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Business Intelligence · head to head

IBM Cognos Analytics vs Looker

IBM Cognos Analytics logo

IBM Cognos Analytics

Business Intelligence

AI-powered business intelligence

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Looker logo

Looker

Spreadsheets

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Looker no pricing published on website; quote-based model requires contacting Google Cloud sales
  • They diverge on capability: IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Looker covers LookML Data Modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where IBM Cognos Analytics and Looker differ
AttributeIBM Cognos AnalyticsLooker
Starting price$15/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Mobile, CloudWeb, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceSpreadsheets
Founded19112008

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Looker

  • LookML Data Modeling
  • Embedded Analytics
  • API Access
  • Version Control
  • Data Actions
  • BigQuery
  • Snowflake
  • Redshift

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

IBM Cognos Analytics

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

Looker

  • Business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision makingnot IBM Cognos Analytics
  • Embedded analytics for integrating BI capabilities into third-party applicationsnot IBM Cognos Analytics

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

Looker

  • No pricing published on website; quote-based model requires contacting Google Cloud sales
  • Pricing typically based on user count, deployment type, and feature requirements with no transparency

Pricing, plan by plan

IBM Cognos Analytics

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

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

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 Looker if

  • You need lookml data modeling.
  • You work on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform).
  • You also want embedded analytics.
Looker review

Questions people ask

Is IBM Cognos Analytics or Looker better?
Neither clearly leads. IBM Cognos Analytics starts at $15/month and Looker at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IBM Cognos Analytics or Looker?
IBM Cognos Analytics starts at $15/month and Looker at On request.
Does IBM Cognos Analytics or Looker run on more platforms?
IBM Cognos Analytics runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Cloud. Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform).
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. Of those, self-service analytics and data exploration are not what Looker is typically brought in for.
What can IBM Cognos Analytics do that Looker cannot?
IBM Cognos Analytics covers AI Assistant, Natural Language Queries, Automated Insights, Story Telling. Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. Both handle Salesforce, Web support, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Looker: How much does Looker cost?

Looker does not publish pricing on its website. The platform uses a custom quote model where organizations contact Google Cloud sales for personalized pricing. Pricing is typically based on factors including user count, deployment type (cloud-hosted versus self-hosted), and required feature set.

Source
Looker: What are Looker's pricing tiers?

Looker offers subscription-based tiers typically including Standard with core BI capabilities, Advanced with enhanced features and integrations, and Premium with enterprise-grade features. Specific pricing and feature distinctions require contacting Google Cloud sales.

Source
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