# SAP LeanIX vs Ardoq: which do AI models recommend for EA tools, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Enterprise architecture tools. Eight of fourteen models named SAP LeanIX first on the direct prompt; three named Ardoq. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/operations/enterprise-architecture-tools/sap-leanix-vs-ardoq/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAP LeanIX | 25% | #1 of 10 | 15% | 33 | 12 of 14 |
| Ardoq | 18% | #2 of 10 | 15% | 47 | 13 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- MiniMax M2.5: both first (first choices: Ardoq, SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Essential Cloud, Sparx Enterprise Architect)
- GPT-5.4 mini: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Bizzdesign Horizzon, Orbus Software, Sparx Systems)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Orbus Software, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Bizzdesign Horizzon, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect)
- Kimi K2: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Avolution ABACUS, Bizzdesign Enterprise Studio, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Bizzdesign Horizzon, Sparx Enterprise Architect)
- GPT-6 Luna: sap leanix first (first choices: SAP LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, OrbusInfinity)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: ardoq first (first choices: Ardoq, LeanIX) (alternatives: Archi, Bizzdesign Horizzon)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: ardoq first (first choices: Ardoq) (alternatives: Bizzdesign Horizzon, SAP LeanIX, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither first, one named (first choices: LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Sparx Enterprise Architect)
- Mistral Small: neither first, one named (first choices: Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect) (alternatives: Ardoq, iServer365)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: LeanIX) (alternatives: Ardoq, Bizzdesign Horizzon, Sparx Systems)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named (first choices: Sparx)

## What the models said about SAP LeanIX

- "SAP LeanIX, if you need a highly bespoke metamodel... That's not a reason to avoid LeanIX if its standard model fits" (GPT-6 Luna, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Medium-High Risk: Customization & Data Model Rigidity ... LeanIX if you need deep customization" (DeepSeek V4 Flash, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Often targets larger enterprises; check if the licensing/price is competitive for <1k users." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, scale prompt, soft negative)
- "agile cloud-based solutions with strong integration and collaboration features are typically recommended, e.g. SAP LeanIX, Ardoq, or BlueDolphin" (Muse Glimmer 30B, scale prompt, first choice)
- "Choose LeanIX if you want to quickly understand what applications you own, how much they cost, and how they map to business goals." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "LeanIX is highly accessible for mid-market companies due to its out-of-the-box usability and modular pricing structure" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, paraphrase prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Ardoq

- "Avoid high-end tools like LeanIX, Bizzdesign, or Ardoq" (Grok 4.1 Fast, budget prompt, hard negative)
- "High Risk: Pricing/Packaging Changes ... Ardoq if you have a very large application portfolio (>1,000 apps) and budget sensitivity." (DeepSeek V4 Flash, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Ardoq is an example often flagged for this: ... exclusively a cloud-hosted SaaS platform — there is no on-premises deployment option" (Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Dynamic visualization & linking complex relationships. Very user-friendly for non-architects. | Great for "living repository" approach." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, scale prompt, first choice)
- "Ardoq is the most cited "modern" option for teams that want browser-based real-time collaboration and automated dependency mapping." (Muse Glimmer 30B, direct prompt, first choice)
- "LeanIX and Ardoq are usually the strongest fits because they prioritize portfolio views, impact analysis, and change planning" (Perplexity Sonar, comparative prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.