SAS Viya vs IBM Watson Studio

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Our analysts compared SAS Viya vs IBM Watson Studio based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Big Data Analytics Tools, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

IBM Watson Studio Software Tool

Product Basics

SAS Viya is a cloud-based in-memory analytics engine that provides data visualization, reporting and analytics to businesses for actionable data insights. Powered by AI, it brings together visual analytics, visual statistics and data science for enterprises to achieve end-to-end self-service analytics. It uses a standardized code base with support for programming in R, Python, SAS, Java and Lua.

Deployable in the cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments, it integrates with a wide range of business applications through an agile, scalable architecture. The vendor offers an introductory 30-day free trial.

Pros
  • Comprehensive features
  • Powerful analytics capabilities
  • User-friendly interface
  • Scalable architecture
  • Strong support from SAS
Cons
  • Steep learning curve
  • Limited customization options
  • High cost of ownership
  • Potential vendor lock-in
  • Resource-intensive
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IBM Watson Studio is a powerful platform designed to empower organizations in their data science and machine learning endeavors. It serves as a comprehensive hub for data analysis, model development, and collaboration among teams. Key features include advanced analytics tools, AutoAI for automating machine learning tasks, and a collaborative workspace for seamless teamwork. Users benefit from the ability to create, train, and deploy machine learning models within the platform, simplifying the transition to production environments. Watson Studio also offers data visualization tools for effective communication of insights. Its strengths lie in its versatility, collaboration capabilities, and automation, making it a valuable asset for organizations seeking to harness the potential of data-driven decision-making.
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$10,000 Annual
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Tailored to your specific needs
$30 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
Small
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Large
Windows
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Android
Chromebook
Windows
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Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
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Videos
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Email
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Improve Decision-Making: Make informed business decisions by using historical and current proprietary information to derive analytical insights. Compute vast amounts of data faster and resolve complexities through parallel processing. Boost workflow efficiencies by deploying operational decisions that define real-time best actions at scale. 
  • Self-Service Analytics: Easily perform automated forecasting, goal-seeking and scenario analysis — no technical skills needed. Identify user sentiment through text analytics and incorporate geographical data for a complete picture of business metrics. 
  • Maximize ROI: Save time through built-in automation for data prep, feature engineering, algorithm selection and AI-powered data discovery. Innovate, rather than spending time on tedious data management and analytics tasks. 
  • Data Security: Ensure data encryption at rest and while moving across systems, in addition to auditing protocols. Connect to external data management systems like Oracle, Teradata, Facebook, Amazon and Esri seamlessly through Kerberos, SAML, OAuth and OpenID. 
  • Data Management: Import data by using an IDE or through REST APIs, and visualize and analyze it through self-service data prep. Join tables, apply functions and perform calculations, or drag-and-drop, pivot, and slice and dice to view desired metrics. 
  • Augmented Analytics: Identify relationships in data through automatically generated suggestions and guided analysis, and track anomalies and outliers. Tell data stories by generating easy-to-understand visuals and dashboard summaries in natural language. Derive meaningful insights for the future by creating what-if scenarios for forecasting and predictive analytics. 
  • Mobility: Access business reports on the go through a native mobile app that supports a variety of charts, graphs and tables. Configure app functionality per device for specific users to add and view reports, share links, add and view comments and view alerts. 
  • Scalable Architecture: Leverage its modular microservices architecture to scale as per business needs. Monitor and manage the health and configuration of individual microservices instances through the SAS Environment Manager. Deploys seamlessly to any type of environment, including the cloud, and runs on Cloud Foundry as a platform-as-a-service (PaaS). 
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  • Advanced Data Analytics: IBM Watson Studio empowers users to perform advanced data analytics and gain deeper insights from their data. It offers a wide range of tools and capabilities for data exploration, transformation, and analysis, enabling data-driven decision-making.
  • Collaborative Environment: The platform provides a collaborative environment where data scientists, analysts, and stakeholders can work together seamlessly. It facilitates team collaboration, version control, and sharing of insights, fostering a culture of data-driven collaboration.
  • Machine Learning Capabilities: IBM Watson Studio offers robust machine learning capabilities, allowing users to build, train, and deploy machine learning models. This benefit enables organizations to leverage predictive analytics for a variety of applications, from fraud detection to customer churn prediction.
  • Model Deployment and Monitoring: Users can easily deploy and monitor machine learning models within the platform. This streamlines the process of putting models into production and ensures they continue to perform effectively over time.
