Top Planful Alternatives & Competitors For 2024

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Looking for alternatives to Planful? Many users crave user-friendly and feature-rich solutions for tasks like Banking and Cash Management, Tax Management, and Financial Statements and Revenue Management. Leveraging crowdsourced data from over 1,000 real Accounting Software selection projects based on 400+ capabilities, we present a comparison of Planful to leading industry alternatives like Zoho Books, Wave Accounting, BILL Spend & Expense, and Concur.

Planful Software Tool
Wave Accounting Software Tool
Concur Software Tool

Product Basics

Formerly Host Analytics, Planful is a financial planning and analysis cloud platform. It accelerates end-to-end FP&A. Suitable for midsize to large-scale businesses, it helps by centralizing data and managing financial and operational processes.

It helps users plan and manage reviews, approvals and submissions and generates workflow status reports to check the performance of every department. It helps analyze asset performance by using financial budgeting and forecasting techniques with its capital planning feature. It is a scalable solution that allows companies to check the effect of projects on the overall bottom line.
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Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting software offering streamlined bookkeeping tools for small businesses and freelancers. Its core functionality revolves around managing expenses, invoices, payments, and payroll. Users can track income and outgoings, generate financial reports, and collaborate with their accountant. Zoho Books caters best to solopreneurs and small teams seeking an affordable, user-friendly accounting solution. Its intuitive interface and mobile app make it accessible for individuals with limited accounting expertise. Key benefits include automatic data entry, bank reconciliation, and inventory management. Popular features encompass purchase orders, recurring invoices, and project profitability tracking. User reviews within the accounting context praise its ease of use, affordability, and helpful customer support. Zoho Books offers tiered pricing based on the number of users and required features. Plans range from a free version with basic functionality to more comprehensive options for growing businesses, making it a scalable solution as accounting needs evolve.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Affordable pricing
  • Mobile app access
  • Good customer support
  • Solid basic features
Cons
  • Limited advanced features
  • Reporting customization
  • Inventory management depth
  • Integrations with third-party apps
  • Scalability for larger businesses
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Wave Accounting streamlines financial management for small businesses and freelancers. Its intuitive interface simplifies bookkeeping tasks like expense tracking, invoicing, and receipt scanning. Users praise its ease of use and mobile accessibility, making it ideal for entrepreneurs on the go. Wave offers core accounting features like bank reconciliation and income/expense reports, all for free. Premium plans unlock advanced functionalities like payroll, double-entry bookkeeping, and tax filing for an affordable monthly fee. Compared to similar products, Wave shines in user experience. Reviews highlight its intuitive design, helpful tutorials, and responsive customer support. However, its free plan lacks features crucial for larger businesses, requiring an upgrade for robust accounting needs. Ultimately, Wave excels as a beginner-friendly, cost-effective solution for solopreneurs and small teams seeking hassle-free financial management.

Pros
  • Free core features
  • Easy to use interface
  • Mobile-friendly design
  • Excellent customer support
  • Free bank reconciliation
Cons
  • Limited features in free plan
  • No inventory tracking
  • No double-entry accounting
  • Few integrations with other software
  • Limited reporting options
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BILL Spend & Expense (formerly called Divvy) is a free cloud-based accounting and expense management solution. It provides businesses with a secure financial platform to manage payments, subscriptions and eliminate the requirements of expense reports. The swipe to books functionality helps make well-informed cash flow decisions, cut down on the losses before they happen and frees businesses from the worry of saving receipts ever again.
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SAP Concur is a Software-as-a-Service company that provides travel and expense management solutions. Created by a merger of the two companies in 2014, it effortlessly guides employees through every trip by populating charges into expense reports and automating invoice reports.

It automates data capture and accounts payable, uses real-time data and AI to audit transactions. It helps businesses keep an eye on what they are spending and there are no blind spots in the budget.
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Product Assistance

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Product Ranking

#116

among all
Accounting Software

#7

among all
Accounting Software

#4

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Accounting Software

#25

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#32

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Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

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Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
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Accounts Receivable
Mobile Support
Tax Management
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Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Banking and Cash Management
Budget and Expense Management
Deployment Options
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Banking and Cash Management
Budget and Expense Management
Deployment Options

