We present the best data visualization tools on the market with their specificities to help you make your choice. Data visualization tools have been gaining popularity in recent years. Indeed, they greatly facilitate reporting, activity management and data dissemination within companies. Do you want to adopt one too? We present the best tools on the market with their specificities to help you make your choice.
What Is DataViz?
Also called data visualization or dataviz, data visualization is the art of graphically and simply representing complex data. For example, the evolution of temperatures and weather is much easier for a human brain to integrate if it reads a coloured map than if it is faced with a table of sunshine data. In business, it facilitates the understanding of critical data by each business team, even by those who have little appetite for data analysis. Dataviz is most commonly applied in creating reports and dashboards to make them easy to read. This is why it has become vital for setting up effective corporate reporting.
Why Use Data Visualization?
There are many reasons to use data visualization! First, it simplifies everyone’s understanding of essential information. Regardless of the branch, team or employee concerned, the data viz makes it possible to transform raw data into visual graphs so that they are understandable for everyone at a glance. Not only that, but DataViz aims to make everyone want to take an interest in their critical figures. They can interpret and explore the data presented on their business dashboard.
Then, the data visualization tool facilitates the dissemination of crucial information within the company. The transformed data is much more understandable and stimulates the circulation of the latter through regular reports and team dashboards. Finally, DataViz makes it possible to accelerate decision-making and facilitate company management! Indeed, a global and precise visualization of exercise results allows each manager to be more enlightened and responsive. In addition, relying on reliable data will enable optimal decisions to be made. Thus, the data viz is a tool intended for data analysts, web developers, General Management, and everyone!
How To Do Data Visualization?
In business, dataviz is mainly used to create activity reports and dashboards. It is a tool that considerably facilitates the interpretation of the exercises and the results of the company and therefore the management of the company. So how do you get started? Start by collecting the data you want to distribute within your company. Please find the most appropriate graphical representations to illustrate this data and the performance indicators it feeds. Perhaps a pie chart (or “pie chart”) to represent percentages?
Or a choropleth map to illustrate the distribution of sales in a territory? Or even different curves combined to demonstrate the evolution of the total number of employees and the payroll over time? In order to simplify the work, we advise you to rely on dataviz tools, such as Power BI, Tableau or Google Charts. Want to know more about the best data viz tools? We detail their strengths and weaknesses below.
The Best Data Visualization Tools
Data visualization tools are now often integrated into Business Intelligence solutions (also called decision-making software or reporting software). A wide variety of them is on the market today, suitable for different business needs. You will find your happiness there.
Microsoft Power BI
Power BI is Microsoft’s self-service business intelligence and data visualization solution. It automatically collects, cleanses, analyzes and illustrates large amounts of data from internal or external sources. These can come from Excel, Azure SQL DB, your CRM, Google Analytics, or social networks. It allows you to illustrate this data with interactive reports and dashboards. Power BI is known for the richness of its dataviz tools and the readable and attractive side of its information and dashboards. In addition, these dashboards are highly customizable and can be updated automatically.
Power BI Microsoft has a significant advantage over its competitors: it is accessible to users who are not experts in data analysis and reporting. Microsoft offers plenty of learning resources to help non-expert users get started with the tool. What are his limits? Power BI can process a maximum of 2 GB of data at a time, and is, therefore, less suitable for extensive data. How much do you have to pay to use Power BI? Microsoft offers you a free license to get started, and three paid licenses. The monthly price per user is €8.40 for Power BI Pro and €16.90 for Power BI Premium Per User. Finally, Microsoft offers a per-capacity license for large organizations that range in price from $212.30 to $16,861.70 per month.
Salesforce Table
Tableau Software, acquired by Salesforce in Tableau 2019, is also well-known in the data visualization market. If it is famous, it is because of the variety and Power of its dataviz tools. It’s also because it brings together a community of enthusiastic fans today. It is a very effective dataviz tool that allows one to analyze several data sources simultaneously and process a large volume of data. Then, you have a wide range of graphic representations of all kinds to create the reports and dashboards of your dreams.
However, Tableau has the disadvantage of being quite complicated to use for beginners. It is therefore slow to learn how to use, which explains why it is more intended for experienced data analysts. It is also mainly aimed at large companies. Hence it’s higher than the average price. Regarding the price, its public version is free. But Tableau also offers three different licenses: Tableau Viewer from €12, Tableau Explorer from €35 and Tableau Creator at €70 per user per month.
