Name: IBM Cognos
Brand: IBM
Rating: 4.1 (138 reviews)

Ahmed Ashmawy

Data Practice Lead at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Jun 17, 2023

Download

An affordable and easy-to-use solution

Pros and Cons

"The solution's initial setup process is easy."

"It could have more options for themes."

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable feature is its ability to change the reports directly on the server.

What needs improvement?

The solution could have more options for themes in terms of creating reports. Also, its drill-down feature needs improvement. In addition, they should include features for visualization in the next release.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution since 2015.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the solution's scalability a seven or eight.

Buyer's Guide

IBM Cognos

January 2026

Free Report: IBM Cognos Reviews and More

Learn what your peers think about IBM Cognos. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

881,346 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Power BI has better drill-down features. Also, they have efficient components in the toolkit. In comparison, Cognos is more easy to use.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup process is easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is affordable.

What other advice do I have?

The solution is easy to use. Our customers could learn cognitive algorithms quickly with its help. I rate it an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner

Dk Aggarwal

Advisor at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Feb 24, 2024

Download

Provides good enterprise analytics and reporting, but the technical support’s response time could be improved

Pros and Cons

"We use IBM Cognos for enterprise analytics and reporting."

"The technical support team’s response time is slow and needs to be improved."

What is most valuable?

We use IBM Cognos for enterprise analytics and reporting. IBM Cognos is an easy-to-use solution that has simple drag-and-drop features.

What needs improvement?

The technical support team’s response time is slow and needs to be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using IBM Cognos for a few years.

How are customer service and support?

The solution’s technical support is not so good. I rate the solution’s technical support a six or seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

What other advice do I have?

The solution's basic use cases are business reporting and data analysis, and it's bundled with most of the products. All IBM products in our region should be promoted more.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner