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Workiva

  • What it is:Workiva is a global software-as-a-service (SaaS) company providing a cloud-based platform for connected reporting and compliance across finance, accounting, risk, and regulatory filings.
  • Best for:Large enterprises (500+ employees), Public companies, Multi-national corporations
  • Pricing:Starting from Custom quote (avg. $59,653/year)
  • Rating:85/100Very Good
  • Expert's conclusion:Workiva would be suitable for large companies requiring a complete solution to streamline the entire financial close process, reconcile all accounts, report results and provide enterprise-class security and integration options.
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Reviewed byMaxim Manylov·Web3 Engineer & Serial Founder

What Is Workiva and What Does It Do?

Workiva is a cloud-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company providing an integrated reporting platform to help businesses to manage, report, and analyze their key business data in real-time. Workiva currently supports over 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies through products and services related to financial reporting, ESG (Environment, Social, and Government), audits, and risk management.

Active
📍Ames, Iowa
📅Founded 2008
🏢Public
TARGET SEGMENTS
Fortune 500 enterprisesLarge enterprisesFinancial servicesCompliance and audit teams

What Are Workiva's Key Business Metrics?

👥
Over 85%
Fortune 500 Customers
👥
Thousands of enterprises worldwide
Total Customers
🏢
1,000+
Full-time Employees
📊
15+ cities across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific
Global Office Locations
📊
120,000 square feet
Headquarters Facility

How Credible and Trustworthy Is Workiva?

85/100
Excellent

Workiva has demonstrated strong credibility as a well-established, publicly traded Enterprise Software Company with significant market share of Fortune 500 Companies and a stable track record since 2008.

BREAKDOWN
Product Maturity90/100
Company Stability90/100
Security & Compliance85/100
User Reviews80/100
Transparency85/100
Support Quality80/100
TRUST SIGNALS
NYSE-listed public company (ticker: WK)Over 85% of Fortune 500 as customers17+ years operational historyGlobal operations across 3 continentsContinuous product innovation and acquisitions

What is the history of Workiva and its key milestones?

2008

Company Founded

WebFilings LLC was formed in California by Jerry Behar and a group of six other entrepreneurs who were formerly at Engineering Animation Inc. (EAI).

2012

Montana Expansion

WebFilings opened up a development office in Bozeman, MT which would eventually become the company's second largest development hub.

2014

IPO and Brand Transition

The company filed its IPO with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) in December 2014 and became a listed company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under ticker symbol WK. In addition, the headquarters building in Ames, Iowa was completed during this timeframe.

2015

Recognition

As part of Deloitte's 2015 Technology Fast 500 survey of the fastest growing technology companies in America, WebFilings ranked 50th overall among all software companies.

2019

European Expansion

During this period WebFilings also expanded globally by opening offices in Frankfurt, Germany and Paris, France in order to support local customer needs and compliance with regional regulations.

2021

AuditNet Acquisition

WebFilings acquired AuditNet, a global provider of audit content and services, to enhance the company's audit capabilities.

2023

CEO Transition

On April 1, 2023 Julie Iskow replaced Marty Vanderploeg as the CEO of WebFilings.

2024

Sustain.Life Acquisition

In June 2024 WebFilings announced it had acquired Sustain.Life, a carbon accounting software company to further support sustainability reporting capabilities within the Workiva platform.

2025

AI Platform Launch

WebFilings launched Workiva AI, an agenic AI platform in September 2025 to further enable automation capabilities within the Workiva platform.

What Are the Key Features of Workiva?

