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Imagine all the time and opportunities spent manually searching, extracting, and cleaning data from multiple business resources and then making operational decisions based on your gut feeling. This is where affordable business intelligence software comes in. These solutions can help small business data scientists and analysts automate data extraction from multiple sources into a structured format for quick and error-free analysis.
However, selecting the right match for your business can be time-consuming when exploring a pool of options. This article lists six top-rated affordable business intelligence software solutions based on verified user reviews and pricing found on vendor websites.
Per our research, we’ve considered products with base plans priced less than $68 per month as affordable software and arranged them in ascending order of their prices. (Read how we shortlisted these products at the end of this article.)
All products listed in the article are dedicated business intelligence tools, offering custom reports, dashboards, forecasting, and data visualization along with AI-enabled data analysis.
A base plan is the most affordable pricing tier offered by a software provider. Besides having the lowest price, base plans provide access to all core software features. However, they may have limitations compared to higher-tier plans in terms of the available functionality, storage capacity, number of user seats, support options, etc.
We selected products for this article based on their average ratings between July 2022 - July 2024, which may differ from their current overall average ratings.
Microsoft Power BI provides a self-service platform to create, share, and analyze interactive reports and dashboards using multiple business resources. The tool automatically detects unusual data points or trends in data, which can be ignored during manual data analysis. Its AI can continuously analyze data streams to identify anomalies as they occur, enabling prompt responses. By pointing out anomalies, the tool helps understand the underlying reasons for unexpected outcomes.
The base plan offers up to 10GB of data storage per user and a 1GB model memory size limit. You can create, publish, and share data analysis reports with visualization elements and access basic AI analysis capabilities. Upgrading to a premium plan gets you up to 100TB of storage, a 48-day model memory, and access to advanced features, such as natural language queries, and dataflows.
Base plan features:*
Create reports with Power BI desktop: Use the desktop Power BI tool to create interactive reports and dashboards. The feature allows you to download reports and share the dashboard securely with team members.
Reports and visualizations: Generate custom data analysis reports with metrics specific to your present business goals. You can explore and add visualizations, such as charts, graphs, and tables, to these reports and highlight key data points/findings.
Workspaces: Organize reports into workspaces and control access to them via role-based permissions (Admin, Member, Contributor, or Viewer) to determine the level of interaction.
Starting price: $10 per month
Cost to upgrade: $20 per month
Billing cycle: Monthly
Customer support options: Call, email, chat, FAQs, and knowledge base
Data scientists and analysts dealing with high and dynamic data volumes can leverage Microsoft Power BI’s automated analysis and visualization feature. The tool can handle substantial amounts of data, making it suitable for businesses with complex data environments. Its ability to share reports and dashboards promotes teamwork and efficient knowledge sharing, especially in remote or hybrid work environments.
As a business intelligence and data analytics software tool, Power My Analytics helps you automate your marketing data with artificial intelligence. The tool collects data from over 40 marketing platforms, including Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Pinterest, and HubSpot. It also supports various reporting types and offers multiple templates for clearly and precisely presenting the data points in the reports. The templates include PPC advertising, Facebook Page Insights, and Shopify metrics.
The base plan supports connecting a single business resource and a single account administrator along with managed cloud storage. Upgrading to a higher subscription gets you access to unlimited data sources with up to 20 accounts and admins. You also get a self-service data warehouse to gather and manage business information.
Base plan features:*
Data connectors: Source marketing data from sales platforms such as Amazon Seller Central, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads.
Data integration: Gather marketing data automatically for analysis from connected business resources and platforms to generate actionable insights in the form of reports.
Dashboard templates: Select from multiple dashboard templates and customize them to create a personalized view that tracks relevant metrics and highlights actionable insights.
Starting price: $12.46 per month
Cost to upgrade: $33.29 per month
Billing cycle: Annual
Customer support options: Knowledge base, FAQs, call, and email
Power My Analytics can benefit a business’s sales and marketing teams relying on digital marketing channels for customer acquisition. It is also suitable for online retailers and e-commerce stores that need to track sales, advertising performance, and customer behavior. You can connect the tool to your preferred sales channels to gather insights and present them using a variety of reporting templates.
