Qlik Sense vs Amazon QuickSight: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Choosing the right business intelligence tool is critical for data-driven decision-making. Qlik Sense and Amazon Quicksight are two prominent players in the BI landscape, each offering unique features and capabilities.
This comparison will delve into the strengths and limitations of both platforms, examining aspects such as ease of use, scalability, and cost-efficiency.
Additionally, we'll explore how Sourcetable offers a contemporary solution with a spreadsheet-like interface that seamlessly synchronizes with your data, serving as an alternative for reporting and data analytics tasks.
What Is Qlik Sense?
Qlik Sense is a modern data analytics tool that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver comprehensive insights quickly. It employs associative analytics for data exploration and insight discovery, enabling users to understand the connections within their data.
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Qlik Sense is a modern data analytics tool that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver comprehensive insights quickly. It employs associative analytics for data exploration and insight discovery, enabling users to understand the connections within their data.
Qlik Sense facilitates self-service capabilities, allowing users to create visualizations, interactive dashboards, and perform ad-hoc analyses through search and natural language interactions. The platform supports advanced and predictive analytics, as well as automated insight generation and data preparation processes.
With its capacity to integrate with a multitude of data sources, Qlik Sense ensures accessibility and flexibility. It can be used on any device, from anywhere, and can be embedded in other applications. Qlik Sense provides a full suite of APIs for customization and extended functionality.
Recognized for its robust data prep and connectivity features, Qlik Sense has gained the trust of over 40,000 customers worldwide.
What is Amazon QuickSight?
Amazon QuickSight is a business intelligence service that provides data insights and business analytics. It facilitates the combination of data from various sources and delivers insights to organizational members. The service is fully managed, offering enterprise-grade security and global availability. A distinctive feature of QuickSight is its in-memory engine, SPICE, which ensures rapid response times.
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Amazon QuickSight is a business intelligence service that provides data insights and business analytics. It facilitates the combination of data from various sources and delivers insights to organizational members. The service is fully managed, offering enterprise-grade security and global availability. A distinctive feature of QuickSight is its in-memory engine, SPICE, which ensures rapid response times.
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Key Features
- Connects to data in the cloud for accessibility and integration.
- Includes built-in redundancy for reliability.
- Provides user-management tools for administrative control.
- SPICE engine delivers fast analytics performance.
- Designed for low total cost of ownership (TCO).
- Enables collaborative analytics and dashboard creation.
- Allows customization of dashboard features.
- Generates reliable forecasts and identifies outliers automatically.
- Uncovers hidden trends and translates data into narratives.
- Offers additional security features to protect sensitive information.
- Supports embedding of analytics and dashboards in applications.
- Permits multitenancy for value-added resellers to serve multiple customers.
- Allows scripting of dashboard templates for standardized reporting.
- Simplifies access management with shared and personal folders.
- Enables larger data imports and more frequent data refreshes.
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Security and Accessibility
Amazon QuickSight provides enterprise-grade security features to safeguard data and analytics. It simplifies access management and supports multitenancy, making it suitable for a variety of business environments. The service's global availability ensures that users can access insights wherever they are.