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Planful
Zoho Books
Wave Accounting
BILL Spend & Expense
Concur
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Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Banking and Cash Management Budget and Expense Management Financial Statements and Revenue Management General Ledger and Chart of Accounts Integration and Extensibility Inventory Management Journal Entries Mobile Support Multi-company Accounting and Asset Management Platform Capabilities Project Accounting Reporting and Analytics Tax Management 100 95 100 90 90 75 82 100 85 80 60 100 92 92 96 78 92 87 57 98 61 58 50 73 90 65 78 56 70 88 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 82 reviews
Great User Sentiment 546 reviews
Great User Sentiment 2602 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 271 reviews
Great User Sentiment 10098 reviews
86%
of users recommend this product

Planful has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 82 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Zoho Books has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 546 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Wave Accounting has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 2602 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

94%
of users recommend this product

BILL Spend & Expense has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 271 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

81%
of users recommend this product

Concur has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 81% when considering 10098 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

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Awards

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Accounts Payable Award
Inventory Management Award
Platform Capabilities Award
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User Favorite Award
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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Streamlined Financial Close: Planful helps automate routine tasks like data consolidation and report generation, which can significantly reduce the time it takes to close the books each month. This efficiency is often praised by users in fast-paced environments.
Improved Forecasting Accuracy: The platform's forecasting tools leverage historical data and predictive analytics to generate more accurate forecasts. Users appreciate this feature as it allows for better-informed decision-making and resource allocation.
Enhanced Collaboration: Planful provides a centralized platform for finance teams to collaborate on budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. This feature improves communication and transparency within the department, leading to more cohesive financial strategies.
Customizable Reporting: Users frequently highlight the ability to create custom reports tailored to their specific needs. This flexibility allows finance teams to analyze data from multiple angles and gain deeper insights into their financial performance.
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Intuitive interface: Users consistently praise Zoho Books for its simple and easy-to-navigate interface, even for those without prior accounting experience.
Automation superpowers: Tasks like invoicing, payment reminders, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting become effortless with Zoho Books' automation features, saving users significant time and effort.
Seamless integrations: Zoho Books smoothly integrates with other Zoho apps, like CRM and Projects, as well as popular third-party tools, streamlining workflows and eliminating data silos.
Mobile accessibility: The user-friendly mobile app allows for on-the-go accounting, ensuring users can manage finances anytime, anywhere.
Value for money: Zoho Books is consistently praised for its affordable pricing plans, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Customer service responsiveness: Users frequently highlight the prompt and helpful support provided by Zoho Books' customer service team.
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System Performance: Of the users who mentioned this solution's performance, precisely 65% said it's easy to use, documents all tasks performed and provides accurate information.
Modules: Approximately 57% of users who discussed this program's functionality said it has a variety of capabilities such as an assortment of reports, bank account synching and invoice reminders.
Cost: Of the users who mentioned this application's pricing, approximately 87% of users said they like the free version because it comes with plenty of appliances.
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Virtual Cards: BILL Spend & Expense allows users to create virtual cards for specific vendors or employees, which helps to control spending and track expenses more effectively.
Budgeting Tools: The platform offers budgeting tools that enable users to set spending limits and track their progress against those limits, promoting better financial management.
Expense Tracking: BILL Spend & Expense simplifies expense tracking by automatically categorizing transactions and allowing users to attach receipts and notes to expenses.
Integrations: BILL Spend & Expense integrates with various accounting software programs, streamlining the process of reconciling expenses and keeping financial records up-to-date.
Mobile App: The BILL Spend & Expense mobile app provides users with convenient access to their accounts and expense management tools while on the go.
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Streamlined Expense Reporting: Concur simplifies the often tedious process of creating expense reports, allowing users to easily track and submit expenses, which can then be quickly approved and reimbursed. This can save both employees and the accounting department significant time and effort.
Mobile Accessibility: The Concur mobile app enables users to manage expenses on-the-go, offering convenience and flexibility for business travelers. Users can capture receipts, track mileage, and submit reports directly from their mobile devices.
Integration with Accounting Systems: Concur integrates seamlessly with popular accounting software, such as QuickBooks and Xero. This integration streamlines the financial workflow by automatically syncing expense data with the accounting system, reducing manual data entry and the risk of errors.
Policy Compliance: Concur helps organizations enforce travel and expense policies by automatically flagging any out-of-policy expenses during the submission process. This feature promotes compliance and reduces the risk of unauthorized spending.
