Business Intelligence · head to head
Mode vs Phocas
Phocas
Business Intelligence
Pre-built BI and FP&A for wholesale distributors and manufacturers running mid-market ERPs
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Mode has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Mode free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets; Phocas the value is the pre-built vertical content, so a company outside distribution, manufacturing or retail pays premium prices for dashboards it must build itself anyway.
- They diverge on capability: Mode covers SQL Editor, Phocas covers ERP connectors.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mode and Phocas actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Mode
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Interactive Reports
- Version Control
- Scheduling
- Snowflake
- Redshift
- BigQuery
Only in Phocas
- ERP connectors
- Pre-built distribution content
- Grid-first analysis
- Financial statements
- Budgets and forecasts
- Rebates module
- Alerts and subscriptions
- Mobile apps
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mode
- Self-service analyticsnot Phocas
- Data explorationnot Phocas
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Phocas
- Collaborative analysisnot Phocas
- Embedded analyticsnot Phocas
Phocas
- A wholesale distributor on Prophet 21 whose sales reps need per-customer margin and stock availability without waiting on a report writernot Mode
- A manufacturer that wants budgeting on the same data as its sales analysis rather than in a separate spreadsheetnot Mode
- A multi-branch retailer comparing branch and product performance daily without an internal BI teamnot Mode
- A private equity owner standardising reporting across several acquired distributors on different ERPsnot Mode
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mode
- Free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
- Requires SQL knowledge for most analysis tasks, creating dependency on technical resources
- Paid plan pricing not publicly listed; requires sales consultation
- Recently acquired by ThoughtSpot in 2026, creating product direction uncertainty
- Limited customization options for visual aspects and embedded analytics
Phocas
- The value is the pre-built vertical content, so a company outside distribution, manufacturing or retail pays premium prices for dashboards it must build itself anyway.
- If your ERP is not on the maintained connector list you fall back to generic database extraction and lose the fast time to value that justifies the price.
- The visualisation library is thin next to Power BI or Tableau, and analysts who want fine control over chart design will find it constraining.
- Pricing is quoted per user and never published, and buyers routinely report large gaps between initial and renewal quotes with limited comparison leverage.
- Modules are licensed separately, so a customer who bought Analytics and later wants Financial Statements or Rebates faces a new negotiation rather than an upgrade.
Pricing, plan by plan
Mode
Free- FreeFree
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Basic Charts
- Business$65/month
- Advanced Visualizations
- Collaboration
- Integrations
Phocas
On request- Phocas$undefined/year
- Annual subscription quoted by user count and modules
- Analytics, Financial Statements, Budgets and Rebates licensed separately
- One-off implementation and ERP connector setup fee
Which should you pick?
Choose Mode if
- You need sql editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want python/r notebooks.
Choose Phocas if
- You need erp connectors.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want pre-built distribution content.
Questions people ask
- Is Mode or Phocas better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mode starts at Free and Phocas at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mode or Phocas?
- Mode has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mode and On request for Phocas.
- Does Mode or Phocas run on more platforms?
- Mode runs on Web. Phocas runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Mode for free?
- Yes. Mode has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Phocas starts at On request.
- What is Mode best used for?
- Mode 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 Phocas is typically brought in for.
- What can Mode do that Phocas cannot?
- Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Phocas covers ERP connectors, Pre-built distribution content, Grid-first analysis, Financial statements.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Mode: What languages does Mode support for analysis?
Mode notebooks support SQL, Python (3.11 with pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, matplotlib), and R (4.2.0 with ggplot2, dplyr, tidyr). Both Python and R allow additional library installation at runtime.
SourcePhocas: What does Phocas cost?
Nothing is published. It is quoted annually by user count and module, with a separate implementation fee, and varies by region.
Mode: Can I integrate Mode notebook results into reports?
Yes. Mode allows adding notebook cell results directly to reports, with synchronized scheduling so reports re-run to keep data current.
SourcePhocas: Is it worth it over Power BI?
Only if you are in its target verticals on a supported ERP. Power BI is far cheaper per seat but you supply the data model.
Mode: Does Mode support collaborative analysis?
Yes. Mode notebooks provide moveable code blocks and markdown cells enabling exploratory analysis and team collaboration on data queries and visualizations.
SourcePhocas: Does it replace my ERP reporting?
It replaces day-to-day analysis and sales reporting. Transactional and statutory reporting stays in the ERP.
Phocas: Can it do budgeting?
Yes, through a separately licensed Financial Statements and Budgets module on the same warehouse.
Related pages
Other head to heads
- Mode vs Periscope Data
- Mode vs Domo
- Mode vs Fabi
- Mode vs Deepnote
- Mode vs Yellowfin
- Mode vs TIBCO Spotfire
- Mode vs Hex
- Mode vs GoodData
- Mode vs Grow
- Mode vs Qlik Sense
- Mode vs Databox
- Mode vs Cube
- Mode vs Jedox
- Mode vs Logi Analytics
- Mode vs Luzmo
- Mode vs NetBase Quid
- Mode vs Preset
- Mode vs Power BI
- Mode vs Zoho Analytics
- Mode vs Zenlytic
- Mode vs Evidence
- Mode vs Cyfe
- Mode vs DashThis
- Mode vs Quid
- Mode vs Snowplow
- Mode vs Stripe Dashboard
- Mode vs Zebra BI
- Phocas vs Periscope Data
- Phocas vs Domo
- Phocas vs Fabi
- Phocas vs Deepnote
- Phocas vs Yellowfin
- Phocas vs TIBCO Spotfire
- Phocas vs Hex
- Phocas vs GoodData
- Phocas vs Grow
- Phocas vs Qlik Sense
- Phocas vs Databox
- Phocas vs Cube
- Phocas vs Jedox
- Phocas vs Logi Analytics
- Phocas vs Luzmo
- Phocas vs NetBase Quid
- Phocas vs Preset
- Phocas vs Power BI
- Phocas vs Zoho Analytics
- Phocas vs Zenlytic
- Phocas vs Evidence
- Phocas vs Cyfe
- Phocas vs DashThis
- Phocas vs Quid
- Phocas vs Snowplow
- Phocas vs Stripe Dashboard
- Phocas vs Zebra BI