Qlik Sense vs Thoughtspot: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Choosing the right business intelligence tool is crucial for leveraging data to drive decision-making. Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot are prominent players in this space, offering powerful analytics capabilities.
Qlik Sense is known for its associative data modeling and responsive design, while ThoughtSpot is celebrated for its search-driven analytics. However, each has its own set of strengths and potential limitations depending on user needs.
This comparison will delve into the specifics of Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot to assist businesses in selecting the appropriate tool. Additionally, we'll explore how Sourcetable offers a seamless, spreadsheet-like interface that effortlessly syncs with your data, presenting a modern alternative for business intelligence tasks like reporting and data analytics.
What is Qlik Sense?
Qlik Sense is a data analytics tool that employs artificial intelligence to aid in delivering insights. Its primary functionality revolves around associative analytics, allowing users to delve into data exploration to unveil hidden insights. It stands out for its speed and self-service capabilities.
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Qlik Sense is a data analytics tool that employs artificial intelligence to aid in delivering insights. Its primary functionality revolves around associative analytics, allowing users to delve into data exploration to unveil hidden insights. It stands out for its speed and self-service capabilities.
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Features of Qlik Sense
- Utilizes AI for enhanced insight discovery
- Enables rapid, self-service visualization creation
- Facilitates dashboard development for data monitoring
- Supports search and natural language interactions
- Provides advanced and predictive analytics tools
- Automates insight generation and data preparation processes
- Offers extensive data source integration
- Accessible from anywhere and on any device
- Can be integrated into other applications
- Includes a complete set of APIs for customization and extension
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Adoption and Trust
Qlik Sense is a trusted platform, serving over 40,000 customers globally, indicative of its reliability and widespread adoption.
What is ThoughtSpot?
ThoughtSpot is a modern analytics platform that leverages artificial intelligence to provide search and AI-driven insights. It is designed to serve business and data teams, offering a self-service experience that facilitates the exploration, analysis, and sharing of insights. ThoughtSpot supports the embedding of insights for customers, allowing for the enhancement of products with AI-powered analytics.
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ThoughtSpot is a modern analytics platform that leverages artificial intelligence to provide search and AI-driven insights. It is designed to serve business and data teams, offering a self-service experience that facilitates the exploration, analysis, and sharing of insights. ThoughtSpot supports the embedding of insights for customers, allowing for the enhancement of products with AI-powered analytics.
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Core Features
- Natural language processing enables posing of business queries.
- Flexible, scriptable, and governed data model ensures data integrity.
- Granular controls and end-to-end auditability guarantee security and compliance.
- AI-powered pattern analysis assists in uncovering trends and anomalies.
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Capabilities
- Embedding ThoughtSpot into other products to provide analytics.
- Manual report replacement with automated, insightful reporting.
- Complex ad hoc analysis with AI-assisted code writing.
- Ability to design and embed AI-powered analytics in various applications.
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Usage
- Analyzing and exploring data across multiple dimensions.
- Sharing insights within teams and externally with stakeholders.
- Responding to any data question through an intuitive interface.
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Key Features of Qlik Sense
Associative Analytics Engine |
Qlik Sense's associative analytics engine enables deep data exploration, revealing insights through user-driven selections and instant calculations. |
Augmented Analytics |
Integrated AI and ML capabilities support automated insight generation, predictive analytics, and AI-assisted creation, enhancing data discovery and preparation. |
Visualization and Dashboards |
Interactive dashboards and visualizations facilitate the comprehension of complex data, supporting effective decision-making processes. |
AI-Powered Insights |
AI-powered insights and predictions in Qlik Sense guide intelligent action with natural language interaction and conversational analytics. |
Self-Service Capabilities |
Self-service analytics empower users to manage data visualization, preparation, and integration without extensive technical expertise. |
Data Integration and Preparation |
Qlik Sense features comprehensive data prep and integration capabilities, ensuring fast and reliable data pipeline construction. |
Automation and Alerting |
Alerting and automation functionalities enable event-driven actions and immediate responses to data-driven alerts. |
Customization and Extensibility |
Fully customizable with a set of open APIs, Qlik Sense supports custom apps, visualizations, and extensions, enabling tailored analytics solutions. |
Collaboration Tools |
Collaboration is facilitated through features like shared notes, discussion threads, and collaborative reporting, promoting knowledge sharing and teamwork. |
Mobile and Cloud Analytics |
Qlik Sense is accessible on mobile devices and offers cloud analytics, ensuring users can analyze data anytime, anywhere. |
ThoughtSpot Analytics Cloud Release 9.10.5 Features
Liveboard AI |
Liveboard AI in the latest ThoughtSpot release enables quick insights and summaries. It focuses on identifying significant changes in top metrics. |
Mode Connector |
The Mode connector feature integrates ThoughtSpot's AI analytics with Mode datasets. This provides enhanced analytical capabilities. |
Custom Sets |
Custom Sets allow users to classify and reuse data sets across multiple analyses. This promotes efficiency in data handling and analysis. |
Benefits of Qlik Sense for Business Intelligence
Enhanced Data Literacy
Qlik Sense's design focuses on improving data literacy among users, enabling them to interpret and work with data more effectively.