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Steep Learning Curve: Many users find Planful's interface to be complex and unintuitive, requiring significant time investment to learn the system's intricacies. The abundance of features can be overwhelming for new users, leading to frustration and a slow adoption rate within organizations.
Customization Challenges: While Planful offers customization options, implementing them often requires advanced technical skills or reliance on the vendor's professional services, which can be costly. This limitation can hinder organizations with unique workflows or reporting needs from fully tailoring the software to their specific requirements.
Reporting Limitations: Some users report that generating specific or ad-hoc reports can be cumbersome in Planful. The system's pre-built reports may not always cater to every organization's needs, and creating custom reports may require technical expertise or additional support.
Performance Issues: A segment of users has mentioned experiencing slow loading times and occasional system lags, particularly when working with large datasets or complex reports. This can impact productivity and user satisfaction, especially for organizations with high data volumes or demanding reporting requirements.
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Transaction limits: Users express frustration with the capped number of monthly transactions (5,000 on the highest plan), potentially hindering high-volume businesses.
Inventory management constraints: While Zoho Books offers inventory tracking, it lacks advanced features like sales analytics and in-depth item breakdowns, making it less suitable for businesses with complex inventory needs.
Coding requirements for automation: Unlocking the full potential of automation features often requires knowledge of coding (Deluge script), posing a challenge for non-technical users.
Occasional reporting issues: Some users report occasional glitches or inconsistencies in financial reports, necessitating careful review and potential manual adjustments.
Multiple subscriptions for multiple businesses: Managing multiple businesses requires separate subscriptions, which can become cost-prohibitive for users with several entities.
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Frustrating reconciliation process: Users often describe matching transactions as difficult and time-consuming, leading to delayed reconciliation and potential errors.
Limited reporting options: Users express a desire for more robust and flexible reporting features, including better sorting, exporting, and preset date options for generating customized reports.
Lack of phone support: Wave relies primarily on email and online resources for support, which can be frustrating for users who prefer immediate assistance or have complex issues to resolve.
Occasional glitches and errors: Users have reported occasional software glitches, such as duplicated transactions or difficulties with bank syncing, which can disrupt workflows and create data inconsistencies.
No inventory management: Wave lacks full-fledged inventory tracking and management capabilities, making it unsuitable for businesses with complex inventory needs or those who sell directly through eCommerce platforms.
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Limited Accounting Features: BILL Spend & Expense's strength lies in expense management, but it may lack advanced accounting features required by some businesses, such as accounts payable and accounts receivable management.
Integrations: While BILL Spend & Expense integrates with popular accounting software, the depth of integration and available features may vary. Users should ensure their accounting software is fully compatible with BILL Spend & Expense to avoid manual data entry or limitations.
Customer Support: Some users have reported challenges with BILL Spend & Expense's customer support, including long wait times and difficulty resolving complex issues. Consider the importance of responsive and effective customer support for your business needs.
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Clunky User Interface: Users frequently report that Concur's interface feels outdated and cumbersome, making simple tasks like submitting expense reports or booking travel more time-consuming than necessary.
Mobile App Issues: The mobile app is often criticized for being buggy and unreliable, with features that are limited compared to the desktop version. This can be frustrating for users who rely on their mobile devices for managing expenses on the go.
Integration Challenges: Integrating Concur with other business systems, such as accounting software or HR platforms, can be a complex and technically challenging process, requiring significant IT resources and expertise.
Customer Support Concerns: Some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality and responsiveness of Concur's customer support, citing long wait times and difficulty resolving issues effectively.
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Planful has garnered a reputation for its robust financial reporting and analysis capabilities, particularly excelling in budgeting, forecasting, and consolidation. Users appreciate the software's ability to handle complex financial models and its flexibility in generating custom reports. The platform's intuitive interface and user-friendly design have also been praised, making it accessible to both finance professionals and non-financial users. However, some users have noted that the initial setup and implementation process can be time-consuming and may require significant support from Planful's team. Additionally, while Planful offers a wide range of features, some users have expressed a desire for more advanced functionality in areas such as workforce planning and project accounting. Compared to competitors like Adaptive Insights and Vena Solutions, Planful stands out for its comprehensive financial consolidation capabilities and its ability to handle large volumes of data. Its reporting and analytics tools are also considered to be more user-friendly and customizable. However, Adaptive Insights may be a better choice for organizations seeking a more cloud-based solution with stronger integrations with other business applications. Vena Solutions, on the other hand, may be more suitable for companies with complex financial modeling needs due to its Excel-based interface. Overall, Planful is best suited for mid-sized to large enterprises with complex financial reporting and analysis requirements. Its strengths lie in its budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, and reporting capabilities, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to streamline their financial processes and gain deeper insights into their financial performance. However, companies with limited IT resources or those seeking a more cloud-based solution may want to consider alternative options.