Asses the custom reports and dashboards offered by the BI tool. You should be able to filter the dashboard for metrics specific to your current business goals. Additionally, the software should allow generating reports with custom fields other than the available templates and formats with visual elements.
Easyflow enables you to build and manage complex data extraction workflows with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. You can connect multiple data sources and define your logical flow of activities and tasks to create completely automated, multi-and advanced steps workflows that include conditional, parallel, and loop steps. This means that when a first operation finishes, a second operation automatically executes. You can create variables to store values, such as file paths, dates, and other information, throughout the workflow execution cycle. The tool’s integrated data analytics and visualization capabilities allow for assessing and presenting the gathered points using charts, graphs, and tables in a customizable dashboard.
EasyFlow’s base plan offers access to up to five users with 20,000 credits per month to create workflows on two dashboards with up to 20 visual cards. Upgrading to a premium plan gets you 300,000 credits per month, 20 dashboards, and unlimited visual cards.
Base plan features:*
Workflow scheduling: Set up an execution schedule according to your preferences. You can execute a workflow up to every minute.
Execution logs: Create a detailed activity log of all the operations performed to identify which data was processed during a run of a specific workflow.
Filters: Specify the conditions that your data must meet to be retrieved and refined during analysis.
Starting price: $38 per month
Cost to upgrade: $129 per month
Billing cycle: Annual
Customer support options: Help center, FAQs, knowledge base, chat, call, and email
Data scientists and analysts dealing with complex data extraction processes and requiring a no-code tool to automate and standardize data extraction workflows can benefit from Easyflow. It helps shave hours off your day by bypassing repetitive logins and tedious data collection. You can drag and drop data sources onto the workflow builder and steps to guide the process without any coding or extensive programming. This enables you to handle large datasets and complex workflows with reduced time and errors.
Geckoboard provides an interactive dashboard to organize the tracked metrics (widgets) by logically grouping related ones. This enhances the readability and improves the overall understanding of your data. You can drag and drop one widget on top of another to create a group, adjust its size, and give it a clear heading. The tool allows exploring different layouts to find the best arrangement for your data. The status indicator adds a visual element to your tracked metrics, highlighting performance against predefined thresholds. The widget will turn red to indicate underperforming metrics. You can utilize the feature to identify areas that require attention or have worked well in the past and use them to optimize future business operations.
Its base plan allows up to three users to create and access a single dashboard and display it on a single TV. Switching to a higher price plan allows up to 30 users, 25 dashboards, and 10 TV displays.
Base plan features:*
Spreadsheet integration: Connect the tool to various spreadsheet platforms. This integration allows the tool to automatically pull information into the dashboard for analysis and reporting.
Send to TV: Build a dashboard in the tool that showcases the metrics you want to display on your TV. Select the dashboard you want to display and click the ‘send to TV button’ for live sharing.
Request custom data sources: Create a custom application that fetches data from your business sources. The feature allows formatting the data into a structured format supported by the tool.
Starting price: $39 per month
Cost to upgrade: $79 per month
Billing cycle: Annual
Customer support options: Call, chat, FAQs, and knowledge base
Data analysts and scientists who struggle to present large, complex data in a simple manner that is understandable by both technical and non-technical audiences can leverage Geckoboards. In addition to the connected data sources, you can request custom data that is structured in your preferred format. The tool’s intuitive dashboard can help create clear and visually appealing dashboards, which can be displayed on large TV screens. This way, you can utilize the information when addressing a larger group, such as during meetings and audits.
Read reviews and compare features to get valuable insights into the tool's ease of use, customer support, and any hidden costs. Additionally, you can use comparison charts or software review websites to compare features and pricing across different vendors.
As a BI platform, Databox focuses on forecasting, benchmarking, and performance tracking to provide you with the most valuable insights into the business’s health. The forecasting feature predicts future values for your integrated data points. This is achieved by analyzing historical data and applying statistical models to identify trends. You can also compare your business’s performance to industry standards or competitors with benchmarking. This enables you to identify areas where you excel and areas where you need improvement to have a competitive advantage. You can monitor all the tracked metrics over time within a single dashboard to measure progress toward the set goals.
