How customer voice
drives business

EZ Texting and Twilio Programmable SMS are both software designed to help businesses create and manage text marketing campaigns. EZ Texting is a mobile marketing software specialized for SMS marketing, whereas Twilio Programmable SMS is a communications platform built for highly customizable automated SMS messaging. Both software options are more popular with small businesses, though EZ Texting is used by mid-sized and larger enterprises as well. Features EZ Texting and Twilio Programmable SMS each include SMS messaging features, but they also have a few standout features that set them apart from each other. EZ Texting specializes in marketing features, including a text-to-landline feature that allows SMS marketing campaigns to reach landline phones. This can be important depending on the demographic of a campaign, as access to landlines opens up certain groups to marketing they may not receive otherwise. EZ Texting also includes native integrations with popular marketing software like MailChimp and Constant Contact, as well as analytics tools that help track user engagement. A wide variety of integrations allows businesses to easily pass data from one software to another. Twilio Programmable SMS includes a flexible API designed to help developers integrate Twilio into their system with no issue. Twilio boasts […]

Docker and Kubernetes are both container management software but offer different features that make them difficult to compare. Notably, while Docker and Kubernetes can run separately, many businesses also use both, as they have many unique features. Docker is designed to create containers, while Kubernetes focuses on controlling and managing containers. Kubernetes is most popular with large enterprises, while Docker is popular with businesses of all sizes. Features and Limitations Docker is an open-source file type and software that allows users to create and destroy containers. Containers are isolated packages of software and their dependencies, making them entirely self-sufficient. This is important as many technologies have large amounts of dependencies. Isolating software with its dependencies allows for quick and simple communication. Additionally, Docker containers allow businesses to use fewer virtual machines. Docker containers are easy for developers to work with. One challenge with Docker containers is that it can be difficult to get containers to share data or communicate with each other. Additionally, it can be challenging to scale with many container instances. Kubernetes is an open-source orchestration software that helps businesses manage their containers, whether they are created via Docker or another software. Kubernetes reduces complexity when deploying containers […]

BombBomb and Vidyard are both video marketing software options that allow marketers to create personalized, interactive video content. BombBomb is most popular with small businesses, while Vidyard is used most often by mid-sized organizations. Features Though BombBomb and Vidyard both include essential video marketing features, such as custom branding and annotations, they also have a few standout gestures that set them apart from each other. Vidyard provides detailed analytics for published videos, including real-time video data that helps to track engagement across multiple videos and provides insights on user behavior, geography, and device. Additionally, Vidyard provides hosting that includes a video hub users can visit to see all the videos a business has published. Reviewers also speak highly of Vidyard customer service for its fast response time and frequent progress updates. Lastly, Vidyard integrates with many Google applications, such as Gmail, and has a Google Chrome extension for creating videos on the fly. BombBomb provides marketing features such as live notifications when videos are clicked so that businesses can better predict who they should follow up with. Additionally, BombBomb allows for scheduled email campaigns, so users can set up when they want their videos to go out, and then let […]

MariaDB and PostgreSQL are SQL databases designed to help businesses store and access structured data in an organized and scalable way. Both MariaDB and PostgreSQL are open source, giving technically savvy organizations access to database systems without licensing fees. There are also many premium services that implement, support, or manage MariaDB and PostgreSQL databases for businesses without the required on-staff expertise. Both MariaDB and PostgreSQL are used by businesses of all sizes, and both are actively maintained with performance improvements, optimizations, and bug fixes. Features MariaDB and PostgreSQL both offer essential database features, such as high-performance querying, but they each have features that distinguish them from each other. MariaDB is a lightweight database solution, with minimal requirements for technical resources. As a result, it’s an especially popular solution for businesses with smaller data storage requirements or limited hardware resources. MariaDB offers more flexible partitioning and sharding options compared to PostgreSQL. It also supports more programming languages, including Ruby, Erlang, Go, and more, giving its users more options to work in the language they’re most comfortable with. PostgreSQL, on the other hand, offers faster read and write times, with better overall performance compared to MariaDB. PostgreSQL is often a good choice […]