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Qlik Sense Key Features
Associative Analytics Engine |
Qlik Sense features a unique associative analytics engine that enables deep data exploration and instant insight discovery, supporting users to uncover hidden insights within their data. |
Augmented Analytics |
With AI and ML integrated into its core, Qlik Sense offers augmented analytics capabilities, including AI-powered insights and predictions, AI-assisted creation, and data prep for enhanced decision-making. |
Interactive Visualizations and Dashboards |
Qlik Sense provides highly interactive visualizations and dashboards, facilitating self-service data visualization and exploration through intuitive and customizable interfaces. |
Advanced and Predictive Analytics |
The platform includes advanced and predictive analytics features, such as AutoML and data science integrations, enabling users to create machine learning models and predictive insights. |
Data Integration and Preparation |
Qlik Sense offers a comprehensive set of data prep and integration capabilities, ensuring fast and effective data connectivity, central management, and governance for diverse data sources. |
Alerting and Automation |
Qlik Sense's alerting and automation features provide data-driven alert technology and event-driven actions, allowing immediate response to data insights and automated workflows. |
Collaboration and Mobility |
The platform promotes collaboration through features like notes, narrative, and discussion threads, as well as enabling mobile analytics for on-the-go data access and decision-making. |
Customization and Extensibility |
With a complete set of open and standard APIs, Qlik Sense allows for the creation of custom apps and visualizations, embedding analytics into applications, and developing tailored analytics solutions. |
Application Automation and Low-Code Environment |
Qlik Sense's application automation capabilities, combined with a low-code environment, streamline the analytics workflow, making it easier for users to automate tasks and processes. |
Amazon Quicksight Features
Browser Support |
Amazon Quicksight provides a flexible user experience across multiple web browsers. It currently supports the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. However, support for Internet Explorer was available only until July 31, 2022. |
Integration with AWS Services |
Quicksight seamlessly integrates with various AWS services, enabling efficient analytics and business intelligence operations within the AWS ecosystem. |
Advantages of Qlik Sense for Business Intelligence
User-Friendly and Powerful Analytics
Qlik Sense is a user-friendly tool designed to enhance data literacy among business users. Its self-service visualization solutions allow for intuitive reporting and analytics.
Cost-Effectiveness
As a relatively affordable option at $30 per user per month, Qlik Sense provides a cost-efficient solution for data analytics tasks.
Device Compatibility and Mobility
With its responsive design and mobility feature, Qlik Sense supports a wide range of devices, facilitating mobile-friendly access to business intelligence.
Collaboration and Security
The centralized hub of Qlik Sense enables easy collaboration and information sharing, while its comprehensive security features ensure data protection.
Customization and Flexibility
Qlik Sense offers customization through open APIs, allowing users to develop custom apps and visualizations to meet specific business requirements.
AI-Powered Analytics
Qlik Sense leverages AI to provide powerful analytics, aiding in more informed business decisions.
Disadvantages of Using Qlik Sense for Business Intelligence
Performance with Large Data Sets
Qlik Sense performance declines when processing large data sets, affecting efficiency in data analytics tasks.
Cost Implications for Teams
Qlik Sense may impose financial constraints on larger teams due to its pricing structure, making it a less viable option for businesses with significant team sizes.
Integration with Excel
There is an incomplete data transfer issue from Qlik Sense to Excel, which can hinder seamless reporting and data manipulation.
Additional Costs for Extensions
Extra expenses are incurred for add-ons and plugins, potentially increasing the overall cost of using Qlik Sense for business intelligence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qlik Sense
What payment methods are accepted for Qlik Sense training?
You can pay for training with a credit card, Training Card, or invoice.
How can I find out which Qlik Sense courses to take?
You can take training recommendations to find which courses to take for your role.
How can I check if I'm registered for a Qlik Sense training course?
You can check your registration status on the My Training page.
Can I use a Training Card to pay for Qlik Sense certifications?
No, Training Cards cannot be used to pay for certifications.
Do I need to use my Qlik Sense Training Card within a certain time frame?
Yes, you have 12 months from the purchase date to use the Training Card.
Use Cases for Qlik Sense
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Improving efficiency and customer service
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Creating company-wide analytics portals
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Enhancing operational success
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Reducing cost and effort in converting loan prospects
Advantages of Amazon QuickSight for Business Intelligence
Cost-Effectiveness
Amazon QuickSight provides a cost-effective solution for business intelligence, reducing the financial barriers for organizations to access analytics tools.
Speed and Interactivity
With its fast performance, Amazon QuickSight delivers rapid data insights and high interactivity, enhancing decision-making processes.
Data Source Integration
Handling multiple data sources, Amazon QuickSight facilitates comprehensive data analysis within a single platform.
