Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs Visual Paradigm comparison

Cancel
You must select at least 2 products to compare!
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Mar 6, 2024

We compared Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect and Visual Paradigm based on our user's reviews in several parameters.

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect offers advanced visualizations, industry-standard modeling languages, and powerful customization capabilities, with praised customer service. In contrast, Visual Paradigm is highlighted for its intuitive user interface, comprehensive diagramming capabilities, and robust project management functionalities. Users find both software solutions valuable but suggest different areas for improvement, such as collaboration features for Sparx Systems and certain software functions for Visual Paradigm.

Features: Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect offers a comprehensive repository, seamless integration with development tools, industry-standard modeling support, advanced visualizations, powerful customization, and extensive documentation and user community support. Visual Paradigm excels in its intuitive interface, diagramming capabilities, collaboration options, documentation generation tools, project management functionalities, and wide range of platforms and integrations.

Pricing and ROI: Both Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect and Visual Paradigm have received positive feedback regarding their pricing, setup cost, and licensing. Users find the setup cost of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect straightforward and relatively easy, while Visual Paradigm offers a hassle-free setup experience. Both products provide flexible licensing options to accommodate users' needs., Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect offers a substantial ROI, providing significant value. Visual Paradigm's positive ROI is attributed to its features, ease of use, and effectiveness in managing complex projects. Users appreciate the time-saving and cost-effective benefits.

Room for Improvement: Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect could improve its user interface, collaboration features, and performance. Additionally, users requested better integration with other tools and more intuitive functionalities. Visual Paradigm has received feedback on desired improvements for certain features or functions.

Deployment and customer support: In the reviews, users reported that the duration for establishing a new tech solution varies between Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect and Visual Paradigm. Some users mentioned separate timeframes for deployment, setup, and implementation with Sparx Systems, while others mentioned similar timeframes for deployment and setup with Visual Paradigm., Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect's customer service is highly praised by users for its responsive, knowledgeable, and efficient assistance. Visual Paradigm's customer service is praised for its prompt, helpful, and reliable support, with an efficient and friendly support team.

The summary above is based on 22 interviews we conducted recently with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect and Visual Paradigm users. To access the review's full transcripts, download our report.

To learn more, read our detailed Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs. Visual Paradigm Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"We use it to develop and maintain the Enterprise Conceptual Model, migrated from erwin a couple of years ago.""Its traversability is most valuable. I can use ArchiMate, and I can create a UML model. ArchiMate is for logical enterprise architecture, UML is for software engineering, and BPMN is for business processes. I can build it to have multiple models, and they are also traversable, which is not something that every tool allows. If there is a huge organization, you can segment it and have separate models for business technology or internal resource management system. You don't need to keep them in one model, and you can decide to segregate them.""We could capture the process models around 24 countries with all their local variations.""The solution is easy to use, supports SysML and UML, and is able to connect to MATLAB. This is very important for us.""The most valuable feature of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is the value streams.""The product offers very good support for all mainstream modeling notations and architectural frameworks.""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 system provides powerful tools for obtaining reports and documentation."

More Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Pros →

"I find it very user-friendly for my purposes, which is creating business process models that I can publish as HTML pages. It has worked flawlessly for my project, and my clients are able to utilize it as an internal web portal for their process documentation and other needs.""I like the structure. I can see the diagrams and everything I created.""The initial setup is straightforward.""The application is easy to use and provides informative diagrams.""The solution is stable. It hasn't crashed, stopped or caused any issues in any way.""Visual Paradigm is super user-friendly, especially for new team members. I always have them start with it because the interface is so simple to pick up. They usually spend about six months to a year using only Visual Paradigm before moving on to other tools. We also use the cloud repository for collaborative work, but I've had some trouble with code reviewing and limitations. Sometimes, customers even request the source file or exported XML because it's easier for them to access and review.""What I like best about Visual Paradigm is its simple GUI, especially since I'm a new user. In my two years of experience with this tool, I didn't find it complex because I was able to learn how to use it via YouTube videos. Visual Paradigm is enough for me. I also find the bridging feature in the tool valuable.""I like the fact that this solution is complete."

