Compare IBM Cognos Analytics and Looker 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Enterprise (58.6% of reviews)
Mid-Market (60.7% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
Starting at $10.00 1 User Per Month
No pricing available
IBM Cognos Analytics
Star Rating
(460)4.1 out of 5
Market Segments
Enterprise (58.6% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
Starting at $10.00 1 User Per Month
Free Trial is available
Browse all 3 pricing plansLooker
Star Rating
(1,615)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (60.7% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about LookerSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- G2 reviewers report that Looker excels in user interface design, making it easy for users to create interactive dashboards quickly. One user highlighted the ability to build dashboards with real-time data, showcasing clear KPIs, which enhances their ability to visualize performance metrics effectively.
- Users say that IBM Cognos Analytics provides a robust platform for reporting, with features that allow for clear pictorial representations of business performance. Reviewers appreciate its customization options, which help tailor reports to meet specific client needs, making it a valuable tool for presentations.
- According to verified reviews, Looker offers superior ease of setup and administration, with users noting the flexibility to configure integrations across various platforms. This adaptability is particularly beneficial for teams that require seamless data connectivity and quick adjustments to their analytics environment.
- Reviewers mention that while IBM Cognos Analytics has a strong focus on data modeling and governance, some users find the navigation and initial learning curve to be challenging. However, once familiar, users find the tool easy to manipulate and effective for data analysis.
- G2 reviewers highlight that Looker shines in collaboration and workflow capabilities, allowing teams to work together efficiently on analytics projects. Users appreciate the platform's ability to facilitate shared insights and discussions, enhancing team productivity.
- Users report that IBM Cognos Analytics stands out in its ability to handle large datasets and provide detailed insights through its reporting features. One user noted the tool's effectiveness in helping C-level executives understand growth through well-structured reports, which is crucial for strategic decision-making.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
IBM Cognos Analytics
Cognos® Analytics On Demand - Standard
Starting at $10.00
1 User Per Month
Upload and model data, combine data sets, create dashboards and stories, and view report outputs.
- https://www.ibm.com/marketplace/purchase/configuration/en/us/checkout?editionID=EID2RPAX
- Dashboards, storytelling and collaboration
- Cognos mobile
Looker
No pricing availableFree Trial
IBM Cognos Analytics
Free Trial is available
Looker
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.2
317
8.7
1,106
Ease of Use
7.5
340
8.3
1,111
Ease of Setup
7.2
199
8.2
589
Ease of Admin
7.0
143
8.3
432
Quality of Support
7.5
284
8.6
944
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
7.8
139
8.9
410
Product Direction (% positive)
7.9
300
8.7
1,037
Features by Category
Reports
8.1
206
|
Verified
8.6
666
|
Verified
7.6
164
|
Verified
8.2
618
|
Verified
8.1
194
|
Verified
8.2
662
|
Verified
7.7
144
|
Verified
8.3
530
|
Verified
7.9
189
|
Verified
8.7
666
|
Verified
Self Service
8.1
176
|
Verified
8.4
624
|
Verified
8.5
194
|
Verified
8.6
639
|
Verified
8.0
179
|
Verified
8.4
613
|
Verified
7.7
164
|
Verified
8.1
616
|
Verified
7.6
160
|
Verified
8.3
590
|
Verified
7.3
126
|
Verified
7.7
501
|
Verified
Advanced Analytics
7.9
132
|
Verified
7.6
430
|
Verified
8.1
167
|
Verified
8.4
633
|
Verified
8.0
119
|
Verified
8.0
514
|
