ARIS BPA vs ARIS Cloud comparison

ARIS BPA and ARIS Cloud are both solutions in the Business Process Design category. ARIS BPA is ranked #6 with an average rating of 7.7, while ARIS Cloud is ranked #19 with an average rating of 6.5. ARIS BPA holds a 7.0% mindshare in BPD, compared to ARIS Cloud’s 2.6% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of ARIS BPA users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of ARIS Cloud users who would recommend it.

ARIS BPA

Read 69 ARIS BPA reviews

5,581 Views
3,683 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

ARIS Cloud

Read 14 ARIS Cloud reviews

2,040 Views
1,204 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

ARIS BPA

ARIS Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

ARIS BPA and ARIS Cloud compete in the business process modeling and analysis category, with each offering unique strengths. Based on feature comparisons, ARIS BPA appears to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive modeling capabilities and integration features.

Features: ARIS BPA offers robust capabilities for process documentation, simulation, and reporting. Its extensive integration features, including SAP SolMan sync, enhance its functionality. ARIS BPA is also notable for creating and maintaining detailed process blueprints. ARIS Cloud stands out with its user-friendly interface, accessibility across multiple platforms, and ease of collaboration among users and devices.

Room for Improvement: ARIS BPA could improve its user interface, reduce complexity, and enhance documentation. It also faces high costs for customization and integration. ARIS Cloud would benefit from better integration capabilities, improved security measures, and a smoother interface to support seamless collaboration and robust process execution.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: ARIS BPA offers multiple deployment options, including on-premises and cloud, providing flexibility but adding complexity. Customer service reviews are mixed, with reliability concerns. ARIS Cloud excels in hybrid and public cloud deployments with scalable options. Its customer service is generally strong, though there is room for more consistent communication.

Pricing and ROI: ARIS BPA is considered expensive, with a complex licensing model that can be challenging for smaller organizations. However, its broad capabilities make it a valued investment. ARIS Cloud offers a simpler licensing model, making it more affordable and appealing to a wider range of enterprises, promising a flexible path to achieving ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed ARIS BPA vs. ARIS Cloud Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ARIS BPA vs. ARIS Cloud

February 2026

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Helped 881,733 peers since 2012

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 BPA

Ranking in Business Process Design

6th

Ranking in Business Process Management (BPM)

11th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

ARIS Cloud

Ranking in Business Process Design

19th

Ranking in Business Process Management (BPM)

33rd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Business Process Design category, the mindshare of ARIS BPA is 7.0%, down from 8.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ARIS Cloud is 2.6%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Business Process Design Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
ARIS BPA	7.0%
ARIS Cloud	2.6%
Other	90.4%

Business Process Design

Featured Reviews

BeenishMustafa

Consultant at KAFD DMC

Has improved process modeling and analysis while supporting integration with organizational data

The process design in ARIS BPA does help with our operational efficiency. What we are doing is object library management for various kinds of objects that we are using in ARIS BPA during our process modeling. We are using that to do a lot of analysis on how many times a system is being used in how many processes, who are the major stakeholders, and if we enhance one system, how is it going to impact other processes and integrated processes. This is helping us a lot. Everything related to ARIS BPA is helping us with regards to enhanced processes, strengthened controls, identifying risks, assessing process capabilities, and identifying where the gaps are and what kinds of activities within the processes are automated and manual. We are doing a lot of things with regards to the processes as it is at our heart. Processes are one thing and then we have different kinds of things which are related to it, such as SLAs, guidelines, and policy. We are identifying areas of improvement in other documents as well.

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Aimad BATAL

Administrator at a healthcare company with 51-200 employees

Collaboration integrates seamlessly with intuitive user interface for effective process management

ARIS Cloud offers easy query writing for retrieving information and includes a user-friendly Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) part that aids risk managers effectively. The simplicity in drawing dashboards is also appreciated. Their collaboration features function similarly to social media platforms, allowing tagging and subject-specific discussions, all while being intuitive and user-friendly. ARIS Cloud is scalable, evidenced by its use in various organizations as a single source of truth, supported by the UMG database and an open e-learning platform.

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

"ARIS BPA provides very good visibility and control of processes because we have a concurrent license system. As a result, every person in our company and group is able to look at the published processes."

