Finding software can be overwhelming. Software Advice has helped thousands of businesses choose the right data analysis tools so they can spot patterns and visualize trends.
Showing 1-20 of 200 products
TapClicks is a smart marketing cloud-based set of automated marketing solutions designed to work in unison, powered by your data. We make the complex world of marketing easy with everything a business needs to differentiate itself,... Read more

Dundas BI FrontRunners 2020
Dundas BI, from Dundas Data Visualization, is a browser-based business intelligence and data visualization platform that includes integrated dashboards, reporting tools, and data analytics. It provides end users the ability to create... Read more
Domo is the Business Cloud®, empowering organizations of all sizes with BI leverage at cloud scale in record time. With Domo, BI-critical processes that took weeks, months or more can now be done on the fly, in minutes or seconds,... Read more

ClicData FrontRunners 2020
ClicData is a business intelligence (BI) dashboard solution designed for use primarily by small and midsized businesses. The tool enables end users to create reports and dashboards. A drag-and-drop interface designed for ease of use... Read more
InetSoft Style Intelligence is a business intelligence software platform that allows users to create dashboards, visual analyses and reports via a data mashup engine—a tool that integrates data in real time from multiple sources.... Read more
Incorta is a unified data analytics platform that provides a true self-service data experience. The software enables organizations to quickly and accurately make decisions based on vast easy to digest data sets. Incorta is a data... Read more
Grow is a cloud-based business analytics and reporting solution suitable for small to midsize organizations. The solution allows users to create customizable dashboards for monitoring business workflows and key activities. Grow pulls... Read more
PlaidCloud is a comprehensive business analytics platform that combines data analysis tools, flexible workflows, and business processes to deliver a solution designed to help analyst teams collaboratively develop business models and... Read more
PrecisionBI is a healthcare analytics and visualization platform that combines clinical, financial, and business data all in one place; turning disparate data into insights for impactful decisions. With over 25 years of experience,... Read more

Sisense FrontRunners 2020
Sisense is an agile business intelligence (BI) solution that provides advanced tools to manage and support business data with analytics, visuals and reporting. The solution allows businesses to analyze big and disparate datasets and... Read more

Sigma FrontRunners 2020
Sigma is the business intelligence and analytics solution that allows everyone in your organization, not just analysts, to ask questions and find answers using data. Instant, guided access to the cloud data warehouse enables teams... Read more
Birst, an Infor Company, is a web-based networked BI and analytics solution that connects insights from various teams and helps in making informed decisions. The tool enables decentralized users to augment the enterprise data model... Read more
Logi Analytics is a business intelligence (BI) platform that provides self-service analytics tools for businesses. It can be embedded directly into the applications that employees use every day. Key features include a dashboard, data... Read more
Yellowfin, a business intelligence platform, is a single integrated solution developed for companies across varying industries and scaling sizes. This system is customizable to suit businesses in accounting, advertising, agriculture,... Read more
TARGIT Decision Suite is a business intelligence and analytics solution that offers visual data discovery tools, self-service business analytics, reporting and dashboards in a single, integrated solution. TARGIT combines the control... Read more
Toucan Toco is a cloud-based data visualization solution designed to deliver data and insights to non-technical decision makers using visual data storytelling. With Toucan's application studio, businesses are able to create and display... Read more
Your organization depends on your team to deliver the actionable C-Level insights from your EPM data that it needs. If you are stuck with static reports, BI tools that don’t innately understand the hierarchies and dimensions of financial... Read more

BOARD FrontRunners 2020
Created to combine business intelligence, corporate performance management, and business analytics, BOARD is a full-featured business intelligence system that serves midsize and enterprise-level companies in a variety of different... Read more

Phocas Business Intelligence FrontRunners 2020
Phocas Business IntelligenceFrontRunners 2020
Phocas is a cloud-based, SaaS company specializing in data analytics for manufacturing, distribution and retail industries. Phocas uses sector knowledge to consolidate essential business data from common ERP, CRM and AP/AR systems... Read more
Exago BI is a 100% web-based, end-to-end business analytics solution that’s designed to be embedded in web-based applications. Embedding Exago BI allows SaaS companies of all sizes to provide their customers with self-service ad... Read more
Popular Comparisons
What are Data Analysis Tools?
Data Analysis Tools is a set of technology that enable users to analyze and visualize data in order to identify trends and correlations with the goal of supporting decision making.
Gartner defines BI as “the applications, infrastructure and tools and best practices that enable access to, and analysis of, information to improve and optimize decisions and performance.”
Given this, data analysis software is a central requirement for any business that wants to improve BI. In this guide, we’ll outline the main role of data analysis software and describe its functionality. This can help buyers select the best solution for their needs. We’ll cover:
What Is the Role of Data Analysis in BI?
Data Analysis Software Explained
Common Functionality of Data Analysis Software
Benefits of Data Analysis Programs
Key Considerations for Buyers
What Is the Role of Data Analysis in BI?
While the term "data analysis" is self-explanatory, it’s usually encountered in the context of BI, which is much more complicated. Thus, it’s helpful to begin by explaining how software for data analysis fits into the larger BI context.
The diagram below shows the major components of a BI system. All the data originates from the various data sources on the left, is colocated in the data warehouse (in the center) and then is analyzed by end users—using data analysis software—on the right.