Databox’s base plan offers access to up to five users, unlimited dashboards, and 11 months of historical data. Upgrading to a higher-price plan gives you unlimited user access, dashboards, and historical data.
Base plan features:*
Pre-built metrics: Access pre-built metrics, which are automatically populated once you connect the tool to your business resources. These can be further customized to fit your specific business needs and goals.
Alerts and notifications: Set email alerts to notify you if a specific metric is going off-track. This is based on the pre-set goals fed into the system when the dashboard was created.
Timeline comparison: Analyze how your metrics have changed compared to the immediately preceding period. You can also track year-over-year growth or decline, compare metrics to another for benchmarking, or measure progress towards a specific target.
Starting price: $47 per month
Cost to upgrade: $135 per month
Billing cycle: Annual
Customer support options: Help center, FAQs, knowledge base, chat, and email
The tool is worth considering for data scientists and analysts reliant on accurate predictions, such as those in eCommerce, sales, marketing, finance, or industries where forecasting sales, revenue, or customer behavior is crucial. You can seek a competitive edge by understanding your current market position compared to industry peers or your own historical performance. You can use the comparison insights to optimize the business’s operational strategy and boost revenue.
Zebra BI leverages artificial intelligence to extract valuable insights from your data automatically. It is part of a larger suite of BI tools offered by Zebra BI. You can upload various data types (financial, sales, or HR) to the AI platform, and it will analyze the data to identify trends, anomalies, patterns, and key insights. The tool considers best practices in data visualization, user preferences, and the nature of the data to determine the optimal presentation software. It then presents these insights in an understandable format, ensuring that they are correctly interpreted by the team members during meetings.
Zebra BI’s base plan covers up to 10 users to access all the tool capabilities. Upgrading to a higher-price plan gets you access to up to 50 users and priority support.
Base plan features:*
PowerPoint integration: Integrate the BI tool with PowerPoint presentations to automatically extract the AI-generated dashboards and present data into PPT slides.
AI chat: Use natural language to ask a question about your data, such as, “What was the sales trend for product X in the last quarter?” The tool will provide suggestions based on your data and common analysis patterns.
Automated variation calculations: Apply predefined or custom calculation logic to determine the variation between different data points. Common calculations include absolute difference (numerical difference), percentage change (proportional change), and variance analysis (breaking down variance into components such as price, volume, or mix).
Starting price: $58 per month
Cost to upgrade: $270 per month
Billing cycle: Annual
Customer support options: FAQs, call, chat, email, and knowledge base
Zebra AI primarily functions as an add-in for the Zebra BI tool, which makes it suitable for data science and analytics teams already using the BI suite. The tool can be integrated with Microsoft Office 365 and PowerPoint to help users extract complex data and create visually appealing reports. The tool’s AI chat further assists in exploring different data analysis and presentation options. You can ask questions in simple language and the tool will suggest relevant styles and techniques to present data for enhanced decision making.
Opt for automated data extraction, cleaning, and analysis instead of a manually operated system. This eliminates the chances of missed or error-prone entries while saving time, which can be utilized to execute actionable insights into the current business strategy.
All the products listed in this article include the features mentioned below. To identify these, we asked users to rate, on a scale of “low importance” to “critical,” how important different features are for BI software. The features showcased are those that the highest percentage of reviewers rated as “highly important” or “critical” over the past two years (as of July 31, 2024).
Feature name | Criticality rating (%) | Description |
---|---|---|
Reporting/Analysis | 92% | Generate custom or templated data analysis reports with key metrics and insights to influence business decisions and optimize operations. These reports can be downloaded in PDF or spreadsheets to share with team members. |
Data visualization | 89% | Use charts, graphs, and tables to highlight the key findings from your data analysis. Add these visual elements to your reports, ensuring that the team members can understand the desired message in a simple, non-technical manner. |
Data connectors | 85% | Translate data from its source into a format that the business intelligence tool can understand and process. Some common connectors include database connectors, cloud storage connectors, social media connectors, and API connectors. The feature establishes a secure connection between the BI tool and the data source. It then retrieves the required data from the source and transforms it into a usable format. |
Dashboard | 85% | Get an overview of all data analysis reports on a single screen (dashboard). The dashboard can be further drilled down into specific data points for more detailed analysis. It can be tailored to specific roles or departments and display live data for up-to-date insights. Share the dashboard links with multiple users, facilitating teamwork. |
Data import/export | 78% | Extract data from external sources into a BI tool for analysis and visualization. The sources include databases, spreadsheets, cloud storage, and other BI tools. Data can also be exported from a BI tool and saved in a specific format (CSV, Excel, PDF, and image files) for future reference. |
Business intelligence solutions can cost as low as $10 per month or up to $559+ per month, depending on various factors—features, number of users, infrastructure requirements, business size/type, training availability, deployment options, integrations, and storage. Most BI solutions typically include the following pricing plans:
Free trials: These range from seven to 30 days and give users access to all or limited features of the software. These no-cost trial plans are ideal for businesses that wish to try out a tool before purchasing it.
