In the modern business landscape, one thing that’s in abundance is data. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you utilize it. What’s for certain is that data visualization tools have become indispensable.
When used properly, data visualization applications allow you to manipulate the data you’re constantly gathering and extract useful insights. It has the potential to increase your bottom line, spot problems before they crop up, and even present information to potential investors.
This guide will walk through some of the best data visualization tools for small businesses available on the market right now. You’ll learn their pros, cons, pricing, and whether or not they’re a good choice for your business.
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our comparisons and recommendations. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
Best data visualization tools for small businesses
1. Databox
Databox is a relatively new data visualization tool but it has built a solid platform for small businesses over the last few years. It excels because, unlike many of its competitors, it’s simple to set up and start analyzing and showcasing your data.
You can connect to popular business tools like ActiveCampaign, Google Analytics, Twitter, MySQL, and many more. After connecting to data sources, you’re able to pull in information, categorize it, combine it, and draw out information that may have been missed otherwise.
Of course, there are prebuilt dashboard templates that you can use if you don’t have a clear goal of the information you need. Taken together, Databox is a great tool if you’re just getting started with data visualization and need a softer landing but that doesn’t mean it’s not effective for more advanced users.
Key features
- Support for a large number of dashboards
- Dozens of data source integrations
- Large collection of prebuilt dashboards
- Goal tracking
- Metrics calculation
- Scorecards for KPIs
- Alerts/notifications
- Mobile application
- Query builder support
Cons
- Some of the integration partnerships are shallow and don’t allow you to import a lot of your data
Pricing
It has a free plan and multiple pricing tiers which start at $72/m and range to over $450/m depending on how many data sources you want to connect and the number of data boards.
2. Infogram
Infogram doesn’t come with the deep integrations with other tools like Databox and other options on this list but it does a great job at visualizing all types of data. Whether you need charts, reports, or maps, Infogram will make it possible with the minimum amount of effort.
It’s designed for non-designers and because of that, there are countless widgets, an intuitive interface, and a huge library of templates that can be used in a matter of minutes. Of course, almost everything can be customized to fit your brand and you can even create brand guidelines to speed up your workflow.
If you’re keen on creating great data visualizations but don’t need to integrate directly with the data source then Infogram is one of the best choices out there.
Key features
- Fully customizable data visualizations
- Interactive animations
- Large collection of templates for graphs, charts, etc.
- Team access levels
- Real time collaboration
- Viewer analytics
- Responsive publication options
- Easy social sharing
- Over a million images and icons
Cons
- Getting the write page size can be more difficult than it should be.
Pricing
Infogram starts with a free plan and has multiple paid pricing plans.
- Pro – $19/m
- Business – $67/m
- Team – $149/m
- Enterprise – custom
3. Tableau
Tableau has been around for a considerable amount of time (all things considered), and has established itself as a reputable business intelligence and data visualization tool. It leans towards enterprise users but small businesses can still get a lot of value from it as long as they’re willing to put in the time and energy.
It excels at crunching large amounts of data then displaying it using different types of charts so you can quickly understand the information. The drag-and-drop builder, countless variables, and large amount of helpful resources make it a great choice. One thing to note is that it incorporates AI to further enhance your ability to pull out and use insights.
Key features
- Able to crunch large data sets
- Mobile application
- Strong analytics features
- Countless ways to display data
- Multiple user permission levels
- Large number of data connections
- Calculate and display information using simple or complex formulas
- Interactive data maps
- Easy sharing
- Interactive visualizations
Cons
- May need advanced IT assistance to fully utilize
- Costs can add up when you consider the training and support needed
Pricing
Pricing is based on the number of users and the roles of the user. It also has multiple add-ons. Pricing is $70/user/month for a creator, $35/m/user for an explorer, and $12/m/user for a viewer.
4. FusionCharts
While not as popular as many of the tools on this list, FusionCharts still pulls its weight when it comes to providing useful data visualizations. It’s divided into three core products named FusionCharts Suite XT, FusionTime, and FusionExport.
It has a large collection if data visualization charts that can be used. They range from simple bar graphs to complex sunburst charts. It has a fairly straightforward interface that can be learned quickly, customizable data visualizations, multiple templates, and much more.
Key features
- Over 100 different chart types
- Over 2,000 maps
- Large number of templates
- Multiple integrations with different tech stacks
- Many widgets to build out unique visualizations
- Easily export dashboards to use as you see fit
- Many readily-available dashboard templates
- Embeds on websites
Cons
- It only integrates with other code languages like PHP or React
Pricing
Pricing ranges from $499/year up to $2,499/year.
5. Datawrapper
Datawrapper bills itself as a tool that works to extract your data and while helping you tell compelling stories with it. It does this by providing a large number of maps, charts, and tables that can be used by customers. It does have a steeper price tag than the average data visualization tool but it also comes with a free plan.
One of its strengths is the sheer number of visualization options that customers can use. It has many customization options, supports on premise installation, and provides the option for self-publishing.
Key features
- Easily exportable
- Large number of customization options
- Supports millions of viewers
- Team collaboration tools
- API access to instantly create charts
- Create custom themes
- Large collection of support resources
Cons
- It’s more expensive than similar tools on the market
- Limited data import/integration options
Pricing
It has a free plan and the paid pricing starts at $599/m.