"It has the ability to scale up, as well as integrate with other systems within the organization to get real-time information from dashboards and reports."

"ARIS BPA covers many or all blueprints and functions that I need."

"The stability of the ARIS BPM platform is quite good. The nice thing about it is the central database, where we can use all of our data. We can even manage users."

"Everything related to ARIS BPA is helping us with regards to enhanced processes, strengthened controls, identifying risks, assessing process capabilities, and identifying where the gaps are and what kinds of activities within the processes are automated and manual."

"I like everything about ARIS BPA. I've used it for a long time and it's a fantastic tool. There is a list of things ARIS has that other solutions do not have."

"The tool defines the processes. It's the documentation of everything."

"The most valuable features of ARIS BPA are the centralized repository and the automatic rendering of diagrams."

More ARIS BPA pros

"In terms of UX design, somebody who has not had experience with ARIS will be able to use it very easily."

"It's very easy to collaborate with. It's very user-friendly"

"This solution has improved the way our organization does training."

"The most valuable feature is GUI; it is very intuitive and easy to use."

"From a total cost of ownership perspective, running this on the cloud is more efficient than having someone in the company take care of the infrastructure."

"Signavio is more intuitive, allowing users with no prior knowledge to navigate and understand its functionality more readily."

"Aris Connect opens collaboration opportunities between team members within the organization where they can actually submit change requests, navigate processes, and offer comments. It opens up the potential for BPM within the organization. I didn't see such an angle of a BPM portal with any other products. So I would say that's the best selling feature."

"In the end, what stands out to me is the ease of using the cloud. I don't see any distinct or unique advantages in business process modeling software compared to other application software. The cloud simplifies operations and removes many operational complexities, which is a significant benefit."

More ARIS Cloud pros

Cons

"I could use more icons and other graphical elements."

"Some improvements have been done, after Software AG acquired ARIS, but I don't believe it's still integrated with the other tool WebMethods in a perfect way."

"I find it difficult to access the database as I want with direct querying."

"Create simple data uploader."

"I would like to see the reporting aspects improved."

"ARIS BPA needs to be more accurate when generating documents."

"The workflow approval process could be represented better in the overviews."

"Its governance tool and integration with ESB and execution engine can be improved. Their partner support can also be improved."

More ARIS BPA cons

"It seems that there could be innovations in fostering spontaneous cooperation between departments and individuals. This extends to case management and finding new paradigms for enhancing such cooperation. While some approaches, like basic case management tools, have been tried in the past, they may not have met expectations entirely. However, ongoing efforts in administrative science are focused on these areas. Companies with innovative ideas can contribute to progress, possibly involving concepts related to trust, even within the context of web 3. There are intriguing developments in how economic and business organizations can be formed. When it comes to learning about these concepts, starting with simple examples and gradually moving to more complex ones is advisable. Begin with the basics, excluding unnecessary details that might hinder understanding. Over time, you can delve into more intricate aspects, such as Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, to gain a deeper understanding of these technologies."

"On an enterprise level, the ability to onboard somebody quickly is cumbersome because it just has too many things in it. It's got something like a hundred or more techniques and things in it."

"I would like to see more support for architectural diagrams."

"The trial version of this solution does not give you enough time to learn how to use it, so it should be extended to one year."

"There is room for improvement in the support."

"Initial setup is rather complex. You have to find a way to isolate the complexity, and find common ground."

"It would be very helpful if this solution were more open and could integrate with other solutions like ServiceNow."

"The stability was poor, with frequent outages."

More ARIS Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"The pricing and licensing costs are available on their website. They will assign a relationship manager to assist if you show further interest in their products."

"Pricing is a bit on the higher side."

"The solution has a fair price for the value it delivers."

"From my point of view, no, it is not cheap, but it is not too expensive because you get this big organization behind it, technical support, and all those things. It's not so expensive to use. It's a Rolls Royce in this field, I know that. Even for small organizations, they can get so much effect from using this tool, in a very fast way, so the money will be back in the customer's pocket very fast."

"ARIS has different licensing mechanisms for different modules, but they are perpetual licenses. So you pay once."

"The product is expensive."

"The product is inexpensive."