Data Visualization and Accessibility
Amazon QuickSight's data visualization capabilities allow for clear data interpretation, and its accessibility from multiple devices ensures insights can be obtained anywhere, anytime.
Scalability and Collaboration
Highly scalable, Amazon QuickSight supports a vast number of users, enabling collaborative and independent work on business metrics and self-service analyses.
Business Application
Amazon QuickSight's versatility across various business domains makes it a practical tool for diverse reporting and data analytics tasks.
Disadvantages of Using Amazon Quicksight for Business Intelligence
Limited Data Modeling Capabilities
Amazon Quicksight falls short in supporting complex data modeling within dashboards, restricting the depth of data analysis.
Dataset Limitations
Users encounter unusual restrictions when working with child datasets from those with Row-Level Security (RLSS) and face obstacles in dataset creation and loading.
Dataset Refreshing Constraints
The platform's inflexibility in dataset refreshing from the graphical user interface (GUI) poses challenges for dynamic data management.
Restricted Advanced Dashboard Functions
Quicksight's dashboard functionality is limited, particularly concerning advanced features needed for sophisticated analytics.
Quality and Stability Issues
More bugs and oversights are present in Quicksight than is typical for a mature service, impacting reliability.
Lack of Environment Staging
The absence of support for distinct development, quality assurance, and production environments hinders structured development processes.
Ineffective Organizational Tools
Quicksight's folder system does not provide genuine directory functionality, complicating file management.
Version Control Deficiencies
There is no straightforward method for version control, which is essential for tracking changes and maintaining consistency across business intelligence reports.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amazon Quicksight
What web browsers does Amazon Quicksight support?
Amazon Quicksight supports Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
Can I use Internet Explorer to access Amazon Quicksight?
No, AWS support for Internet Explorer ended on 07/31/2022.
What happens if I try to access Amazon Quicksight with Internet Explorer after support has ended?
You will not be able to access Amazon Quicksight with Internet Explorer as AWS support for it has ended.
Use Cases for Amazon Quicksight
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Creating comprehensive dashboards to visualize AWS data alongside third-party and SaaS data
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Performing advanced analytics to make reliable forecasts and identify hidden trends using machine learning
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Delivering real-time business insights to a large number of users within an organization
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Securing sensitive business data with enterprise-grade security during analytics processes
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Combining and interpreting data from various sources in a visual environment for in-depth business reporting
Why Sourcetable is a Superior Choice for Business Intelligence
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Streamlined Data Management
Sourcetable offers an integrated approach to managing data by consolidating various data sources into a single, spreadsheet-like interface. This simplification eliminates the need to switch between multiple tools, making it more efficient than solutions like Qlik Sense and Amazon Quicksight.
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User-Friendly Interface
The familiar spreadsheet format provided by Sourcetable allows users of all skill levels to perform data analytics without the learning curve associated with the complex interfaces of Qlik Sense or the technical aspects of Amazon Quicksight.
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Enhanced Reporting Capabilities
Sourcetable's emphasis on ease of reporting aligns with the needs of businesses looking to generate insights quickly and easily. Unlike the more intricate reporting processes in Qlik Sense and Amazon Quicksight, Sourcetable simplifies the creation and sharing of reports.
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Optimized for Collaboration
With its focus on collaborative features, Sourcetable enables teams to work together seamlessly on data analytics tasks, which can be more challenging to coordinate within the frameworks of Qlik Sense and Amazon Quicksight.
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Cost-Effectiveness
Sourcetable provides a cost-effective alternative to both Qlik Sense and Amazon Quicksight by offering a straightforward pricing model that scales with the needs of the business, avoiding the potential complexities of licensing and subscriptions associated with other BI tools.
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Comparison of Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight
Analytics Tools
Both Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight serve as data analytics tools, offering users the ability to analyze data through various interactive features.
AI and ML Integration
Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight integrate AI and ML technologies to enhance data analysis, offering predictions and insights without requiring deep technical expertise.
