Your company just acquired a competitor. Now the board wants to see combined financials, with full three-statement model and cash flow scenarios by Monday. It’s Thursday afternoon.
You open your current model. It has 47 tabs, with formulas like =SUMIFS($D$4:$D$847,Sheet12!$A:$A,"FTE",Sheet12!$F:$F,A2)*INDEX(Sheet8!$C:$C,MATCH(B2,Sheet8!$A:$A,0)). You need to add an entire new entity in the next 3 days. Every formula needs updating, and every cross-reference needs checking.
You ping your data engineer. She’s out until next week.
You open a Slack thread with your platform vendor, and tell them you need to add dimensions for the new entity and restructure your revenue model. You ask how long that might take. They say they can schedule implementation in 2-3 weeks.
This is the moment when you realize you don’t actually own your model.
True model ownership means you can restructure when the business changes (not when a vendor is available). It means testing scenarios in minutes, and enabling your non-finance colleagues to actually understand what’s in the forecast, because the formulas read like sentences instead of cryptic strings of cell references.
This specific pain leads many teams to switch to modern FP&A platforms, like Runway and Drivetrain. Both platforms move you beyond static spreadsheets, but they approach modeling from fundamentally different angles. Runway gives model owners flexible, dimensional modeling with plain-English formulas and instant restructuring, while Drivetrain brings technical depth with a spreadsheet grid interface and data-engineering-first philosophy.
If you’re managing a financial model that needs to flex as your business changes, choosing the right FP&A platform is an important decision that helps you answer “what if?” questions fast and puts you in control of your planning. Both Runway and Drivetrain move teams beyond spreadsheets, but the way they get you there is different.
Let’s talk about what each platform does best, and how they fit different teams. You’ll see where Runway shines for collaborative, flexible modeling and where Drivetrain brings technical strength for data consolidation. By the end, you’ll know which tool matches your team’s planning needs and how you use your model every day.
Runway vs. Drivetrain: a quick overview
Runway and Drivetrain both offer modern FP&A tools. They connect to your data, support scenario planning, and eliminate busywork in spreadsheets. But their approach is different.
Runway is all about making modeling, planning, and alignment intuitive and accessible for everyone. It uses human-readable formulas, easy scenario comparisons, and smooth teamwork. Model owners keep full control without waiting for vendor help or IT.
Drivetrain calls itself an AI-native planning platform with a data-engineering-first mindset. It offers deep integrations with 800+ systems, lets you use driver-based modeling in a grid that feels like Excel, and brings enterprise-grade security. Teams with technical skills and complex environments like Drivetrain’s capabilities.
Why does this matter? If you own financial models, you need to test futures on demand. You need a platform that lets you change structure fast, run scenarios quickly, and share transparent logic with anyone, not just finance.
Introducing Runway
Runway is your business, modeled in real time. You build models that are clear, scalable, and collaborative. Complex finance logic becomes a business simulation your whole team understands.
Runway gives model owners:
- Automated connections: Runway links with over 750+ tools across accounting, HRIS, CRM, and data warehouses. Your model stays in sync automatically.
- Formulas anyone can read: Write logic in plain English. Trace any value to its source. Apply formulas by team, product, or region so everyone follows the story.
- Flexible segmentation: Slice your model by department, customer type, or location. Build drivers that match how your business works.
- Instant drill-ins: Click any number to see what drives it. Go from big-picture metrics to source data in seconds.
Scenario planning is core for Runway. Every scenario is a parallel model, like a sandbox where you can change assumptions or plans. Changes stay local until you merge them. That means your team can safely propose updates, test them, and see how your model responds.
Runway has a 4.8/5 stars on G2. Customers praise it for it's flexibility and power: “I am in Runway every day. That’s where I get my information. That’s where I plug in everything I learn from meetings—and our CEO does the same thing. It’s our little hub for tracking the health of the business.” says Amanda Hoppe, CFO at indie.io.
