IBM OpenPages Pricing: Is It Worth It In 2025?

In this guide, I’ll cover everything that is known about OpenPages’ pricing structure, including how they calculate their pricing and reported enterprise-grade numbers.

➡️ I’ll also introduce you to an Onspring alternative that has a more affordable pricing structure, is quick to set up, and comes with premium customer support without paying 6 figures a year.

IBM OpenPages Pricing Overview

As per the software’s self-reported pricing, there are 4 ways to purchase the IBM OpenPages solution:

• As a SaaS solution on AWS: Essentials Edition starts at $3,300/month, and the Standard one starts at $6,050/month.
• As an On-cloud solution: the Single Solution starts at $6,250/month, and the Enterprise one starts at $9,000/month.
• As part of IBM Cloud Pak for Data: the Single Solution starts at $162,000, and the Solution Bundle starts at $207,000.
• As On-Premises: You need to contact their team for a quote.

Regardless of which package your team chooses in the end, each will include a core set of IBM OpenPages features, which include:

• Its AI features include IBM AppConnect, REST APIs, and other solution-based integrations.
• No-code configuration that includes workflow automation, real-time calculation configuration, and a drag-and-drop workflow designer.
• Integrated reports and dashboards, color themes, and IBM Cognos Analytics.

Does IBM OpenPages offer a free plan or a free trial?

IBM OpenPages, as of July 2025, does not offer a free plan of its software, but it does offer a 30-day trial of IBM OpenPages Regulatory Compliance Management. 

The trial provides access to the platform and content from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence feed and aims to enhance your horizon scanning capabilities.

IBM OpenPages’ SaaS Plan (AWS-Hosted)

IBM OpenPages’ SaaS plan is available in two editions, charged per instance and Capacity Units (CUs):

1 OpenPages solution = 50 CUs, 10 concurrent users = 10 CUs.

Here are the 2 editions:

• Essentials: Starts from $3,300/month for 1 solution with 10 users. Ideal for small teams or testing environments.

This paid plan includes core features but no Cognos integration or custom code support.

• Standard: Starts at $6,050/month for up to 5 solutions and 200 max users, making it better for mid-sized organizations.

Included features on both editions include:

• Core GRC modules.
• No-code workflow.
• Dashboard design
• Bundled analytics tools.
• Being able to access it in multiple languages.

Drawback - Outdated user interface

SME users of IBM OpenPages mention that the software’s UI feels outdated and intuitive, at least when compared to more modern alternatives.

‘’User interface, while functional, the UI may feel outdated or unintuitive compared to newer GRC tools, depending on the version used.’’ – G2 Review.

Cloud-Hosted Solution (IBM Cloud)

IBM OpenPages offers a paid plan with managed hosting on IBM’s cloud infrastructure and has 2 plans:

• Single Solution: Starts at about $6,250/month for 1 module, and up to 2,500 users. The plan includes all core features and one GRC module of your choice.
• Enterprise: Starts at about $9,000/month for 3 modules, and up to 2,500 users. The plan offers a full GRC stack with enterprise-scale usage.

You’ll have to contact IBM OpenPages’ team for the seat-based pricing to calculate your final cost.

Drawback - Steep learning curve

Customers of the platform complain on G2 that it’s been challenging for them to use the software due to its initial learning curve.

One verified enterprise user mentions that it took them some time to learn how to best utilize the platform.

‘’One of the things that can be challenging at first is the learning curve. IBM OpenPages is a very comprehensive tool and may require some time investment to master all its functionalities.’’ – G2 Review.

Client‑Hosted / Hybrid (On‑Prem or Any Cloud via Cloud Pak)

IBM OpenPages’ client-hosted/hybrid plan is ideal for enterprises looking for full GRC control and customization capabilities. There are 2 paid plans:

• Single Solution: Starts at about $162,000/year and covers 1 module, and up to 2,500 users.
• Solution Bundle: Starts at about $207,000/year and covers 3 modules, and up to 2,500 users.