More ARIS BPA pricing and cost advice

"The cloud deployment is not more expensive. In the cloud, you pay for what you use, and there's no need for maintaining infrastructure or additional personnel, making it cost-effective. On-premises deployment, on the other hand, involves infrastructure costs and maintenance expenses."

"The licensing model of ARIS Cloud is leaner and more beneficial to the customer. The new license model is great. With the on-premise, you needed to subscribe to many more types of licenses. Now there are licensed bundles available on the cloud."

"There is a student version of this solution that can be used for free."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Financial Services Firm

19%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	32
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	47

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about ARIS BPA?

The most valuable features of ARIS BPA are its flexibility and reporting.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ARIS BPA?

It is a bit expensive regarding ARIS BPA. However, ARIS BPA does save a lot of effort because this is one tool which can be used for multiple purposes and the viewers have the capability to perform...

See all answers

What needs improvement with ARIS BPA?

We are not using any what-if scenario features in ARIS BPA. Currently, we are not using the performance monitoring and compliance checks features in ARIS BPA. We have plans to use them, but current...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ARIS Cloud?

The price of ARIS Cloud is relatively high and not every firm can afford it, especially if the company is not mature enough to require such extensive process modeling and optimization.

See all answers

What needs improvement with ARIS Cloud?

It would be beneficial for ARIS Cloud to add more customization options, such as having a landing page. Improving the importation script from Microsoft Visio ( /products/visio-reviews ) would also ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for ARIS Cloud?

I am currently working with both ARIS Cloud ( /products/aris-cloud-reviews ) and MEGA HOPEX ( /products/mega-hopex-reviews ), having switched from ARIS BPM ( /products/aris-bpa-reviews ) to MEGA HO...

See all answers

Comparisons

SAP Signavio Process Manager vs ARIS BPA

Compared 16% of the time

Camunda vs ARIS BPA

Compared 8% of the time

ADONIS vs ARIS BPA

Compared 6% of the time

MEGA HOPEX vs ARIS BPA

Compared 5% of the time

Bizagi vs ARIS BPA

Compared 5% of the time

More ARIS BPA Competitors

SAP Signavio Process Manager vs ARIS Cloud

Compared 10% of the time

IBM Blueworks Live vs ARIS Cloud

Compared 8% of the time

Visio vs ARIS Cloud

Compared 7% of the time

Salesforce Platform vs ARIS Cloud

Compared 7% of the time

ARIS Architect and Designer vs ARIS Cloud

Compared 6% of the time

More ARIS Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

ARIS BPA

February 2026

Download ARIS BPA product report

Buyer's Guide

ARIS Cloud

February 2026

Download ARIS Cloud product report

Also Known As

ARIS, ARIS BPM

Process Live, ARIS Simulation, ARIS Aware, ARIS Connect

Overview

ARIS is the market-leading solution for professional business process management and modeling. Whether you want to document the "as-is" state of your operations for quality or certification reasons or design the "to-be" in terms of continuous improvement in your transformation program, ARIS is the best choice for establishing a single source of truth regarding all process excellence topics in your organization. It is for any organization looking to digitally transform their business, increase operational excellence and customer experience and ensure compliance in execution. ARIS helps you to make the most out of your processes with Process Mining, Risk & Compliance Management, RPA and much more.

What makes the difference?

The most comprehensive platform for process excellence in the market
Easy to use
Covers business & IT architecture from all angles
Full flexibility and >100 diagram types
Customer-driven development based on best practices
Strong partner ecosystem

ARIS is the market-leading solution for any organization and ideally suited to digitally transform the organization, increase operational excellence and customer experience and ensure compliance in execution.

Software AG

What makes the difference?

The most comprehensive platform for process excellence in the market

Easy to use

Covers business & IT architecture from all angles

Full flexibility and >100 diagram types

Customer-driven development based on best practices

Strong partner ecosystem

Software AG

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.

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 and 10 million users worldwide, from 1 user companies to the Fortune 500.

Buyer's Guide

ARIS BPA vs. ARIS Cloud

February 2026

Free Report: ARIS BPA vs. ARIS Cloud

Find out what your peers are saying about ARIS BPA vs. ARIS Cloud and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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