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Business Intelligence · head to head

Geckoboard vs IBM Cognos Analytics

Geckoboard logo

Geckoboard

Business Intelligence

Real-time KPI dashboards

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IBM Cognos Analytics logo

IBM Cognos Analytics

Business Intelligence

AI-powered business intelligence

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Geckoboard has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Geckoboard annual billing required; monthly billing not offered; 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: Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Geckoboard and IBM Cognos Analytics actually diverge.

Attributes where Geckoboard and IBM Cognos Analytics differ
AttributeGeckoboardIBM Cognos Analytics
Starting priceFree$15/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Tv, MobileWeb, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud
Founded20101911

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Geckoboard

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

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.

Geckoboard

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

IBM Cognos Analytics

  • Self-service analyticsnot Geckoboard
  • Data explorationnot Geckoboard
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Geckoboard
  • Collaborative analysisnot Geckoboard
  • Embedded analyticsnot Geckoboard

Where each one falls short

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

Geckoboard

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

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

Geckoboard

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

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 Geckoboard if

  • You need real-time updates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Tv, Mobile.
  • You also want tv mode.
Geckoboard review

Choose IBM Cognos Analytics if

  • You need ai assistant.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud.
  • You also want natural language queries.
IBM Cognos Analytics review

Questions people ask

Is Geckoboard or IBM Cognos Analytics better?
Neither clearly leads. Geckoboard 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, Geckoboard or IBM Cognos Analytics?
Geckoboard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Geckoboard and $15/month for IBM Cognos Analytics.
Does Geckoboard or IBM Cognos Analytics run on more platforms?
Geckoboard runs on Web, Tv, Mobile. IBM Cognos Analytics runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud.
Can I use Geckoboard for free?
Yes. Geckoboard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IBM Cognos Analytics starts at $15/month.
What is Geckoboard best used for?
Geckoboard is most often used for tv wall dashboards for office and operations displays, live kpi monitoring for sales and support teams, sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tier, alerting when a metric crosses a threshold. Of those, tv wall dashboards for office and operations displays and live kpi monitoring for sales and support teams are not what IBM Cognos Analytics is typically brought in for.
What can Geckoboard do that IBM Cognos Analytics cannot?
Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, TV Mode, Custom Widgets, Data Blending. IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Natural Language Queries, Automated Insights, Story Telling. Both handle Salesforce, Web support, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
Geckoboard: Does Geckoboard offer discounts for nonprofits?

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

Source
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