Alooma and Matillion provide data integration capabilities for businesses. Alooma, which was purchased by Google in 2019, provides a more comprehensive platform for integrating applications and systems, as well as data flows, while Matillion specializes as a point solution for data Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL).  Alooma is an Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), which entails an architectural foundation  for connecting applications and datastreams, in this case with a specialization in integrating data sources with Google’s BigQuery data warehouse. Matillion focuses on extracting data from an original source, or many original sources, formatting the data for the end user, and storing it in a data warehouse.   Features  Alooma and Matillion both have strong features tailored to their corresponding use cases. Alooma provides features that span a wide range of data integration needs. In particular, Alooma offers mature data mapping capabilities, which grants flexibility when dataflows change and enable non-IT users. It also specializes in loading data into Google’s BigQuery data warehouse. Matillion’s specialization as an ETL solution allows it to excel in this capacity. Users point to Matillion’s ability to transform data from a wide range of platforms and cloud-based environments. In particular, the product is ideal for integrating […]

MySQL is an open source database software designed to allow for the storage and querying of structured data. Oracle SQL Developer is an integrated development environment (IDE) built to be used with Oracle database. Users of Oracle database software will prefer Oracle SQL Developer while MySQL users will need to use a different IDE such as Datagrip. With this in mind, this comparison will focus on the differences between MySQL and Oracle Database. Oracle Database and Oracle SQL developers are popular with mid-sized businesses and larger enterprises while MySQL is popular with businesses of all sizes. Features MySQL and Oracle Database both have essential database features including structured data storage and query-based data retrieval. Each database software also has a few standout features that set them apart from one another. MySQL is an open source database software, meaning its source code is available online for free. Since MySQL is an open source software, it can be set up very affordably for businesses with technical staff. MySQL also offers high-performance querying, and fast read/write times. Additionally, MySQL supports a variety of programming languages including Java. Lastly, MySQL is a very scalable database software, which can make it an ideal choice for […]

QuickBooks Online and Sage Business Cloud Accounting are both online accounting software. Both subscription-based products are primarily designed for small businesses, with QuickBooks offering additional capabilities for larger companies as well. Features Both QuickBooks Online and Sage Business Cloud Accounting include core accounting functions that small businesses need, such as invoicing, income and expense tracking, and reporting. There are also some key features that set them apart. QuickBooks Online emphasizes its support for tax preparation, management, and filing, including forecasting taxes ahead of time and streamlining the filing process. It also allows users to automate some routine tasks, reminders, and triggers to improve accuracy and save businesses time. Sage Business Cloud Accounting offers features tailored to small businesses primarily needing accessible tools for cash flow management. These features include a mobile app for income, expense, and invoice management. It also provides robust connectivity with your banks to automatically match your transactions and save time on reconciliation and live financial reporting. Limitations While both accounting products offer valuable services for small businesses, there are limitations to each software. QuickBooks Online’s reporting capabilities scale up with each pricing tier, but some users have struggled to achieve the level of insight they are […]

Amazon RDS is a relational database service that allows organizations to utilize structured storage without physical hardware. Users of RDS have several database engines they can choose from, but two of the most popular are Amazon Aurora and MySQL. Aurora is included in Amazon RDS, but it is worth considering the feature differences between Aurora and other RDS engines. Amazon RDS MySQL and Amazon Aurora are both popular with businesses of all sizes. Amazon Aurora provides high performance, while other RDS engines are more optimized for high volumes of transactions. Features Amazon Aurora and other Amazon RDS engines all include essential relational database features, but they also have some standout features that set them apart from other options. Amazon Aurora provides high performance by utilizing all available memory. Due to this optimized performance, Amazon Aurora can provide up to five times higher throughput compared to MySQL. Amazon Aurora is also usable with other databases, and it is compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL. These compatibilities make migration easy from existing databases to Amazon Aurora. Additionally, Amazon Aurora includes autoscaling, which makes it a good choice for businesses that may have greater database needs in the future. Non-Aurora Amazon RDS engines like […]

