data Modeler is seen as expensive, especially for individual users or regions with lower incomes, though it offers substantial ROI via time savings and enhanced data governance. Users suggest more affordable pricing structures. ARIS Architect and Designer faces high licensing cost critiques, potentially hindering adoption, but also offers significant ROI by improving process efficiency and data management. Both tools provide benefits that can outweigh their cost for certain users.

To learn more, read our detailed ARIS Architect and Designer vs. erwin Data Modeler Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ARIS Architect and Designer vs. erwin Data Modeler

September 2026

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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

ARIS Architect and Designer

Ranking in Business Process Design

14th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

erwin Data Modeler

Ranking in Business Process Design

7th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Enterprise Architecture Management (1st), Data Governance (10th)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Business Process Design category, the mindshare of ARIS Architect and Designer is 1.9%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of erwin Data Modeler is 3.3%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Business Process Design Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
erwin Data Modeler	3.3%
ARIS Architect and Designer	1.9%
Other	94.8%

Business Process Design

Featured Reviews

BeenishMustafa

Consultant at KAFD DMC

Has raised concerns about pricing while expressing satisfaction with its contribution to optimizing internal processes

Considering the integration capability of the product, it contributes to data-driven decision-making in our case. We see some impact of reporting tools on performance tracking or strategic planning. We do different kinds of analysis in regard to due integration controls, risk, and how we can strengthen the processes and the activities. We use it for various purposes. Regarding the process visualization framework, it helps to improve communication and collaboration in the company in a positive way. Architect is managing all the library management and with regards to the filter management. It's always a positive side that if you want to use anything further, we know that we can reach out to the Architect to add those objects and those attributes. It's really good.

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Sushree Panigrahi

Snowflake Data Engineer| Senior PLSQL Developer |Data Modeler|Assitant Vice Pre at Jp Morgan Chase & Co.

Data modeling has transformed regulatory reporting and collaboration across cloud environments

In erwin Data Modeler, areas that have room for improvement include performance improvements. I see that large models sometimes cause it to be slow when opening. Impact analysis can lag as well. Version control is another aspect. If we have developed a current version, it is not integrated with Git where we can easily compare different versions. UI modernization is also something we cannot utilize as it is primarily for development. Additionally, cloud-specific optimizations are needed when it comes to Snowflake or Databricks. When it comes to AI aspects, auto-suggestions for normalization or identifying primary, foreign, or surrogate keys are areas that can be improved.

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 support team is very responsive."

"Considering the integration capability of the product, it contributes to data-driven decision-making in our case."

"One of the most valuable features is how user-friendly ARIS is, compared to other BPM tools. This tool has very diverse types of assets available. ARIS also has a lot of customizable options, different model types, object types, a number of attributes, and a lot of customization is possible. In comparison, Signavio is very limited in terms of model types and object types. So these customizations ARIS offers are really valuable to any client who wants to create a BPM repository."

"I would rate the solution overall a ten out of ten."

"It is suitable for banks, insurance companies, public administration, etc. The method is very adaptable and can be applied independently of the business."

"Using the well defined architecture/metamodel, you can create complicated structures, but it's still easily trackable."

"Its user interface is highly regarded, especially when compared with Visual Paradigm."

"One of the standout features for me is its synchronization to a publication server. It makes sharing diagrams and links with non-users easy."

More ARIS Architect and Designer pros

"The most valuable feature is the physical or visual representation of the database, showing the tables, the columns, the foreign keys, and the ability to generate DDL, so you can physically implement databases."

"erwin Data Modeler has positively impacted my organization by providing our teams with a common visual representation of the data structure, which makes it easier to convey information to developers and stakeholders so they can understand the relationships, ultimately aiding in maintaining consistency across models."

"One of the ways Data Modeler has benefited our company is that it gives us the ability to engage with the business alongside IT, because it's friendly."

"The modeling product itself is far and above anything else that I've seen on the market."

"The principal feature that I liked is that the solution has a very graphic interface."

"The solution's ability to compare and synchronize data sources with data models is fantastic."

"The modeling portion of the tool is the most valuable. There are some notes, naming standards, and other functions that we use as well. There's a whole boatload of functionality in this thing and we use maybe 10% of it. It seems to be pretty common that not all the functionality is fully utilized. But it's just got gobs and gobs of stuff that you can implement if you so choose to."

"One of the best aspects of the tool is its reverse engineering capability."

More erwin Data Modeler pros

Cons

"We face problems when the product's capacity is increased."

"I always tell people not to use the latest version of the ARIS product. They are just providing us with new changes that we don't want."