Introducing Drivetrain
Drivetrain is a broad planning platform. It covers Financial Planning & Analysis, SaaS planning, headcount and payroll planning, and revenue modeling. It focuses on driver-based and three-statement modeling for teams with complex structures.
Here’s what it offers:
- Grid interface: Work in a spreadsheet-style environment with formulas like Excel. If you know cell references, this feels familiar.
- Driver-based planning: Build models on key business drivers. Use templates for metrics like ARR, CAC, and cohorts.
- Formula Agent: AI helps write, explain, and debug formulas, making modeling quicker for technical teams.
- Multi-entity consolidation: Combine results across entities. The platform handles intercompany eliminations and multi-currency needs.
Drivetrain connects to 800+ systems (ERP, CRM, HRIS, billing, warehouse). It supports custom connectors and acts as a single source of truth by bringing all your data together.
Customers see faster reporting and successful consolidations. Oliver Young at Blackthorn.io said, "Drivetrain has completely leveled up our reporting." Ben King at Dental Intelligence shared, "We’re totally out of Excel and rely on Drivetrain every day."
MindTickle shortened board report prep from weeks to hours and moved to weekly forecasting after merging three systems. Starlet Group achieved 24× faster budget iterations and consolidated multi-entity Xero data.
Key comparison areas for model owners
When you look at Runway vs. Drivetrain, think about how you use your model daily. You need to know how each handles structural changes, scenario testing, report automation, data connections, and governance.
Let’s break down what matters most for folks responsible for the model and who answer “what if?” every day.
Modeling and flexibility
Runway keeps modeling flexible and easy to follow. You write formulas in plain English and apply logic across dimensions. No more fiddling with endless cell references. When business shifts (new products, departments, or markets), just adjust your model directly.
Tracing values is clear. One click shows how a number’s calculated and where it comes from. Non-finance teams can see why results changed or what’s behind a forecast.
Drivetrain offers a grid interface that’s like Excel. If you want spreadsheets, you’ll feel at home. It supports driver-based planning and three-statement modeling. It also provides templates for common scenarios.
The Formula Agent AI can help you build and debug formulas. Teams with technical know-how benefit most. But when you want to restructure a model, such as adding dimensions or changing hierarchies, it’s more manual compared to Runway’s approach.
If you need to pivot as the business evolves, Runway’s flexible setup and clear formulas save you time. If you like detailed, spreadsheet-style grids and want direct control over every formula, Drivetrain puts you in the driver seat.
Scenario planning
Strong scenario planning sets platforms apart. Runway treats scenarios as parallel models. You create drafts, update assumptions, and see the impact without duplicating anything.
With Runway, all scenario changes are local until you merge them. Teams can safely test updates, such as marketing tweaks campaigns, sales changes quotas, finance explores funding shifts, and compare everything side by side.
You can add variance columns to see differences.
Drivetrain manages scenarios through driver-based modeling. You can build and compare them, but it’s more tied to the spreadsheet format. Technical teams can build advanced logic, but setup takes extra steps compared to Runway’s sandbox.
If you need to quickly try different futures and compare them instantly, Runway’s scenario engine makes it simple. If you prefer building scenario logic into your formulas and want that level of technical control, Drivetrain is a strong choice.
Reporting and collaboration
Runway aims to be the planning platform everyone on your team can use. It eliminates version confusion. Dashboards and charts update in real time so you can focus on analysis, not building slides.
Collaboration is easy:
- Work together in real time: Invite other teams to create scenarios and suggest updates. No messy email chains or lost versions.
- Control access: Set exact permissions. Hide sensitive info, like salaries, with a click while keeping model integrity.
- Track edits: Full version history and audit trail show who made changes and when.
Customers share the impact. Superhuman said, "It's fascinating to see our marketing and sales leaders actively building scenarios in Runway. They’ve developed a sense of ownership over the numbers, something that was previously seen as the exclusive domain of finance."