6. Sisense
Sisense visualizes data as a result of crunching analytics info from multiple sources. Beyond just helping you visualize data, it also gives you the opportunity to incorporate it into the tools you’re already using or custom applications. This gives you deep control over how data is presented, what data people have access too, and much more.
With that being said, Sisense leans to the enterprise side of things so it may be difficult for the average small business to bring out its full potential. If you can get beyond that hurdle then it can accelerate business growth by leaps and bounds.
Key features
- Large collection of data visualization options
- Integrates with applications and workflows for a custom experience
- Utilizes machine learning
- Multiple prebuilt and custom dashboards
- Mobile application
- Can use code libraries to further manipulate raw data
- API access
Cons
- It’s can be complex for smaller businesses to set up and use Sisense
Pricing
Pricing is tailored to the user and it isn’t publicly listed on the website
7. ChartBlocks
ChartBlocks is a simple data visualization application that does a good job of simplifying the process of making data beautiful. You’re able to import data from databases and spreadsheets but it’s not geared towards integrating with data sources.
It has a simple visualization wizard that allows you to arrange imported data and customize almost every aspect of your charts. It can also be easily shared across your organization or outside of it using the built-in tools.
Key features
- Import data from spreadsheets or databases
- Deep customization options
- Multiple chart and visualization types
- Responsive visualizations by default
- Easy social sharing tools
Cons
- No direct integrations with analytics/business tools
Pricing
ChartBlocks has a free plan and two paid plans which are dependent on the number of charts you wish to use.
- Professional – $20/m
- Elite – $65/m
8. Cyfe
Cyfe is one of the more popular data visualization software solutions available and it has been around for many years (relatively speaking). Instead of forcing you to upload data through a spreadsheet or a database, it has many built-in integrations ranging from Twitter to Google Analytics.
With the available data integrations, you’re able to create custom dashboards or use the provided templates to visualize your data and draw unique insights. It also has reporting/alerts features to keep you informed about important information.
Key features
- Over 250 prebuilt dashboards
- Export reports
- Alerts and emailed reports
- Custom data sources
- Combine multiple data sources together
- Embed data in webpages/applications
- White label option
- Multiple types of charts for visualization
Cons
- The interface can be confusing at times
Pricing
Starter – $19/m
Standard – $29/m
Pro – $49/m
Premier – $89/m
9. ExagoBI
ExagoBI is technically a business intelligence tool but it does pretty well on the data visualization side of things as well. It prides itself on being able to embed itself within almost any other application without causing conflicts. This can be a powerful tool for internal software and for software that’s being sold. It can also work as a standalone application.
It provides multiple prebuilt dashboards, a collection of integrations, and straightforward reporting tools. It can also be further customized using its function builder. This gives an entirely new level of control and manipulation for your data.
Key features
- Can be embedded in a large number of places
- Multiple reporting tools
- Robust customization options (colors, fonts, etc.)
- Static, interactive, and adhoc visualizations
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Merge multiple data sources together
- Multiple prebuilt dashboards
Cons
- Difficult to understand and troubleshoot errors
Pricing
Pricing isn’t publicly listed but it claims that there’s a single flat rate.
10. Grow
Grow is a modern BI and data visualization tool that can be used efficiently by small and large teams alike. It has well over a hundred integrations with marketing, business, and analytics tools. Grow regularly pulls and stores data from the connected apps which you can then use to build custom data visualizations.
It’s possible to further sort your data, tag it, and even join data in different ways. There are multiple pre-built dashboards and you can also build custom dashboards based on your needs. Grow has a straightforward interface that’s not difficult to learn which makes it ideal for smaller businesses without a team dedicated to BI or data visualization.
Key features
- Large collection of prebuilt integrations
- Customization options
- Data storage
- Data manipulation, cleansing, and merging
- Multiple chart and graph types
- Dynamic dashboards
- Multiple dashboard templates
- Share and export graphs (Slack, email, URLs, etc.)
- White label options
Cons
- Small number of glitches with triggering certain operations
Pricing
Grow pricing is not public. Instead, it’s tailored to each client.
11. Zoho Analytics
Zoho Analytics is a data visualization tool that works seamlessly with the rest of the Zoho ecosystem. It may not have as many bells and whistles like some of the other tools on this list but it’s a solid platform to make sense of your data nonetheless.
There are many data integrations you can take advantage of right out of the gate such as Instagram, Google Analytics, spreadsheets, etc. From there, you can store and arrange your data before visualizing it using a huge collection of chart types.
Key features
- Integrates with business apps and custom applications
- Works seamlessly with the rest of the Zoho ecosystem
- Large collection of visual dashboards to illustrate data
- Automated reports
- Predictive analytics
- Blend data from multiple sources and visualize
- Easily share data reports
- Access and permission levels
Cons
- It can have a steep learning curve for beginners
Pricing
Zoho has multiple pricing tiers:
- $30/m – Basic
- $60/m – Standard
- $145/m – Premium
- $575/m – Enterprise
Conclusion
There are many data visualization tools on the market with each one bringing something different to the table. This guide has gone through 11 of the best data visualization applications available. If you need something that’s simple to use and integrates with the tools you’re already using then Databox is a great choice. If, on the other hand, you don’t need data integrations but want many choices in charts and data representations then Infogram is the perfect tool.