Free versions Offer limited access to basic software features. These free plans are ideal for small businesses or individuals on a budget.
Entry-level plans: These start at $10 per month and offer access to limited features. They are ideal for small businesses with basic data analytics needs, such as data extraction, cleaning, reporting, and analysis.
Mid-tier plans: These range from $20 to $270 per month and offer advanced features such as forecasting, benchmarking, access controls/permissions, and AI analysis. They are suitable for businesses that have outgrown basic BI tools but don’t require the full range of functionality offered by enterprise-level systems.
High-end plans: These cost more than $559 per month and offer a range of advanced capabilities, including unlimited features from entry-level and mid-tier plans, advanced security features, and dedicated customer support. They are suitable for large businesses with high-volume data analytics needs.
Besides the software license, additional costs may include:
Usage-based charges: Certain tools charge based on usage metrics, such as the number of reports generated or dashboards created. If your usage surpasses predefined limits, you may incur additional charges.
Integration fees: Integrating BI software with the existing tech stack may require additional charges. Additionally, certain integrations may require plugins or connectors, potentially leading to extra costs.
Training expenses: If the software is complex or requires specific expertise, you may need to invest in training programs or hire external consultants to fully utilize the tool’s capabilities.
Ask the following questions to software vendors to ensure you find the best business intelligence platform.
Is there a limit on the number of users, dashboards, or reports?
Base plans often have a reduced set of features compared to premium plans. For example, a limited number of team members might be able to access the software, or there may be limitations on the number of data sources added or dashboards created. Understanding these limitations can help you assess whether the software can accommodate your current needs and potential growth without unexpected costs or restrictions.
What security measures are adopted by the vendor to protect business data?
Inquiring about the security measures in business intelligence tools ensure that your sensitive business information is protected from unauthorized access, data breaches, or cyber-attacks. You can look for features such as encryption, access controls, user authentication, activity logs, and compliance with industry standards, e.g., the General Data Protection and Regulation (GDPR) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Act.
Does the software integrate with other business tools?
Check the integration capabilities of the BI software base plan for seamless data import/export and collaboration. You can assess whether the tool connects with your existing systems such as customer relationship management (CRM) software, databases, project management tools, or cloud storage services. Integration enhances productivity by eliminating the need for manual data entry or switching between multiple platforms.
To be considered for this list, products had to:
Feature in GetApp’s 2024 Category Leaders report for business intelligence software.
Include dashboard, self-service data preparation, and visual analytics as core features.
Meet our market definition for business intelligence software: “Business intelligence (BI) software helps organizations make operational decisions by enabling the analysis of historical performance data and other data sources.”
For all the 15 products included in the Category Leaders report, we assessed the monthly subscription price of the base plans and found the average price to be $68—we considered only products with publicly available pricing information. We then shortlisted products with a monthly base price lower than $68 for this article.
*Our research team identified these features from vendor websites (as of July 31, 2024) based on their analysis of what users find valuable in or expect from business intelligence software. This list is not exhaustive. For additional features, refer to the vendor’s website.
Editorial independence: We select and rank products based on an objective methodology developed by our research team. While some vendors may pay us when they receive web traffic or leads, this has no influence on our methodology.
Note: Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from GetApp’s business intelligence software directory. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products. The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in the GetApp directory that offer them. Only products with publicly available pricing information, as of July 31, 2024, were considered for pricing calculation.
Saumya Srivastava