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Business Intelligence · head to head

Hex vs Zoho Analytics

Hex logo

Hex

Business Intelligence

AI-powered analytics platform unifying notebooks, dashboards, and business intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Zoho Analytics logo

Zoho Analytics

Business Intelligence

Self-service BI and analytics platform

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hex pricing based per-seat ($36-$75/editor/month) becomes expensive for large teams; Zoho Analytics the free plan is limited to 2 users, 10,000 rows and 5 workspaces
  • They diverge on capability: Hex covers Agentic notebooks, Zoho Analytics covers AI Assistant.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hex and Zoho Analytics actually diverge.

Attributes where Hex and Zoho Analytics differ
AttributeHexZoho Analytics
Pricing modelSeat-based subscription with credit systemsubscription
PlatformsWeb, SlackWeb, Mobile, Embedded
Founded20191996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Hex

  • Agentic notebooks
  • Conversational analytics
  • Data apps
  • Context Studio
  • Data warehouse integration
  • dbt integration
  • Version history
  • Scheduled automation

Only in Zoho Analytics

  • AI Assistant
  • Drag-and-drop Reports
  • Auto-blending
  • Embedded Analytics
  • White-labeling
  • Zoho CRM
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics

What people use each for

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

Hex

  • Deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasetsnot Zoho Analytics
  • Self-serve analytics for business users without SQL knowledgenot Zoho Analytics
  • Executive dashboarding and reporting with real-time datanot Zoho Analytics
  • Cross-functional data collaboration and insight sharingnot Zoho Analytics
  • AI-assisted analysis reducing manual exploration timenot Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics

  • Self-service dashboards and reports over business datanot Hex
  • Blending data from Zoho apps, databases and cloud services into one workspacenot Hex
  • Embedding white-labelled analytics inside another productnot Hex

Where each one falls short

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

Hex

  • Pricing based per-seat ($36-$75/editor/month) becomes expensive for large teams
  • Free Community tier limited to small compute and trial AI features
  • Advanced compute adds per-hour fees ($0.32-$4.06/hour), requiring cost monitoring
  • Learning curve for users unfamiliar with SQL or Python notebooks
  • Enterprise features requiring custom quotes lack transparent pricing

Zoho Analytics

  • The free plan is limited to 2 users, 10,000 rows and 5 workspaces
  • Plans are sold with a minimum user count: Basic starts at 2 users, Standard at 5, Premium at 15 and Enterprise at 50
  • Row capacity is part of the plan, starting at 0.5 million rows on Basic, and additional rows are sold as add-ons
  • Viewer licences are sold in blocks of 25 minimum rather than one at a time
  • Data alerts are capped per plan at 10, 30 and 100 active alerts across the whole account
  • REST API usage is metered in API units per day, from 4,000 per day on the lowest paid tier, with extra units sold separately
  • Logo rebranding and hiding the Powered By Zoho Analytics message on embedded reports are not available on the lower plans
  • Activity logs and cluster analysis are excluded from the lower plans
  • The white label embedded analytics offering has no published price and requires contacting Zoho
  • Local taxes such as VAT and GST are charged on top of the listed prices

Pricing, plan by plan

Hex

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Hex agent trial
    • Data source connections
    • All cell types
  • Professional$36/month
    • Everything in Community
    • Full Hex agent access
    • Standard credits
  • Team$75/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Extended credits
    • Unlimited published apps
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Everything in Team
    • Explorer seat add-ons
    • Audit logs

Zoho Analytics

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 Users
    • Basic Features
    • 10K Rows
  • Basic$24/month
    • 2 Users
    • 500K Rows
    • Email Support

Which should you pick?

Choose Hex if

  • You need agentic notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Slack.
  • You also want conversational analytics.

Choose Zoho Analytics if

  • You need ai assistant.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
  • You also want drag-and-drop reports.

Questions people ask

Is Hex or Zoho Analytics better?
Neither clearly leads. Hex starts at Free and Zoho Analytics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hex or Zoho Analytics?
Hex starts at Free and Zoho Analytics at Free.
Does Hex or Zoho Analytics run on more platforms?
Hex runs on Web, Slack. Zoho Analytics runs on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
Can I use Hex for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hex best used for?
Hex is most often used for deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasets, self-serve analytics for business users without sql knowledge, executive dashboarding and reporting with real-time data, cross-functional data collaboration and insight sharing. Of those, deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasets and self-serve analytics for business users without sql knowledge are not what Zoho Analytics is typically brought in for.
What can Hex do that Zoho Analytics cannot?
Hex covers Agentic notebooks, Conversational analytics, Data apps, Context Studio. Zoho Analytics covers AI Assistant, Drag-and-drop Reports, Auto-blending, Embedded Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hex: What is included in the free Community plan?

The Community plan ($0) includes Hex agent trial, data source connections, all cell types, and small compute sizing. It's suitable for prototyping and hobbyist projects.

Source
Zoho Analytics: Is there a free plan available?

Yes, Zoho Analytics offers a permanent free plan with 2 users, 10,000 rows, and 5 workspaces. A 15-day free trial is also available for paid plans, no credit card required.

Source
Hex: How much do advanced compute resources cost?

Advanced compute is billed per minute and ranges from $0.32 to $4.06 per hour depending on resource tier. Monthly credit grants are included in paid plans.

Source
Zoho Analytics: Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

Yes, you can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your subscription at any time. It operates as a month-to-month, pay-as-you-go service with full flexibility.

Source
Hex: Can I share analytics with non-Hex users?

Yes. Published apps can be shared publicly. Embedded analytics are available on Enterprise plans for integrating Hex into other applications.

Source
Zoho Analytics: What is the difference between monthly and yearly billing?

Yearly billing provides a 20% discount compared to monthly rates. Both options are available for all subscription tiers.

Source
Zoho Analytics: How much do additional users and data rows cost beyond what is included in my plan?

Additional users, data rows, and viewers are available as paid add-ons. The page does not specify the exact per-unit cost for these add-ons.

Source
Zoho Analytics: How often can I refresh my data in each tier?

Basic allows 1 refresh per day, Standard and Premium allow 8 per day, and Enterprise allows 24 per day. Dedicated Compute offers custom refresh rates.

Source
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