QuickBooks Self-Employed and Wave Accounting are both accounting software designed for very small businesses. QuickBooks Self-Employed focuses on expense tracking, mileage tracking, and tax management for individuals who run their own business, particularly single-person businesses. In contrast, Wave offers a wider range of features necessary for small businesses with multiple employees. Features Both QuickBooks Self-Employed and Wave offer accounting features and pricing structures tailored for very small businesses, but there are some key features that set them apart. QuickBooks Self-Employed stands out for its extensive and robust tax management and preparation capabilities. Its native integrations with the rest of Intuit’s tax preparation services, such as TurboTax, as well as its support for quarterly tax filings, help simplify time-intensive tax processes. It also provides other mechanisms, such as mileage tracking, to help self-employed individuals maximize their tax savings. Wave offers a wider range of accounting capabilities that multi-employee businesses in particular will utilize. For instance, Wave offers payment processing features, including credit card processing and bank payments. Wave also provides payroll capabilities, with accompanying tax services in a selection of U.S. states. Limitations While both Wave and QuickBooks Self-Employed offer strong features for very small businesses, they also have some relevant […]

Quickbooks Desktop Pro and Quickbooks Self-Employed are both accounting software designed to handle financial data, invoicing, and reporting. Both versions of Quickbooks share a lot of features, but Quickbooks Desktop Pro is designed for businesses with employees, whereas Quickbooks Self Employed is built for freelancers or very small businesses. As a result of these design decisions, Quickbooks Desktop Pro is a popular choice for small to mid-sized businesses while Quickbooks Self-Employed is used almost exclusively by very small businesses. Features and Limitations Quickbooks Desktop Pro and Quickbooks Self-Employed both offer the same suite of essential features for financial management. These features include income and expense tracking, downloadable transaction information, and automated data backup. Despite these similarities, there are also a few key differences between the products. Quickbooks Desktop Pro includes features for tracking employee timesheets and payments, and also allows for multiple users. These features are essential for businesses with employees to manage or multiple accountants that need to access financial data. Quickbooks Self-Employed lacks these features but allows for the separation of personal and business expenses, which can save time for users. Pricing Both Quickbooks Desktop Pro and Quickbooks Self-Employed offer 30-day free trials for users to try out […]

Matillion and Talend Data Integration are both data integration tools. Matillion specializes in ETL for cloud-based warehouses. Talend differentiates by offering a free open source version of its data integration platform. Talend is more commonly used at the enterprise level, with a larger focus on big data integration,  while Matillion’s cloud focus is gives it functionality across company sizes.  Features Both Matillion and Talend provide a variety of features for data integration.  Matillion offers a robust Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL) capability. Users highlight its ability to centralize and structure data from a wide range of platforms and cloud environments, particularly AWS applications. Matillion’s focus on cloud-based data warehouses makes it ideal for this use case. Talend differentiates with its free open source data quality management and integration software, which can be used for simple use cases. At larger scale, Talend also provides a high degree of customizable connectors between different system, including custom-built connectors.  Limitations  Talent and Matillion also both have some limitations to their offerings.  Matillion’s users have struggled to create and utilize the platform’s documentation for updates and project management. This issue is particularly pronounced when implementing or integrating Git.  Talend’s free version is extremely limited for […]

Alteryx Platforma is a business intelligence and data visualization software, while Matillion is an Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL) tool. Matillion is used for centralizing, consolidating, and formatting data for analysis and reporting. Alteryx is used for more intensive analytics and reporting, but it also emphasizes its ETL capabilities relative to other BI tools. Given Alteryx’s broad feature set, it is more heavily used by enterprises, while Matillion has users across company sizes.  Features Both Alteryx and Matillion have distinct strengths tailored to certain needs. Alteryx stands out for its full-service analytics capabilities, from data extraction to visualization and modeling. Users point to a robust set of predictive analytics models for various use cases. For repeated analyses or processes, Alteryx also provides automation and macros functionality to streamline data analytics.  Matillion specializes in data centralization and preparation. In particular, it excels at extracting data from an extremely wide range of platforms, especially AWS environments and cloud-based data warehouses. It also features a very low learning curve, with greater accessibility via a drag-and-drop interface.  Limitations While Alteryx and Matillion both have strong features, they also have some limitations. Alteryx has struggled with more polished visualizations. Users have described limited data visualization […]

