MicroStrategy vs Oracle Essbase comparison

Why PeerSpot?

The compared MicroStrategy and Oracle solutions aren't in the same category. MicroStrategy is ranked #14 in BIT , with an average rating of 7.8, and holds a 1.3% mindshare in the category. Oracle is ranked #17 in DDM , with an average rating of 7.3, and holds a 1.6% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of MicroStrategy users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Oracle users who would recommend it.

MicroStrategy

Read 164 MicroStrategy reviews

10,224 Views
7,157 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Oracle Essbase

Read 18 Oracle Essbase reviews

3,604 Views
1,081 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

MicroStrategy

Oracle Essbase

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between MicroStrategy and Oracle Essbase based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP and others in BI (Business Intelligence) Tools.

To learn more, read our detailed BI (Business Intelligence) Tools Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools

October 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

MicroStrategy

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

164

Ranking in other categories

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools (14th), Embedded BI (5th)

Oracle Essbase

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

4.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Database Development and Management (17th)

Mindshare comparison

MicroStrategy and Oracle Essbase aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. MicroStrategy is designed for BI (Business Intelligence) Tools and holds a mindshare of 1.3%, down 2.0% compared to last year.
Oracle Essbase, on the other hand, focuses on Database Development and Management, holds 1.6% mindshare, up 0.8% since last year.

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
MicroStrategy	1.3%
Microsoft Power BI	7.6%
Tableau Enterprise	6.3%
Other	84.8%

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools

Database Development and Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Oracle Essbase	1.6%
Oracle Enterprise Manager	4.3%
Oracle Coherence	3.8%
Other	90.3%

Database Development and Management

Featured Reviews

Prabu Thanikchalam

Principal Architect & Software Engineering Department Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Reporting has improved with strong administration tools but performance and memory still need work

Compared to the new tools, MicroStrategy is still on the old mechanism, the attributes and metric creations that are still a bit vague compared to other tools. They can actually improve on the go, having derived metrics or derived attributes in MicroStrategy. If they have something like that for the attributes as well, it will be good. A pain point is MicroStrategy memory fluctuations that we couldn't actually read that much. If they can improve that performance, that would be great. MicroStrategy struggles a bit with large data volumes, but they are coming up with new ideas. They have moved to Intelligent Cubes, which can actually handle better data handling. They are coming up with good measures to handle big data.

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Bhavya N

Senior System Engineer at Infosys

Ensuring efficient data analysis and reporting while identifying areas for calculation and export improvements

The features of Oracle Essbase are valuable, such as its multi-dimensional database used for dynamic calculations and reporting purposes. These features are valuable because they support multi-dimensional data views, allowing users to analyze relationships across various data categories and establish a comprehensive perspective on business operations. Moreover, dynamic calculations allow real-time data analysis, significantly improving the accuracy and depth of financial insights. I have utilized Essbase's data aggregation capabilities. The Oracle Essbase interface provides a good user experience, allowing users to easily navigate and analyze data with fast query performance, effective data visualization tools such as charts, graphs, and tables, and flexibility for customizable analysis and reporting, including the ability to create ad hoc reports. The benefits of the interface include improving productivity and enhancing decision-making.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Business users can create their reports once architected Available on all devices Customization options available at coding and visual levels"

"It is very easy for non-IT personnel to create (grid) reports."

"The most valuable feature of MicroStrategy is the ability to make your own cubes and, from those, create viewpoints."

"I love MicroStrategy as it has full depth BI functionality inside right from Admin to End Users scalability."

"The solution offers very good stability; we find it to be reliable, there aren't bugs or glitches, there isn't freezing, and it doesn't crash."

"MicroStrategy's best feature is that it is a user-friendly tool."

"Visual Insights (VI)"

"The power of this tool represents the best features MicroStrategy offers in my experience, and I find building reports enjoyable because the internal code of MicroStrategy is very easy to understand and build."

More MicroStrategy pros

"It's a very powerful analytical engine with Essbase as the back end. We can analyze, transform, or utilize a big chunk of data for our calculations."

"It provides for faster and more assertive forecast cycles and enables businesses to improve their process since with this tool, you can do things easily and quicker as the business can create more complex models than were possible before."

"Essbase is a kind of backbone, or back end, for systems like Hyperion Planning."

"It helps us fetch specific data sets per users' requirements."

"Oracle's capability to define custom hierarchies and dimensions has helped my organization in performing nuanced data exploration and advanced modeling because we use Oracle Essbase for dimension definition and also to define the properties of these members, such as dynamic members, stored members, shared members."

"Oracle Essbase is a web integration system that integrates with other data systems."

"It is my opinion, it is more comfortable in Oracle rather than a SQL server."

