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Business Intelligence · head to head

MicroStrategy vs SAP BusinessObjects

MicroStrategy logo

MicroStrategy

Business Intelligence

Enterprise analytics and mobility platform

From
$600/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SAP BusinessObjects logo

SAP BusinessObjects

Business Intelligence

Enterprise business intelligence suite

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MicroStrategy microStrategy has rebranded to Strategy and microstrategy.com/pricing now redirects to software.strategy.com, which is a product page with no pricing on it; SAP BusinessObjects sAP BusinessObjects Private Cloud Edition is listed on UK G-Cloud 14 as a Cloud software service by SAP (UK) Limited titled 'SAP Business Objects Private Cloud Edition', alongside a reseller listing from NTT DATA Business Solutions; the G-Cloud search results describe it as subscription-based but show no per-user or per-month figure in the listing summary
  • They diverge on capability: MicroStrategy covers Enterprise Reporting, SAP BusinessObjects covers Crystal Reports.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MicroStrategy and SAP BusinessObjects actually diverge.

Attributes where MicroStrategy and SAP BusinessObjects differ
AttributeMicroStrategySAP BusinessObjects
Starting price$600/month$400/month
Founded19891972

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Desktop, Mobile), 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 MicroStrategy

  • Enterprise Reporting
  • Mobile Analytics
  • HyperIntelligence
  • Federated Analytics
  • AI/ML
  • SAP
  • Salesforce
  • Snowflake

Only in SAP BusinessObjects

  • Crystal Reports
  • Web Intelligence
  • Lumira
  • Analysis for Office
  • Live Office
  • SAP HANA
  • SAP ERP
  • SQL Server

Both cover

  • Oracle
  • Web support
  • Desktop support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

MicroStrategy

  • A governed universal semantic layer defining metrics once across BI tools and AI agentsnot SAP BusinessObjects
  • Enterprise reporting and dashboards at Fortune 500 user countsnot SAP BusinessObjects
  • Connecting multiple warehouses and lakehouses under one set of business definitionsnot SAP BusinessObjects

SAP BusinessObjects

  • Enterprise reportingnot MicroStrategy
  • Executive dashboardsnot MicroStrategy
  • Regulatory compliancenot MicroStrategy
  • Strategic planningnot MicroStrategy
  • Operational analyticsnot MicroStrategy

Where each one falls short

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

MicroStrategy

  • MicroStrategy has rebranded to Strategy and microstrategy.com/pricing now redirects to software.strategy.com, which is a product page with no pricing on it
  • No rate, no per-user price, no minimum and no named cost driver is published anywhere on the destination page
  • The only routes offered are a custom ROI analysis, a demo request or a proof-of-value pilot
  • The product is positioned around a proof-of-value pilot and an approved architecture, implying a scoped implementation rather than self-serve purchase

SAP BusinessObjects

  • SAP BusinessObjects Private Cloud Edition is listed on UK G-Cloud 14 as a Cloud software service by SAP (UK) Limited titled 'SAP Business Objects Private Cloud Edition', alongside a reseller listing from NTT DATA Business Solutions; the G-Cloud search results describe it as subscription-based but show no per-user or per-month figure in the listing summary

Pricing, plan by plan

MicroStrategy

$600/month
  • Cloud$600/month
    • Full BI Platform
    • Mobile Apps
    • Cloud Deployment
  • EnterpriseFree
    • On-premise
    • Advanced Security
    • Custom SLA

SAP BusinessObjects

$400/month
  • Standard$400/month
    • Core BI Tools
    • Web Intelligence
    • Crystal Reports
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full Suite
    • Advanced Features
    • Premium Support

Which should you pick?

Choose MicroStrategy if

  • You need enterprise reporting.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want mobile analytics.
MicroStrategy review

Choose SAP BusinessObjects if

  • You need crystal reports.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want web intelligence.
SAP BusinessObjects review

Questions people ask

Is MicroStrategy or SAP BusinessObjects better?
Neither clearly leads. MicroStrategy starts at $600/month and SAP BusinessObjects at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MicroStrategy or SAP BusinessObjects?
MicroStrategy starts at $600/month and SAP BusinessObjects at $400/month.
Does MicroStrategy or SAP BusinessObjects run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Desktop, Mobile, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is MicroStrategy best used for?
MicroStrategy is most often used for a governed universal semantic layer defining metrics once across bi tools and ai agents, enterprise reporting and dashboards at fortune 500 user counts, connecting multiple warehouses and lakehouses under one set of business definitions. Of those, a governed universal semantic layer defining metrics once across bi tools and ai agents and enterprise reporting and dashboards at fortune 500 user counts are not what SAP BusinessObjects is typically brought in for.
What can MicroStrategy do that SAP BusinessObjects cannot?
MicroStrategy covers Enterprise Reporting, Mobile Analytics, HyperIntelligence, Federated Analytics. SAP BusinessObjects covers Crystal Reports, Web Intelligence, Lumira, Analysis for Office. Both handle Oracle, Web support, Desktop support, Mobile support.
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