Test 20+ BI & Analytics tools in 2025
When you thought that there would be no movement in the BI & Analytics space because the existing tools have solved it all, you were wrong (but I assume no one really thought that.
In the last two years, a new wave of BI and analytics tools has emerged: Count, Hashboard, Rill Data, Evidence, Lightdash, Omni, and many more.
When I came across the new ones, it triggered my curiosity. What do they bring to the table that was missing in the existing ones? So the idea started to form in my head: why not do an extensive test with all of them?
Over time, the idea got bigger - what if I create a real-looking dataset and define real-world use cases so we don't cross off features?
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I even created a fictional company: Storyquest, and a fictional briefing:
I ran this survey a while ago to ask people about which tools and use cases they want to see; feel free to cast your vote as well: https://tally.so/r/mV9Qxl
Based on the votes, my current road map for the first 10 tools and 5 use cases looks like this:
Tools
- Metabase
- Amplitude
- Lightdash
- Count
- Posthog
- Rill Data
- Mitzu
- Omni (if I can get access to it)
- Hashboard
- Looker Studio
Use Cases
#1 Onboarding & Getting started
To evaluate how effectively each BI tool's website and initial setup process communicates value proposition, guides user understanding, and enables quick time-to-first-insight for StoryQuest's analytics needs.
#2 Product Performance report
To empower StoryQuest's content team with clear insights into how different book series drive subscription growth and retention. The dashboard will reveal which stories resonate most with our readers, guiding content strategy and business growth through data-driven decision making.
#3 Self-service and collaboration
To enable teams across StoryQuest to independently access, analyze, and share subscription insights, fostering a data-driven culture where every department can confidently make decisions without constant data team support. The focus is on creating an environment where standardized metrics, clear data ownership, and quality control empower teams to collaborate effectively while maintaining data integrity and consistent reporting practices.
#4 Daily Check in
To provide StoryQuest's team with an at-a-glance view of critical business and product health metrics, enabling quick identification of anomalies and trends across subscription stages. The dashboard will serve as a daily compass for all team members, fostering a shared understanding of business performance and alerting stakeholders to areas requiring immediate attention.
#5 Campaign Performance Report
Enable the marketing team to effectively monitor, analyze, and optimize multi-channel campaign performance to drive subscription growth and engagement among young readers and their parents, while maintaining cost-efficient acquisition strategies.
And I have already prepared some wireframes with ideas on how to build the dashboards. But let's see how far this will work for me:
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