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Zoho Books lands a punch with its user-friendly interface and automation superpowers, even for accounting newbies. Invoicing, bank reconciliation, and reports become automatic allies, saving users precious time. Integration with the Zoho ecosystem and other popular tools keeps workflows in harmony. Plus, the mobile app lets you manage finances on the go, a big win for busy entrepreneurs. However, Zoho Books stumbles with transaction limits, potentially tripping up high-volume businesses. Inventory management feels like a lightweight sidekick compared to some competitors, lacking the muscle for complex needs. Unlocking automation's full potential requires coding know-how, leaving some users stranded. And while reports are generally reliable, occasional glitches necessitate a closer look. Managing multiple businesses under separate subscriptions can also add up cost-wise. So, how does Zoho Books stack up? Users often compare it to Quickbooks Online. Zoho shines with its intuitive interface and affordability, especially for solopreneurs and small teams. But Quickbooks packs a heavier punch in its inventory management and advanced reporting features, catering to larger businesses with complex needs. Zoho's seamless integrations and user-friendliness win hearts, while Quickbooks offers a more robust toolset for seasoned accountants. Ultimately, Zoho Books is a capable accounting sidekick for businesses starting their financial journey. Its ease of use, automation muscle, and affordable price tag make it a tempting choice. But for high-volume businesses or those with intricate inventory needs, other contenders might offer a more powerful punch.

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Wave Accounting users appreciate its simplicity and affordability, making it a popular choice for freelancers and solopreneurs. The free plan covers essential features like invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting, catering to those with straightforward accounting needs. Users praise its intuitive interface and mobile app for on-the-go tracking, highlighting its convenience compared to clunky desktop software. However, Wave's limitations become apparent as businesses grow. Users cite frustrating reconciliation issues, limited reporting options, and the lack of advanced features like inventory management or payroll integrations. Compared to competitors like Quickbooks or Xero, Wave feels less capable of handling complex accounting workflows. While its automatic bank imports save time, the absence of phone support can be a dealbreaker for some users who need immediate help troubleshooting issues. Ultimately, Wave shines for its ease of use and zero-cost entry point, but its lack of scalability and robust features might necessitate switching to more powerful alternatives as businesses evolve. Choosing Wave comes down to prioritizing convenience and affordability over comprehensive functionality and expert support.

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BILL Spend & Expense has garnered positive feedback from users for its user-friendly interface and time-saving automation features. The software simplifies expense reporting by allowing employees to capture receipts and submit expenses directly through the mobile app. BILL Spend & Expense's budgeting tools enable businesses to allocate funds, track spending, and gain insights into their financial health. Users appreciate the real-time visibility into cash flow and the ability to integrate with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero. While BILL Spend & Expense receives praise for its core functionalities, some users note that the customer support could be more responsive. Additionally, the software may not be as feature-rich as some of its competitors, such as Expensify or Zoho Expense, which offer more advanced reporting and customization options. However, BILL Spend & Expense's simplicity and ease of use make it an attractive choice for small and medium-sized businesses that prioritize streamlining expense management and budgeting processes. Its intuitive platform and automation capabilities cater to businesses seeking a hassle-free solution to track spending, control costs, and gain better financial control.

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Overall, Concur has garnered a reputation as a comprehensive and reliable solution for managing expenses, travel, and invoices. Users frequently praise its ability to streamline expense reporting, automate tasks, and provide real-time visibility into spending. The mobile app receives kudos for its user-friendly interface and offline functionality, making it easy for employees to capture receipts and submit expenses on the go. Concur's integration with travel booking platforms and credit cards is a major plus, simplifying the process of reconciling expenses and ensuring accuracy. However, some users find the initial setup and configuration to be complex, requiring significant time and effort. Additionally, the system's flexibility can be a double-edged sword, as extensive customization options may overwhelm some users. Concur's pricing structure, often based on the number of users and transactions, can be a concern for smaller businesses. Despite these drawbacks, Concur's strengths in automation, integration, and mobile accessibility make it a top choice for mid-sized to large organizations with complex expense management needs and a desire to enhance efficiency and control over spending.

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