Knowage vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services comparison

Knowage and Microsoft are both solutions in the Reporting category. Knowage is ranked #25, while Microsoft is ranked #3 with an average rating of 7.4. Knowage holds a 0.9% mindshare in RT, compared to Microsoft’s 3.4% mindshare. Additionally, 85% of Knowage users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Knowage

Read 18 Knowage reviews

631 Views
423 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Microsoft SQL Server Report...

Read 21 Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services reviews

2,287 Views
2,287 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Knowage

Microsoft SQL Server Report...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

Knowage and Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) compete in business intelligence and data analytics. SSRS appears superior due to its robust feature set, justifying its higher price point.

Features: Knowage offers open-source flexibility, data exploration, and compatibility with numerous data sources. SSRS excels in integration with Microsoft tools, advanced reporting, and seamless data management.

Room for Improvement: Knowage could benefit from enhanced reporting templates, user interface refinement, and improved scalability. SSRS should focus on reducing complexity in multi-platform deployment, enhancing non-Microsoft data source integration, and improving customization options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Knowage's deployment is simpler in open-source settings, with platform flexibility. SSRS benefits from integration with Microsoft infrastructure, offering efficient deployment within Microsoft environments and robust customer support via Microsoft's networks.

Pricing and ROI: Knowage typically incurs lower costs due to its open-source nature, offering a good ROI for budget-conscious projects. SSRS might involve higher costs through licensing but provides significant ROI by integrating with Microsoft investments and advanced tools.

To learn more, read our detailed Knowage vs. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Knowage vs. Microsoft SQL Servering Services

July 2025

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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

Knowage

Ranking in Reporting

25th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools (35th)

Microsoft SQL Server Report...

Ranking in Reporting

3rd

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Reporting category, the mindshare of Knowage is 0.9%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is 3.4%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Reporting

Featured Reviews

AbdulshukoorMohammed

General Manager Information Technology & Enterprise Applications Manager at OXFORD HOLDING

Easy to customize, cross-platform capable, and very stable

The only challenge here is that it's a Java-based platform. It requires very high technical skills. When we come to the integration with the single sign-on facilities, that part is very challenging. In Power BI and other tools, it's very easy to integrate with active directory and single sign-on, and identity management is very easy in other business intelligence tools. However, when it comes to Knowage, it's a bit heavy, it's time-consuming sometimes, it's not very fast, and definitely not as fast as other business intelligence tools in terms of getting graphical reports. The solution could be cheaper.

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MartinSimons

Senior Consultant at X1F

Ensures database access and monitoring have been manageable, but batch load analysis needs better support

There are occasions during maintenance runs when the Check Point monitoring system reports a lot of blocked sessions. This is typically due to system processes or maintenance processes that temporarily block themselves. Additionally, a tool within the studio for performing SQL analysis does not provide useful information for batch load processes, often advising not to use an index, which is expected with batch loads.

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

"The concept of engines is quite powerful allowing the user to work with report authoring/provisioning tools of their choice."

"We can easily do our own customizations."

"I can't name the features the way the Knowage community calls them because I still don't know the lingo. However, I can describe them. I like the ability to join more than one report, set all fields on one end, and replicate that on the other reports. I like that a lot. I think it's one of the features that got me using Knowage. They have tables, and I like that too. They took SQL scripts and many other scripts and enabled them to even correlate with Python. That's also one of the best things about Knowage. You could also decide to get information per user role, and this is also a feature that I like in Knowage."

"The embedding feature is great."

"Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is reliable for management dashboard and reporting purposes. It is helpful for user reporting and administrative tasks, such as monitoring progress. It is easy to use since it is lightweight and integrates well with the SQL Server database, making reporting straightforward. The visualization capabilities enhance our reporting needs with good pagination and KPI features. It integrates well with data servers and workbooks, allowing us to publish reports on mobile applications and tablets easily. Integrating other tools and platforms in our tech ecosystem is generally straightforward. However, if we need to perform something very specialized, we might have to use third-party tools rather than inbuilt options."

"The solution's features are all just wrapped up in one nice easy package. I don't need a lot of toolsets to get everything I need done."

"The tool's valuable features are its drill-down feature, graphs, and charts."

"The initial setup is easy."

"I mainly use the solution for the ease of reporting and for executive dashboards."

"It is a stable solution."

"It is scalable."

"We were able to embed the report builder within our internal proprietary systems, improving our reporting capabilities."

More Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services pros

Cons

"It would be better if more resources were available to help us learn how to use it. I wanted to use Knowage for a more extended period, but learning materials around the product were not really available and were not really straightforward. I've also seen inconsistencies between versions. For example, under the tools, especially in the cockpit, the way you create reports is now different. You will also find some configurations within a particular state, like a line chart, which differs from version to version. I think consistency is an essential feature in a product, especially for business intelligence products."

"The only challenge here is that it's a Java-based platform. It requires very high technical skills."

"The dashboard components could be better."

"Development of SpagoBI has now been moved to Knowage. Users interested in further developments of the platform will have to look there."

"Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services needs to improve performance."

"It is not easy to integrate the product with other tools in the market."

"The complex tuning for report performance is complicated. There is a lack of native support for source code control. We often need to use separate tools like VS Code or other software to manage version control and changes in the database. It would be beneficial if source code management were integrated directly into SSRS, thus eliminating the need to rely on external tools. While CLI-based operations are exemplary, the trend is towards GUI for a better user experience. Integrating both visualization and source code management within SSRS would simplify the process for users."

"Sometimes, we need to make sure that the configuration stays consistent across the reporting instances. They all connect to the same database. So, it shares that same backend, but the reporting services itself can also be configured. On the application level, for reporting level. And it is, based on my own experience, it is a manual effort to make sure that the reporting servers are configured the same across the environment."

"There is room for improvement in the pricing model."

"It would be really nice to have better integration between the solution and Power BI."

"They could improve the scalability and stability of SQL Server Reporting Services."

"Technical support is in minor need of improvement so that they can solve problems in a more timely manner."

More Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Knowage is open-source, and an enterprise edition is also available."

"It allows the implementation of an effective reporting system using internal skills at a limited upfront cost."

"The product pricing is reasonable in terms of suitable features for business."

"Value-wise, the solution's pricing is good for the price that we pay."

"The solution is free to use for developers."

"The pricing is high."

"The solution is cheaper than its alternatives."

"The price is pretty good."

"The solution is expensive."

"The tool's licensing costs are expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

16%

Hospitality Company

12%

Insurance Company

11%

Marketing Services Firm

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

What do you like most about Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?

I mainly use the solution for the ease of reporting and for executive dashboards.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?

I would consider it cost effective for our environment, and we don't have to invest in another big tool to generate these reports, making it all integrated and easier. Otherwise, you need to write ...

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What needs improvement with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?

I am thinking that with all the Copilot integration within the Microsoft environment, that could be integrated as well, so that you could issue a prompt and it generates designs.

See all answers

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Compared 14% of the time

OpenText Intelligence vs Knowage

Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 12% of the time

Oracle OBIEE vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Compared 10% of the time

QlikView vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Knowage

August 2025

Download Knowage product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft SQL Servering Services

August 2025

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services report

Download Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services product report

Also Known As

SpagoBI

SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft SSRS, SSRS, MS SQL Server Reporting Services

Overview

Knowage (formerly SpagoBI) has a 14-years history. The actual release is the 6.3.

Knowage offers FULL ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES, with a special focus on big data analytics and comprehensive support to rich and multi-source data analysis. Knowage provides different modules, each one focused on a specific domain but mutually combinable (Big Data, Smart Intelligence, Enterprise Reporting, Location Intelligence, Performance Management, Predictive Analysis). Moreover, Knowage is an OPEN SOURCE solution: the source code is freely accessible, everyone is allowed to join the community and build the own business solution to ensure strategic decision-making and improved productivity.

Knowage suite is supported by Engineering Group, the leading Italian software and services company, with about 10,000 people and more than 50 offices worldwide. Maintenance and support services (such as trainings, migration support, proof-of-concepts, etc) are provided by Engineering Group (KNOWAGE Labs) under subscription.

Knowage

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our mission is grounded in both the world in which we live and the future we strive to create. Today, we live in a mobile-first, cloud-first world, and the transformation we are driving across our businesses is designed to enable Microsoft and our customers to thrive in this world.

We do business in 170 countries and are made up of 114,000 passionate employees dedicated to fulfilling our mission of helping you and your organization achieve more.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

FIAT Group, Italian air navigation service provider, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Telecom Italia, ASL Genovese, San Giovanni Battista University Hospital

CMS Wire, The New York Times

Buyer's Guide

Knowage vs. Microsoft SQL Servering Services

July 2025

Free Report: Knowage vs. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

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