"The solution can handle a large volume of data."

More Oracle Essbase pros

Cons

"We did encounter stability issues. We had a serious metadata corruption problem."

"The drawback to a Reporting Services dashboard is, if you have users that span multiple ways they see the data – laptop, tablet, or phone – you have to create a specific dashboard for each."

"The In-Memory Capability (cubes) needs a lot of improvement."

"Cube publish time exponentially increases with MicroStrategy Cube size. Also, it has been observed that the Cube data gets unloaded from MicroStrategy's Cube cache resulting in reports and dashboards being impacted, having no data when executed."

"The developer is a long-ago obsolete tool. Its interface and functions should be completely redesigned."

"This is an area that could somehow improve, because the support was not exactly as responsive as we had hoped for."

"Areas of MicroStrategy that have room for improvement include pricing because it is costly."

"I did not see any additional value of providing one button for installation on the whole platform if it was going to be installed for different servers. You would have to make customization every time. There was no additional value in an installer."

More MicroStrategy cons

"They should improve the solution's performance."

"There is room for improvement in terms of cost-effectiveness."

"It's not a very scalable solution."

"The reporting tool of Essbase needs improvement."

"The solution could be cheaper. It is costly, and the initial setup could be simplified."

"A significant area for improvement in Oracle Essbase is that financial statement analysis, CAPEX and OPEX analysis, and financial consolidation must be done manually, as Oracle Essbase doesn't include the financial consolidation module that is available in EPM."

"The technical support for EPM is bad. I don't remember anytime that the service support helped me in something."

"It's an expensive product to use."

More Oracle Essbase cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing for MicroStrategy is always on the higher side. They should seriously start thinking about their pricing and licensing strategy."

"We are waiting to switch to Microsoft Power BI because MicroStrategy is too costly."

"They can improve its licensing. It is a bit expensive as compared to Microsoft and other tools."

"It is expensive. We would like to extend it to many users, but we are currently restricting that because the cost is a constraint. If we are given a chance, we would love to expand it."

"It would be nice if there was a sticker price that says, "This software costs this amount of money." But I think that's just indicative of all software vendors. A lot of people are in it to make money, commissions, so it's just the nature of the business. But I would like to see more transparency, more equality, on pricing. Some people get better deals than others, I think."

"All BI software vendors' list prices are high. It's about a price that fits the customer's needs. And I think MicroStrategy has some flexibility in its pricing model where we can easily demonstrate a total cost of ownership comparison against any of the other players."

"They gave us a good deal."

"We have one of the best pricing available, but we can't disclose that information."

More MicroStrategy pricing and cost advice

"The solution is expensive."

"It is a costly solution."

"Essbase is competitively priced."

"I believe the licensing is on a monthly base."

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Comparison Review

it_user6330

Product Manager at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

May 2, 2013

MicroStrategy vs. Tableau

After a recent presentation, several attendees asked me about the applications of Visual Insights and Tableau. Many companies are investing in both tools and are trying to figure out the right tool for specific applications Tableau has found its sweet-spot as an agile discovery tool that analysts…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Construction Company

10%

Marketing Services Firm

Financial Services Firm

15%

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	37
Midsize Enterprise	26
Large Enterprise	102

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MicroStrategy?

I would say on a scale of 1 to 10, I have only a four when it comes to pricing and setup cost because in my earlier companies, everything was done by another team. Here, we actually handle some of ...

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What needs improvement with MicroStrategy?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for MicroStrategy?

MicroStrategy is basically a reporting tool, and I take care of the administration side, so I handle complete maintenance and administration of MicroStrategy servers across all environments. Day-to...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Oracle Essbase?

A significant area for improvement in Oracle Essbase is that financial statement analysis, CAPEX and OPEX analysis, and financial consolidation must be done manually, as Oracle Essbase doesn't incl...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Oracle Essbase?

The initial setup of Oracle Essbase is dependent on whether you select BSO or ASO cubes. First, you need to set up the type of information and once the type of cubes is defined, you need to define ...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Oracle Essbase?

The pricing functionality in Oracle Essbase is handled through the model you develop, where each cube can be customized with members and dimensions for pricing and entities. You can implement any f...