Self-Service Visualization
As a self-service visualization tool, Qlik Sense empowers users to create and customize analytics solutions with ease.
Cost-Effectiveness
With a pricing model at $30 per user per month, Qlik Sense is an affordable option for businesses seeking powerful data analytics capabilities.
Device Compatibility and Mobility
Qlik Sense's responsive design and mobility feature ensure compatibility across a wide range of devices, supporting analysis on the go.
Security and Collaboration
Features such as a centralized hub for collaboration and comprehensive security options make Qlik Sense a secure and collaborative environment for data analytics.
Customization and Development
With open APIs, custom app development, and the ability to create new visualizations, Qlik Sense offers flexibility for tailored business intelligence solutions.
User-Friendly and Powerful Analytics
The AI-powered, user-friendly interface of Qlik Sense enables users to leverage a powerful tool without a steep learning curve.
Disadvantages of Qlik Sense for Business Intelligence
Performance Issues with Large Data
Qlik Sense can experience slowdowns when processing large data sets, impacting efficiency in data analysis.
Cost Concerns for Teams
The platform may pose financial challenges, especially for larger teams, due to its cost structure.
Limited Data Export Functionality
Not all information can be downloaded to Excel, which can hinder data portability and reporting flexibility.
Additional Costs for Extensions
Add-ons and plugins, which can enhance functionality, incur extra expenses, increasing the total cost of ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qlik Sense
What payment methods are available for Qlik Sense training?
You can pay for training with a credit card, Training Card, or invoice.
How can I determine which Qlik Sense training courses are suitable for my role?
You can take training recommendations to find which courses to take for your role.
How do 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?
Training Cards cannot be used to pay for certifications.
Is there a time limit to use the Training Card for Qlik Sense training?
You have 12 months from the purchase date to use the Training Card.
Use Cases for Qlik Sense
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Improving efficiency, customer service, and sales
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Creating a company-wide portal for analytics
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Enhancing operational success
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Reducing the cost and effort to convert loan prospects
Advantages of Using ThoughtSpot for Business Intelligence
Comprehensive Professional Services
ThoughtSpot's Professional Services team offers extensive services for AI-Powered Analytics, ensuring streamlined project delivery from conception to completion.
Expertise in Modern Analytics Cloud
The team's proficiency in the Modern Analytics Cloud enables businesses to meet their goals efficiently, leveraging the latest in analytics technology.
Project Delivery and Staffing Management
With full management of project delivery and staffing, ThoughtSpot ensures that each aspect of the analytics project is handled expertly.
Consulting and Solution Delivery
Their vast experience in consulting and analytics solution delivery guarantees that businesses receive knowledgeable guidance and effective outcomes.
Knowledge of Modern Data Stack
ThoughtSpot's team is well-versed in the modern data stack, including cloud data platforms, data sources, ETL processes, data warehousing, data schemas, and analytics.
Dedicated Engagement Managers and Solutions Architects
With a team of dedicated engagement managers and solutions architects, ThoughtSpot provides personalized attention to each customer's needs.
Proven Customer Success
Having assisted hundreds of customers, ThoughtSpot's track record demonstrates their ability to achieve success in business intelligence tasks.
