The Best Business Intelligence Platforms for Small Businesses

BI can (and should) be used in almost any aspect of your business where increased clarity and transparency are desired. But how do you do it without overcomplicating things?

Focus your search, like with any tool you buy for your business, on products designed specifically for small businesses. These are more likely to be a better fit for your company's specific needs and budget, without pressuring you to pay for capabilities you don't need.

Furthermore, according to the study by Accenture, 74% of employees feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable when dealing with data, and more than a third of respondents would prefer not to use data to complete a task. We need tools that are not only powerful, but also make data analysis more accessible and assist us in quickly gaining critical insights.

To get you started on your search, here's a quick rundown of BI solutions for small organisations. Many of these can scale with your business, so you can gain those extra features as you grow.

Google Data Studio

Google Data Studio is a data visualisation tool that Google created solely on its own.

For enterprises, Google Data Studio provides a free and simple platform for creating bespoke reports and dashboards, allowing for quick data visualisation and reporting. It links to over 300 data sources to bring your data together for a clear picture of your organisation.

What we like: Google Data Studio is a fantastic free alternative to the paid solutions above.

Google Data Studio is free, despite having fewer features than the other tools on this list.

Tableau

Tableau is a terrific choice for many firms, small and large, as one of the major players in the BI and analytics market. Users can create dashboards and visualise data using this user-friendly application, making it simple to access all the data you need in one place and make quick decisions.

Tableau is strong and adaptable while remaining straightforward, making it suitable for small businesses transitioning to business intelligence. The data visualisation tools are particularly well-liked and appreciated.

Tableau offers three team plans: Viewer ($15 per month per user), Explorer ($42 per month per user), and Creator ($70 per month per user).

Looker

Looker is an easy-to-use BI software and data analytics platform that allows enterprises to explore, analyse, and share real-time information. It's another terrific alternative for small businesses. It enables you to construct bespoke dashboards for quick data visualisation and ensure that the appropriate stakeholders have real-time access to the most relevant data.

What we appreciate about Looker is that its interface and functionality are very customisable, allowing you to get actionable data in the format you prefer. You have a lot of control over the data you view and how it's displayed.

Price: Because Looker has a customizable pricing approach, potential customers should contact their team for a customised quote.

Cluvio

Cluvio is a business intelligence platform designed specifically for startups and small businesses. It enables users to quickly evaluate data and create dynamic dashboards that can be shared with their team. Your team can keep track of key KPIs, receive notifications based on circumstances you establish, modify reports, and more with Cluvio.

What we like: Cluvio is designed specifically for small enterprises and startups. It provides highly customizable custom dashboards that serve as a one-stop shop for queries, visualisations, and other functions.

Cluvio offers a free basic plan for accounts with only one user. The cost of a paid subscription starts at $279 per month.

Domo

Domo is a scalable business intelligence and analytics platform that allows you to connect data from several sources and visualise it all in one place, giving your team instant access to data and allowing them to draw data-driven insights for a variety of business operations.

What we like: Domo excels at combining data from several sources and showing it quickly. It can easily handle massive datasets, making data analysis accessible to even the most inexperienced users.

Domo offers a free trial, however, interested consumers must contact their sales staff for a personalised estimate.