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IBM Cognos Analytics vs Google Data Studio

IBM Cognos Analytics logo

IBM Cognos Analytics

Software

AI-powered business intelligence

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Data Studio logo

Google Data Studio

Software

Free data visualization by Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Data Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IBM Cognos Analytics listed on UK G-Cloud at £42.53 per user per month for IBM Cognos Analytics, via reseller Computacenter; Google Data Studio google Data Studio has been renamed Looker Studio; the vendor's own landing page states it is free to use ("It's easy and free"), with no enterprise pricing tier visible on the consumer product itself.
  • They diverge on capability: IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Google Data Studio covers Free Platform.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IBM Cognos Analytics and Google Data Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where IBM Cognos Analytics and Google Data Studio differ
AttributeIBM Cognos AnalyticsGoogle Data Studio
Starting price$15/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Mobile, CloudWeb
Founded19111998

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 IBM Cognos Analytics

  • AI Assistant
  • Natural Language Queries
  • Automated Insights
  • Story Telling
  • Mobile Analytics
  • IBM Db2
  • Oracle
  • SQL Server

Only in Google Data Studio

  • Free Platform
  • Real-time Collaboration
  • Custom Visualizations
  • Data Blending
  • Sharing
  • Google Analytics
  • BigQuery
  • Google Sheets

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

IBM Cognos Analytics

  • Self-service analytics
  • Data exploration
  • Ad-hoc reporting
  • Collaborative analysis
  • Embedded analytics

Google Data Studio

  • Self-service analytics
  • Data exploration
  • Ad-hoc reporting
  • Collaborative analysis
  • Embedded analytics

Both are used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis, embedded analytics, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

IBM Cognos Analytics

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £42.53 per user per month for IBM Cognos Analytics, via reseller Computacenter

Google Data Studio

  • Google Data Studio has been renamed Looker Studio; the vendor's own landing page states it is free to use ("It's easy and free"), with no enterprise pricing tier visible on the consumer product itself.

Pricing, plan by plan

IBM Cognos Analytics

$15/month
  • Standard$15/month
    • Dashboards
    • Reporting
    • AI Insights
  • Plus$35/month
    • Advanced Analytics
    • Planning
    • Premium Support

Google Data Studio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited Reports
    • Data Connectors
    • Collaboration

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Google Data Studio if

  • You need free platform.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Google Data Studio review

Questions people ask

Is IBM Cognos Analytics or Google Data Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. IBM Cognos Analytics starts at $15/month and Google Data Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IBM Cognos Analytics or Google Data Studio?
Google Data Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for IBM Cognos Analytics and Free for Google Data Studio.
Does IBM Cognos Analytics or Google Data Studio run on more platforms?
IBM Cognos Analytics runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud. Google Data Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Google Data Studio for free?
Yes. Google Data Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IBM Cognos Analytics starts at $15/month.
What is IBM Cognos Analytics best used for?
IBM Cognos Analytics is most often used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis.
What can IBM Cognos Analytics do that Google Data Studio cannot?
IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Natural Language Queries, Automated Insights, Story Telling. Google Data Studio covers Free Platform, Real-time Collaboration, Custom Visualizations, Data Blending. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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