Disadvantages of Using Thoughtspot for Business Intelligence
User Comfort and Accessibility
ThoughtSpot requires a significant time investment for non-analytics business users to become comfortable with the platform. In some cases, users may never fully acclimate to the interface, challenging the notion that ThoughtSpot is a user-friendly data search tool.
Organization and Usability
The inability to organize reports in directories can lead to disorganization and difficulty managing documentation. Also, the lack of restrictions on report creation can result in an overwhelming number of reports, further complicating data management. Additionally, some users experience bugs that can hinder smooth operation, and the platform's complex data model can be more challenging to navigate compared to other tools.
Training and Feature Utilization
Maximizing the value of ThoughtSpot's features often necessitates comprehensive training, which can be a barrier to immediate adoption and effective use.
Visualization and Customization Limitations
Frequently Asked Questions About Thoughtspot
How can I find out which version of ThoughtSpot I am using?
You can find the version of ThoughtSpot by clicking the information center icon and looking in the About section.
Why am I not seeing certain columns or values in the dropdown?
You may not see certain columns/values in the dropdown if the index has not been built with the latest data or if the column is being dropped.
How can I verify that a column is available in ThoughtSpot?
To verify that a column is available, you should use the Data page.
What should the INDEX PRIORITY value be set to?
The INDEX PRIORITY value should be set to 1.
Use Cases for Thoughtspot
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BI strategy
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Data visualization
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Self-service analytics
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AI-driven insights
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ETL/ELT
Why Sourcetable is the Superior Choice for Business Intelligence
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Simplified Reporting and Analytics
Sourcetable offers a streamlined approach to reporting and data analytics by integrating data from multiple services into an intuitive spreadsheet interface. This consolidation simplifies the process of data management, making it more accessible and less time-consuming than platforms like Qlik Sense and Thoughtspot.
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User-Friendly Interface
With its spreadsheet-like interface, Sourcetable caters to a broad range of users, reducing the learning curve associated with more complex tools such as Qlik Sense. This user-friendly environment encourages faster adoption across teams with varying skill levels.
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Data Syncing Across Services
Sourcetable's ability to sync data across all services ensures that users have immediate access to the most current data without the need for manual updates or complex integrations, a process that can be more cumbersome with Qlik Sense and Thoughtspot.
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Streamlined Data Analytics
The platform's focus on simplicity without sacrificing functionality makes Sourcetable an efficient solution for businesses seeking to perform data analytics without the need for extensive training or specialized knowledge.
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Comparing Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot
Both Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot are modern data analytics tools that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance data exploration and insight generation.
Both Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot are modern data analytics tools that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance data exploration and insight generation.
AI-Powered Analytics
Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot use AI to suggest analyses and insights, enabling users to gain deeper understanding of their data.
Advanced and Predictive Analytics
Both platforms offer advanced and predictive analytics, allowing users to forecast and make predictions without requiring extensive data science expertise.
Interactive Data Exploration
The platforms facilitate highly interactive visualizations and dashboards, providing a dynamic user experience for data exploration.
Augmented Analytics
Augmented analytics capabilities are integral to Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot, empowering users of all skill levels to work with data effectively.
Natural Language Interaction
Each platform supports natural language interaction, enabling conversational analytics and making it easier for users to query data using everyday language.
Self-Service Visualization
They provide self-service visualization tools, which allow users to create and explore visual data representations without the need for coding expertise.
Mobile Analytics
Both analytics platforms are designed to work on mobile devices, ensuring access to insights and reports on the go.
Open APIs and Integration
Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot offer open APIs, facilitating custom application development, embedding analytics, and ensuring integration with a variety of data sources.
Collaboration Features
Collaboration tools are included in both platforms, allowing users to share insights and work together on data-driven projects.
Cloud-Native Platforms
They are cloud-native platforms, providing scalability and performance to meet the needs of various business sizes and industries.
Customer Base
Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot are trusted by a large number of customers worldwide, indicating their reliability and effectiveness in the data analytics space.
Qlik Sense vs. ThoughtSpot
Associative Analytics Engine
Qlik Sense utilizes an associative analytics engine that enables users to make selections in any direction to refine context and uncover insights. ThoughtSpot, on the other hand, focuses on search-driven analytics, where insights are generated primarily through search queries.