  • Data Visualization: The platform offers data visualization tools that help users create compelling and informative visualizations. Data can be transformed into clear, interactive charts and graphs, making it easier to communicate insights to stakeholders.
  • Integration Capabilities: IBM Watson Studio integrates with a wide range of data sources, databases, and other IBM services. This flexibility enables organizations to work with their existing data ecosystem and technology stack, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
  • AutoAI: The AutoAI feature automates the machine learning pipeline, making it accessible to users with varying levels of expertise. It simplifies model development and accelerates the time-to-value for AI projects.
  • Scalability: IBM Watson Studio is designed to handle large-scale data projects. It scales to accommodate growing datasets and computational needs, ensuring that it remains a reliable solution as organizations expand their analytics initiatives.
  • Security and Compliance: The platform prioritizes data security and compliance with industry standards and regulations. It includes features like data access controls and audit trails to safeguard sensitive information.
  • Cost-Efficiency: By providing a comprehensive suite of data science and machine learning tools in one platform, IBM Watson Studio helps organizations optimize their resources and reduce the cost of managing multiple separate tools and platforms.
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  • Visualization and Reporting: Dig into data for in-depth analysis and view key business metrics through autonomous data exploration and manipulation. Create and customize interactive reports and charts to share with others across the organization for collaborative insight. Get suggestions on graphics best suited to display pertinent data through auto charting. 
  • Data Modeling: Analyze data with predictive models through regression, clustering and neural networks. Ensure version control by tracking data models from creation through usage by registering, validating and monitoring each version. Creates snapshots of model properties and files and retains them for the future. 
  • Visual Statistics: Build diverse scenarios simultaneously and refine them with what-if analyses to uncover insights through experimentation. Unifies all business tools, irrespective of the language they support, into a common visual analytics solution. 
  • Cloud Integrations: Develop low-code technologies by porting SAS open-source models into mobile and business applications through its cloud-native capability. Optimize analytics workloads on clouds like Microsoft Azure and ensure cost-efficient migration of analytics to the cloud through a workload management tool. 
  • ML-Based Insights: Get valuable insights from new data types by combining structured and unstructured data in integrated machine learning programs. Choose the desired ML algorithm from a range of options and easily find the optimal parameter settings. Use Python within Jupyter notebooks for deep learning functions like computer vision, natural language processing, forecasting and speech processing. 
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  • Data Preparation Tools: IBM Watson Studio offers a range of data preparation tools that enable users to clean, transform, and shape data for analysis. These tools simplify the data preprocessing stage, ensuring that data is in the right format for analysis.
  • Collaborative Environment: The platform provides a collaborative workspace where data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders can work together. It supports version control, project sharing, and real-time collaboration, enhancing teamwork and knowledge sharing.
  • AutoAI: AutoAI is a feature that automates the machine learning pipeline. It automates tasks such as feature engineering, model selection, and hyperparameter tuning, making it easier for users to build and deploy machine learning models without extensive manual work.
  • Model Building and Training: IBM Watson Studio includes tools for building and training machine learning models. Users can access a wide range of algorithms and frameworks, allowing them to create predictive models for various applications.
  • Data Visualization: The platform offers data visualization tools that help users create interactive charts and graphs. These visualizations make it easy to communicate insights and patterns in the data to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Deployment and Monitoring: Users can deploy machine learning models into production environments directly from the platform. Additionally, IBM Watson Studio provides monitoring capabilities to track model performance and make adjustments as needed.
  • Integration: The platform offers seamless integration with various data sources, databases, and cloud services. This ensures that users can access and analyze data from a wide range of systems, enhancing data availability and flexibility.
  • Security and Compliance: IBM Watson Studio prioritizes data security and compliance. It includes features like access controls, encryption, and audit trails to protect sensitive data and maintain compliance with industry regulations.
  • Customization and Extensibility: Users can customize and extend the platform's functionality using open APIs and integration options. This flexibility allows organizations to tailor IBM Watson Studio to their specific needs and workflows.
  • AutoML: AutoML capabilities automate the machine learning process, making it accessible to users with varying levels of expertise. It simplifies model development and accelerates the time-to-value for AI and machine learning projects.
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Product Ranking

#41

among all
Big Data Analytics Tools

#54

among all
Big Data Analytics Tools

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Analyst Rating Summary

94
92
96
94
100
89
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100
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Availability and Scalability
Computer Vision and Internet of Things (IoT)
Platform Security
Dashboarding and Data Visualization
Augmented Analytics
Dashboarding and Data Visualization
Data Management
Platform Security
Machine Learning
Augmented Analytics