Gainsight and ChurnZero are customer success platforms that provide businesses with visibility into account health, measure customer engagement, identify churn risks, and facilitate customer communications.  Though these products have much in common, they have different positions within the market. ChurnZero markets itself as a true customer success solution. In contrast, Gainsight positions itself as a suite of integrated capabilities centered around customer success, product experience, customer experience, customer data, and revenue optimization.  Features Both platforms have a similar set of core customer success capabilities, though each product offers a few unique features as well. Features they have in common include an overall dashboard of account activity, customer health and churn risk scoring, customer journey mapping and activity alerts, in-app messaging, reporting and analytics, and email and in-app Net Promoter surveys (NPS).  ChurnZero also offers walkthroughs and user-guides for in-app users, and the ability to create customer personas and use them for segmentation. Gainsight also includes a few unique features like executive sponsor alerts, customer email templates, and revenue optimization capabilities like network mapping and renewal forecasting.  As part of its platform, Gainsight offers a customer data platform that aggregates customer information from third-party software (e.g. CRM, helpdesk or ticking systems, […]

Cisco Multi-Factor Authentication (formerly Duo Security) and HID DigitalPersona are both authentication tools. Both products feature single sign-on and remote access authentication. However, Cisco provides more device visibility, while HID DigitalPersona specializes in user-based authentication. They are both used heavily by midsized companies and enterprises Features Cisco Multi-Factor Authentication and HID DigitalPersona both provide standout features for their target user bases. Cisco Multi-Factor Authentication is highlighted by reviewers for it’s wide range of integrations across platforms and applications. This wide functionality adds value for large organizations with a high volume of applications and networks that require access management. Cisco’s user and administrator interface is also a high point for many users.  HID DigitalPersona stands out for its spectrum of multifactor authentication mechanisms. This notably includes biometric authentication, such as fingerprint identification. It also provides a deep integration with Microsfoft’s Active Directory environment, allowing for easy centralization of user identification and password management.  Limitations While both products have strong features, they also have some limitations.  Cisco’s Multi-Factor Authentication has struggled with its mobile device support. Users and administrators have both experienced issues managing the mobile functionality. In particular, notifications have been known to lag significantly behind when the authentication request was […]

HID DigitalPersona and RSA SecurID Suite are both user authentication and identification products. Both software allow for multifactor authentication, including physical and biometric identification methods.  RSA SecurID Suite may be more scaled for enterprises, based on greater flexibility to integrate with a larger range of cloud applications. HID DigitalPersona may provide more functionality for midsize and large businesses with its deep integration with Active Directory environments and cross-application password management.  Features HID DigitalPersona and RSA SecurID Suite both provide multifactor authentication capabilities for businesses. However, they each have unique specializations that standout.  HID DigitalPersona deploys on Windows Active Directory. This functionality enables simple password management across applications and networks. It also provides effective biometric authentication, such as fingerprint recognition.  RSA SecurID stands out for its support for remote authentication and access. RSA enables remote access through convenient end-user setup and heavy investment in integration with cloud-based applications.  Limitations Both products have distinct strengths, but they also come with some weaknesses.  HID DigitalPersona users have struggled with the implementation process, particularly in certain network environments or browsers. Post-implementation, some users have not received sufficient support from the vendor when troubleshooting or scaling up their deployment.  RSA SecurID users have experienced some […]

HID DigitalPersona and Forescout CounterACT are both security devices, but they perform very distinct functions in organizations’ authorization processes. HID DigitalPersona is a user authentication tool, with specialization in multifactor authentication techniques. Forescout CounterACT is a network access control tool, with an emphasis on device visibility and control, including IoT devices. Both are scaled to enterprises and also used by midsize and large businesses. Features While both products are security and access control software, they perform different kinds of access control for businesses. Forescout CounterACT’s access control focuses on giving businesses visibility into the devices connecting to and using their network. It differentiates by providing agentless visibility and identification of network connected devices. The platform allows for policy-based access controls to devices based on their classification on the network.  HID DigitalPersona focuses on user-based access control via a range of authentication methods. Some of its most popular features include fingerprint authentication, password management, and its integration with Microsoft’s Active Directory. These features are designed to effectively authenticate users on a personal identity basis, rather than a device basis.  Limitations While both products have strong specializations, they are also limited in other areas.  Forescout CounterACT’s focus on device identification and management […]