AI and Augmented Analytics
Both Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot leverage AI for enhanced data analytics. However, Qlik Sense's AI capabilities are built into its associative engine and include features like automated insight generation, AI-assisted creation, and data prep. ThoughtSpot emphasizes its AI-driven search capability for generating insights.
Data Integration and Preparation
Qlik Sense offers extensive data preparation and integration capabilities, allowing for the handling of big and small data from various sources. ThoughtSpot also integrates with different data sources, but the emphasis is on the ease of search and simplicity in data analysis.
Deployment Options
Qlik Sense provides flexibility with cloud-based SaaS deployments, on-premises solutions, and a client-managed offering. ThoughtSpot also offers cloud and on-premises options, but the focus remains on the search-driven analytics platform.
Customization and Extensibility
Qlik Sense has a full set of open APIs, supporting custom app development, new visualizations, and embedded analytics. ThoughtSpot provides customization through its developer portal, but with a stronger focus on search and simplicity.
User Experience and Interactivity
Qlik Sense is highly interactive, allowing users of all skill levels to engage with the data. ThoughtSpot prides itself on its simple user interface, making data analytics accessible through search and AI-driven insights.
Customer Base
Qlik Sense is used by over 40,000 customers globally, indicating a broad and diverse user base. ThoughtSpot also serves various industries but does not disclose specific customer numbers, focusing on the impact of search-driven analytics.
Qlik Sense vs ThoughtSpot vs SourceTable
Overview
Qlik Sense is a comprehensive AI-powered data analytics and visualization tool with an associative analytics engine that supports a wide range of functionalities including predictive and advanced analytics, automated insight generation, and self-service capabilities. ThoughtSpot, known for its search-driven analytics, emphasizes ease of use with a simple interface for querying data using natural language. SourceTable, on the other hand, is a spreadsheet interface that integrates with various data sources for real-time data analysis.
Analytics and AI
Qlik Sense offers AI and ML-powered analytics, including predictive analytics and automated insight generation, whereas ThoughtSpot focuses on search-driven insights using AI. SourceTable allows for real-time data analysis with spreadsheet familiarity but does not emphasize AI-powered analytics as a core feature.
Interactivity and Usability
Qlik Sense and ThoughtSpot both provide highly interactive user experiences but focus on different aspects: Qlik Sense on associative exploration and ThoughtSpot on search-based analytics. SourceTable provides the familiarity and ease of use of spreadsheets, appealing to users comfortable with that format.
Data Integration and Preparation
Qlik Sense offers robust data prep and integration capabilities, including support for big and small data. ThoughtSpot integrates with various data sources, focusing on making data easily searchable. SourceTable integrates with data sources for analysis within a spreadsheet environment, catering to users seeking simplicity without complex data integration processes.
Deployment
Qlik Sense is available as both a cloud-native platform and an on-premises solution, providing flexibility for different IT environments. ThoughtSpot also offers cloud and on-premises options, with a focus on ease of use and accessibility. SourceTable's deployment details are not provided, but its spreadsheet-centric approach suggests a cloud-based service for real-time data access.
Customization and Extensions
Qlik Sense features a complete set of open APIs for custom app development, embedded analytics, and new visualizations. ThoughtSpot allows for customization through its open APIs and developer portal. SourceTable does not emphasize custom development, aiming instead to provide a straightforward spreadsheet tool for data analysis.
Scalability and Performance
Qlik Sense provides high-performance scalability, suitable for enterprise-level analytics. ThoughtSpot also offers scalability, with a focus on making analytics accessible to non-technical users. SourceTable's scalability is not explicitly stated, but it is implied through its integration with live data sources.
Market Presence
Qlik Sense is trusted by over 40,000 customers worldwide, indicating a strong market presence. ThoughtSpot has a significant user base, leveraging its user-friendly search analytics. SourceTable's market presence is not detailed, but its use of spreadsheets suggests it targets a broad audience looking for a simple analytics solution.
Pricing
Qlik Sense pricing information is available by contacting the company, indicating customizable pricing based on the specific needs of the business. ThoughtSpot also provides pricing on request, which typically varies based on data volume and number of users. SourceTable's pricing details are not mentioned, but it might follow a SaaS model with subscription tiers.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sourcetable
What is Sourcetable and who typically uses it?
