Softwr

Spreadsheets · head to head

Cube Software vs Zebra BI

Cube Software logo

Cube Software

Spreadsheets

FP&A layer that connects Excel and Google Sheets to source systems without asking finance to leave the spreadsheet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zebra BI logo

Zebra BI

Business Intelligence

IBCS-based charting add-ins that replace native visuals in Power BI, Excel and PowerPoint

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zebra BI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cube Software the pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.; Zebra BI every viewer needs a licence, not only report authors, so distributing a report to fifty managers means buying the fifty-user bracket regardless of how few people build reports.
  • They diverge on capability: Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Zebra BI covers IBCS-compliant visuals.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cube Software and Zebra BI actually diverge.

Attributes where Cube Software and Zebra BI differ
AttributeCube SoftwareZebra BI
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer year by licensed user count
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-onWeb, Windows, macOS
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Cube Software

  • Excel and Google Sheets add-ins
  • Source system connectors
  • Central dimensional model
  • Drill-down to source
  • Scenario planning
  • Dashboards
  • Workflow automation
  • Slack and Teams integration

Only in Zebra BI

  • IBCS-compliant visuals
  • Variance analysis
  • Small multiples
  • Integrated commentary
  • Excel and PowerPoint add-in
  • Free personal edition

What people use each for

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

Cube Software

  • A finance team on Google Workspace that cannot use the Excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sellsnot Zebra BI
  • A startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementationnot Zebra BI
  • Consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a CRM into one forecast without building a warehousenot Zebra BI
  • Collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachmentnot Zebra BI

Zebra BI

  • A controlling function standardising every management report on IBCS notation so variance is read the same way across divisionsnot Cube Software
  • Monthly board packs where actual against budget against forecast must appear in one chart without three separate visualsnot Cube Software
  • An Excel-first finance team that wants IBCS charts without migrating to Power BInot Cube Software
  • A PowerPoint deck that needs charts to refresh from the underlying model rather than being pasted imagesnot Cube Software

Where each one falls short

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

Cube Software

  • The pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.
  • Add-ons for premium support, additional modules and API access are priced separately, which means the tier you are quoted is a floor rather than the total.
  • The spreadsheet remains the modelling surface, so organisations that grow into large multidimensional planning problems will eventually migrate again to a purpose-built tool.
  • It is a layer over source systems rather than a system of record, so data quality problems in the ERP or CRM surface in the forecast and Cube gives you no way to fix them at source.
  • The vendor targets small finance teams, so buyers needing deep statutory consolidation, multi-entity currency translation or heavy allocation logic will find the functional depth thinner than the established enterprise platforms.

Zebra BI

  • Every viewer needs a licence, not only report authors, so distributing a report to fifty managers means buying the fifty-user bracket regardless of how few people build reports.
  • Power BI and Office are licensed separately, so a finance team using both Excel and Power BI pays two subscriptions for the same chart grammar.
  • The visuals deliberately restrict chart types to enforce IBCS, which makes Zebra BI unsuitable for exploratory analysis or any team that wants unconventional visualisations.
  • List prices rise after the first year on the discounted tiers, so the second-year renewal is materially higher than the figure that got the purchase approved.
  • As a third-party custom visual it depends on Microsoft not changing the Power BI visuals API, and organisations with locked-down tenants often need IT approval before a custom visual can be used at all.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cube Software

On request
  • Bronze$undefined/year
    • Full platform access
    • Unlimited dimensions and users
    • Unlimited dashboards
  • Silver$undefined/year
    • Everything in Bronze
    • Slack and Teams integration
    • Workflow automation
  • Gold$undefined/year
    • Everything in Silver
    • Premium support
    • All integrations and workflows

Zebra BI

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Single user
    • Zebra BI branding on visuals
    • Limited sharing and collaboration
  • Power BI Starter$50/month
    • Ten users
    • No watermark
    • Standard support
  • Power BI Business$316/month
    • Fifty users
    • Business feature set
    • Priority support
  • Office Starter$68/month
    • Ten users
    • Excel and PowerPoint add-ins
    • Billed annually

Which should you pick?

Choose Cube Software if

  • You need excel and google sheets add-ins.
  • You work on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on.
  • You also want source system connectors.
Cube Software review

Choose Zebra BI if

  • You need ibcs-compliant visuals.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want variance analysis.
Zebra BI review

Questions people ask

Is Cube Software or Zebra BI better?
Neither clearly leads. Cube Software starts at On request and Zebra BI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cube Software or Zebra BI?
Zebra BI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cube Software and Free for Zebra BI.
Does Cube Software or Zebra BI run on more platforms?
Cube Software runs on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on. Zebra BI runs on Web, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Zebra BI for free?
Yes. Zebra BI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cube Software starts at On request.
What is Cube Software best used for?
Cube Software is most often used for a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells, a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation, consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a crm into one forecast without building a warehouse, collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachment. Of those, a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells and a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation are not what Zebra BI is typically brought in for.
What can Cube Software do that Zebra BI cannot?
Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Source system connectors, Central dimensional model, Drill-down to source. Zebra BI covers IBCS-compliant visuals, Variance analysis, Small multiples, Integrated commentary.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cube Software: Does Cube work with Google Sheets?

Yes, and that is its main differentiator. Google Sheets is a first-class interface, not a secondary export.

Zebra BI: Do report viewers need a licence?

Yes. All users, designers and viewers, need one. Only anonymous viewers of publicly published reports are exempt.

Cube Software: Is pricing published?

No, despite the page being titled transparent pricing. All three tiers require a quote.

Zebra BI: Is there a free version?

Yes, a single-user personal edition with Zebra BI branding and limited sharing.

Cube Software: Is it a replacement for our accounting system?

No. It reads actuals from your accounting or ERP system and adds planning, reporting and workflow on top.

Zebra BI: Are Excel and Power BI covered by one licence?

No. The Office add-in and the Power BI visuals are separate subscriptions.

Cube Software: What are the tiers called?

Bronze, Silver and Gold, with add-ons for premium support, extra modules and API access.

Zebra BI: What is IBCS?

International Business Communication Standards, a notation standard for business charts that Zebra BI implements by default.

Share

Related pages

More on Cube Software

More on Zebra BI

Keep looking

Other head to heads