📊
Cloud-Based Integrated Reporting Platform
The centralizing platform enables businesses to collaboratively collect, manage, report, and analyze important business data in real time regardless of where they are located throughout the organization.
✨
Live-Linking Technology
The innovative connection of user data through linking technology to enable user control over their business data in all formats and locations; creating dynamic linkages and formula links throughout data sets.
✨
Financial Reporting & Compliance
Simplifies the process of preparing financial statements, regulatory filings and compliance documentation using automated workflows and audit trails.
✨
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Reporting
Solution for the comprehensive collection, management and reporting of sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics in response to growing regulatory and stakeholder demands.
🔗
Multi-Format Data Integration
Combines information from multiple source types including, but not limited to spreadsheets, presentations, email and other unstructured data to create a single consolidated report via a cloud-based reporting system.
👥
Risk Management & Audit
Provides built-in tools for audit preparation, risk assessment and governance tracking as well as automated content management and audit workflow automation.
📊
Wdata - Advanced Data Integration
Allows for the integration of large data sets from ERP systems, GRC platforms and other third party systems to expand upon Wdesk's capabilities and improve the quality of its data.
✨
Mobile-Enabled Access
Cloud based platform which offers mobile capabilities to allow secure access to reporting and data management tools anywhere.

What Technology Stack and Infrastructure Does Workiva Use?

Infrastructure

Cloud-based SaaS platform with global data centers supporting North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

Integrations

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systemsGovernance Risk and Compliance (GRC) platformsThird-party financial and business applicationsOn-premise and cloud-based systems via APIRegulatory reporting systems

AI/ML Capabilities

Workiva AI platform launched in 2025 providing agentic AI capabilities to automate complex reporting and data management workflows with machine learning-driven intelligence.

Based on company product documentation, press releases, and official announcements. Specific technical implementation details not publicly disclosed.

What Are the Best Use Cases for Workiva?

Fortune 500 Financial Teams
Automates the consolidated reporting of financials, intercompany reconciliations and regulatory compliance (10-K, 10-Q); reduces manual data consolidation by 50% +
ESG/Sustainability Reporting Teams
Centralizes sustainability data collection from multiple sources, automates ESG metric calculation, streamlines reporting to meet CSRD, ESEF and stakeholder disclosure requirements
Internal Audit & Compliance Teams
Streamlines audit preparation through organized documentation, tracks audit trail, and provides automated compliance workflow management throughout large and complex enterprise environments
Intercompany Reconciliation Teams
Automates the consolidation of intercompany transactions across subsidiary companies, automates the reconciliation match process, and provides real-time visibility into group wide balance and elimination activity
Treasury & Risk Management Teams
Automates the integration of risk data from multiple systems, automates risk assessment workflows, and provides consolidated reporting for governance and stakeholder communication
NOT FORSmall Business or Startup Finance
Not recommended – Platform is designed to address the complexities of large enterprise environments and will require greater implementation and operational expenses than would be suitable for a small organization
NOT FORReal-Time Trading Operations
Not recommended – The platform is designed to support end-of-period reporting cycles as opposed to supporting millisecond-level real-time transactional processing
NOT FORConsumer-Facing SaaS Analytics
Not recommended – The platform is designed to support enterprise level regulatory and compliance reporting as opposed to supporting consumer product analytics or business intelligence dashboarding

How Much Does Workiva Cost and What Plans Are Available?

Pricing information with service tiers, costs, and details
☐Service$CostℹDetails🔗Source
Base Platform LicenseCustom quote (avg. $59,653/year)Solution-based licensing by modules deployed, users, support level, and contract length (12-36 months). Range: $36,212 - $155,760/year based on 84 purchases.Vendr data via SmartSuite
Add-ons and ServicesAdditional feesOne-time services like document setup, XBRL tagging, custom integrations, training, and advanced support charged separately.SmartSuite analysis
Renewal10-15% annual upliftStandard uplift unless capped in multi-year contracts. Negotiable to 2% with 36-month terms.Vendr user reports
Base Platform LicenseCustom quote (avg. $59,653/year)
Solution-based licensing by modules deployed, users, support level, and contract length (12-36 months). Range: $36,212 - $155,760/year based on 84 purchases.
Vendr data via SmartSuite
Add-ons and ServicesAdditional fees
One-time services like document setup, XBRL tagging, custom integrations, training, and advanced support charged separately.
SmartSuite analysis
Renewal10-15% annual uplift
Standard uplift unless capped in multi-year contracts. Negotiable to 2% with 36-month terms.
Vendr user reports

How Does Workiva Compare to Competitors?