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet application that allows users to access data from most 3rd party applications, query data, and build live models that automatically update. It is typically used by growth teams and business operations teams.
Does Sourcetable require any coding skills to use?
No, Sourcetable does not require coding skills to use.
How often does Sourcetable sync data?
Sourcetable syncs data every 15 minutes on the regular plan and every 5 minutes on the pro plan.
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 per user.
Is there a trial period for Sourcetable?
Yes, all plans have a 14-day free trial period.
Qlik Sense Pricing Overview
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Qlik Cloud Analytics Plans
Qlik Cloud Analytics Plans require an annual billing cycle.
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Premium Plan
The starting cost for the Premium plan is $2,700 per month.
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Enterprise Plan Features and Capacity
Enterprise plans commence with a data analysis capacity of 500GB per year. They encompass all features available in the Premium plan.
ThoughtSpot Pricing Plans
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Small Teams Plan
- Monthly billing at $95 per month.
- Up to 5 users.
- 5 million rows of data.
- Natural language search included.
- In-app and community support.
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Small Companies Plan
- Annually billed at $1250 per month.
- Up to 20 users.
- 25 million rows of data.
- Natural language search and automated insights.
- In-app, community support, and row-level security.
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Most Popular Pro Plan
- Annual billing.
- Unlimited users.
- 500 million rows of data.
- Natural language search, automated insights, and 24x7 support.
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Developer Plan
- Free of charge.
- For individuals and small developer teams.
- Up to 5 users.
- 3 million rows of data.
- Natural language search, in-app, and Discord chat support.
- Access to APIs and dev tools.
- Limits: 5 worksheets, 5 answers, 10 liveboards.
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Pro Plan
- For single-tenant, medium scale applications.
- Unlimited users.
- 5 billion rows of data.
- Natural language search, automated insights, and 24x7 support.
- Access to APIs and dev tools.
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Enterprise Plan
- For multi-tenant, large scale applications.
- Unlimited users and data.
- Automated insights, in-app, and 24x7 support.
- Access to APIs and dev tools.
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Studio Plan
- Free for individual analysts.
Monthly billing at $95 per month.
Up to 5 users.
5 million rows of data.
Natural language search included.
In-app and community support.
Annually billed at $1250 per month.
Up to 20 users.
25 million rows of data.
Natural language search and automated insights.
In-app, community support, and row-level security.
Annual billing.
Unlimited users.
500 million rows of data.
Natural language search, automated insights, and 24x7 support.
Free of charge.
For individuals and small developer teams.
Up to 5 users.
3 million rows of data.
Natural language search, in-app, and Discord chat support.
Access to APIs and dev tools.
Limits: 5 worksheets, 5 answers, 10 liveboards.
For single-tenant, medium scale applications.
Unlimited users.
5 billion rows of data.
Natural language search, automated insights, and 24x7 support.
Access to APIs and dev tools.
For multi-tenant, large scale applications.
Unlimited users and data.
Automated insights, in-app, and 24x7 support.
Access to APIs and dev tools.
Free for individual analysts.
User Feedback on Thoughtspot
AI Capabilities: Users acknowledge Thoughtspot for its AI capabilities, highlighting its advanced data analysis features.
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AI Capabilities: Users acknowledge Thoughtspot for its AI capabilities, highlighting its advanced data analysis features.
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Comparative Usage
Some users prefer PowerBI over Thoughtspot for their data visualization needs. This suggests a competitive market with varying user preferences.
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Potential and Expectations
A portion of the user base perceives Thoughtspot as promising, indicating a positive outlook on its future applications and impact on data analytics.
Conclusion
Qlik Sense offers a comprehensive set of tools for data visualization and business intelligence, emphasizing self-service and interactive analytics. Thoughtspot, on the other hand, distinguishes itself with its search-driven analytics that enable users to get insights using natural language queries.
While both platforms provide powerful capabilities for data analysis, they cater to different user needs and preferences in terms of data interaction and discovery.
Sourcetable provides an alternative by integrating real-time data syncing across various services into a spreadsheet interface, simplifying the business intelligence process and offering a more familiar environment for many users.
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Simplify Your BI Tooling
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