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Business Intelligence · head to head

Phocas vs Zoho Analytics

Phocas logo

Phocas

Business Intelligence

Pre-built BI and FP&A for wholesale distributors and manufacturers running mid-market ERPs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Analytics logo

Zoho Analytics

Business Intelligence

Self-service BI and analytics platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho Analytics has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Zoho Analytics the free plan is limited to 2 users, 10,000 rows and 5 workspaces
  • They diverge on capability: Phocas covers ERP connectors, Zoho Analytics covers AI Assistant.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Phocas and Zoho Analytics differ
AttributePhocasZoho Analytics
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Embedded
FoundedUnknown1996

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 Phocas

  • ERP connectors
  • Pre-built distribution content
  • Grid-first analysis
  • Financial statements
  • Budgets and forecasts
  • Rebates module
  • Alerts and subscriptions
  • Mobile apps

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.

Phocas

  • A wholesale distributor on Prophet 21 whose sales reps need per-customer margin and stock availability without waiting on a report writernot Zoho Analytics
  • A manufacturer that wants budgeting on the same data as its sales analysis rather than in a separate spreadsheetnot Zoho Analytics
  • A multi-branch retailer comparing branch and product performance daily without an internal BI teamnot Zoho Analytics
  • A private equity owner standardising reporting across several acquired distributors on different ERPsnot Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

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

Zoho Analytics

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Phocas if

  • You need erp connectors.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want pre-built distribution content.
Phocas review

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.
Zoho Analytics review

Questions people ask

Is Phocas or Zoho Analytics better?
Neither clearly leads. Phocas starts at On request and Zoho Analytics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Phocas or Zoho Analytics?
Zoho Analytics has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Phocas and Free for Zoho Analytics.
Does Phocas or Zoho Analytics run on more platforms?
Phocas runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zoho Analytics runs on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
Can I use Zoho Analytics for free?
Yes. Zoho Analytics has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Phocas starts at On request.
What is Phocas best used for?
Phocas is most often used for a wholesale distributor on prophet 21 whose sales reps need per-customer margin and stock availability without waiting on a report writer, a manufacturer that wants budgeting on the same data as its sales analysis rather than in a separate spreadsheet, a multi-branch retailer comparing branch and product performance daily without an internal bi team, a private equity owner standardising reporting across several acquired distributors on different erps. Of those, a wholesale distributor on prophet 21 whose sales reps need per-customer margin and stock availability without waiting on a report writer and a manufacturer that wants budgeting on the same data as its sales analysis rather than in a separate spreadsheet are not what Zoho Analytics is typically brought in for.
What can Phocas do that Zoho Analytics cannot?
Phocas covers ERP connectors, Pre-built distribution content, Grid-first analysis, Financial statements. Zoho Analytics covers AI Assistant, Drag-and-drop Reports, Auto-blending, Embedded Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Phocas: 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.

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
Phocas: 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.

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
Phocas: Does it replace my ERP reporting?

It replaces day-to-day analysis and sales reporting. Transactional and statutory reporting stays in the ERP.

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
Phocas: Can it do budgeting?

Yes, through a separately licensed Financial Statements and Budgets module on the same warehouse.

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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