Data analysis software is often the final, or second-to-last, link in the long chain of BI: This chain begins with loosely related and unstructured data, and ends with actionable intelligence.
Data Analysis Software Explained
Data analysis software is also known as “data analytics” tools. No matter what you call them, these should be able to handle the five key capabilities identified in our report, “5 Core Data Analytics Software Capabilities For SMBs.” Here they are:
-
Dashboards. These provide a real-time overview of key performance indicators (KPIs) in a visual format that is easily sharable. Some data analysis tools allow users to create their own dashboards so they can get a clearer picture of specific business operations.
-
Data set creation. Your business forecasts are only as reliable as the quality and quantity of data behind them. Software for data analysis should allow users to scrub, aggregate and split data as needed.
-
Interactive exploration. Static pie charts and line graphs are practically passé by today’s standards. Tools that enable interactive exploration provide eye-catching ways to visualize trends, such as heat maps and time motion views. Heat maps are 2D representations of data where values are represented by colors and time motion views are moving images depicting how data changes over time.
-
Sharing. Collaboration and social sharing functionalities are important because they allow business leaders to work together more efficiently. When everyone is seeing the same data sets, it’s easier to interpret the information in the same way.
-
Ease of use. A good data analytics tool should not require an advanced computer science degree to operate. While usability will vary depending on how robust and technical your platform is, the interface should be intuitive enough for trained staff to use with minimal support.
Common Functionality
As you research the various options available in the data analysis software market, you’ll notice that vendors describe and name their solutions differently. This can make product selection, and apples-to-apples comparisons, difficult. So, here’s an overview of the general categories of software for data analysis:
Functionality | Description |
Querying | Querying is the process of “asking” the database a question. The answer is returned via the analysis tool in the form of data or data patterns, and is often presented as a “report.” |
Reporting | Reports are the results returned from a database query. They can take many different shapes and sizes depending on the software used, the available data and the specific nature of the query. |
Managed Query Environment (MQE) | MQE functionality lets administrators set role-based restrictions on the types of queries employees can submit, which databases those queries will access and the types of reports they’ll produce. |
Online analytical processing (OLAP) | Analyzes multidimensional data from multiple perspectives. It’s usually comprised of three analytical operations: data consolidation, data sorting and classification ("drill-down") and analysis of data from a particular perspective ("slice-and-dice"). |
Predictive analytics | Makes predictions about future risks and opportunities. For example, predictive analytics could be used to test the effectiveness of marketing campaigns based on the performance of past campaigns. |
Semantic and text analytics | Analyzes large volumes of text to identify patterns, relationships and sentiment. These tools are often applied to comments on social media, live chat conversations and emailed communications. |
Benefits of Data Analysis Software
The benefits of data analysis software are, essentially, the benefits of business intelligence. They vary tremendously depending on the individual case. Generally, however, they help identify, interpret and predict trends and patterns that affect the business.
Data analysis software can help, for example:
- Clarify the correlation between new marketing initiatives and improved sales
- Better predict customers’ needs by analyzing past purchases and browsing habits
- Improve internal workflows and suggest solutions to common bottlenecks
By extracting these kinds of meaningful insights from your data, you’re in a better position to understand what it will take for your business to increase profitability. When you analyze a data set, you’re reflecting on what is (or isn’t) running smoothly at your business. The great advantage of using software for this purpose is it’s often more reliable—and less time-consuming—than manual data coding methods.
Key Considerations for Buyers
Businesses hoping to purchase data analysis tools in the near future should consider the following when evaluating solutions:
Customer support. Even in the most user-friendly of data analysis programs, it’s common to encounter some technical difficulties. Be sure to evaluate all the training and support services a vendor offers before committing to their system. This may include 24/7 live chat, online case submissions, webinars and more.
Mobile access. Business leaders who travel frequently will be especially interested in ensuring their data analysis tools are compatible with various mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. Click here for a more comprehensive guide on mobile BI software.
Integrations. Make a list of all the different software your business currently uses to check what the integration process is like with BI platforms on your shortlist. For example, a vendor’s BI platform may not integrate with your existing CRM system.
Your Guide to Top Data Analysis Tools Software, July 2020
Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated Data Analysis Tools products in North America.
Learn how products are chosen