Meet a pragmatic alternative to Ardoq
Is Ardoq designed for architects only, or for the entire organization? Does Ardoq’s powerful data model really make Enterprise Architecture easier to adopt for business teams? Which solution turns architecture data into clear, actionable decisions?
Discover why some teams choose a more pragmatic alternative to Ardoq.
Ardoq application view
Ardoq, a data-driven and automation-first approach to Enterprise Architecture
Ardoq has significantly reshaped Enterprise Architecture by shifting the focus away from static diagrams toward a data- and relationship-centric approach. The platform excels in environments where information collection is highly automated through APIs, scripts, and integrations, and where architecture becomes a large-scale analytical backbone. This power, however, comes with a steep learning curve, as advanced usage relies heavily on technical profiles capable of mastering complex querying and configuration logic.
Boldo, accessibility in service of strategic vision
Boldo shares this data-driven ambition while deliberately choosing not to sacrifice simplicity. Where Ardoq requires technical expertise to build advanced views, Boldo relies on a natively no-code interface, designed to make architecture immediately actionable for all stakeholders. The goal is to turn architecture into a true decision-making and alignment tool, usable by both technical teams and business leaders, without depending on a dedicated specialist administrator.
Broad collaboration rather than an expert-only tool
Ardoq is well suited to experienced architecture teams, but can remain challenging for business contributors, whose usage is often occasional. The functional density of the interface makes contribution more demanding for non-specialist profiles.
Boldo draws inspiration from modern collaborative UX standards, with a clean interface and contribution paths designed to be immediately understandable. Business users can enrich the architecture directly, without specific training, turning architecture into a shared organisational asset rather than an expert silo.
Start fast without heavy onboarding or complex packages
Ardoq offers extensive functional freedom, at the cost of a demanding learning curve. Creating dynamic views, custom calculations, or advanced outputs often depends on complex filters and scripting logic, reserving the richest use cases for experienced users and potentially limiting adoption among occasional contributors.
Boldo deliberately opts for a reduced learning curve through a native no-code approach. All core functionalities are accessible via intuitive visual mechanisms, enabling users to build dashboards, roadmaps, or impact graphs without technical configuration. Time is therefore shifted away from tool mastery toward analysis, understanding, and decision-making.
We’re transparent
Ardoq follows a clearly Enterprise-oriented pricing model, with costs increasing as additional modules are activated and automation usage intensifies. In highly complex or evolving organisations, this structure can make the budget trajectory difficult to predict. In addition, as the platform relies on international cloud infrastructures, data location and sovereignty may become a consideration in regulated environments.
Boldo offers a clear and progressive pricing approach, aligned with the value actually delivered. The model is based on a transparent combination of editor users and functional scope, with no hidden fees for advanced capabilities. At equivalent scope, observed costs are generally 30 to 50 percent lower than Ardoq, with smooth scaling and no abrupt threshold effects. The platform is hosted on EU-sovereign cloud infrastructure, notably Scaleway french datacenters, ensuring full control over data, its location, and its governance.
Compare Boldo with 10+ other Enterprise Architecture modelling and mapping solutions.
Designed for collaboration across all stakeholders
Architecture should not live in silos. With Boldo, business teams, IT and leadership work on the same views, in a shared and living workspace. Everyone explores, comments and aligns in real time. Architecture becomes a collective alignment tool, directly understood and adopted across the organization.
Built on European data sovereignty
Boldo is a European platform, with data hosted in Europe on Scaleway, a trusted sovereign cloud infrastructure. Your architecture repository stays fully under your control, in an environment designed to meet regulatory requirements. No ambiguity, no hidden dependencies: clear hosting, clear rules, full transparency.
A flexible metamodel that adapts to your reality
Every organization has its own constraints and maturity. Boldo relies on a flexible and evolving metamodel that adapts to your context instead of forcing a rigid framework. Start simple, enrich progressively, and let your architecture evolve at your own pace.
Visual storytelling at the core of the experience
In Boldo, diagramming is not an afterthought, it’s the heart of the product. Views are intuitive, visually refined and immediately readable. Clear hierarchies, smooth navigation and embedded diagrams make architecture easy to grasp and easy to share, from executive committees to hands-on workshops.
Fair and transparent pricing
Boldo offers Pro and Team plans in self-service, with public and predictable per-user pricing. No opaque licenses, no hidden bundles, no constant renegotiation. From day one, you know what you pay, what you get, and how it scales.
We are here to drive adoption and value
Customer Success is central to our approach. We work closely with teams to build an architecture governance that is useful, alive and truly adopted. Responsive support, continuous exchanges and a long-term vision ensure architecture becomes a concrete decision-making asset, not a theoretical exercise.
Compare features, pricing, and key benefits in detail to choose the solution that best fits your organization.
| Ardoq | Boldo | |
|---|---|---|
Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Asset-based pricing with add-ons | User packs and modelled assets |
| Price positioning | $$$$$ | $$$ |
| Free trial | ||
| Self-service offer | ||
| Enterprise offer | ||
User experience | ||
| Modern interface | ||
| Consistency across views | ||
| Implementation time | ~ 3 to 9 months | ~ 1 to 6 weeks |
| Learning curve for architects | Steep (requires scripting) | Very fast |
| Learning curve for business / C-level users | Moderate | Very fast |
Collaboration | ||
| Permissions management | Fine grained (workspace level) | Very fine grained (fields and relationships) |
| Real-time multi-user modelling | ||
| Comments linked to objects and views | ||
| Mentions and notifications | ||
| Object-level history and versioning | ||
Modelling | ||
| Custom object types creation | ||
| Object hierarchies | ||
| Custom properties per type | ||
| Custom relationships | ||
| Process modelling | (via ShiftX) | |
| ArchiMate metamodel support | ||
| Framework-agnostic modelling | ||
Storytelling and visualisation | ||
| Dynamic views (auto-synchronised) | ||
| Nested cartographies | ||
| Data visualisation | ||
| Auto-generated diagrams | ||
| Bidirectional data ↔ visuals synchronisation | ||
| Storytelling mode and scenarised views | ||
| Multi-dimensional impact analysis | ||
Data and automation | ||
| Public API | ||
| Batch imports (CSV) | ||
| Native connectors | ||
| Data validation rules | (Q4 2026) | |
| Automated triggers on changes | (Q4 2026) | |
| SaaS hosting | ||
| Sovereign hosting | ||
| On-premise hosting | ||
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