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Business Intelligence · head to head

Databox vs Phocas

Databox logo

Databox

Business Intelligence

KPI dashboards for business performance

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phocas logo

Phocas

Business Intelligence

Pre-built BI and FP&A for wholesale distributors and manufacturers running mid-market ERPs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Phocas the value is the pre-built vertical content, so a company outside distribution, manufacturing or retail pays premium prices for dashboards it must build itself anyway.
  • They diverge on capability: Databox covers Pre-built Dashboards, Phocas covers ERP connectors.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databox and Phocas actually diverge.

Attributes where Databox and Phocas differ
AttributeDataboxPhocas
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, TvWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2011Unknown

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
  • Facebook

Only in Phocas

  • ERP connectors
  • Pre-built distribution content
  • Grid-first analysis
  • Financial statements
  • Budgets and forecasts
  • Rebates module
  • Alerts and subscriptions
  • Mobile apps

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 Phocas
  • Tracking KPIs and metrics across marketing, sales and finance toolsnot Phocas

Phocas

  • A wholesale distributor on Prophet 21 whose sales reps need per-customer margin and stock availability without waiting on a report writernot Databox
  • A manufacturer that wants budgeting on the same data as its sales analysis rather than in a separate spreadsheetnot Databox
  • A multi-branch retailer comparing branch and product performance daily without an internal BI teamnot Databox
  • A private equity owner standardising reporting across several acquired distributors on different ERPsnot 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

Phocas

  • The value is the pre-built vertical content, so a company outside distribution, manufacturing or retail pays premium prices for dashboards it must build itself anyway.
  • If your ERP is not on the maintained connector list you fall back to generic database extraction and lose the fast time to value that justifies the price.
  • The visualisation library is thin next to Power BI or Tableau, and analysts who want fine control over chart design will find it constraining.
  • Pricing is quoted per user and never published, and buyers routinely report large gaps between initial and renewal quotes with limited comparison leverage.
  • Modules are licensed separately, so a customer who bought Analytics and later wants Financial Statements or Rebates faces a new negotiation rather than an upgrade.

Pricing, plan by plan

Databox

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 data sources
    • 1 user
    • 1 dashboard/report
  • Analyst$64/month
    • 5 data sources
    • 1 user
    • Unlimited dashboards and reports
  • Pro$159/month
    • 3 included data sources (additional at $5.60/month)
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited dashboards, reports, custom metrics
  • Growth$399/month
    • 3 included data sources (additional at $5.60/month)
    • Unlimited users
    • All Pro features plus full datasets and forecasting

Phocas

On request
  • Phocas$undefined/year
    • Annual subscription quoted by user count and modules
    • Analytics, Financial Statements, Budgets and Rebates licensed separately
    • One-off implementation and ERP connector setup fee

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.
Databox review

Choose Phocas if

  • You need erp connectors.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want pre-built distribution content.
Phocas review

Questions people ask

Is Databox or Phocas better?
Neither clearly leads. Databox starts at Free and Phocas at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databox or Phocas?
Databox has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Databox and On request for Phocas.
Does Databox or Phocas run on more platforms?
Databox runs on Web, Mobile, Tv. Phocas runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Databox for free?
Yes. Databox has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Phocas starts at On request.
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 Phocas is typically brought in for.
What can Databox do that Phocas cannot?
Databox covers Pre-built Dashboards, Goal Tracking, Alerts, Scorecards. Phocas covers ERP connectors, Pre-built distribution content, Grid-first analysis, Financial statements.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Databox: How much does Databox cost?

Databox is free for basic use with 3 data sources and 50 AI credits. Paid plans start at $64/month for the Analyst tier, $159/month for Pro, and $399/month for Growth (most popular). Prices shown are for annual billing; monthly billing costs more. Custom enterprise pricing is available.

Source
Phocas: What does Phocas cost?

Nothing is published. It is quoted annually by user count and module, with a separate implementation fee, and varies by region.

Databox: What is the difference between Databox plans?

Free plan limits users to 1 with 3 data sources. Analyst tier allows 1 user with 5 data sources and API access. Pro tier adds unlimited users and hourly syncing. Growth tier (most popular) provides 15-minute sync, full forecasting, and a dedicated customer success manager.

Source
Phocas: Is it worth it over Power BI?

Only if you are in its target verticals on a supported ERP. Power BI is far cheaper per seat but you supply the data model.

Databox: How many users can I add to Databox plans?

Free and Analyst tiers are limited to 1 user. Pro, Growth, and Custom tiers offer unlimited users with no per-seat fees.

Source
Phocas: Does it replace my ERP reporting?

It replaces day-to-day analysis and sales reporting. Transactional and statutory reporting stays in the ERP.

Phocas: Can it do budgeting?

Yes, through a separately licensed Financial Statements and Budgets module on the same warehouse.

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