Interactive Dashboards and Visualizations
Each platform provides highly interactive dashboards and visualization tools, enabling users to create and share insightful graphical representations of data.
Self-Service Capabilities
Both platforms offer self-service capabilities, allowing users of all skill levels to work with data effectively, promoting data literacy without dependency on IT departments.
Mobile Accessibility
Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight are designed to work on mobile devices, ensuring access to analytics on the go.
Cloud-Based Options
Both platforms offer cloud-based SaaS deployments, catering to customers who prefer cloud services for data analytics.
Augmented Analytics
Augmented analytics features are available in both Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight, automating insight generation and enabling natural language interactions.
Data Source Integration
Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight can integrate with a variety of data sources, facilitating a comprehensive analysis of data from multiple origins.
APIs and Extensibility
Each platform provides open and standard APIs, supporting custom app development and the ability to extend functionality to meet specific user needs.
Reporting and Alerting
Both tools feature robust reporting capabilities, allowing for the scheduling and generation of reports, as well as alerting features to monitor data changes and trigger actions.
Customer Base
Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight have extensive customer bases, indicating widespread adoption and trust in their analytics capabilities.
Qlik Sense vs. Amazon QuickSight
Analytics Engine
Qlik Sense is powered by an AI-powered associative analytics engine, allowing for interactive data exploration and insight generation. Amazon QuickSight uses SPICE (Super-fast, Parallel, In-memory Calculation Engine) to perform advanced calculations and render visualizations quickly.
Data Interaction
Qlik Sense offers associative exploration, enabling users to make selections in any object, in any direction, to refine context and uncover insights. QuickSight focuses on fast, business-oriented analytics with an emphasis on visualization and dashboard creation.
AI and Machine Learning
Qlik Sense utilizes AI and ML for augmented analytics capabilities, automated insight generation, and predictive analytics. QuickSight also incorporates ML insights but with different features like anomaly detection and forecasting.
Deployment Options
Qlik Sense is available as a SaaS or on-premises solution, catering to various industry needs including those that are highly regulated. QuickSight is primarily a cloud-native service hosted on AWS, aimed at seamless integration with other AWS services.
Data Sources and Integration
Both Qlik Sense and QuickSight integrate with multiple data sources. Qlik Sense provides a wide array of data prep and integration capabilities. QuickSight connects to AWS data sources and SaaS applications, leveraging the AWS ecosystem.
Customization and Extensibility
Qlik Sense offers a complete set of open APIs for custom app development, new visualizations, and embedded analytics. QuickSight allows embedding of analytics into applications and websites but with different customization options.
Collaboration
Qlik Sense includes capabilities for collaboration and adding narrative to analytics, whereas QuickSight provides sharing and collaboration features within the AWS environment.
Pricing
For detailed pricing information on Qlik Sense, contacting Qlik is necessary. Amazon QuickSight offers pay-per-session pricing, providing cost-effective access for occasional users.
Customer Base
Qlik Sense is used by over 40,000 customers globally, including organizations like Honda and Samsung. Amazon QuickSight's customer information is less often disclosed but includes AWS's extensive user base.
Qlik Sense vs Amazon Quicksight vs Sourcetable
Qlik Sense
Qlik Sense is an AI-powered data analytics tool known for its associative analytics engine and interactive exploration capabilities. It allows users to generate insights, create machine learning models, and make predictions efficiently. Its responsive design ensures usability across devices, and it offers extensive integration options with its open APIs. Qlik Sense is scalable, has centralized management and governance, and is suitable for tasks ranging from data prep and integration to creating dashboards and reports. It is a cloud-native platform that promotes data literacy among users.
Amazon Quicksight
Amazon Quicksight is a cloud-based business intelligence service provided by AWS. It enables users to build visualizations, perform ad-hoc analysis, and quickly get business insights from their data. Quicksight is integrated with AWS data services and has ML capabilities to provide predictive analytics. It is designed to be scalable and cost-effective, with a pay-per-session pricing model. Quicksight also offers quick setup and ease of use for non-technical users.
