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Business Intelligence · head to head

Databox vs PhpStorm

Databox logo

Databox

Business Intelligence

KPI dashboards that pull from the tools you already run on

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DataboxFull review
PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Visit PhpStormFull review

The short version

  • Databox has a free plan, then $71/mo; PhpStorm starts at $24/mo.
  • Only Databox lists pre-built dashboards; only PhpStorm lists PHP-aware coding assistance.
  • Where Databox falls short: data sources are the billing unit, so cost tracks the number of tools you connect rather than the value you get from them.
  • Where PhpStorm falls short: requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 25 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databox and PhpStorm actually diverge.

Attributes where Databox and PhpStorm differ
AttributeDataboxPhpStorm
Starting priceFree$24/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, TV and consoleWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools
Founded20122000

Identical on both: pricing model (Subscription).

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
  • Dashboard designer
  • Metric library
  • Goal tracking
  • Scorecards
  • Alerts
  • Scheduled reports
  • Client reporting

Only in PhpStorm

  • PHP-aware coding assistance
  • Integrated debugger
  • Front-end tooling
  • Database tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and remote deployment

What people use each for

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

Databox

  • Watching marketing, sales and finance KPIs from separate SaaS tools on one shared dashboardnot PhpStorm
  • Agencies reporting campaign performance to many clients without rebuilding a report per accountnot PhpStorm
  • Putting a live KPI board on an office TV or a recurring email to a leadership teamnot PhpStorm
  • Replacing a manually maintained spreadsheet that someone updates from tool exports each weeknot PhpStorm
  • Tracking goals and getting alerted when a metric moves past a thresholdnot PhpStorm

PhpStorm

  • Building PHP web applications with Laravel or Symfonynot Databox
  • Debugging PHP code with Xdebugnot Databox
  • Working across PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one projectnot Databox
  • Managing databases alongside application codenot 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, so cost tracks the number of tools you connect rather than the value you get from them
  • The $71 Analyst plan is a single seat: adding even a second person means the $199 Core plan, a 2.8x jump
  • AI credits are metered monthly, from 50 on Free to 1,000 on Scale, so heavier AI use pushes you up a tier
  • Every published price assumes annual billing; monthly billing forfeits the advertised 20% saving
  • Free and Analyst plans sync daily and hourly respectively, so neither suits anything close to real-time monitoring
  • It is a dashboarding layer, not a warehouse: there is no transformation or modelling step for messy source data

PhpStorm

  • Requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use
  • Heavier and slower to start than lightweight code editors
  • Some advanced framework-specific tooling requires additional configuration or plugins
  • Renewal pricing rises for lapsed subscriptions after the grace period

Pricing, plan by plan

Databox

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 data sources
    • 1 user
    • 50 AI credits per month
  • Analyst$71/mo
    • 5 data sources
    • 1 user
    • 150 AI credits per month
  • Team - Core$199/mo
    • 10 data sources
    • 3 users
    • 500 AI credits per month
  • Team - Scale$319/mo
    • 30 data sources
    • 10 users
    • 1,000 AI credits per month

PhpStorm

$24/month
  • Individual$24/mo
    • Personal use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/mo
    • Business use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Volume and renewal discounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Databox if

  • You need pre-built dashboards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, TV and console.
  • You also want dashboard designer.
Databox review

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
PhpStorm review

Questions people ask

Is Databox or PhpStorm better?
Neither clearly leads. Databox starts at Free and PhpStorm at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databox or PhpStorm?
Databox has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Databox and $24/month for PhpStorm.
Does Databox or PhpStorm run on more platforms?
Databox runs on Web, iOS, Android, TV and console. PhpStorm runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Databox for free?
Yes. Databox has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is Databox best used for?
Databox is most often used for watching marketing, sales and finance kpis from separate saas tools on one shared dashboard, agencies reporting campaign performance to many clients without rebuilding a report per account, putting a live kpi board on an office tv or a recurring email to a leadership team, replacing a manually maintained spreadsheet that someone updates from tool exports each week. Of those, watching marketing, sales and finance kpis from separate saas tools on one shared dashboard and agencies reporting campaign performance to many clients without rebuilding a report per account are not what PhpStorm is typically brought in for.
What can Databox do that PhpStorm cannot?
Databox covers Pre-built dashboards, Dashboard designer, Metric library, Goal tracking. PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Databox: How much does Databox cost?

Databox has a free forever plan with 3 data sources and 1 user. Paid plans are Analyst at $71 per month, Team Core at $199 per month and Team Scale at $319 per month, with an Agency plan from $79 per month plus $20 client packs and a Custom tier on request. All prices are billed annually; monthly billing forfeits the 20% annual saving.

Source
PhpStorm: How much does PhpStorm cost?

PhpStorm is sold via JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

Source
Databox: Does Databox have a free plan or a free trial?

Both. The Free plan is free forever and covers 3 data sources, 1 user, 50 AI credits a month and daily syncing. Paid plans also offer a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial of PhpStorm so developers can test it before subscribing.

Source
Databox: How many users does each Databox plan include?

Free and Analyst are single-user. Team Core includes 3 users and Team Scale includes 10. The Agency and Custom plans include unlimited users.

Source
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

PhpStorm is a desktop IDE available on Windows, macOS, and Linux via JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
Databox: How many tools does Databox integrate with?

Databox connects to more than 130 tools, spreadsheets, databases and APIs, including HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Google and Facebook Ads, Shopify, Stripe, QuickBooks, Google Sheets and custom API sources.

Source
Databox: How often does Databox refresh its data?

The Free plan syncs daily. Analyst, Team Core, Team Scale, Agency and Custom plans all sync hourly.

Source
Databox: Who makes Databox?

Databox, Inc., founded in 2012 by Davorin Gabrovec, who is now President and Chief Product Officer. Pete Caputa became CEO in 2017 after a decade at HubSpot. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with its product and engineering team based in Ptuj, Slovenia.

Source
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