In today’s data driven world, having access to actionable insights right within the tools and applications we already use can be a gamechanger. That’s where embedded analytics comes in. Instead of switching between platforms or running complex reports, embedded analytics integrates powerful data visualization and reporting directly into the software we rely on every day. Whether you’re a SaaS company looking to enhance your product or an enterprise aiming to empower your team with real time data, embedded analytics provides a seamless experience for decision making and performance tracking.
As the demand for personalized and on-demand insights grows, more businesses are turning to embedded analytics platforms that offer scalability, customization, and user friendly interfaces. These platforms don’t just make data more accessible—they also improve user engagement by presenting relevant insights at the right time.
In this guide, we'll walk you through what embedded analytics is, how it works, and the key factors to consider when selecting a platform. Plus, we'll introduce you to 7 of the best embedded analytics platforms of 2024 that are designed to meet the growing needs of businesses across various industries. From intuitive setups to advanced features, these platforms are leading the way in transforming how we use data.
Embedded analytics refers to the integration of data analytics capabilities directly into the applications and software we already use. Instead of navigating to separate BI (business intelligence) tools or dashboards, teams can access data visualizations, reports, and realtime insights directly within the platforms they work with. This approach not only saves time but also enables datadriven decisions without ever leaving the workflow. Think of it as having all the power of a full analytics suite built into the software we use daily.
In today’s fastpaced business world, embedded analytics has become essential. It provides instant access to insights where they’re needed the most—whether we’re working in a CRM, ERP, or even a customerfacing application. As a result, businesses are adopting embedded analytics to improve user engagement, streamline operations, and drive better decisionmaking. It’s no wonder that, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), the embedded analytics market is expected to grow to $60 billion by 2025.
Let’s look at a realworld example to understand how impactful embedded analytics can be. Imagine a retail company using a customer relationship management (CRM) system to track sales, customer interactions, and marketing efforts. Instead of relying on separate tools to analyze sales data, teams can have embedded analytics directly within the CRM itself. This means they can instantly see which products are selling the most, which customer segments are driving the highest revenue, and which marketing campaigns are working—all without switching between multiple applications.
For instance, Shopify, a popular ecommerce platform, uses embedded analytics to help store owners monitor their business performance in real time. With builtin analytics dashboards, users can track sales, customer behavior, and inventory levels, all from a single interface. This helps business owners make faster, more informed decisions without the need to export data into another tool or hire a data analyst.
Another example comes from the healthcare industry. Healthcare providers often use electronic health records (EHR) systems to manage patient information. When embedded analytics is added to the EHR system, it enables doctors and nurses to quickly access patient insights like trends in vital signs, predicted health outcomes, or treatment effectiveness, all while reviewing the patient’s medical history. This kind of realtime insight can drastically improve patient care, reduce the risk of errors, and optimize treatment plans.
At the core of embedded analytics is the idea of making data accessible and actionable. In traditional BI setups, data would typically need to be exported into a separate platform, reports built, and then results shared. This approach is not only timeconsuming but also disconnected from the actual processes where decisions are made. With embedded analytics, we can view, analyze, and act on data directly within everyday tools. This reduces friction, speeds up decisionmaking, and increases data accessibility for everyone involved.
For SaaS (software-As-A-Service) companies, embedding analytics into their platforms is also a major valueadd. For example, a marketing platform like HubSpot provides embedded analytics to give users a full picture of their marketing efforts—campaign performance, customer engagement, lead generation, and more—without requiring users to export data or use external BI tools. By embedding analytics within their platform, HubSpot improves the user experience and helps businesses maximize the value of their marketing efforts.
Now more than ever, businesses are inundated with data. According to Forbes, 95% of companies say that managing unstructured data is a problem for them, and 59% struggle to make decisions due to too much data. Embedded analytics solves this problem by presenting relevant insights in the context of the user’s workflow. Instead of having to dig through mountains of data, the most important insights are available at users' fingertips when they need them most.
Moreover, embedded analytics isn’t just for internal use. Many customerfacing applications now embed analytics to provide their users with realtime data insights. For example, financial services platforms often embed performance tracking, stock market updates, and investment analytics into their apps, giving users direct access to insights without needing external tools.
When thinking of embedded analytics, a few key features make it such a valuable tool.
Customization: The ability to tailor dashboards, reports, and visualizations to fit the specific needs of users or departments. For example, a marketing team can see campaign data, while a sales team focuses on lead generation and conversion.
RealTime Insights: Having uptodate data available instantly without delays or manual data processing.
UserFriendly Interface: Embedded analytics platforms are designed to be intuitive, so even nontechnical users can create reports and access data without needing advanced training.
Seamless Integration: Whether using a SaaS platform, ERP, or customerfacing app, embedded analytics integrates smoothly into the workflow, offering a seamless experience.
Integration Capabilities: The platform should seamlessly connect with our existing systems through APIs and prebuilt connectors to ensure smooth data flow across applications.