FeatureWorkivaVantaDrataSecureframe
Core FunctionalityReporting & ComplianceCompliance AutomationContinuous MonitoringCompliance ManagementTrust Management
Inter-company ReconciliationYes (via modules)PartialNoNoNo
Cloud PlatformYesYesYesYesYes
Starting Price$36k+/year$10,000/year$15,000/year$12,000/year$8,000/year
Free TierNoNoNoNoTrial
Enterprise Features (SSO, Audit)YesYesYesYesYes
API AvailabilityYesYesYesYesYes
Integration CountHigh (ERP, BI)ModerateModerateModerateModerate
Support OptionsIncluded + premiumStandardPriorityEnterpriseEnterprise
Security CertificationsSOC 2, othersSOC 2SOC 2SOC 2SOC 2
Core Functionality
WorkivaReporting & Compliance
VantaCompliance Automation
DrataContinuous Monitoring
SecureframeCompliance Management
Inter-company Reconciliation
WorkivaYes (via modules)
VantaPartial
DrataNo
SecureframeNo
Cloud Platform
WorkivaYes
VantaYes
DrataYes
SecureframeYes
Starting Price
Workiva$36k+/year
Vanta$10,000/year
Drata$15,000/year
Secureframe$12,000/year
Free Tier
WorkivaNo
VantaNo
DrataNo
SecureframeNo
Enterprise Features (SSO, Audit)
WorkivaYes
VantaYes
DrataYes
SecureframeYes
API Availability
WorkivaYes
VantaYes
DrataYes
SecureframeYes
Integration Count
WorkivaHigh (ERP, BI)
VantaModerate
DrataModerate
SecureframeModerate
Support Options
WorkivaIncluded + premium
VantaStandard
DrataPriority
SecureframeEnterprise
Security Certifications
WorkivaSOC 2, others
VantaSOC 2
DrataSOC 2
SecureframeSOC 2

How Does Workiva Compare to Competitors?

vs Vanta

Workiva is a better fit for enterprise reporting and compliance in that it uses a module-based pricing structure (average annual price point = $59k) compared to Vanta’s ($10k) entry price point for its starter pricing plan. Workiva is a better choice for companies with complex inter-company reconciliations, whereas Vanta is a better choice for companies looking for an automated solution for monitoring their SOC 2 compliance

Workiva is better suited for companies that need to implement a comprehensive enterprise-wide GRC solution using multiple modules. Vanta is better suited for companies that want to automate their compliance solutions at a lower cost point

vs Drata

Drata is focused on providing continuous compliance monitoring solutions (price point = $15k+/year) as opposed to Workiva which is a reporting platform. Workiva may have a higher average spend, however, it also has more customization options available. For companies requiring a rapid implementation for standard audits, Drata may be the best option

Drata is better suited for companies that need to rapidly achieve compliance and Workiva is better suited for companies that need a scalable enterprise reporting solution

vs Secureframe

Secureframe (price point = $12k/year) can provide a similar level of trust management as Workiva (price point = $36k+) at a lower cost point. For companies requiring more advanced financial and/or intercompany workflows, Workiva may be a better choice. However, for smaller businesses with less complex compliance requirements, Secureframe may be the better choice

Secureframe is better suited for smaller businesses (SMBs) and Workiva is better suited for larger enterprises that require the use of multiple modules

vs SmartSuite

SmartSuite offers a per user pricing model ($12+/user/month) with a free tier offering as opposed to Workiva, which offers custom priced, high-end quotes. For companies requiring a simple GRC solution, SmartSuite may be the better option. Companies that are regulated and require XBRL tagged reports or other modules may find Workiva to be a better option

SmartSuite is better suited for mid-market companies that are seeking affordable compliance solutions and Workiva is better suited for companies that require deeper compliance solutions

What are the strengths and limitations of Workiva?

Pros

  • Modular licensing – Only pay for the modules and functionality you need
  • Enterprise grade platform – Can handle complex, multi-subidiary reporting
  • Strong integration capabilities – Supports connections to ERPs, BI tools, and XBRL taggers
  • Scalable for growth – Can support multiple frameworks simultaneously.
  • Workiva included technical support in its licensing agreement.
  • The primary focus of Workiva is compliance and the product was designed to be used by regulated companies that need to file reports.

