Modern FP&A Software Comparison: Runway vs Vena vs Planful vs Jirav vs TigerEye

As your business grows, the real challenge isn’t just forecasting more.

It’s forecasting better.

It’s about aligning teams, updating models in real time, and shifting finance from a function that explains the past to one that shapes the future.

Modern FP&A platforms promise to make that easier.

This guide breaks down 5 of the most talked-about options — Runway, Vena, Planful, Jirav, and TigerEye — to help you understand what they actually do, and where they fit.

Why modern FP&A tools exist

Traditional tools break when:

• Every team has its own assumptions
• Forecasts live in silos
• Board decks take weeks to build, and go stale before they’re shared
• Budgeting turns into a clean-up task

Modern tools aim to fix that. They make planning collaborative, real-time, and transparent. They replace static spreadsheets with shared models. And they help finance teams stop firefighting — and start leading.

How the 5 tools compare

• Runway is best for high-growth teams that plan fast and collaboratively. Its biggest strengths are real-time modeling, an intuitive interface, and strong scenario capabilities. The main tradeoff is that it doesn't support complex enterprise workflows (like inter-company consolidation) out of the box, though it can be customized to do so without consultants.
• Vena fits enterprises embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem. It’s strong on Excel-native workflows, audit trails, and structured processes. The limitations include a rigid UI and steep learning curve for non-finance users.
• Planful is designed for large orgs with multi-entity complexity. Its strengths are consolidation, audit compliance, and end-to-end planning. But it comes with long onboarding and slower iteration cycles.
• Jirav is best suited for SMBs and accounting-first teams. It offers fast setup, familiar financial views, and simple dashboards. However, it has shallow modeling capabilities and limited forecasting depth.
• TigerEye is purpose-built for sales-led orgs focused on GTM planning. It excels at pipeline forecasting, territory planning, and AI-powered GTM analytics. But it’s not built for financial modeling or company-wide forecasting.

Detailed comparison

1. Runway: Built for how strategic teams actually plan

Most tools make you choose: flexibility or structure, speed or scale. Runway is built to do both.

It’s a real-time modeling engine that helps you think through decisions. From assumptions to runway to board reporting, everything stays connected.

What it’s good at:

• Driver-based, human-readable formulas
• Scenario planning that updates runway, burn, margins instantly
• Live dashboards that reflect changes in real time
• Collaboration by default — role-based access, version control, departmental views
• Integrations with 750+ systems, including NetSuite, QuickBooks, Gusto, Salesforce, and HubSpot

Where it gets harder:

• Runway doesn’t include full consolidation or close tools, so if you need inter-company eliminations, journal entries, or statutory audit workflows, it’ll require some customization.
• It also works best with one or more model owners — it’s built for clarity and speed, but assumes someone knows how the business works, and can build that logic in Runway.

Ideal for:

• High-growth companies, operator-CFOs, and cross-functional planning environments

Runway shines for companies like Superhuman, which achieved 50-100x efficiency improvements after switching from spreadsheet-based planning. See how AngelList and 818 Tequila streamline finance with Runway.

2. Vena: Excel-centric flexibility with enterprise controls

Vena brings structure and auditability to Excel workflows — ideal for teams deep in the Microsoft ecosystem.

What it’s good at:

• Excel-native UI with workflow automation
• Detailed audit trails and permissions
• Templates and structured planning workflows
• Strong integrations with Microsoft 365, Power BI, and major ERPs

Where it gets harder:

• Heavy implementation effort — often requiring training and consulting
• Rigid interface compared to modern SaaS tools
• Steep learning curve for non-finance collaborators

Ideal for:

• Enterprises, compliance-heavy orgs, and Excel-native teams

3. Planful: Consolidation + planning in one suite

Planful focuses on large enterprises that need to consolidate, close, and plan across entities.

What it’s good at:

• Full financial consolidation and audit readiness
• End-to-end planning and reporting
• BI and reporting capabilities

Where it gets harder:

• Longer implementation timelines
• Slower iteration once live — adding new scenarios or models can feel heavy
• Can be costly if you don’t use the full suite

Ideal for:

• Global orgs, legal-entity complexity, and audit-focused finance teams

4. Jirav: Rapid deployment for SMBs

Jirav offers a lighter-weight planning tool that’s easy to implement, and integrates cleanly with accounting software.

What it’s good at:

• Fast onboarding
• P&L, cash flow, and balance sheet views
• Native integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Gusto
• Simple dashboards

Where it gets harder:

• Limited scenario modeling
• Not built for operator-style or cross-functional collaboration
• Customization is limited

Ideal for:

• SMBs, outsourced accounting firms, and solo founders

5. TigerEye: Highly customizable for complex use cases

TigerEye focuses on pipeline and territory forecasting — not traditional FP&A.

What it’s good at:

• AI-powered sales forecasting with historical calibration
• Territory planning and segment-level insights
• Identifies risk in deals, regions, and rep performance
• Gives sales leaders strategic control, not just dashboards

Where it gets harder:

• No core financial modeling
• No support for budgeting, cash flow, or cross-team planning
• Usage typically limited to Sales and RevOps

Ideal for:

• Sales-heavy orgs that need custom GTM analytics
• RevOps teams rethinking pipeline and territory planning
• Companies where GTM forecasting is the bottleneck to growth

Which one should you choose?

Different tools solve different problems, so that depends on what you’re optimizing for:

• Choose Runway if you want real-time planning that connects Finance, RevOps, and Product in one model.
• Choose Vena if you want Excel comfort with enterprise rigor.
• Choose Planful if your priority is multi-entity consolidation and audit controls.
• Choose Jirav if you're a small team looking for simplicity and speed.
• Choose TigerEye if you're a sales-led org forecasting pipeline (not financials).

Bottom line

The point of FP&A software isn’t to generate reports. It’s to help you make better decisions.

Some tools help you organize the past.

Some help you control the process.

The best ones give you leverage.

They compress the distance between what’s happening and what you should do about it. Because when your model reflects reality, you think more clearly.

That’s what Runway is built for.

Book a demo to see it in action.