Amazon RDS is a relational database service that allows organizations to utilize structured storage without physical hardware. Users of RDS have several database engines they can choose from, but two of the most popular are Amazon Aurora and MySQL. Aurora is included in Amazon RDS, but it is worth considering the feature differences between Aurora and other RDS engines. Amazon RDS MySQL and Amazon Aurora are both popular with businesses of all sizes. Amazon Aurora provides high performance, while other RDS engines are more optimized for high volumes of transactions. Features Amazon Aurora and other Amazon RDS engines all include essential relational database features, but they also have some standout features that set them apart from other options. Amazon Aurora provides high performance by utilizing all available memory. Due to this optimized performance, Amazon Aurora can provide up to five times higher throughput compared to MySQL. Amazon Aurora is also usable with other databases, and it is compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL. These compatibilities make migration easy from existing databases to Amazon Aurora. Additionally, Amazon Aurora includes autoscaling, which makes it a good choice for businesses that may have greater database needs in the future. Non-Aurora Amazon RDS engines like […]

Optimizely and AB Tasty are both A/B testing tools designed to help businesses to test the performance of different versions of web content. Both A/B testing tools are used by businesses of all sizes, though Optimizely is more popular with larger enterprises while A/B Tasty is used more often by smaller to mid-sized businesses. Features Optimizely and AB Tasty both include essential A/B testing features such as split testing and test scheduling, but they also each have standout features that set them apart from each other. Optimizely includes funnel analysis features that allow businesses to see the steps users go through to reach a certain page or complete a certain event. This feature is useful when determining where users are dropping off in processes like registration. Optimizely also includes easy to use visual editor features that allow users to quickly create multiple versions of pages using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. AB Tasty includes built-in heatmaps that allow businesses to see what parts of pages users interact with most often and what areas aren’t being used. Heatmaps help businesses see what features are getting the most attention and if any important features are not being noticed by users. Additionally, AB Tasty […]

AB Tasty and VWO are both A/B testing tools designed to help businesses to test the performance of different versions of web content. Both A/B testing tools are used by businesses of all sizes, though both are slightly more popular with small to mid-sized businesses compared to larger enterprises. Features VWO and AB Tasty both include essential A/B testing features such as split testing and heatmaps, but they also each have standout features that set them apart from each other. VWO is praised by users for its simple to use interface that can be used by businesses without many technical resources to devote to it. Nontechnical users have an easier time learning to use VWO compared to its alternatives. VWO also includes fully customizable user surveys out of the box. Lastly, VWO provides robust reporting tools so users can easily present any findings from their tests. AB Tasty provides local customer success managers to businesses that require hands-on support. Additionally, AB Tasty includes a testing API that allows users to create highly customized tests that may not be available out of the box. Lastly, AB Tasty includes a widget library that allows users to quickly make changes to web content. […]

GoToMeeting and Zoom are both leaders in the video conferencing software space that are used by a wide variety of businesses. Both technologies are used by businesses of all sizes, but Zoom is known for high-quality video and ease of use, while GoToMeeting is known for technical features that meeting organizers can use to tweak the parameters of their video conferences. Features Zoom and GoToMeeting both include important video conferencing features such as one-click conference joining, and call recording, but they also have a few standout features that set them apart from each other. Zoom allows for many people in a call to display their webcam feeds at once, so businesses that host meetings or webinars with many attendees can view their audience more naturally. Additionally, Zoom offers several features to help users improve their appearance, such as their “touch up my appearance” setting. When sharing screens, Zoom also includes advanced features such as sharing audio or only sharing a portion of your screen. Multiple participants are able to share their screen without having to change the presenter. In addition to screen sharing, Zoom also provides other collaboration tools such as whiteboard and drawing that allow presenters to make notes […]