Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

PTC Windchill vs Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

PTC Windchill
Ranking in Enterprise Architecture Management
21st
Average Rating
6.0
Reviews Sentiment
4.9
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Engineering Process (2nd), PLM Tools (1st)
Sparx Systems Enterprise Ar...
Ranking in Enterprise Architecture Management
2nd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
99
Ranking in other categories
Business Process Design (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Enterprise Architecture Management category, the mindshare of PTC Windchill is 0.5%, down from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is 13.9%, down from 18.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Architecture Management
 

Featured Reviews

CW
Effective lifecycle management improves with strong version control and deep integration needs
There is room for improvement in implementing features fully. The user interface is inconsistent and outdated. It appears that different departments or locations have implemented features differently, leading to inconsistency. There is a significant need for improved integration, particularly using OSLC for connecting with other tools like SAP ERP or ALM tools. The version control, while consistent, lacks flexibility regarding changes in CAD data and requires manual intervention for BOM management analysis.
Milan Sterba - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient documentation generation through organized model structure with a good price-performance ratio
Whenever I begin a new project with Sparx, I have to spend time training people on how to use it since it is not straightforward. Although it's a powerful product with plenty of features, it's not easy for even experienced users to find their way without guidance. This is not the most user-friendly solution.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The version control maintains consistent versions, which is beneficial."
"The strong point of Windchill is its close connection between the CAD structure and the bill of materials structure."
"I like how the product integrates with other technical solutions."
"For the most part, we find that it is remarkable how inexpensive it is."
"The advantages of Enterprise are that it's cheaper and much more practical than MagicDraw."
"There are a lot of features in Enterprise Architect. It allows us to take on a lot of tasks."
"The initial setup is easy."
"The stability has been good and satisfactory. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."
"Ability to keep inventory of reusable blocks, and use in different diagrams with views of various templates."
"Sparx has got a range of modeling features, and I am comfortable with all its offering. I've used a lot of tools over the phone. I found EA Spark, probably the most feature rich product all in all compared to other products. The solution is very cost-effective and that is its best feature. It's a very good delivery architecture tool, which also has enterprise architecture capabilities, and it's got full life cycle processes and software development. So for me, it's a pretty comprehensive tool"
"The solution allows us to quickly present designs and concepts to customers and get their feedback, thereby moving the project forward step by step."
 

Cons

"There is room for improvement in implementing features fully."
"Some parts of the system are exclusive, so we can't work with them."
"I would not recommend doing business with PTC regardless of the product."
"The templates for documentation should be enhanced to include complex documents such as template RFP, or Non functional requirements template."
"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."
"It took me a while to figure out how to use the report generation features effectively. So, it would be really nice if they had a way to make that a little bit more interactive and a little bit more straightforward."
"The product could be improved in terms of its ease of use and documentation. While it offers a lot of functionality, it can be difficult to grasp how to utilize these features effectively."
"One room for improvement in Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is that it's not very friendly. Another room for improvement in the tool is that it doesn't enable you to import the metadata from a database very easily, so reverse engineering of a database was very difficult. Its database modeling and entity-relationship modeling functions need improvement."
"Whenever I begin a new project with Sparx, I have to spend time training people on how to use it since it is not straightforward."
"Even if there are web-based tools in the Enterprise Architecture tool ecosystem (like Prolaborate), the main modeling application is still a fat client application."
"This solution is quite complex to use. It would be nice if the learning curve wasn't so steep."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate PTC Windchill's pricing a seven out of ten since it is pricey."
"Its price is very good for the value that you get with it."
"It is cheap."
"The license for Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is paid yearly, but I don't handle that area. It's good for its price, so I'm rating it a five out of five, but I'm not using it much. I also don't have information regarding additional costs apart from the standard licensing fees."
"We have an annual license, and it's very affordable."
"Pricing and licensing are suitable even for small companies."
"Pricing and licensing is very attractive, simple, and straightforward."
"It’s the best deal in town, by far."
"The licence has a costly upfront fee which gets you access. You have to pay an annual maintenance fee, which is less."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Enterprise Architecture Management solutions are best for your needs.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
27%
Computer Software Company
14%
Healthcare Company
6%
Transportation Company
6%
Educational Organization
18%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about PTC Windchill?
I like how the product integrates with other technical solutions.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PTC Windchill?
I rate PTC Windchill's pricing a seven out of ten since it is pricey. The costs are fixed, and there are no additional costs.
What needs improvement with PTC Windchill?
There is room for improvement in implementing features fully. The user interface is inconsistent and outdated. It appears that different departments or locations have implemented features different...
What do you like most about Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect?
The stability has been good and satisfactory. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect?
One of the reasons many public sector institutions in the Czech Republic use it is that it provides a very good price-performance ratio. While it might be cumbersome to learn, it still delivers exc...
What needs improvement with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect?
Whenever I begin a new project with Sparx, I have to spend time training people on how to use it since it is not straightforward. Although it's a powerful product with plenty of features, it's not ...
 

Also Known As

Windchill, Atego Artisan Studio, Integrity Modeler
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bose, Valliant Group
OmniLink
Find out what your peers are saying about PTC Windchill vs. Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.