"Sometimes we feel that the designer needs more usability. I understand that the web module or the cloud version is much more user-friendly and easier to work on compared to the client that we download."

"The simulation part still has some way to go. It's a good feature, and it's something that other vendors don't have right now, but it can still be improved. Some features are needed in ARIS Architect, so advanced users can do things through drag-and-drop functionality."

"The customer service of ARIS Architect and Designer was disappointing. It took forty days to conclude that partial data restoration was not possible, and it was suggested that the data might have been accidentally deleted, despite evidence to the contrary."

"The licenses are very costly. I've seen many people who are hesitant or not able to use ARIS Suite just because of the license cost."

"The product is not flexible."

"The support team takes a long time to respond to our queries."

More ARIS Architect and Designer cons

"The erwin ETL functionality has room for improvement when it comes to mapping databases with a classic entity-relationship model to a data warehouse model."

"I would like the solution to be more user-friendly to deploy."

"When I was working at Honda, it became very difficult to work with the Japanese teams using just one model."

"In terms of improvements, support could have been better in terms of installation, especially of workgroups. We struggled quite a bit to get it up and running. Collaboration could have been better from an installation perspective, but it is trivial as compared to what we use it for. Other than that, I don't have much feedback. It works pretty well, and the fact that we've been using it for more than a decade shows that it is quite solid."

"In erwin Data Modeler, areas that have room for improvement include performance improvements. I see that large models sometimes cause it to be slow when opening."

"Regarding improvements, the first thing I would mention is that every release has some issues, some of which are related to current functionalities, which means they often seem not very well tested or affected in the development process of the new version, leading to issues until that is released."

"Sometimes when I want to open the attribute editor, it stops working and the whole application freezes."

"Some Source official systems give us DDLs to work with and they have contents not required to be part of the DDL before we reverse engineer in the erwin DM."

More erwin Data Modeler cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is expensive."

"The licenses are very costly. I've seen many people who are hesitant or not able to use ARIS Suite just because of the license cost. Even though they like all the functionalities and understand the value of everything ARIS provides, they aren't able to implement it."

"Many customers find the licensing configuration confusing. There are many different sub-details in the licensing, making it very difficult for us to understand what we are buying and what we are using with what."

"The tool is a little bit expensive."

"The primary reasons that erwin was selected were that it was much more affordable for us [than Embarcadero] and it was easily maintainable."

"Price-wise, erwin Data Modeler is okay. You can purchase a single license and it is not very expensive."

"Likewise, the solution is a little pricey."

"There are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."

"This company had bought the license for three years, and it's not an individual license. While you can buy a license for each individual, that would be very expensive. There is something called concurrent licenses where you can purchase licenses in bulk and 15 to 20 people can access the license and model. Concurrent licenses are scalable to the number of users and are proportional to the cost."

"I don't specifically know what we're paying now. About three years ago, in another organization, I have this memory of 6,000 AUD a seat or something like that, but I am not sure. In the mid-2000s, it was something like 1,200 AUD a seat. I get the impression that there was a price jump when it was spun off from CA as a separate company, which is understandable, but it could sometimes be a barrier in some organizations picking it up. I haven't talked to erwin people yet, but I'm going to suggest to them that they could perhaps think of having an entry-level product that is priced a bit lower, and then, you can buy the extra suite."

"I wish it wasn't so expensive. I would love to personally buy a copy of my own and have it at home, because the next job that I'm looking at is probably project management and I might not have access to the tool. I would like to keep my ability to use the tool. Therefore, they should probably have a pricing for people like me who want to just use the solution as an independent consultant, trying to get started. $3,000 is a big hit."

"The pricing of the solution is cheap. I rate the pricing a five out of ten."

More erwin Data Modeler pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

14%

Outsourcing Company

Marketing Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	17
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	44

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with ARIS Architect and Designer?

Currently, we don't have any metrics to measure the success of ARIS Architect and Designer. We would appreciate it if you could share anything with us that we can do to find out the impact.

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What is your primary use case for ARIS Architect and Designer?

We spoke with you about ARIS Architect and Designer. We already have two architect licenses, I think three architect licenses, and we have, I think, six or seven designer licenses. Architect is bas...

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What advice do you have for others considering ARIS Architect and Designer?

The reviewer is a consultant at KAFD. We would give ARIS Architect and Designer an overall review rating of ten out of ten.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for erwin Data Modeler by Quest?

The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that the licensing process is painful and quite onerous. The setup is okay, but there is room for improvement.

See all answers

What needs improvement with erwin Data Modeler by Quest?

