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Spreadsheets · head to head

Sigma Computing vs Zoho Analytics

Sigma Computing logo

Sigma Computing

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet-style analytics that queries a cloud data warehouse directly with no extract layer

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: Sigma Computing every user interaction is a live warehouse query, so compute costs rise with adoption and land on the warehouse invoice rather than the BI line item, which routinely surprises the team that approved the purchase.; Zoho Analytics the free plan is limited to 2 users, 10,000 rows and 5 workspaces
  • They diverge on capability: Sigma Computing covers Spreadsheet interface over SQL, Zoho Analytics covers AI Assistant.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sigma Computing and Zoho Analytics actually diverge.

Attributes where Sigma Computing and Zoho Analytics differ
AttributeSigma ComputingZoho Analytics
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile, Embedded
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: 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 Sigma Computing

  • Spreadsheet interface over SQL
  • No extract layer
  • Input tables and write-back
  • Workbooks
  • Embedded analytics
  • Version control and dbt awareness

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.

Sigma Computing

  • A finance or operations team that lives in spreadsheets and needs warehouse-scale data without exporting CSVsnot Zoho Analytics
  • An organisation that has consolidated on Snowflake or Databricks and wants one governed access layer rather than several desktop toolsnot Zoho Analytics
  • Planning and scenario work where users need to type assumptions back into governed tables rather than into a local filenot Zoho Analytics
  • Embedding customer-facing analytics into a product where each tenant must only see their own rowsnot Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics

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

Where each one falls short

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

Sigma Computing

  • Every user interaction is a live warehouse query, so compute costs rise with adoption and land on the warehouse invoice rather than the BI line item, which routinely surprises the team that approved the purchase.
  • It cannot work without a supported cloud data warehouse, so an organisation running analytics on an on-premises database or a plain application database has nothing to connect to.
  • Pricing is not published and seats are differentiated by capability, so budgeting requires a sales cycle and a headcount forecast before you can compare it with a tool you could simply buy.
  • Performance is only as good as the warehouse behind it, which means slow or badly modelled tables surface as a slow interface and the fix is a data engineering project, not a Sigma setting.
  • Statistical and scientific visualisation is limited compared with dedicated tools, so anything beyond standard business charting has to be done elsewhere and brought back in.

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

Sigma Computing

On request
  • Sigma Computing$undefined/year
    • Quoted per organisation
    • Seat types are differentiated by whether a user views, explores or authors
    • Warehouse compute is billed separately by your cloud data warehouse vendor

Zoho Analytics

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Sigma Computing if

  • You need spreadsheet interface over sql.
  • You also want no extract layer.
Sigma Computing 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 Sigma Computing or Zoho Analytics better?
Neither clearly leads. Sigma Computing 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, Sigma Computing or Zoho Analytics?
Zoho Analytics has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Sigma Computing and Free for Zoho Analytics.
Does Sigma Computing or Zoho Analytics run on more platforms?
Sigma Computing runs on Web. 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. Sigma Computing starts at On request.
What is Sigma Computing best used for?
Sigma Computing is most often used for a finance or operations team that lives in spreadsheets and needs warehouse-scale data without exporting csvs, an organisation that has consolidated on snowflake or databricks and wants one governed access layer rather than several desktop tools, planning and scenario work where users need to type assumptions back into governed tables rather than into a local file, embedding customer-facing analytics into a product where each tenant must only see their own rows. Of those, a finance or operations team that lives in spreadsheets and needs warehouse-scale data without exporting csvs and an organisation that has consolidated on snowflake or databricks and wants one governed access layer rather than several desktop tools are not what Zoho Analytics is typically brought in for.
What can Sigma Computing do that Zoho Analytics cannot?
Sigma Computing covers Spreadsheet interface over SQL, No extract layer, Input tables and write-back, Workbooks. Zoho Analytics covers AI Assistant, Drag-and-drop Reports, Auto-blending, Embedded Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sigma Computing: Does Sigma store a copy of my data?

No. Queries are executed on your warehouse and results are returned for display, which is why there is no extract refresh to manage.

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
Sigma Computing: What does it actually cost?

The vendor does not publish prices. Expect an annual contract priced by seat type, plus a warehouse compute increase you should model separately.

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
Sigma Computing: Can business users break the warehouse?

They can run expensive queries. Warehouse sizing, query limits and materialised tables are the controls, and they need configuring before a wide rollout.

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
Sigma Computing: Is it a replacement for a modelling layer like dbt?

No. Sigma works best on top of modelled tables and is usually deployed alongside dbt rather than instead of it.

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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