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Business Intelligence · head to head

Qlik Sense vs SAP BusinessObjects

Qlik Sense logo

Qlik Sense

Business Intelligence

Self-service data analytics and visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SAP BusinessObjects logo

SAP BusinessObjects

Business Intelligence

Enterprise business intelligence suite

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Qlik Sense has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Qlik Sense expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes; 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: Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine, SAP BusinessObjects covers Crystal Reports.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Qlik Sense and SAP BusinessObjects actually diverge.

Attributes where Qlik Sense and SAP BusinessObjects differ
AttributeQlik SenseSAP BusinessObjects
Starting priceFree$400/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android)Web, Desktop, Mobile
Founded19931972

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 Qlik Sense

  • Associative Engine
  • AI Insights
  • Augmented Analytics
  • Natural Language
  • Alerting
  • SAP
  • Salesforce
  • ServiceNow

Only in SAP BusinessObjects

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Desktop support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

Qlik Sense

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

SAP BusinessObjects

  • Enterprise reportingnot Qlik Sense
  • Executive dashboardsnot Qlik Sense
  • Regulatory compliancenot Qlik Sense
  • Strategic planningnot Qlik Sense
  • Operational analyticsnot Qlik Sense

Where each one falls short

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

Qlik Sense

  • Expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes
  • Performance degradation when working with very large datasets
  • Limited field capacity and strict 10 GB data limit on Starter plan ($300/month)
  • Weak date handling in set analysis compared to other BI tools
  • Poor API usability, particularly for Python scripts and integration workflows

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

Qlik Sense

Free
  • Qlik Sense Business (Desktop)Free
    • Personal dashboards
    • No content sharing
    • Desktop only
  • Starter$300/month
    • 10 users
    • 10 GB data for analysis
    • Cloud-based
  • Standard$825/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 25 GB data for analysis
    • Advanced analytics
  • Premium$2750/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 50 GB data for analysis
    • Enhanced support

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 Qlik Sense if

  • You need associative engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android).
  • You also want ai insights.
Qlik Sense 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 Qlik Sense or SAP BusinessObjects better?
Neither clearly leads. Qlik Sense starts at Free and SAP BusinessObjects at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Qlik Sense or SAP BusinessObjects?
Qlik Sense has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Qlik Sense and $400/month for SAP BusinessObjects.
Does Qlik Sense or SAP BusinessObjects run on more platforms?
Qlik Sense runs on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android). SAP BusinessObjects runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Qlik Sense for free?
Yes. Qlik Sense has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SAP BusinessObjects starts at $400/month.
What is Qlik Sense best used for?
Qlik Sense 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 SAP BusinessObjects is typically brought in for.
What can Qlik Sense do that SAP BusinessObjects cannot?
Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine, AI Insights, Augmented Analytics, Natural Language. SAP BusinessObjects covers Crystal Reports, Web Intelligence, Lumira, Analysis for Office. Both handle Web support, Desktop support, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Qlik Sense: Does Qlik Sense have a free tier?

Qlik Sense Business (Desktop) is permanently free for individual users for creating personal dashboards, though content cannot be shared. Qlik Cloud Analytics offers a 30-day free trial with full features.

Source
Qlik Sense: What is the entry price for Qlik Cloud Analytics?

Qlik Cloud Analytics Starter plan starts at $300 per month (annual billing) for 10 users and 10 GB of data. Standard is $825/month for 25 GB with unlimited users. Premium is $2,750/month for 50 GB.

Source
Qlik Sense: How many users can access Qlik Sense?

The Starter plan is limited to 10 users. Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans include unlimited users and charge based on data capacity (gigabytes) rather than seat count.

Source
Qlik Sense: What is the Associative Engine in Qlik Sense?

The Associative Engine is Qlik's proprietary technology that automatically discovers and explores all possible relationships between data points, enabling intuitive analysis compared to traditional query-based BI tools.

Source
Qlik Sense: Does Qlik Sense support self-service analytics?

Yes, Qlik Sense is designed for self-service business intelligence, allowing business users to create dashboards and explore data without extensive technical knowledge, though complex implementations require expertise.

Source
Qlik Sense: Is Qlik Sense available on-premises?

Yes, Qlik offers both cloud-based (Qlik Cloud Analytics) and on-premises deployment options, though on-premises licensing requires a separate quote.

Source
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