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# Forrester vs IDC Comparison - What are their main differences?

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ForresterIDC[+ Add Product](#)

Pricing

**Forrester**
No pricing available

**IDC**
No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**Forrester**
Not enough reviews yet

**IDC**
Not enough reviews yet

Return on Investment

**Forrester**
4 months

Based on 8 responses

**IDC**
Not enough reviews yet

Perceived Cost

**Forrester**
Not enough reviews yet

**IDC**
Not enough reviews yet

Average Discount

**Forrester**
Not enough reviews yet

**IDC**
Not enough reviews yet

 ![Forrester](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5bead2c77814af73ec6980aab7010501/forrester.svg "Forrester")

 ![IDC](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/380ba4fd6dfa111d60c9632282d2c7c1/idc%282%29.svg "IDC")

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**Pros & Cons**
from reviews

**Forrester**
[
Authenticity (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/forrester/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1094703&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Simple (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/forrester/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2059712&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

**IDC**
[
Insights (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/idc/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2237507&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

**Ratings**
from reviews

Meets Requirements

**Forrester**

8.9

8.922

**IDC**

9.1

9.113

Ease of Use

**Forrester**

8.3

8.323

**IDC**

9.2

9.212

Ease of Setup

**Forrester**

8.7

8.75

**IDC**
Not enough data

Ease of Admin

**Forrester**
Not enough data

**IDC**
Not enough data

Quality of Support

**Forrester**

8.8

8.821

**IDC**

8.2

8.213

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**Forrester**

8.5

8.512

**IDC**

8.3

8.35

Product Direction (% positive)

**Forrester**

8.7

8.727

**IDC**

7.9

7.911

**Features**
ratings from reviews

User Insights

**Reviewers' Company Size**

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
37.1%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
25.7%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
37.1%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
37.1%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
25.7%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
37.1%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
33.3%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
37.5%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
29.2%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
33.3%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
37.5%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
29.2%

**Reviewers' Industry**

[![Forrester](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5bead2c77814af73ec6980aab7010501/forrester.svg "Forrester")](https://www.g2.com/products/forrester/reviews)
Forrester

Computer Software
13.9%

Financial Services
11.1%

Information Technology and Services
11.1%

Accounting
8.3%

Marketing and Advertising
8.3%

Other
47.2%

[![IDC](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/380ba4fd6dfa111d60c9632282d2c7c1/idc%282%29.svg "IDC")](https://www.g2.com/products/idc/reviews)
IDC

Computer Software
16.7%

Telecommunications
12.5%

Information Technology and Services
12.5%

Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
12.5%

Consumer Electronics
8.3%

Other
37.5%

FAQs

## Forrester vs IDC FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 14, 2026

### What is the difference between Forrester vs IDC?

IDC stands out for its higher G2 rating and reviewer-cited insights, while Forrester is noted for authenticity and a higher Quality of Support score.

| [Forrester](https://www.g2.com/products/forrester/reviews) | [IDC](https://www.g2.com/products/idc/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| 4.3/5 (38 reviews) | 4.5/5 (24 reviews) |
| — | — |
| 8.7 | — |
| 8.8 | 8.2 |
| Authenticity (1 all-time mention) | Insights (1 all-time mention) |

### How do the pricing models of Forrester and IDC compare?

IDC is rated higher for value, with reviewers expressing greater satisfaction with its pricing compared to Forrester.

- **Forrester:** In recent reviews, several reviewers mention that the cost is high and may be a barrier for small firms, though they acknowledge the quality of insights provided.
- **IDC:** Reviewers note that IDC's pricing is also high, but they highlight the breadth of data and tools as justifying the investment for many organizations.

### What are the best alternatives to Forrester and IDC?

G2 Marketing Solutions, Gartner, and Forrester are the top alternatives to IDC in Technology Research Services.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Forrester](https://www.g2.com/products/forrester/reviews) | 4.3/5 (38 reviews) | — | High cost noted in recent reviews | Authenticity (1 all-time mention) |
| [IDC](https://www.g2.com/products/idc/reviews) | 4.5/5 (24 reviews) | — | High cost, but justified by breadth of data | Insights (1 all-time mention) |
| [G2 Marketing Solutions](https://www.g2.com/products/g2/reviews) | 4.6/5 (5716 reviews) | Mid-Market | — | — |
| [Gartner](https://www.g2.com/products/gartner/reviews) | 4.0/5 (88 reviews) | Mid-Market | — | — |

### Which Technology Research Services features should I prioritize when comparing Forrester and IDC?

Buyers should prioritize Ease of Use, Quality of Support, Meets Requirements, Insights, and Authenticity when comparing Forrester and IDC.