➡️ Keep in mind that these are perpetual or multi-year subscriptions, inclusive of support and upgrades. Additional modules or capacity negotiated separately.

Certain features of IBM OpenPages are only available as paid add-ons, including:

• Watsonx.ai.
• Watsonx Assistant.
• Watson Discovery on Cloud Pak for Data.
• Watson Natural Language Understanding.

All of which we’ve got no public pricing.

Drawback - High cost

As the plan starts at $162,000/year for a single module, users find the price to be high when compared to other GRC tools on the market.

‘’The cost is high as compared to other GRC tools, and there are some hurdles in user adoption.’’ – G2 Review.

Pricing Summary: How Much Would You Actually Pay?

Based on public sources, customer reviews, and partner pricing disclosures, I was able to paint a fairly clear picture of real-world costs across company sizes.

For Small Teams or Pilot Projects

If you’re a smaller business or looking to run a pilot implementation, IBM offers an Essentials plan via its SaaS deployment (hosted on AWS):

Essentials Plan (SaaS on AWS)

• Capacity: 1 solution, 10 concurrent users
• Reported Pricing: ~$3,300/month (~$39,600/year).
• Good For: Entry-level deployments, early-stage compliance teams

It includes core GRC functions and a no-code workflow editor, but does not include advanced analytics, Watson integrations, or customization support. 

For Mid-Sized Businesses

For more established organizations with broader governance needs, the Standard plan steps things up significantly:

Standard Plan (SaaS on AWS)

• Capacity: Up to 5 solutions, 200 concurrent users.
• Reported Pricing: ~$6,050/month (~$72,600/year).

Cloud-Hosted (IBM Cloud – Single Solution)

• Scope: 1 module
• Reported Pricing: ~$75,000/year.

Both of these options provide greater flexibility and scalability, making them suitable for companies formalizing their GRC programs across departments or business units.

For Enterprise-Scale Deployments

Large enterprises, especially those looking for extensive risk frameworks across global operations, will likely be considering IBM’s on-premise or hybrid deployment models through IBM Cloud Pak for Data. 

These configurations come with higher upfront licensing costs but offer maximum control and modular flexibility:

Cloud-Hosted (Enterprise Edition)

• Scope: 3 modules, unlimited scalability.
• Reported Pricing: ~$108,000/year.

Client-Hosted / Hybrid (via Cloud Pak)

• Single Solution: ~$162,000/year.
• Solution Bundle (3+ modules): ~$207,000/year.

AWS Marketplace (Cloud Pak – 2 VPCs)

• Full enterprise deployment: ~$239,280/year.

This level of deployment is suited to global companies that require complete ownership of data, complex integrations, or regional compliance mandates.

Add-Ons and Module-Specific Pricing

You need to understand that IBM OpenPages is sold modularly, meaning you license the components you need. 

That means Modules like Third-Party Risk Management, ESG Risk, and AI Governance can be added on top of any plan. 

These come with their own pricing, negotiated separately.

Here are some published examples:

• Third-Party Risk Assessment Module: Starts at $48,000 per year.
• ESG and Model Risk Modules (On-Prem): Priced between €211,000–€229,000 annually in EU markets.
• AI Governance (SaaS): Around €12,000 per month (~$13,000 USD).

💡 Customization Costs: Many reviewers report that implementing complex workflows or integrations may require IBM services or external consulting, often adding tens of thousands to the total cost.

European partners also list cloud-based modules like Data Privacy and Policy Management at roughly €7,500/month, or ~$8,000/month, showing that even individual components carry significant cost.

Do Customers Believe IBM OpenPages Offers Good Value For Money?

Customer reviews on G2 and Capterra suggest that while OpenPages delivers strong functionality and enterprise-level performance, cost is a recurring concern, especially when extensive customizations or IBM-led implementation work is needed.

Some customers report paying over $200,000 annually after adding configuration, consulting, and advanced integrations.