Drivetrain offers ad-hoc and production reporting in a spreadsheet layout. You get 100+ prebuilt metrics and a Report Agent that generates reports from plain English. Tag teammates in comments, manage tasks, and set access at the row, column, or entity level.
If you want non-finance colleagues to explore data and build scenarios with you, Runway’s collaborative setup breaks barriers. If you’d rather centralize reporting in finance and push out static results, Drivetrain’s controls keep you covered.
Integrations and data control
Both platforms have strong connectors. Runway links to over 750+ data sources in accounting, HRIS, CRM, billing, and data warehouses. Integration tiers show setup complexity. Data updates automatically and stays current.
Drivetrain brings 800+ connectors including NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, Salesforce, HubSpot, ADP, BambooHR, BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift, and Databricks. It supports custom connectors and pulls data across all your systems into one place.
As a model owner, you want to control data transformations and solve issues fast. Runway’s integration tiers set clear expectations, and real-time sync keeps your model current without extra effort.
Drivetrain’s technical strength fits teams with strong data-engineering resources. But most FP&A teams want speed, flexibility, and independence. If data consolidation is your top need, Drivetrain’s capabilities are robust. If you want to model, simulate, and plan on top of your data without waiting for IT, Runway’s integrations make life easier.
Security, governance, and auditing
Runway takes security seriously. It’s SOC 2 Type II and GDPR-verified. You get single sign-on (SSO) and every access event is logged for visibility. Role-based permissions let you control who sees what, inside or outside your company.
All data is encrypted with TLS 1.3 while stored and in transit. The version history shows every change, who made it, what it was, and when, creating a clear audit trail.
Drivetrain lists SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance. Customer data is hosted in the USA on AWS and Google Cloud. You get access controls at row, column, and entity level, plus SSO and detailed audit trails.
If you handle sensitive financial data, both platforms provide enterprise-grade security. Runway’s clear model tracing and version logs give you transparency. Drivetrain’s granular controls and compliance certifications support strict governance needs.
Choosing between Runway and Drivetrain for your finance team
It comes down to your planning approach, model complexity, and the need for speed or technical detail.
Choose Runway if:
- You work with complex or evolving models; multiple revenue streams, entities, or frequent model changes.
- You need strong scenario planning, test any “what if?” anytime, not just simple best/base/worst cases.
- You want dynamic, board-ready reports that update automatically.
- Your team wants to own and update models without waiting on vendors or IT.
- You enable real-time collaboration across finance and business teams.
- You need a platform that grows with your FP&A needs, no bottlenecks.
Customer stories back this up. Superhuman boosted efficiency by 50 to 100 times. AngelList spots trends quickly and shares what’s happening (and why) with stakeholders. RevenueCat moved to fully automated reporting. Everything’s up-to-date, and they can model anything from sales capacity to GTM performance.
Choose Drivetrain if:
- Pure data consolidation drives your process, not necessarily modeling and planning.
- Your team has technical resources and prefers a data-engineering-first approach.
- You operate with lots of ERP systems and need advanced data transformation.
- You want a grid interface and direct control over formulas.
- Enterprise-level security and certifications are non-negotiable.
Drivetrain is the “technical finance platform.” Runway owns the “intuitive, collaborative FP&A” space. Each fits a different mindset.
If you’re a model owner who wants to simulate futures, keep control, test scenarios, and bring finance and business teams together, Runway gives you flexibility and speed, and you’ll stop firefighting and start leading.
Making the right decision
Choosing between Runway and Drivetrain determines how fast you solve “what if?” questions, how much control you have, and how well you work as a team. Both move you beyond spreadsheets. But Runway’s flexible modeling, fast scenario comparisons, and real teamwork give model owners real leverage, no vendor bottlenecks standing in the way.
See how Runway lets you simulate any business decision in seconds. You’'ll get true, collaborative planning, reporting, and forecasting, all in one platform.