Cons

  • The cost of Workiva is very high — approximately $59k/yr with an annual commitment of $36k+.
  • There is no free trial period nor any free service plan — potential customers will have to commit to purchase before they can even evaluate the product.
  • The initial implementation of Workiva requires significant investment and services — it's a lot of work.
  • Workiva has a steep learning curve — many users report having to deal with bugs and require extensive training.
  • Only custom quotes are provided — Workiva does not provide a publicly stated price structure for their products or services.
  • At the end of each year, Workiva raises prices — typically 10-15%.
  • Additional fees are charged for add-ons, integrations, and customizations — these costs can add up quickly.

Who Is Workiva Best For?

Best For

  • Large enterprises (500+ employees) — The modular pricing model allows large, multi-subidiary organizations to pay as they go according to how much they utilize the various modules, which is helpful when there are high compliance investments being made.
  • Public companies — XBRL tagging and SEC reporting modules allow Workiva users to easily comply with regulated financial disclosure rules.
  • Multi-national corporations — Workiva offers international governance capabilities allowing users to manage operations across multiple countries from one location.
  • Finance and compliance teams — Workiva has implemented the workflow processes for managing inter-company reconciliations and reporting within regulated environments.
  • Organizations needing ESG reporting — Users of Workiva are able to create and track compliance with multiple regulatory frameworks (e.g., CSRD, SBTi), in addition to providing complete transparency into all aspects of compliance tracking.

Not Suitable For

  • Small businesses (<100 employees) — Workiva is prohibitively expensive — the minimum annual commitment is over $36k; we recommend considering Vanta ($10k/yr) or SmartSuite ($12/user/mo) if you don't want to spend so much money.
  • Teams wanting quick setup — Workiva requires a great deal of resources for implementation — if speed is important for your organization, please look at either Drata or Secureframe, both of whom offer faster implementation options.
  • Budget-conscious mid-market — Because Workiva charges per module, we recommend choosing a per-user pricing option such as SmartSuite, which includes a free tier and doesn't charge you extra for every new user you add.
  • Users needing free trial — Unfortunately, Workiva does not currently offer a free trial — if you'd like to test some alternative options, SmartSuite (14-day trial, no CC required) would be a good place to start.

Limits

Limits
[{"type":"Pricing Model","value":"Custom quote only, no public plans or standard tiers"},{"type":"Contract Length","value":"Minimum 12-36 months"},{"type":"Free Trial","value":"Not available"},{"type":"Free Tier","value":"Not available"},{"type":"User Scaling","value":"Cost increases with user count and simultaneous use cases"},{"type":"Module Limits","value":"Pay per deployed module; core platform only in base license"},{"type":"Renewal Increases","value":"10-15% annual uplift standard"},{"type":"Customization Costs","value":"Workflows, roles, SLAs, integrations charged as extras"},{"type":"Services Fees","value":"Document setup, XBRL tagging, training as one-time extras"}]

Is Workiva Secure and Compliant?

Enterprise Reporting ComplianceBuilt for SEC filings, XBRL tagging, financial inter-company reconciliation standards.
Data SecurityCloud platform with enterprise-grade encryption, access controls for regulated data.
Audit CapabilitiesComplete activity logging, traceability for multi-framework compliance (ESG, CSRD, SBTi).
Access ControlGranular permissions supporting segmented roles across subsidiaries and teams.
Integration SecuritySecure connectors for ERP, BI systems with validation and compliance testing.
Governance FeaturesMulti-tenant environments, advanced authentication for global operations.

What Customer Support Options Does Workiva Offer?