Customization and Flexibility: We need a platform that allows us to tailor reports and dashboards to fit our specific needs, with flexibility to adapt as our business evolves.
User Experience and Accessibility: The platform must be userfriendly and accessible for both technical and nontechnical users, offering intuitive interfaces for creating insights.
RealTime Analytics and Performance: It should provide realtime data processing and maintain high performance, even with large datasets, for quick and accurate decisionmaking.
Security and Compliance: Robust security features like encryption and access controls, along with industrystandard compliance (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), are essential for safeguarding sensitive data.
Cost and ROI: The platform should offer valuable features at a reasonable cost, aligning with our budget while maximizing return on investment.
In 2024, businesses require sophisticated tools to integrate data insights directly into their applications. Let’s dive into seven of the best embedded analytics platforms that stand out for their ease of integration, powerful features, and ability to deliver actionable insights.
1. Explo
Explo is a powerful embedded analytics platform designed to help businesses seamlessly integrate analytics into their customer-facing applications. Unlike traditional analytics tools that require complex setups, Explo focuses on ease of integration, making it ideal for companies looking to provide their users with rich insights quickly. It supports real-time data processing, allowing businesses to deliver the most relevant insights to their customers without a heavy engineering lift.
Features
Why Choose Explo
Explo stands out because of its speed, flexibility, and focus on user experience. Compared to larger competitors, it’s easier to set up and offers extensive customization options without the need for a large development team. Its real-time capabilities and API-first architecture make it a perfect fit for SaaS platforms or businesses that need to embed analytics into customer-facing products quickly. Unlike some enterprise solutions that require a heavy technical lift, Explo’s low-code environment ensures companies of all sizes can leverage embedded analytics effectively without compromising on functionality or security.
2. Tableau
Tableau is one of the most wellknown names in business intelligence and analytics. Its embedded analytics capabilities allow businesses to bring Tableau’s powerful visualization tools directly into their applications, offering comprehensive insights without switching platforms.
Features
Why Choose Tableau
Choose Tableau if you need powerful data visualization capabilities and a platform that is widely trusted in the enterprise sector. Its robust features, coupled with a userfriendly interface, make it a top pick for organizations that need both depth and flexibility in analytics.
3. Metabase
Metabase is an open source business intelligence tool known for its simplicity and developer friendly design. It’s ideal for organizations looking for a lightweight yet powerful solution to embed analytics within their internal tools or customer portals.
Features
Why Choose Metabase
Metabase is perfect for companies that prefer an opensource solution with a focus on ease of use. It offers enough flexibility for developers to customize it deeply while providing nontechnical teams a simple interface for data insights.
4. Looker
Looker, now part of Google Cloud, is a powerful data exploration platform that helps businesses bring insights to their teams through embedded analytics. It provides endtoend solutions, from data modeling to delivering insights through intuitive dashboards.
Features
Why Choose Looker
Looker is the goto platform if you're deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem. Its powerful modeling capabilities, combined with its ability to deliver realtime insights, make it ideal for datacentric organizations that require sophisticated analytics.
5. Sisense
Sisense is a complete analytics platform that allows users to integrate data and deliver insights within their apps. Known for its powerful endtoend analytics solutions, Sisense supports everything from data preparation to visualization.
Features
Why Choose Sisense
Sisense is a great choice for organizations with complex data needs that require quick, realtime analysis. Its ability to combine multiple data sources and process large datasets quickly makes it ideal for enterprises handling massive amounts of information.
6. Power BI
Microsoft Power BI is a wellestablished analytics tool that enables businesses to embed rich visuals and insights directly into their applications. It's one of the most accessible analytics platforms due to its integration with the Microsoft ecosystem.
Features
Why Choose Power BI
For businesses already using Microsoft products, Power BI is the natural choice for embedded analytics. It’s highly accessible, easy to integrate, and delivers robust analytics capabilities across the Microsoft ecosystem.
7. Luzmo
Formerly known as Cumul.io, Luzmo focuses on embedding highly customizable analytics dashboards into SaaS platforms and applications. It's a developerfriendly solution that prioritizes flexibility and quick deployment.
Features
Why Choose Luzmo
Luzmo is the best choice for SaaS companies and developers who need full control over how analytics are presented within their applications. Its APIfirst design and extensive customization options make it highly flexible for any industry.
Each of these platforms offers unique strengths, making them suitable for different business needs. By considering the features, ease of integration, and specific use cases of each, we can select the embedded analytics platform that best aligns with our goals.
In today's data-driven world, embedded analytics platforms are essential for turning raw data into actionable insights. Whether it’s Explo’s user-friendly integration or the powerful features of industry giants like Tableau and Power BI, each platform brings something special to the table. By exploring these options, we can empower our teams with the real-time data they need to make informed decisions and boost efficiency. Ultimately, the right embedded analytics solution can transform how we understand and interact with our data, helping us stay ahead in a competitive landscape.
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