Google’s Data Visualization Tools
Google offers two dataviz tools:
- Google Charts: This tool allows you to create interactive charts and dashboards. It is easy to use and can process small and large volumes of data. This tool is cross-browser compatible and can work on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari. One of its significant assets is its ability to create different visualizations and add personalization touches through CSS editing. Google Charts also has the advantage of being currently accessible. Nevertheless, even though a beginner can use the tool, it requires a basic understanding of JavaScript to post on a website.
- Google Looker Studio: In 2019, Google also acquired Looker, a Data Discovery tool that simplifies data visualization for you. After this takeover, Google merged Looker and their Google Data Studio tool to create Looker Studio in October 2022. So what is he capable of? Looker Studio is a data analysis and data visualization tool. Thus, it allows you to create dashboards and interactive reports that display your data in real-time.
- It integrates all types of data, such as Google Analytics, MySQL, Google Cloud SQL, PostgreSQL, Google Ads, etc. This software has the advantage of being easy to learn. Users of the solution have reported various weaknesses. First, dashboards sometimes load slowly, especially when there is a lot of data to analyze. Then it lacks some native connectors and features. The essential tools of Google Looker Studio are free. However, if you want to use specific data connectors or share your data visualizations, you will need to purchase paid subscriptions (to Google Cloud, for example). Additionally, Google is launching Looker Studio Pro, a born and more decadent version of Looker Studio.
Qlik Sense By Qlik
Qlik Sense aims to enable as many people as possible to benefit from the advantages of BI. That’s why it’s a self-service BI and data viz solution. Qlik is a true veteran of Business Intelligence, and its tool aims to be cutting-edge while remaining simple to use. Qlik Sense (not to be confused with its ancestor QlikView) is famous for three reasons. It is, first of all, accessible for those new to BI that pleases: its data visualization tools are intuitive and powerful.
Then, it stands out for the speed at which it loads data and its excellent automatic security rules. This BI tool, offered in the cloud and on-site, is more challenging to use when it comes to data preparation or blending. From this point of view, it will require the support of someone experienced in data analysis. Qlik Sense offers two paid plans in addition to a trial version:
- Its Qlik Sense Business license at $30 per month per user
- And its Qlik Sense Enterprise formula, the price of which has yet to be made public.
MyReport From Report One
Report One’s MyReport is a very easy-to-use dataviz and reporting tool. Usable in the familiar world of Excel, it guarantees excellent flexibility and ease of use. Indeed it is based on a simplified system of click/drop. This BI solution primarily aims at SMEs, ETIs and users who need to be more expert in data analytics and DataViz. It allows them to manipulate their data in Excel and create dashboards and interactive reports. The icing on the cake, these can also be automated to simplify your reporting. Report One does not publicly disclose the price of its solution. This depends on the chosen license’s price, deployment, and training costs. Do not hesitate to contact us for a tailor-made quote.
Zoho Analytics
Popular Zoho Analytics is an easy-to-use dataviz solution that includes many prebuilt templates. It also integrates over 500 apps and a wide range of learning guides. Zoho Analytics has a variety of benefits. First, it offers the ability to create reports and dashboards that can be viewed on mobile. It also allows you to rely on Zia, their Artificial Intelligence tool, to facilitate decision-making. Finally, you can create dedicated analytics portals with Zoho Sites. It should be noted, however, that this platform is more suitable for people with experience in data analysis. Its price is 24 to 455 € per month depending on the subscription (basic, standard, premium or company).
How To Choose Among Data Visualization Tools?
Do you need more time between different data visualization tools? You can use the criteria below to make your choice. First, consider end users. The effectiveness of DataViz is not only based on the tool’s performance, but it will also take into account its users. So, choose a dataviz solution that will be easy to handle for them. If they are more business users than data analysts, choose a self-service, easily accessible solution.
Today there are a variety of easy-to-use, powerful and wealthy learning resources. However, a more advanced solution might be preferable if your end users are primarily data analysts. The choice of your dataviz tool must also correspond to your budget. In terms of dataviz, it is not because a solution is expensive that it is necessarily among the best. Finally, adapt your choice to your current needs. If you are starting to adopt data visualization, do not take a too advanced tool. Start with a more affordable tool before moving to a more expensive solution if your needs warrant it.
Also Read: Sandboxes: What They Are And What They Are For
