Vanilla vs Conquest Planning: 2026 Comparison
Vanilla and Conquest Planning target different AI scopes in advisor workflow but share an enterprise-advisor positioning. Both ship AI as the core platform differentiator and both target firms that need structured, defensible AI output rather than open-ended generative AI.
Vanilla is the only patented AI estate-planning platform with V/AI (Vanilla AI assistant) and an integrated attorney network for estate plan implementation. The platform handles estate plan summarization from document analysis, modeling of estate scenarios (intestate, current plan, optimized plan), and connecting clients to the attorney network for implementation. Vanilla is positioned for RIAs and enterprise wealth firms serving HNW estate clients.
Conquest Planning is an AI-driven financial planning engine with SAM (Strategic Advice Manager) AI. SAM generates plans deterministically with auditable recommendations. The deterministic, auditable positioning is specifically designed for bank-affiliated and enterprise advisors that need compliance trail for AI-generated advice.
Pricing for both is contact-sales. Indicative pricing runs $2,400-$4,800/year per advisor for Vanilla and $3,000-$6,000/year per advisor for Conquest Planning depending on firm scale and module activation.
The competitive overlap is minimal because the AI scopes are different (estate vs. broad planning). Most practices needing both end up running Vanilla for estate work and Conquest Planning for the broader AI planning engine.
The Verdict
Vanilla wins for RIAs and enterprise firms serving HNW clients with estate planning needs and the only patented AI estate-planning platform in market. Conquest Planning wins for bank-affiliated and enterprise advisors that need AI-driven financial planning with auditable, deterministic recommendations. These are different categories. Vanilla is estate-specific; Conquest is broad financial planning, but both target enterprise advisor adoption with AI as the core differentiator. Most practices that need both end up running them alongside each other rather than choosing between them.
Feature Comparison
| Dimension | Vanilla | Conquest Planning |
|---|---|---|
| Primary scope | AI estate planning | AI financial planning engine |
| Pricing (typical) | $2,400-$4,800/year/advisor | $3,000-$6,000/year/advisor |
| Patent posture | Only patented AI estate-planning platform | AI engine architecture |
| AI architecture | V/AI assistant | SAM (deterministic, auditable) |
| Attorney network | Integrated for implementation | No (not estate-focused) |
| Compliance trail | Solid | Auditable, deterministic (purpose-built) |
| Target customer | HNW estate clients via RIAs/enterprise | Bank-affiliated, enterprise advisors |
| CRM integration | Wealthbox, Redtail, AdvisorEngine, Salesforce | Wealthbox, Redtail, AdvisorEngine, Salesforce |
| Planning platform integration | eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital | eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital |
| Implementation time | 4-8 weeks typical | 8-16 weeks typical |
| Multi-firm support | Solid for RIA networks | Strong for bank advisor networks |
| Output style | Estate-specific structured summaries | Deterministic financial plans |
Where Vanilla Wins
**Only patented AI estate-planning platform.** Vanilla's patent on AI estate planning gives the platform a defensible moat in the estate category. The patent covers core AI methodology for estate plan summarization, modeling, and recommendation generation. For RIAs and enterprise firms wanting the leading AI estate platform, Vanilla is the structural fit.
**Integrated attorney network.** Vanilla ships with an attorney network for estate plan implementation. After AI summarization and modeling, clients can be connected to attorneys for actual document execution. The integration converts AI analysis into completed estate plans without requiring advisors to source and coordinate attorneys separately.
**HNW estate client fit.** Vanilla is purpose-built for HNW estate client work. The platform handles complex estate scenarios (multi-generational wealth transfer, business succession, charitable strategy, trust optimization, multi-state estate planning) with depth that general planning platforms do not match.
**Tighter advisor workflow integration.** Vanilla integrates with advisor CRM and planning platforms for client data flow, surfacing estate-planning opportunities in routine planning conversations. Estate work is no longer a separate operational track; it becomes part of integrated advisor workflow.
Where Conquest Planning Wins
**Deterministic, auditable AI for compliance trail.** Conquest Planning's SAM AI generates plans deterministically with auditable recommendations. For bank-affiliated and enterprise advisors operating under strict compliance requirements (suitability rules, fiduciary documentation, regulatory audit), the auditable AI output is operationally decisive. Open-ended generative AI is often not acceptable in these contexts.
**Bank-affiliated and enterprise advisor fit.** Conquest Planning has deep adoption at banks, bank-affiliated wealth firms, and enterprise RIAs that operate under bank-grade compliance posture. The platform's compliance trail, audit logging, and deterministic output match the operational requirements of these firms.
**Broad AI planning engine scope.** Conquest's AI covers the full financial planning workflow (retirement planning, education planning, tax-aware planning, scenario modeling, recommendation generation). Firms wanting an AI planning engine across the broad planning surface area get the coverage from Conquest. Vanilla is estate-specific and does not match this breadth.
**Strategic Advice Manager (SAM) auditability.** SAM's auditable output means every AI-generated recommendation can be traced back to input data and methodology, supporting regulatory audit and compliance review. For firms that need to defend AI recommendations under regulatory scrutiny, SAM's auditability is decisive.
Choose Vanilla if...
your practice serves HNW estate clients and needs the leading AI estate-planning platform, you want integrated attorney network for implementation, or you scale estate work as a core service line differentiated from general planning.