Sourcetable
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet-like tool designed for workflow automation, data analysis, and reporting. It is particularly user-friendly for those familiar with spreadsheet software and aims to make data manipulation and visualization accessible without the need for advanced technical skills. Sourcetable integrates with various data sources, providing a centralized platform for managing diverse data tasks. However, it may not match the AI-powered analytics capabilities or the extensive scalability of a platform like Qlik Sense.
Comparison and Contrast
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sourcetable
What is Sourcetable and who typically uses it?
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet that replaces workflows typically done in Excel, Google Sheets, and Business Intelligence tools. It is used by growth teams and business operations teams who need to centralize, analyze, and model data that updates over time.
How does Sourcetable integrate with 3rd party applications?
Sourcetable allows users to access and sync data from over 100 applications and most databases. Data integrations update every 15 minutes on the regular plan and every 5 minutes on the pro plan.
Do I need to know how to code to use Sourcetable?
No, Sourcetable does not require any coding skills to use. Users can query data and build live models that update automatically without coding.
What are the pricing plans for Sourcetable?
Sourcetable costs $50 per month for the starter plan and $250 per month for the pro plan. Additional seats cost $20 per month each, and all plans come with a 14-day free trial.
How quickly can I start creating reports with Sourcetable?
Users can start creating reports with Sourcetable within minutes of setting it up.
Qlik Sense Pricing Overview
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Qlik Cloud Analytics Plans
Qlik Cloud Analytics Plans require an annual billing cycle. This commitment ensures that users can leverage Qlik Sense's capabilities for a full year without monthly renewals.
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Premium Plan Costs
The starting price for the Premium plan is $2,700 per month. This plan is designed for businesses that need advanced analytics capabilities.
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Enterprise Plan Inclusions
Enterprise plans are tailored for larger-scale data analysis needs, beginning with a data allowance of 500GB per year. These plans encompass all features available in the Premium plan, providing a comprehensive analytics solution.
Amazon Quicksight Cost Overview
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Paginated Reports
Amazon Quicksight charges a flat rate of $500 per month for access to paginated reports.
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Session Pricing
Sessions are priced at $0.30 each, capping at a monthly maximum of $5.
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Alerts Pricing
- Alerts cost $0.50 for every 1000 metrics evaluated.
- The cost per metric evaluated for alerts is $0.0005.
User Reviews of Amazon Quicksight
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Data Management and Size
Users note that Quicksight supports datasets up to 1 TB, indicating a significant capacity for data analysis.
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Data Modeling Capabilities
There is feedback that Quicksight lacks a real "data model" compared to competitors like PowerBI, which may affect complex data relationships.
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SPICE Datasets and RLSS
Reviews mention limitations in creating child SPICE datasets from SPICE datasets that use Row-Level Security (RLSS), potentially impacting advanced data structuring.
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Dataset Refresh Limitations
Users have pointed out constraints in the refresh capabilities of datasets within Quicksight, influencing the timeliness of data analysis.
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Environment Management
There are criticisms regarding the difficulty in setting up distinct development, quality assurance, and production environments in Quicksight, which can affect project management and deployment.
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Dashboard Organization
Limited functionality for using folders to organize dashboards is a noted drawback, impacting the user experience in managing multiple dashboards.
Conclusion
In summary, both Qlik Sense and Amazon QuickSight offer robust business intelligence solutions, each with its unique strengths. Qlik Sense provides a flexible, self-service model for data exploration, while Amazon QuickSight excels in integrating with AWS services and scaling with enterprise needs.
Sourcetable, on the other hand, streamlines business intelligence processes by offering real-time data syncing across various services within an intuitive spreadsheet interface. This simplification can be particularly beneficial for users seeking immediacy and familiarity without the complexity of traditional BI tools.
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