Verified
Building Reports
8.2
122
|
Verified
8.3
386
|
Verified
8.1
120
|
Verified
8.4
399
|
Verified
7.9
107
|
Verified
8.1
356
|
Verified
7.5
91
|
Verified
8.1
329
|
Verified
Platform
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Reports
8.1
206
|
Verified
8.6
666
|
Verified
7.6
164
|
Verified
8.2
618
|
Verified
8.1
194
|
Verified
8.2
662
|
Verified
7.7
144
|
Verified
8.3
530
|
Verified
7.9
189
|
Verified
8.7
666
|
Verified
Reports
Not enough data
8.5
111
Not enough data
8.5
108
Not enough data
8.0
103
Generative AI
Not enough data
7.0
101
Not enough data
7.1
101
Visualization
Not enough data
8.5
115
Not enough data
8.4
111
Not enough data
8.7
114
Not enough data
8.3
110
Data Updates
Not enough data
8.1
108
Not enough data
8.3
106
Collaboration
Not enough data
8.4
108
Not enough data
8.0
107
Not enough data
8.0
103
Data Updates
Not enough data
7.9
138
Not enough data
8.0
141
Not enough data
8.5
144
Reports
8.1
206
|
Verified
8.6
666
|
Verified
7.6
164
|
Verified
8.2
618
|
Verified
8.1
194
|
Verified
8.2
662
|
Verified
7.7
144
|
Verified
8.3
530
|
Verified
7.9
189
|
Verified
8.7
666
|
Verified
Data Preparation
8.3
72
|
Verified
8.3
286
|
Verified
8.4
73
|
Verified
8.3
264
|
Verified
Data Modeling and Blending
8.4
77
|
Verified
8.5
312
|
Verified
8.5
77
|
Verified
8.7
330
|
Verified
8.2
74
|
Verified
8.3
312
|
Verified
Generative AI
7.3
37
7.1
89
7.5
37
7.1
87
Agentic AI - Analytics Platforms
7.8
10
7.3
41
8.0
9
7.4
40
8.0
9
7.4
40
8.1
9
7.1
40
8.3
10
7.4
41
8.0
10
7.5
40
8.0
10
7.7
39
Self Service
8.1
176
|
Verified
8.4
624
|
Verified
8.5
194
|
Verified
8.6
639
|
Verified
8.0
179
|
Verified
8.4
613
|
Verified
7.7
164
|
Verified
8.1
616
|
Verified
7.6
160
|
Verified
8.3
590
|
Verified
7.3
126
|
Verified
7.7
501
|
Verified
Deployment & Integration - Analytics Platforms
8.8
7
8.1
39
8.3
7
8.2
38
7.8
6
7.7
35
8.3
7
8.3
44
Advanced Analytics
7.9
132
|
Verified
7.6
430
|
Verified
8.1
167
|
Verified
8.4
633
|
Verified
8.0
119
|
Verified
8.0
514
|
Verified
Performance & Scalability - Analytics Platforms
8.6
7
7.7
46
8.8
7
8.0
36
Advanced Analytics & Modeling - Analytics Platforms
9.0
8
8.2
41
8.9
6
7.2
35
8.8
7
7.4
36
Agentic AI Capabilities - Analytics Platforms
9.2
8
7.2
35
8.8
7
7.5
36
8.1
6
7.7
35
7.8
6
7.4
35
Personalized Intelligence - Analytics Platforms
8.1
6
7.6
35
8.3
6
7.3
36
8.6
6
7.6
35
Building Reports
8.2
122
|
Verified
8.3
386
|
Verified
8.1
120
|
Verified
8.4
399
|
Verified
7.9
107
|
Verified
8.1
356
|
Verified
7.5
91
|
Verified
8.1
329
|
Verified
Reports
8.1
206
|
Verified
8.6
666
|
Verified
7.6
164
|
Verified
8.2
618
|
Verified
8.1
194
|
Verified
8.2
662
|
Verified
7.7
144
|
Verified
8.3
530
|
Verified
7.9
189
|
Verified
8.7
666
|
Verified
Self Service
8.1
176
|
Verified
8.4
624
|
Verified
8.5
194
|
Verified
8.6
639
|
Verified
8.0
179
|
Verified
8.4
613
|
Verified
7.7
164
|
Verified
8.1
616
|
Verified
7.6
160
|
Verified
8.3
590
|
Verified
7.3
126
|
Verified
7.7
501
|
Verified
Building Reports
8.2
122
|
Verified
8.3
386
|
Verified
8.1
120
|
Verified
8.4
399
|
Verified
7.9
107
|
Verified
8.1
356
|
Verified
7.5
91
|
Verified
8.1
329
|
Verified
Metrics
Not enough data
8.8
240
Not enough data
8.7
240
Not enough data
8.4
226
Not enough data
8.4
228
Not enough data
8.4
217
Not enough data
8.3
227
Not enough data
8.4
221
Not enough data
8.5
232
Not enough data
8.3
224
Reporting
Not enough data
8.4
243
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
8.6
244
Not enough data
8.5
247
Not enough data
8.1
201
Not enough data
8.4
207
Not enough data
9.0
256
Other
Not enough data
8.7
228
Not enough data
8.6
211
Not enough data
8.4
203
Not enough data
8.7
217
Not enough data
8.7
209
Not enough data
8.2
181
Not enough data
8.3
193
Agentic AI - Digital Analytics
Not enough data
7.6
16
Not enough data
7.9
16
Not enough data
7.9
17
Not enough data
8.0
17
Administration
Not enough data
8.4
219
Not enough data