More Visual Paradigm Pros →

Cons
"They should make the Save button easier to find. A simplified user interface for a lighter user would probably be useful. I am not sure if such an interface is already there.""The initial setup of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect It's very complicated. It's very difficult to start with the right templates because there are many possibilities. The deployment took approximately two days.""Greater OMG UML and XMI compliance""Not visually appealing.""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.""This solution is quite complex to use. It would be nice if the learning curve wasn't so steep.""It should be made Windows compatible.""From a practical point of view, we need speed and reliability for creating a model and doing some really meaningful tasks such as application landscape, refactoring, etc. These are two primary criteria. Sometimes, when you import something, it creates the object duplicates, or it allows you to do something that you're not supposed to do. For example, validation is missing. This could be frustrating because when you work at a high speed, you need to come back and start fixing things that the tool allowed you to go with, which is not quite good. So, there should probably be some internal mechanisms to advise you about what you're doing and what is probably not the best idea."

More Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Cons →

"There are some connectivity issues that crop up rarely when used with SQL Server.""The solution could be more compatible with other products in the future.""Visual Paradigm is heavier and has more complexity than one of its competitors, e.g. Lucidchart. It could have been better if it was more simplified.""Visual Paradigm can improve by having better process mining tools and model integration.""For me, what needs improvement in Visual Paradigm is the limited features included in the $99 license, which is the cheapest option. If more features could be included in the cheapest licensing package, Visual Paradigm would be better, especially for businesses that have a limited budget for buying software.""The solution can be heavy on resource usage.""It's still early for me to comment since I've only been using it for two months, but the responsiveness when diagramming needs to be improved.""Takes up a lot of resources."

More Visual Paradigm Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The Corporate Edition, or one of the bundles, is the way to go."
  • "Use floating licenses strategically."
  • "The pricing for ultimate version is steeply high."
  • "Licenses are pretty low cost compared to, for example, ARIS."
  • "It’s the best deal in town, by far."
  • "Pricing and licensing is very attractive, simple, and straightforward."
  • "Pricing and licensing are suitable even for small companies."
  • "In terms of cost, Sparx EA is probably one of the cheapest tools I have ever used."
  • More Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Over the years I've seen an increase in price, and it makes it difficult for a single person company, like me, to decide whether to extend the license."
  • "You can use Paradigm on a subscription basis and you can choose from different tiers of subscription."
  • "You can move between the tiers from month to month so you are not restricted to one pricing model."
  • "The pricing of Visual Paradigm is very appropriate and affordable. There are no hidden costs involved."
  • "This product is fairly cheap, but if you want more complex features, e.g. integration with other products, it does require an additional cost."
  • "Visual Paradigm has two models available. One of them is the educational edition, and another is the business edition. For my personal usage, I use the educational version mostly. In a project, my customers have to purchase a license."
  • "Visual Paradigm costs $99 per license. I chose the cheapest option from the pricing list."
  • "Pricing for Visual Paradigm is a four out of five for me. I'm happy with its pricing."
  • More Visual Paradigm Pricing and Cost Advice →

    report
    Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Business Process Design solutions are best for your needs.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:In my opinion, there is no real difference between the three tools. All three are software that help organizations model and document their business processes. However, there are some key differences… more »
    Top Answer:The solution is the best application for data modeling. It helps to architect business processes. Its best features are pricing and functionality.
    Top Answer:Visual Paradigm's initial deployment was difficult since we did it for the first time. It is challenging to learn to use the product.
    Ranking
    4th
    Views
    11,884
    Comparisons
    8,870
    Reviews
    10
    Average Words per Review
    449
    Rating
    6.9
    7th
    Views
    6,584
    Comparisons
    4,198
    Reviews
    12
    Average Words per Review
    417
    Rating
    8.3
    Comparisons
    Learn More
    Sparx Systems
    Video Not Available
    Visual Paradigm
    Video Not Available
    Overview

    Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is an enterprise solution that helps streamline, accelerate, and integrate software, system, and business development. With this intuitive modeling and design solution, enterprises can stay in control of their workplaces, enable collaboration, support their teams and colleagues, and manage complex projects. Software architects, business analysts, project managers, developers, support staff, and testers can unite under a single repository. Through numerous view points and potential sub-systems, users are offered a unified view in a complex environment.

    With Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, users are also offered a shared model option which can be accessed quickly and securely by in-office and remote team members through the Enterprise Architect’s Pro Cloud Server. Building a coherent, verifiable model can be done by connecting and integrating a variety of behavioral and structural information in visual form. As a result, Enterprise Architect offers high performance, flexibility, and the ability to model, manage, and trace every stage of the business development and modeling process.

    Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Features

    Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect assists in creating a unified and accessible vision in business development by offering a flexible platform with a unique set of rich features. These features include:

    • Test and debug - Streamline software development and visualize software with the simulation process. Users can test and confirm correct behavior, set and oversee test points, and debug and examine software.
    • Track tasks - Track, prioritize, and assign individual and group tasks to assist in the model’s development. Users can visually monitor their progress through the Gantt chart.
    • Open standards - Users can visualize and analyze running software with integrated custom tools. They can also run advanced simulations, team-based repositories, testing tools, and version control. In addition, the solution supports enterprise architecture frameworks such as UPDM and TOGAF.
    • Simulation - Create and debug embedded solutions by simulating behaviors and state models. Users can specify events, triggers, constraints, and more. Users can also specify extensive and complex structural systems and create custom domain-specific solutions.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect merges high-end tools, online availability, a dedication to open standards, and accessible pricing so enterprises can stay in control of their workplaces, whether remote or in-office. Users particularly like the architectural frameworks and the scalability.

    Marc L., a principal architecture enterprise solution adviser at Cronomagic Canada, notes, "The product offers very good support for all mainstream modeling notations and architectural frameworks."

    An enterprise architect at a manufacturing company writes, "Scalable solution for modeling, project sharing, and collaboration. Support for it is good."

    Visual Paradigm is a UML tool. The tool is designed for a wide range of users including software engineers, system analysts, business analysts and system architects, or for anyone who is interested in reliably building large-scale software systems using an object-oriented approach. In addition, Visual Paradigm supports the latest standards of UML notation.
    Sample Customers
    OmniLink
    Adobe, Apple, at&t, Caterpillar, Intel, NASA, Nokia, Toyota
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Government16%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    Energy/Utilities Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization14%
    Government11%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Computer Software Company10%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company33%
    Financial Services Firm20%
    Aerospace/Defense Firm7%
    Government7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company11%
    Educational Organization10%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    University9%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business33%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise50%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business15%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise62%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business60%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise24%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise64%
    Buyer's Guide
    Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs. Visual Paradigm
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs. Visual Paradigm and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is ranked 4th in Business Process Design with 97 reviews while Visual Paradigm is ranked 7th in Business Process Design with 25 reviews. Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is rated 8.0, while Visual Paradigm is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect writes "Easy to set up and had no issues with stability, but it's not a very friendly tool, and its database modeling and entity-relationship modeling functions need improvement". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Visual Paradigm writes "Very flexible and easy to use with a good pricing model". Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is most compared with Visio, No Magic MagicDraw, Lucidchart, LeanIX and ARIS BPA, whereas Visual Paradigm is most compared with Visio, Lucidchart, Bizagi, No Magic MagicDraw and ARIS BPA. See our Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs. Visual Paradigm report.

    See our list of best Business Process Design vendors.

    We monitor all Business Process Design reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.