Choose Conquest Planning if...
you are at a bank-affiliated firm or enterprise RIA with strict compliance requirements, you need deterministic and auditable AI output rather than open-ended generative AI, or you want a broad AI planning engine covering retirement, education, and tax-aware planning.
Pricing Scenario
**Solo RIA with HNW estate focus:** Vanilla $2,800-$3,800/year = $2,800-$3,800/year. Conquest Planning $3,500-$4,500/year = $3,500-$4,500/year. Different scopes; the choice typically comes down to estate-specific depth (Vanilla) vs. broad AI planning engine (Conquest). Most HNW-focused solos lean Vanilla unless they specifically need the deterministic compliance trail for other reasons.
**5-advisor RIA with HNW practice serving estate-active clients:** Vanilla $3,000-$4,000/advisor × 5 = $15,000-$20,000/year for full estate coverage. Conquest Planning $4,000-$5,000/advisor × 5 = $20,000-$25,000/year for broad planning AI. Both can run alongside for $35,000-$45,000/year combined. Most HNW-focused mid-market RIAs default to Vanilla for estate work and pair with eMoney for broader planning rather than adding Conquest.
**Bank-affiliated wealth firm, 50 advisors, $5B AUM:** Conquest Planning enterprise typically lands at $2,500-$4,000/advisor/year at this scale = $125,000-$200,000/year. The deterministic, auditable AI is operationally decisive for bank-grade compliance posture. Vanilla may run alongside for HNW estate clients at additional cost; the bank's compliance requirements typically favor Conquest as the primary AI engine.
Integrations
**Vanilla:** CRM integration with Wealthbox, Redtail, AdvisorEngine CRM, Salesforce Financial Services Cloud. Planning platform integration with eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital. Document analysis for estate-specific documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives). Integrated attorney network for estate plan implementation. V/AI assistant for estate planning workflow.
**Conquest Planning:** CRM integration with Wealthbox, Redtail, AdvisorEngine CRM, Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, Practifi. Planning platform integration with eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital. Bank-affiliated and enterprise advisor distribution. SAM AI engine with deterministic, auditable plan generation. Strong compliance trail and audit logging for regulatory review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these directly competing tools?
Loosely. Vanilla is estate-specific AI; Conquest Planning is broad AI financial planning. Practices doing meaningful estate work typically pick Vanilla. Practices at bank-affiliated firms with strict compliance requirements typically pick Conquest. Most HNW-focused practices that need both estate and broad planning AI end up running Vanilla alongside their primary planning platform (eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital) rather than adding Conquest. Conquest is most operationally decisive when bank-grade compliance is the structural driver.
How does the patented AI estate-planning matter?
Operationally minimal; strategically meaningful for vendor stability. The patent gives Vanilla a defensible moat in the AI estate category which signals continued vendor investment and reduces the risk of competitors replicating the AI methodology. For day-to-day advisor workflow, the patent does not change capability; for long-term vendor selection, it signals Vanilla as the durable estate AI choice.
How does the integrated attorney network work?
Vanilla maintains a network of estate planning attorneys across US states. After advisor and client complete AI estate analysis and modeling, the client can be connected to a network attorney for actual document execution. Vanilla handles the introduction, the attorney handles the legal engagement directly with the client. The integration removes the operational gap between AI estate analysis and completed estate plan.
What does 'deterministic, auditable AI' mean?
Deterministic means the AI produces consistent output for consistent input. same client data produces same recommendations every time. Auditable means every recommendation can be traced back to the input data and methodology used to generate it. The combination is operationally decisive for regulated contexts (bank-affiliated firms, fiduciary advisors under audit, IBDs with suitability requirements). Generative AI's stochastic outputs are often not acceptable in these contexts because the recommendation cannot be reliably defended under regulatory scrutiny.
Can I run Vanilla without Conquest Planning?
Yes. Most HNW-focused practices run Vanilla for estate work alongside their primary planning platform (eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital) and CRM (Wealthbox, Redtail, AdvisorEngine). Conquest Planning is operationally decisive only when bank-grade compliance posture is the structural driver. Practices without that compliance pressure typically do not need Conquest.
How does FP Alpha's estate module compare to Vanilla?
FP Alpha's estate module covers document analysis (wills, trusts) at solid depth. Vanilla goes deeper on estate-plan modeling, scenario analysis, and the integrated attorney network for implementation. Practices doing routine estate document review may find FP Alpha's estate module sufficient. Practices doing extensive estate work as a core service line typically default to Vanilla for the deeper modeling and execution workflow. Some firms run both.
How long does implementation take?
Vanilla implementations run 4-8 weeks for single-firm setup. Conquest Planning implementations run 8-16 weeks because the broader AI planning engine and compliance trail configuration require more setup work. For practices wanting fastest AI estate-planning time-to-value, Vanilla wins; for practices wanting full AI planning engine deployment with compliance trail, Conquest's longer setup pays back.
Can the AI outputs be shared with clients?
Yes for both platforms. Vanilla generates client-facing estate plan summaries, scenario comparisons, and recommendation packages that support estate conversations. Conquest Planning generates client-facing financial plans, what-if scenarios, and recommendation packages that support planning conversations. Both deliver outputs that fit into advisor-client meetings or client portal sharing.
Reviewed by Rome Thorndike. Last verified 2026-05-12.
Pricing, features, and ratings are based on vendor documentation, public filings, product demos, and feedback from sales teams using these tools in production. We update reviews when vendors ship major releases or change pricing.