See all answers

Comparisons

Tableau Enterprise vs MicroStrategy

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Power BI vs MicroStrategy

Compared 8% of the time

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence vs MicroStrategy

Compared 6% of the time

Meraki Location Analytics vs MicroStrategy

Compared 4% of the time

Oracle OBIEE vs MicroStrategy

Compared 4% of the time

More MicroStrategy Competitors

Microsoft Power BI vs Oracle Essbase

Compared 13% of the time

Tableau Enterprise vs Oracle Essbase

Compared 9% of the time

Oracle OBIEE vs Oracle Essbase

Compared 9% of the time

SAP Business Data Cloud vs Oracle Essbase

Compared 4% of the time

Oracle Essbase Cloud Service vs Oracle Essbase

Compared 4% of the time

More Oracle Essbase Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

MicroStrategy

October 2026

Download MicroStrategy product report

Buyer's Guide

Oracle Essbase

October 2026

Download Oracle Essbase product report

Also Known As

No data available

Essbase

Overview

MicroStrategy is known for its scalability and stability. It supports complex analytics and seamless mobile integration. With features like geo-spatial mapping and easy dossier creation, it's compatible with Teradata, offering robust metadata management and customizations through its SDK.

MicroStrategy provides enterprise-class business intelligence with streamlined data governance and efficiently handles diverse data sources. Its platform offers ad-hoc reporting, self-service features, and interactive visualizations. The active user community and customization options ensure adaptability, while enhancements are needed in data modeling and visual capabilities. The administration tools, schema creation, and dashboard development can be complex, and licensing costs are significant. Improvements in cloud integration, multi-device support, community support, and training are necessary for wider adoption.

What are the features of MicroStrategy?

Easy Dossier Creation: Allows for creating intuitive data reports.
Geo-Spatial Mapping: Integrates geographic data for insightful mapping.
Compatibility with Teradata: Ensures smooth data interaction.
Mobile Integration: Supports mobile app compatibility for enhanced accessibility.
Robust Metadata Management: Provides comprehensive data management capabilities.
SDK Customization: Offers software development kits for tailored solutions.

What benefits do users find in MicroStrategy?

Enterprise-Class BI: Offers a stable and scalable BI platform.
Streamlined Data Governance: Efficiently manages data policies and procedures.
Interactive Visualizations: Delivers engaging data presentations and dashboards.
Ad-Hoc Reporting: Supports flexible and immediate report generation for data analysis.
Active Community Support: Enhances adaptability and provides ongoing assistance.

MicroStrategy is implemented for reporting and analytics in industries like finance and operations. Corporations utilize it for creating dashboards, financial reporting, and operational data analysis. It's effective for management reporting, tracking sales, inventory, and providing real-time insights. Integrations with CRM applications enhance its utility in producing interactive digital formats, replacing traditional reporting methods.

MicroStrategy

Oracle Essbase provides robust multi-dimensional analysis with a strong calculation engine and aggregate storage, enabling fast calculations and swift response times for large data volumes.

Essbase offers scalable, stable multi-dimensional analysis capabilities, important for enterprises managing large datasets. Its flexibility and efficiency support detailed reporting, strategic decision-making, and advanced modeling. An intuitive interface allows fast data visualization and dynamic analysis, aiding strategic business operations. Continuous upgrades enhance performance and productivity.

What are the key features of Oracle Essbase?

Multi-dimensional Analysis: Enables complex data insights through powerful analysis capabilities.
Calculation Engine: Provides swift calculations essential for timely decision-making in business environments.
Aggregate Storage: Ensures efficient data handling, supporting fast response times and large data volumes.
Intuitive Interface: Facilitates fast visualization and enhances productivity through easy data management.

What benefits or ROI should users focus on in reviews?

Scalability: Supports growing data needs efficiently, maintaining stability.
Performance Upgrades: Continuously improves data processing speeds and system functionality.
Flexibility: Adapts to diverse reporting and analysis needs effectively.
Enhanced Productivity: Increases organizational efficiency with dynamic data analysis capabilities.

In industries like telecommunications, banking, and healthcare, Essbase is used extensively for financial management, including planning, budgeting, and reporting. It facilitates decision-making in multinational firms by supporting enterprise performance management and generating comprehensive financial statements. Users leverage it for complex data processing and intensive queries, improving operational efficiency.

Oracle

Sample Customers

Allstate Insurance, Barneys New York, Boston Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires Department of the Treasury, Campbell Soup Company, DHL, eBay, eHarmony, Facebook, Four Seasons Hotels Inc., Godiva, Hard Rock International, LinkedIn, Netflix, Pfizer, SECO (Swiss Government Unemployment Agency), Starbucks, Texas A&M University, Thomson Reuters Markets, US House of Representatives, and the US Postal Service.

CHU de Rennes, Bellco Credit Union, Akindo Sushiro Co. Ltd, Deutsche Telekom AG, Samarco MineraÊo S.A., PCCW Ltd., QDQ media S.A.U., Boiron Italia, Specialized Bicycle Components Inc., Akindo Sushiro Co. Ltd., Air Canada, Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd.

Buyer's Guide

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October 2026

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