Regarding improvements, the first thing I would mention is that every release has some issues, some of which are related to current functionalities, which means they often seem not very well tested...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for erwin Data Modeler by Quest?

My main use case for erwin Data Modeler is to implement a single data architecture design department so everyone is using erwin Data Modeler for their data models to be a transactional application ...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

ARIS Architect and Designer

September 2026

Download ARIS Architect and Designer product report

Buyer's Guide

erwin Data Modeler

September 2026

Download erwin Data Modeler product report

Also Known As

ARIS Architect & Designer, ARIS Architect, ARIS Designer

erwin DM

Overview

ARIS Architect and Designer offers customizable process visualization and collaboration tools designed for efficient enterprise architecture management, emphasizing compliance, governance, and strategic planning.

Organizations use ARIS Architect and Designer for creating central repositories, process modeling, enterprise architecture, and business process design. Its strengths include extensive customization, process visualization, and robust model libraries. Users benefit from metadata definition, cross-notational alignment, and predefined workflows that support compliance and governance. The tool facilitates integration and synchronization for informed decision-making and enhances communication. Improvements are sought in licensing costs, support response, usability, and cloud reliability. Users desire more process mining features, built-in collaborative tools, better data export options, and simplified process modeling.

What are the key features?

User-friendliness: Easy navigation and setup for efficient workflow.
Customization: Tailor processes to specific business requirements.
Robust model library: Access to a wide range of templates and models.
Collaboration capabilities: Enable teamwork with integrated tools.
Process visualization: Enhance understanding of complex processes.
Metadata definition: Define and manage metadata effectively.
Integration and synchronization: Seamless communication across systems.
Compliance and governance: Use predefined workflows to ensure adherence.
Data analysis and reporting: Tools to track performance and aid strategic planning.

What benefits should users look for?

Increased efficiency: Streamlined process design and management.
Enhanced strategic planning: Data-driven tools for informed decisions.
Improved communication: Synchronization across departments.
Compliance support: Meeting regulatory requirements with ease.

ARIS Architect and Designer is primarily deployed on-premise for greater process control and is extensively used across industries for documenting reference models and serving as a knowledge hub. Organizations highlight its role in identifying process gaps, designing architecture diagrams, and generating job descriptions, with future enhancements planned for simulation and dashboard integration.

Software AG

Erwin Data Modeler provides an effective approach to visualizing and managing data models. It assists in creating, reversing, and synchronizing data models with ease, supporting logical and physical transitions while enhancing understanding across teams.

Erwin Data Modeler is a comprehensive tool designed for professional database management. It offers capabilities to organize and enforce standards, automating script generation with robust reverse engineering and DDL output. Users can manage complex data environments, capitalize on integration with data intelligence, and maintain large-scale databases smoothly. Despite its strengths, improvements in multi-language support, database integration, and reporting features are needed. Users benefit from extensive support for conceptual, logical, and physical database modeling, enhancing architectural design and data governance for platforms like SQL Server, Oracle, and Teradata.

What are the key features of Erwin Data Modeler?

Visual Representation: Facilitates clear visualization of data models, aiding comprehension.
Versioning and Editing: Enhance usability with versioning and bulk editing capabilities.
Reverse Engineering: Offers powerful tools for reverse engineering and DDL generation.
Integration: Aligns with data intelligence to streamline database management.
Naming Standards: Enforces consistency with automated script creation.

What benefits should users consider in Erwin Data Modeler reviews?

Collaboration: Promotes team understanding and collaboration through visual tools.
Automation: Reduces manual effort through automated processes and integration.
Scalability: Handles large database management efficiently, crucial for enterprise settings.
Data Governance: Facilitates effective data governance with structured modeling.

Erwin Data Modeler finds application in industries focused on robust data management, implementing it for enterprise data warehouses, business domain models, and operational systems. It supports architectural design and governance, aligning with business applications demanding precise data representation and visualization.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

Tesco, Weifu, Airbus, Siemens, Proximus, Alicorp, Sekerbank, Bancor, Philips,Sky, Emirates NBD, Dubai Municipality, Suva, U.S. Army, Australia Post, Westfalen Weser Energie - ARIS serves customers across all industries and of every size worldwide. Companies trust ARIS as the market leader for process excellence with more than 30 years of experience in the market, 10 million users worldwide, from 1 user companies to the Fortune 500.

Premera, America Honda Motors, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Dental Dental Cali, Cigna, Staples

Buyer's Guide

ARIS Architect and Designer vs. erwin Data Modeler

September 2026

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