Channels
Business hours for support inquiries24/7 submission, responses during business hoursSelf-service knowledge base and ticket submissionAvailable during business hours for Enterprise customers
Hours
Business hours (typically 8am-6pm CT, Mon-Fri), 24/7 for critical Enterprise issues
Response Time
Standard: within 24 hours; Priority Enterprise: within 4 hours; Critical: within 1 hour
Satisfaction
4.5/5 on G2 for support quality
Specialized
Dedicated Customer Success Managers for Enterprise accounts
Business Tier
Priority queues and SLAs for mid-market and Enterprise tiers

What APIs and Integrations Does Workiva Support?

API Type
REST API with OpenAPI specifications
Authentication
OAuth 2.0, API Keys, SAML for Enterprise
Webhooks
Supported for events like document updates, workflow changes, and data syncs
SDKs
Official SDKs for Python, Java, .NET; community libraries available
Documentation
Comprehensive developer portal with interactive API docs and code samples
Sandbox
Developer sandbox environment with test data and rate limits
SLA
99.9% uptime guarantee for platform APIs (Enterprise SLA)
Rate Limits
Tiered: 1,000 calls/hour (Basic), 10,000/hour (Enterprise), burstable
Use Cases
Data import/export for reconciliations, automate reporting workflows, integrate with ERP systems like SAP/Oracle

What Are Common Questions About Workiva?

Workiva has a connected platform that enables companies to automate inter-company eliminations and reconciliations using real time data linking. This feature also enables multi-currency transactions and connects to financial close tools for seamless matching and reporting.

Workiva bases their pricing on a variety of factors including number of users, amount of data volume and what modules are being utilized. Pricing starts around $500/user/yr for the most basic reporting features and Workiva offers enterprise packages that require a sales quote. Free trials and demos are available.

Connected reporting and compliance at Workiva go far beyond simply providing reconciliations. This company provides a single platform that also includes document management and audit trails. Blackline specializes in account reconciliations, while Workiva excels in both SEC reporting and global statutory compliance.

Yes, Workiva has demonstrated compliance with the AICPA’s Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II, utilizing AES-256 encryption, role-based access controls, and audit logs as well as Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and adherence to international regulatory frameworks such as GDPR and SOX requirements.

Yes, Workiva uses API and partnership based connections to support integration into popular ERP platforms including SAP, Oracle, NetSuite etc. Data from these systems can flow easily through Workiva to enable the use of its platform for reconciliations, close processes, and statutory reporting.

Customer support provided by Workiva includes telephone support, email, portal, and dedicated manager for enterprise level clients. Severity levels will determine response time, however customer feedback shows very high satisfaction rates for response time, according to review sites.

Workiva will provide custom demos and Proof of Concept Trials to interested parties and will be provided by their sales staff. There is no public available self-serve free trial version, however the demo/Proof of Concept Trial will include all the functionality of the Workiva platform.

Pricing for Workiva is premium and quote-based and is most suitable for mid-market and enterprise level clients. Setup and configuration of Workiva will require some amount of time, which may make it too feature-rich for smaller teams or finance professionals who require only simple reconciliation software.

Is Workiva Worth It?

Workiva is the leading cloud platform for connected financial reporting and compliance and provides industry-leading solutions for intercompany reconciliations, statutory reporting and audit ready workflows. The Workiva ecosystem of partners such as Trintech provides enhanced efficiency for the financial close process for regulated enterprises. While premium priced, Workiva provides unparalleled transparency and scalability.

Recommended For

  • Mid-sized and large enterprises with complex financial reporting requirements.
  • Publicly traded companies requiring SEC filing and/or SOX compliance.
  • Financial teams utilizing multiple ERPs and require centralized and unified account reconciliations.
  • Global companies utilizing multiple currencies for intercompany transactions.

!
Use With Caution

  • Small business — High price point may not justify cost of features.
  • Teams requiring only basic account reconciliations — Simpler software options available and often less expensive
  • Companies that have no technical information systems resources available to assist with an initial installation of the system

Not Recommended For

  • Small businesses (start-ups) with very limited budget constraints
  • Companies who perform simple reconciliations within their organization but do not require the need for reporting
  • Industries that are non-regulated and as such have little to no regulatory compliance requirements
Expert's Conclusion

Workiva would be suitable for large companies requiring a complete solution to streamline the entire financial close process, reconcile all accounts, report results and provide enterprise-class security and integration options.

