Business Intelligence · head to head
Databox vs IBM Cognos Analytics
IBM Cognos Analytics
Business Intelligence
AI-powered business intelligence
- From
- $15/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Databox has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Databox data sources are the billing unit, and the $159 Pro plan still includes only 3 before charging $5.60 for each additional one; 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: Databox covers Pre-built Dashboards, IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Databox and IBM Cognos Analytics actually diverge.
| Attribute | Databox | IBM Cognos Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $15/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, Tv | Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud |
| Founded | 2011 | 1911 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Business Intelligence).
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 Databox
- Pre-built Dashboards
- Goal Tracking
- Alerts
- Scorecards
- Mobile App
- HubSpot
- Google Analytics
Only in IBM Cognos Analytics
- AI Assistant
- Natural Language Queries
- Automated Insights
- Story Telling
- Mobile Analytics
- IBM Db2
- Oracle
- SQL Server
Both cover
- Salesforce
- Web support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Databox
- Building business dashboards from multiple SaaS data sourcesnot IBM Cognos Analytics
- Tracking KPIs and metrics across marketing, sales and finance toolsnot IBM Cognos Analytics
IBM Cognos Analytics
- Self-service analyticsnot Databox
- Data explorationnot Databox
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Databox
- Collaborative analysisnot Databox
- Embedded analyticsnot Databox
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Databox
- Data sources are the billing unit, and the $159 Pro plan still includes only 3 before charging $5.60 for each additional one
- The $64 Analyst plan is capped at 5 data sources and a single user
- The free plan allows 3 data sources, 10 custom metrics and one user
- AI credits are metered monthly, from 50 on free to 4,000 on Growth
- Every published price assumes annual billing, with monthly costing 20% more
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
Databox
Free- FreeFree
- 3 Data Sources
- Basic Features
- Community Support
- Starter$72/month
- 10 Data Sources
- Alerts
- Forecasting
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 Databox if
- You need pre-built dashboards.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Tv.
- You also want goal tracking.
Choose IBM Cognos Analytics if
- You need ai assistant.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud.
- You also want natural language queries.
Questions people ask
- Is Databox or IBM Cognos Analytics better?
- Neither clearly leads. Databox starts at Free 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, Databox or IBM Cognos Analytics?
- Databox has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Databox and $15/month for IBM Cognos Analytics.
- Does Databox or IBM Cognos Analytics run on more platforms?
- Databox runs on Web, Mobile, Tv. IBM Cognos Analytics runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud.
- Can I use Databox for free?
- Yes. Databox has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IBM Cognos Analytics starts at $15/month.
- What is Databox best used for?
- Databox is most often used for building business dashboards from multiple saas data sources, tracking kpis and metrics across marketing, sales and finance tools. Of those, building business dashboards from multiple saas data sources and tracking kpis and metrics across marketing, sales and finance tools are not what IBM Cognos Analytics is typically brought in for.
- What can Databox do that IBM Cognos Analytics cannot?
- Databox covers Pre-built Dashboards, Goal Tracking, Alerts, Scorecards. IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Natural Language Queries, Automated Insights, Story Telling. Both handle Salesforce, Web support, Mobile support.