Third-party tools like ITQlick estimate OpenPages pricing as follows:

• Small business (1–10 users): $5,000 per user/year.
• Mid-size business (100 users): $4,000 per user/year.
• Large enterprise (1,000+ users): $3,000 per user/year.

Some older industry reports cite $272 per user/year as a benchmark, though this likely applies to much earlier versions or minimal feature sets.

Looking For an IBM OpenPages Alternative?

SmartSuite (that’s us) offers the best IBM OpenPages alternative for compliance teams on the market for banks and credit unions with our modern, no-code project management platform that helps you simplify complex regulatory requirements.

Our GRC software lets you streamline and automate policy creation, approval, and control assessments in one place.

SmartSuite helps you move faster, manage policies smarter, and adapt easily, without having to sign up for multiple training sessions on how to use the platform.

💡 We have recently partnered with the Cyber Risk Institute to deliver a CRI profile for U.S. Banks' compliance needs.

Let’s go over the functionality that makes SmartSuite the best choice for global teams looking to switch from IBM OpenPages: 👇

Comprehensive Risk Management & Compliance

Tools like IBM OpenPages make it so that best-in-class GRC software can be accessible only for the biggest of brands, but I believe that compliance should be simple, automated, and accessible to all financial institutions, regardless of their size.

Our no-code, easy-to-use software empowers compliance managers and CISOs to automate all GRC processes with ease.

SmartSuite helps you achieve and maintain compliance without the expense and complexity of adapting legacy GRC solutions like IBM OpenPages to accommodate new compliance requirements.

Here are the use cases that you’ll get with SmartSuite:

• Create reports and dynamic dashboards: You can monitor executive views into your organization's overall risk profile.

• Collaborate and respond to risks in real-time: Instantly engage key stakeholders in a real-time discussion of potential threats or vulnerabilities.

Our tool will also let you get immediate updates when critical information is available.

• Automate policy creation, in real-time approval, and control assessments: Streamline risk management by building an integrated program on a single platform.
• Keep risk and compliance data secure: Define your teams and manage access to information across all GRC practice areas.

• Integrate with your existing systems: Our GRC software lets you integrate with existing systems and data to consolidate and centralize your data. 

• Automate for accuracy and efficiency: Remove inefficiencies and the chance for human error by automating repeatable workflows.

SmartSuite's no-code automation builder provides you with a visual interface that makes it easy to respond to events and take action. 

That means your compliance team can customize your GRC workflows without technical resources.

• Monitor, measure and score: Create risk calculations and metrics to evaluate every aspect of risk.

• Policy management: It’s possible to establish a strong foundation from the get-go with streamlined and flexible policy management.

You’ll be able to assign ownership, manage revisions, and ensure your policies consistently align with key business initiatives and regulatory requirements.

• PSTOS Compliance Tracker: Designed for regulatory compliance and built on SmartSuite.

This solution focuses on data security as the core of compliance frameworks with services such as compliance readiness, virtual CISO, and IT security implementation.

Learn more about it from this webinar that we did on the topic:

Prioritize & Mitigate Risks

With SmartSuite, you can create a centralized risk register to effectively identify potential risks to your organization.

You will be able to properly assess threats and establish risk mitigation strategies inside SmartSuite.

Your team can ensure that the appropriate controls are in place and measure their effectiveness by evaluating risk indicators and displaying results in SmartSuite’s rollup reports and dashboards.

💡 Pro Tip: Teams that use our platform use automation to move tasks through defined workflow stages that comply with their policies and procedures.

We understand how crucial threat management is and the need to respond quickly to incidents.

SmartSuite lets you centralize incident response and threat mitigation by linking incidents to assets and organizational data to offer context during your investigations.

Your team can also set up automations with our no-code automation builder to escalate critical events to make sure that your team is aware of active risks to your organization.

Pre-Built GRC Templates

Our team has prepared a few GRC templates for compliance teams looking to get started right away, instead of building everything from scratch.

