Software · head to head
Amazon QuickSight vs IBM Cognos Analytics

Amazon QuickSight
Software
Scalable, serverless BI by AWS
- From
- $3/month per user
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Amazon QuickSight reader and Reader Pro roles charged separately at $3 and $20/month; IBM Cognos Analytics listed on UK G-Cloud at £42.53 per user per month for IBM Cognos Analytics, via reseller Computacenter
- They diverge on capability: Amazon QuickSight covers SPICE In-memory Engine, IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon QuickSight and IBM Cognos Analytics actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon QuickSight | IBM Cognos Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $3/month per user | $15/month |
| Platforms | AWS | Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud |
| Founded | 2006 | 1911 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Amazon QuickSight
- SPICE In-memory Engine
- ML Insights
- Embedded Analytics
- Pay-per-session
- Redshift
- S3
- Athena
- Aurora
Only in IBM Cognos Analytics
- AI Assistant
- Automated Insights
- Story Telling
- Mobile Analytics
- IBM Db2
- Oracle
- SQL Server
- SAP
Both cover
- Natural Language Queries
- Salesforce
- Web support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon QuickSight
- Business intelligence dashboards and analyticsnot IBM Cognos Analytics
- Scalable embedded analytics for applicationsnot IBM Cognos Analytics
IBM Cognos Analytics
- Self-service analyticsnot Amazon QuickSight
- Data explorationnot Amazon QuickSight
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Amazon QuickSight
- Collaborative analysisnot Amazon QuickSight
- Embedded analyticsnot Amazon QuickSight
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon QuickSight
- Reader and Reader Pro roles charged separately at $3 and $20/month
- Author and Author Pro roles charged at $24 and $40/month
- $250/month infrastructure fee required if Pro users or Q&A enabled
- SPICE storage charged at $0.38/GB monthly (10 GB included)
- Pixel-perfect reports start at $500/month for 500 monthly units
- Alerts charged at $0.05-$0.50 per 1,000 metrics evaluated
IBM Cognos Analytics
- Listed on UK G-Cloud at £42.53 per user per month for IBM Cognos Analytics, via reseller Computacenter
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon QuickSight
$3/month per userNo published plan breakdown. See the Amazon QuickSight review.
IBM Cognos Analytics
$15/month- Standard$15/month
- Dashboards
- Reporting
- AI Insights
- Plus$35/month
- Advanced Analytics
- Planning
- Premium Support
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon QuickSight if
- You need spice in-memory engine.
- You work on AWS.
- You also want ml insights.
Choose IBM Cognos Analytics if
- You need ai assistant.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud.
- You also want automated insights.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon QuickSight or IBM Cognos Analytics better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon QuickSight starts at $3/month per user and IBM Cognos Analytics at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon QuickSight or IBM Cognos Analytics?
- Amazon QuickSight starts at $3/month per user and IBM Cognos Analytics at $15/month.
- Does Amazon QuickSight or IBM Cognos Analytics run on more platforms?
- Amazon QuickSight runs on AWS. IBM Cognos Analytics runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud.
- What is Amazon QuickSight best used for?
- Amazon QuickSight is most often used for business intelligence dashboards and analytics, scalable embedded analytics for applications. Of those, business intelligence dashboards and analytics and scalable embedded analytics for applications are not what IBM Cognos Analytics is typically brought in for.
- What can Amazon QuickSight do that IBM Cognos Analytics cannot?
- Amazon QuickSight covers SPICE In-memory Engine, ML Insights, Embedded Analytics, Pay-per-session. IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Automated Insights, Story Telling, Mobile Analytics. Both handle Natural Language Queries, Salesforce, Web support, Mobile support.
Related pages
More on Amazon QuickSight
More on IBM Cognos Analytics
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