- **Ease of Use:** Forrester 8.3, IDC 9.2
- **Quality of Support:** Forrester 8.8, IDC 8.2
- **Meets Requirements:** Forrester 8.9, IDC 9.1
- **Insights:** IDC (1 all-time mention), Forrester not cited
- **Authenticity:** Forrester (1 all-time mention), IDC not cited

### What are the pros and cons of Forrester vs IDC?

IDC's headline strength is actionable insights, while Forrester is recognized for authenticity and support quality.

- **Forrester strengths:** Authenticity (1 all-time mention), user-friendly interface, detailed analysis, and high-quality support (8.8 score).
- **Forrester trade-offs:** High cost is frequently cited as a barrier, especially for small businesses; some reviewers mention a lack of depth in niche trends and absence of AI/ML features.
- **IDC strengths:** Insights (1 all-time mention), vast library of data sets and tools, actionable advisory, and high Ease of Use (9.2 score).
- **IDC trade-offs:** High cost is noted, and several reviewers mention that customer support could be better trained for technical issues.

### Is Forrester or IDC better for small businesses?

Neither Forrester nor IDC is specifically favored for small businesses, as both lack a dominant small-business segment and both are noted for high costs in recent reviews.

- **Forrester:** No dominant small-business segment; reviewers highlight high cost as a barrier for small firms.
- **IDC:** No dominant small-business segment; reviewers also mention high cost, with some recommending startups consider alternatives.

### Which Technology Research Services platform has better integrations?

Forrester and IDC are at parity for integrations, as no reviewer-cited integrations are mentioned for either product.

- **Forrester:** No integrations cited in recent reviews.
- **IDC:** No integrations cited in recent reviews.

### How do Forrester and IDC compare on customer support?

Forrester and IDC are at near-parity on Quality of Support, with Forrester scoring 8.8 and IDC 8.2, a difference below the materiality threshold.

- **Forrester:** Reviewers consistently praise the support team for being knowledgeable, proactive, and responsive, with multiple mentions of high-quality customer service.
- **IDC:** Reviewers describe support as generally good, though some note delays in response time and a need for better technical training among support staff.

### Which is easier to implement, Forrester or IDC?

Forrester and IDC are at parity on Ease of Setup, with Forrester scoring 8.7 and IDC reviewers describing setup as easy and straightforward.

- **Forrester:** Reviewers rate Ease of Setup at 8.7, noting a user-friendly interface and straightforward onboarding process.
- **IDC:** Reviewers describe setup as easy and the platform as user-friendly, with several citing quick implementation experiences.

Alternatives

**Forrester Alternatives**

 ![G2 Marketing Solutions](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/543629e60e9e4cdf9b1179317ae7a2bd/g2.svg "G2 Marketing Solutions")

[
G2 Marketing Solutions
](/products/g2/reviews)

 ![Gartner](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_0d3143c16a3e4525407475368aa2b5fb/gartner.png "Gartner")

[
Gartner
](/products/gartner/reviews)

 ![Experts Exchange](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_e47171b9b0599c20faa665504af52f6f/experts-exchange.png "Experts Exchange")

[
Experts Exchange
](/products/experts-exchange/reviews)

 ![Ovum](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_470e0c2eea9472305ffb589475ce4c3c/ovum.jpg "Ovum")

[
Ovum
](/products/ovum/reviews)

**IDC Alternatives**

 ![G2 Marketing Solutions](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/543629e60e9e4cdf9b1179317ae7a2bd/g2.svg "G2 Marketing Solutions")

[
G2 Marketing Solutions
](/products/g2/reviews)

 ![Gartner](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_0d3143c16a3e4525407475368aa2b5fb/gartner.png "Gartner")

[
Gartner
](/products/gartner/reviews)

 ![Responsive, formerly RFPIO](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/799e832a5413ade138b86c0c7447b06b/responsive-formerly-rfpio.svg "Responsive, formerly RFPIO")

[
Responsive, formerly RFPIO
](/products/responsive-formerly-rfpio/reviews)

 ![GTM Workspace - Powered by ZoomInfo](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/36867c47db8f838807091d68c3f2f753/gtm-workspace-powered-by-zoominfo.svg "GTM Workspace - Powered by ZoomInfo")

[
GTM Workspace - Powered by ZoomInfo
](/products/gtm-workspace-powered-by-zoominfo/reviews)

## Forrester vs IDC

- Reviewers felt that IDC meets the needs of their business better than Forrester.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Forrester is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of Forrester over IDC.