Our general risk management template includes a:

• Risk register, where you can break down the risks, the risk owner, the annual loss expectancy, risk event category, risk type, volatility, and status.

• Issue assessments, where you’ll be able to see a comprehensive breakdown of each risk.

• Action plans, where you can describe the actions (best practices) to mitigate the risks.

• A separate tab for control standards, your findings, exception requests, risk assessment by type, and risk assessment issues.

You can customize our risk management template here.

Alternatively, check out and customize our 14 other risk management templates for various use cases, such as contract management, policy management, and incident management.

How is SmartSuite different from IBM OpenPages?

Unlike IBM OpenPages, SmartSuite offers a governance, risk, and compliance solution for global teams with:

• A modern platform with an intuitive interface that does not confuse your team or require training.
• An affordable and transparent pricing model with a generous free plan to help you get started.
• Automated workflows that can help your team build multi-step automations to trigger actions at the right time.
• Best-in-class customer support and account management that will help your team with setting up the automations inside the platform.

➡️ SmartSuite is better for agile, mid-market companies or cross-functional teams looking for customizable, easy-to-launch GRC workflows without the cost of a traditional enterprise system.

➡️ IBM OpenPages is better for enterprises with extensive regulatory burdens that require deep integrations with legacy infrastructure, audit trails, and enterprise-scale risk modeling.

💡 Case Study: Find out how MediaLab transformed operations, minimized risk, and saved $40,000+ per year by cutting software costs.

How Is SmartSuite’s Pricing Different From IBM OpenPages’

Unlike IBM OpenPages, SmartSuite offers a free plan with access to 250+ automation actions, team collaboration, multi-dashboard views, and more.

There are four paid plans with a 14-day free trial (no CC required):

• Team: Starts at $12/user per month, including Gantt charts, timeline views, 5000 automation runs, and native time tracking.
• Professional: Starts at $30/user per month and adds two-factor authentication, Gmail & Outlook integrations, and unlimited editors.
• Enterprise: Starts at $45/user/month and includes access to audit logs, data loss prevention, and 50,000 monthly API calls.
• Signature: A customized plan tailored to your organization’s needs and team size with no predefined limits.

Next Steps For Compliance Teams: Get Started With SmartSuite & Our Templates For Free

If you’re looking to build governance, risk, and compliance workstreams and effectively prioritize and mitigate risks, you can give SmartSuite a chance with our free plan and ready-to-use GRC templates.

SmartSuite’s platform offers just the right customization, native collaboration capabilities and a library of 200+ project management templates to help compliance teams create and maintain a project management workflow.

Here’s what's in it for your team when you try SmartSuite:

• Access to a generous free plan with features including multi-board views (Kanban, Chart, Map, Timeline, Card, and Calendar), 100 automations/month, and 40+ field types, including formula and linked record fields.
• No-code automation builder to set up to 500,000 trigger/action workflows.
• Built-in productivity tools, including time tracking, status tracking, and checklists.
• Team collaboration and planning tools such as whiteboards and SmartSuite docs.
• Resource management across projects and teams.
• 40+ field types, including the option to add your custom fields.

Sign up for a free plan to test the water or get a 14-day free trial to explore all its amazing features.

Or, if you’d like to talk to our experts, schedule a demo.

Read More

• 10 Best GRC Tools & Software In 2025: Find out the best governance, regulation, and compliance solutions on the market.
• 10 Best OneTrust Alternatives For GRC In 2025: Find out the best OneTrust alternatives on the market.
• OneTrust Pricing: Is It Worth It In 2025?: A useful guide if you are interested in uncovering how much OneTrust really costs and if it’s worth the money.
• 10 Best Enterprise Project Management Software: Find more about the best Enterprise-grade project management solutions on the market.
• 10 Best Project Management Tools For Remote Teams In 2025: Learn more about the best project management tools for remote teams in 2025.
• 10 Best Project Management Tools For Consultants In 2025: Find out the best project management solutions for consultants.

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