We have composed this Tableau vs. Microstrategy review to provide you a strong insight into those tools. In simplest terms, both Tableau and Microstrategy are data visualization tools, and they have their characteristics.
Tableau vs. Microstrategy – their differences
Both Tableau and Microstrategy are data visualization tools that allow you to create various aspects to share information. For instance, it can create charts, reports, dashboards, etc. which are interactive.
With Tableau, you can use various graphic options to present data. When it comes to Microstrategy, it is another data visualization tool that shows a greater deal of flexibility. Also, it is known for the speed that facilitates data study.
The best thing is that it doesn’t compromise the security of the scalability over the scalability. Microstrategy offers its data visualization tool with the slogan ‘Take analytics into your own hand.’ Both Microstrategy and Tableau are very competitive data visualization tools that have unique strengths.
PS: here are the comprehensive comparison of Spotfire vs. Tableau and Looker vs. Tableau for your reference.
Tableau vs. Microstrategy – a head to head comparison
In this section of our article, we offer a head-to-head comparison Tableau vs. Microstrategy.
Key differences between Tableau vs. Microstrategy
Here are the key differences between the two options for your reference.
Tableau is known to be the first tool of its kind (pioneering data visualization tool). However, on the other hand, Microstrategy is a relatively new tool in the data visualization industry.
Tableau stands ahead of Microstrategy when it comes to the capabilities of the product. For instance, Tableau shows better abilities with Collaboration and social BI. Also, it shows interactive visual exploration, analytics dashboards, user-friendliness.
Tableau offers better convenience to content authors and consumers alike. It shows all those improvements with advanced embedded analytics and Cloud BI. Microstrategy, on the other hand, shows positive points in areas like mobile exploration, authoring, security, user administration, etc.
Also, it stands ahead Tableau in terms of self-contained extraction, transformation, and Loading, metadata management, etc. On the other hand, Tableau outshines Microstrategy in Evaluation and contracting, ease of deployment, support, and service.
A comparison between Microstrategy and Tableau
In the below-mentioned table, we intend to describe the key differences between Microstrategy and Tableau for your reference.
| Aspect considered | Tableau | Microstrategy |
| How we describe it | In a nutshell, Tableau is a powerful data visualization tool that can create various elements. For instance, it can create charts, reports, dashboards, etc. in interactive form. All those elements are easy to share. Tableau is the pioneering software of its kind, and it offers a variety of graphic options as well. As a result, you can expect a better and meaningful presentation of data. | Microstrategy data visualization tool is a part of a range of tools offered by Microstrategy. The company has the slogan ‘Take analytics into your own hand,’ and that explains its purpose. The tool offers an exceptional amount of flexibility and speed. The most important thing is that it doesn’t lose the security and scalability over flexibility. In other words, it is a very flexible tool with highly secured features. |
| Usability |
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| Unique features |
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| Requirements to use the tool |
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| Who makes use of it |
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Benefits of Tableau and Microstrategy
In this section, we will explain the most notable benefits associated with each of those tools.
Tableau
- Tableau offers a large amount of data visualization options.
- Tableau offers a provision to connect any type of data source. Also, it offers a variety of native data source connectors from which the data is retrieved.
- It can perform quick analysis in ad-hoc mode thanks to its two-way data collection. That means, it performs Live Connection data collection and In-memory data collection. These options rely on local databases. The retrieval of data is done through the quickest mode.
- Tableau comes with a pricing of $35 per user (monthly). It lets you connect Tableau with Excel and Google Sheets. Its professional edition comes for $70 per user (monthly). It enables us to connect with various sources, such as databases and applications.
- And it offers you the option of making the payments one-time, annual subscriptions, or quote-based payments.
- It has received over 9.0/10 ranking in all the reviews.
- Tableau can even allow you to analyze data offline (even if there is no internet connection).
- These tools work perfectly with Google Analytics.
- Works on Windows, Mac, and web-based platforms;
- Ideal for businesses of all scales;
- It offers excellent features like a customizable dashboard, graphic benchmark, and financial forecasting tools.
- Free trial for one month.
Also, click to find the best alternatives to Tableau.
Microstrategy
- This tool has pretty similar features, just like Tableau. The visualizations are pretty similar to it.
- It connects a variety of data sources, just like Tableau.
- The analysis is not as fast as Tableau.
- Their web package comes with a price of $600 per user. Also, $300K per CPU core;
- Their mobile package comes with a price of $600 per user. Also, 300K per CPU core.
- And their Architect package comes with a price of $5000 per user.
- Their Server package comes with a price of $1200 per user. Also, $600K per CPU core;
- You can purchase their package options either every month or based on quotes.
- This tool works perfectly with the Microsoft office suite.
- Microstrategy is designed to be compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- This specific software tool is mainly designed for small and medium scale businesses.
- It can be customizable perfectly and conveniently to match the requirements of the users.
FAQs
- Q: Can Tableau and Microstrategy connect to cloud-based data sources?
- A: Yes, both Tableau and Microstrategy offer connectivity to various cloud platforms and services.
- Q: Are there limitations to the free versions of Tableau and Microstrategy?
- A: Yes, the free versions of Tableau (Tableau Public) and Microstrategy (Microstrategy Desktop) have certain limitations compared to their paid counterparts.
- Q: Can Tableau and Microstrategy handle large datasets?
- A: Yes, both Tableau and Microstrategy provide scalability and features to handle large datasets effectively.
- Q: Do Tableau and Microstrategy offer support and training resources?
- A: Yes, Tableau and Microstrategy provide comprehensive support documentation, training resources, and community forums to assist users.
- Q: Can Tableau and Microstrategy be integrated with other tools and platforms?
- A: Yes, both Tableau and Microstrategy offer integration capabilities with various tools and platforms through connectors and APIs.
Final Words
Now that we have compared Tableau vs. Microstrategy, you might be having a good understanding of both the tools. As we said, there are several key differences between the two tools. Each of the tools come with unique strengths as well.
In general, both the tools are very good in terms of data visualization for various parties. The simplest conclusion we can come to is that both Tableau and Microstrategy are good options. However, Tableau stands slightly ahead of Microstrategy in terms of the aspects we have discussed.
Even if you don’t need any of those tools for work, it is always handy to learn about them. Learning a data visualization tool is very useful, so you can enhance the work you do. You can use that tool to open up various avenues of the existing work you are currently doing. You can analyze and explore data, and thereafter, you can present data in innovative ways.
According to the surveys that are done by experts, using a data visualization tool makes your work easier. The experts also suggest that data visualization skills are preferred by many professionals in various fields. On the other hand, only a handful of individuals find such skills unnecessary for them.
You don’t have to be a marketer to make use of those tools. If you are involved in an industry related to academic, financial, manufacturing, etc. you can use these tools. In addition to that, most of those employees say that they prefer Tableau as the best tool.
So, that’s our comparison of Tableau vs. Microstrategy. As you can see, Tableau stands tad ahead of Microstrategy from various aspects. If you are a large scale business, the best option would be Tableau without a doubt. That is because Microstrategy is designed targeting small and medium enterprises.
However, on the other hand, Tableau has solutions for small, medium, and large scale businesses. So, it can be considered as a one-stop solution for businesses of all the scales. If you have your own opinion related to this matter, please let us know. Your contribution is immensely helpful for the growth of our platform.