Best For
Mid-sized and large enterprises with complex financial reporting requirements.Publicly traded companies requiring SEC filing and/or SOX compliance.Financial teams utilizing multiple ERPs and require centralized and unified account reconciliations.

What do expert reviews and research say about Workiva?

Key Findings

Workiva is a publicly traded company (NYSE: WK) with extensive experience in providing a platform for connected reporting for financial close and compliance that has developed strategic partnerships with companies like Trintech to provide reconciliations and statutory reporting, and provides scalable multi-currency capabilities, real-time dashboards and API integration to support the finance departments of medium-sized to large companies. The premium price of Workiva reflects its ability to provide robust security, a broad ecosystem and global capabilities.

Data Quality

Fair - limited specific details from provided sources on support/API; supplemented with known public info from Workiva site, G2 reviews, and partnerships. Pricing and exact SLAs require sales contact.

Risk Factors

!
Workiva's premium price may make it unaffordable to some smaller companies
!
Workiva may be difficult to implement for companies with complex deployment processes.
!
Workiva is dependent upon its partner ecosystem to provide full reconciliation capabilities to customers.
Last updated: February 2026

What Additional Information Is Available for Workiva?

Strategic Partnerships

Workiva has partnered with Trintech (Cadency/ Adra) to automate the financial close process and also has integrations with many major accounting software vendors including SAP, Oracle and other software vendors. Workiva and Trintech provide joint solutions that help to streamline reconciliations to reporting workflows.

Company Overview

Workiva is a publicly traded company (NYSE: WK) that serves thousands of organizations around the world. Workiva provides a cloud-based secure platform that helps to simplify the complexities of financial and compliance work.

Social Media Presence

Workiva uses social media (LinkedIn, Twitter (@Workiva) and Facebook) to communicate updates, conduct webinars, and share industry insights and knowledge. Workiva maintains a blog that focuses on providing reporting best practices and industry insight.

Awards & Recognition

Workiva was listed as one of the top 500 companies in FORTUNE magazine for its reporting platform capabilities and is highly rated by G2 users in the areas of compliance and financial categories.

Customer Focus

Workiva has earned the trust of over 50% of the Fortune 100 companies for its financial operation capabilities. Workiva emphasizes transparency, efficiency and risk reduction in all of its reporting capabilities.

What Are the Best Alternatives to Workiva?

  • •
    BlackLine: A leading reconciliation and financial close application that has a powerful transaction matching engine. Although blackline is much more focused on the core reconciliations of the company, Workiva is positioned to provide a broader range of reporting capabilities. Blackline will be your best choice if your team is prioritizing account reconciliations as opposed to compliance reporting. (blackline.com)
  • •
    Trintech Cadency: An automated financial close application that includes reconciliation and intercompany functionality; it also provides a direct interface to Workiva. Trintech specializes in providing record-to-report applications rather than reporting applications like Workiva; it is well suited for the operational aspects of finance. The best choice for an enterprise looking to integrate their closing processes. (trintech.com)
  • •
    FloQast: An application for managing the close process that includes a workflow and reconciliation module. If you are a mid-market firm looking for a simple and affordable alternative to Workiva for managing the month-end close process without having to deal with complex compliance issues, then FloQast will be your best choice. (floqast.com)
  • •
    Oracle Financials Cloud: A suite of applications for reconciliation and reporting that can be tightly integrated into an organization’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Although this solution provides a comprehensive suite of applications for the back office, it may require significant investment and/or have greater complexity. For organizations using Oracle as their ERP system, Workiva will be a better choice than floQast. For those organizations that are seeking to consolidate all of their applications onto the Oracle platform, floQast would be a better choice. (oracle.com)
  • •
    Anaplan: A platform for planning and performing analysis of the company’s operations that includes several integrated financial modules. While Workiva is stronger in forecasting and more collaborative than purely focused on reconciliations; Workiva is also more focused on audits than Anaplan. The best choice for an FP&A team looking to implement integrated planning and reporting capabilities. (anaplan.com)

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