8.4
196
Not enough data
8.5
248
Not enough data
8.6
242
Agentic AI - Sales Analytics
Not enough data
7.2
12
Not enough data
7.8
12
Not enough data
6.9
12
Not enough data
7.6
13
Not enough data
7.5
12
Data Sourcing
Not enough data
8.8
206
Not enough data
8.8
222
Not enough data
8.6
190
Not enough data
8.8
227
Not enough data
8.7
210
Predictive Analytics
Not enough data
8.3
154
Not enough data
8.2
150
Not enough data
8.2
148
Not enough data
8.1
165
Sales Management
Not enough data
8.4
162
Not enough data
8.2
141
Not enough data
8.6
171
Not enough data
8.7
169
Statistical Tool
8.2
31
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Data Analysis
8.7
34
Not enough data
8.8
33
Not enough data
Decision Making
8.7
31
Not enough data
8.6
34
Not enough data
8.5
35
Not enough data
8.3
31
Not enough data
Generative AI
8.0
18
Not enough data
8.1
18
Not enough data
Marketing Operations
Not enough data
8.6
222
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.7
241
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.5
228
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.9
245
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.4
130
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Campaign Activity
Not enough data
8.6
231
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.8
261
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.5
213
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.5
214
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.4
200
|
Verified
Not enough data
7.9
120
|
Verified
Agentic AI - Marketing Analytics
Not enough data
6.8
14
Not enough data
7.7
15
Not enough data
7.4
15
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
IBM Cognos Analytics and Looker are categorized as Embedded Business Intelligence and Analytics Platforms
Unique Categories
IBM Cognos Analytics is categorized as Predictive Analytics
Looker is categorized as Sales Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Digital Analytics, and Data Visualization
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
IBM Cognos Analytics
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Looker
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
11.1%
Insurance
8.5%
Financial Services
8.3%
Computer Software
6.5%
Banking
5.4%
Other
60.2%
Computer Software
11.6%
Information Technology and Services
11.1%
Marketing and Advertising
8.2%
Financial Services
7.5%
Internet
6.1%
Other
55.4%
Discussions
Where can I find more answers on my questions?
2 Comments
MD
We're IBM Gold partners with a ton of experience implementing Cognos, and have lots of good free technical information on our blog at...Read more
I heard Cognos Analytics 11.11 was out - where can I find more information?
2 Comments
MD
As of October 2019, the latest version is 11.1.4. We just did a livestream earlier this week to review the latest updates. You can check that out here:...Read more
Have you used DMR ? Have you found it better than a relational or a powercube?
1 Comment
CM
Yes, I have used DMR. However, the performance here is not so great compared to a PowerCube. However, you don't have to worry about building cubes. I...Read more
Is looker an ETL tool?
3 Comments
AP
No, Looker is not an ETL tool. It is a Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Analytics platform that helps users visualize, explore and analyze data.Read more
Best way to start on visualizations?
2 Comments
AG
Looker has a built-in set of visualizations that you can automatically apply to any dataset that they work with. Once you setup your initial connection to a...Read more
Which databases does Looker work with?
1 Comment
Official Response from Looker
Looker works with any SQL readable data store, including Hadoop. Looker sits in-database allowing you to access all of your row level data and leverage the...Read more
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