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Developer Tools · head to head

Cortex vs Geckoboard

Cortex logo

Cortex

Developer Tools

Internal developer portal that scores service ownership and maturity rather than just cataloguing services

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit CortexFull review
Geckoboard logo

Geckoboard

Business Intelligence

Real-time KPI dashboards

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit GeckoboardFull review

The short version

  • Geckoboard is a real-time dashboard tool.
  • Geckoboard starts at $79/mo; Cortex prices on request.
  • Only Cortex lists service catalogue; only Geckoboard lists real-time Updates.
  • Where Geckoboard falls short: annual billing required; monthly billing not offered.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cortex and Geckoboard actually diverge.

Attributes where Cortex and Geckoboard differ
AttributeCortexGeckoboard
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelQuoteSubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, TV and console, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence

Not yet recorded: founded for Cortex.

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 Cortex

  • Service catalogue
  • Scorecards
  • Initiatives
  • Self-service templates
  • Query language
  • Eng intelligence
  • Integrations layer
  • On-call and ownership mapping

Only in Geckoboard

  • Real-time Updates
  • TV Mode
  • Custom Widgets
  • Data Blending
  • Sharing
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk
  • Google Analytics

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cortex

  • A platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a Kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of servicesnot Geckoboard
  • An organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitionsnot Geckoboard
  • Enforcing production readiness standards on new services at creation time rather than at incident reviewnot Geckoboard
  • Replacing a self-hosted Backstage that is consuming a full-time engineer or two just to stay upgradednot Geckoboard

Geckoboard

  • TV wall dashboards for office and operations displaysnot Cortex
  • Live KPI monitoring for sales and support teamsnot Cortex
  • Sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tiernot Cortex
  • Alerting when a metric crosses a thresholdnot Cortex

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cortex

  • Pricing is quote only, so a platform team cannot build a business case or compare against the true cost of self-hosted Backstage without entering a sales cycle first
  • The catalogue is only as accurate as the metadata you supply, so an organisation with inconsistent repository conventions spends its first quarter cleaning data before any scorecard means anything
  • Scorecards create political friction: publishing a per-team grade turns an engineering standard into a performance metric, and teams will game the rules rather than fix the underlying issue
  • It is closed source and hosted, so organisations with strict data residency or air-gap requirements have limited options compared with running Backstage themselves
  • Value scales with organisation size, so a company with fifty engineers and thirty services will find the catalogue tells them nothing they did not already know while still paying an enterprise contract

Geckoboard

  • Annual billing required; monthly billing not offered
  • Add-on dashboards cost $24 each
  • Additional editors cost $20 each
  • Additional screens cost $20 each

Pricing, plan by plan

Cortex

On request
  • CortexOn request
    • Service catalogue and ownership mapping
    • Scorecards and initiatives
    • Self-service templates

Geckoboard

Free
  • Essentials$79/mo
    • 2 dashboards
    • 1 editor
    • 1 screen
  • Performance$319/mo
    • 20 dashboards
    • 3 editors
    • 5 screens
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Unlimited dashboards, editors, and screens
    • All Performance features
    • Dedicated support manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Cortex if

  • You need service catalogue.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want scorecards.
Cortex review

Choose Geckoboard if

  • You need real-time updates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, TV and console, iOS, Android.
  • You also want tv mode.
Geckoboard review

Questions people ask

Is Cortex or Geckoboard better?
Neither clearly leads. Cortex starts at On request and Geckoboard at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cortex or Geckoboard?
Geckoboard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cortex and Free for Geckoboard.
Does Cortex or Geckoboard run on more platforms?
Cortex runs on Web, API. Geckoboard runs on Web, TV and console, iOS, Android.
Can I use Geckoboard for free?
Yes. Geckoboard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cortex starts at On request.
What is Cortex best used for?
Cortex is most often used for a platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of services, an organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitions, enforcing production readiness standards on new services at creation time rather than at incident review, replacing a self-hosted backstage that is consuming a full-time engineer or two just to stay upgraded. Of those, a platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of services and an organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitions are not what Geckoboard is typically brought in for.
What can Cortex do that Geckoboard cannot?
Cortex covers Service catalogue, Scorecards, Initiatives, Self-service templates. Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, TV Mode, Custom Widgets, Data Blending.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cortex: How is Cortex different from Backstage?

Backstage is an open source framework you build and staff. Cortex is a hosted product with scorecards and initiatives out of the box and no platform team required to keep it running.

Geckoboard: How much does Geckoboard cost?

Geckoboard offers Essentials at $79 per month, Performance at $319 per month, and custom-priced Enterprise plans. All plans are billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.

Source
Cortex: Is pricing published?

No. Cortex requires a sales conversation and prepares a custom proposal.

Geckoboard: Is there an annual billing discount for Geckoboard?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% savings compared to monthly pricing. Pricing is shown for annual billing with VAT not included.

Source
Cortex: Can it self-host?

It is offered as a hosted product; on-premise arrangements are handled through sales rather than published.

Geckoboard: What are the add-on costs for additional Geckoboard resources?

Additional dashboards cost $24 each, extra editors cost $20 each, and additional screens cost $20 each. All add-ons are billed with the annual subscription.

Source
Cortex: What is the main adoption risk?

Bad or missing service metadata. The catalogue and every scorecard on top of it inherit whatever quality your repositories already have.

Geckoboard: Does Geckoboard offer discounts for nonprofits?

Yes, Geckoboard offers 20% off any plan for nonprofit organizations.

Source
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