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

SAS Viya
IBM Watson Studio
+ Add Product + Add Product
Augmented Analytics Computer Vision And Internet Of Things (IoT) Dashboarding And Data Visualization Data Management Data Preparation Geospatial Visualizations And Analysis Machine Learning Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Reporting 96 100 98 96 86 93 70 96 94 89 100 100 86 95 18 86 0 25 50 75 100
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92%
4%
4%
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75%
13%
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86%
14%
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86%
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14%
86%
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14%
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7%
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3%
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63%
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37%
13%
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87%
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86%
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14%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

100%
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86%
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14%
82%
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18%
86%
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14%
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 203 reviews
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85%
of users recommend this product

SAS Viya has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 85% when considering 203 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

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4.2 (157)
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4.3 (33)
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4.7 (13)
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Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated SAS Viya and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Big Data Analytics Tools available today and earns best-in-class honors for Augmented Analytics and Computer Vision and Internet of Things (IoT).

Analysts' Pick Award
Augmented Analytics Award
Computer Vision and Internet of Things (IoT) Award

No awards.

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Ease of Use: All users who mention its interface say that it makes autonomous analysis and data modeling accessible to users of all skill levels.
Support: All users who review support say that representatives are responsive and helpful in resolving issues and queries.
Functionality: Around 71% of the users who comment on its feature set say that the software helps discover data insights through powerful visualizations and on-the-fly calculations.
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Advanced Analytics: Users appreciate the platform's robust data analytics and modeling capabilities, allowing them to extract meaningful insights from their data.
Collaboration: Watson Studio's collaborative environment is well-received, enabling teams to work together effectively on data science projects.
AutoAI: Users value the AutoAI feature, which automates machine learning tasks and accelerates model development, making it accessible to users with varying skill levels.
Data Visualization: The platform's data visualization tools help users create informative visualizations, simplifying the communication of insights to stakeholders.
Model Deployment: Users find it convenient to deploy machine learning models within the platform, streamlining the process of putting models into production.
Integration: Watson Studio's integration capabilities with various data sources and services receive praise for their flexibility and ease of use.
Security: Users appreciate the platform's robust security features, ensuring the protection of sensitive data and compliance with regulations.
Customization: Watson Studio's customization options allow users to tailor the platform to their specific needs and workflows, enhancing its adaptability.
Community Support: Many users benefit from the active and helpful user community, which provides resources and assistance for problem-solving and knowledge sharing.
Documentation: IBM's comprehensive documentation is seen as a valuable resource, aiding users in effectively utilizing the platform's features.
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Cost: All users who discuss its pricing say that the cost of acquisition is high.
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Complexity: Some users find the platform complex, especially for beginners in data science, which may require a steep learning curve.
Resource Demands: Handling large datasets and complex analyses can be resource-intensive, posing challenges for organizations with limited computational resources.
Data Quality Dependency: The effectiveness of Watson Studio relies heavily on the quality and cleanliness of input data. Inaccurate or incomplete data can impact analysis outcomes.
Interpretability Challenges: Highly complex machine learning models can be challenging to interpret fully, especially in regulated industries where interpretability is crucial.
Integration Efforts: Integrating Watson Studio into existing IT environments can require significant effort, particularly for organizations with complex tech stacks.
Customization Complexity: Extensive customization may demand advanced knowledge and development skills, potentially limiting accessibility for some users.
Scalability Management: While scalable, effectively managing scaling processes, especially for large enterprises, can be complex and require specialized expertise.
Documentation Gaps: Users have reported occasional gaps in documentation and support resources, which can hinder troubleshooting and development efforts.
Model Deployment Challenges: Deploying models in production environments, particularly in highly regulated industries, can require additional considerations and expertise, posing challenges.
Algorithm Selection: Choosing the right algorithm for specific use cases can be challenging, demanding a deep understanding of the platform and algorithm nuances.
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SAS Viya is an AI-powered data management and visual analytics platform with a robust, scalable architecture. All users who reviewed data source connectivity said that it connects to multiple sources and integrates easily with business applications, giving a seamless user experience. With fast in-memory processing of big data sets, it leverages the power of R to enable visual statistics. All users who mentioned predictive analysis said that it enables automated forecasting through what-if scenarios, goal-seeking, text mining and decision trees. Citing ease of use, all users say that the platform is intuitive and enables easy data modeling and self-service visual analytics. All users who mentioned support said that they are responsive and knowledgeable. Around 71% of the users who comment on its functionality say that it is a robust, scalable and flexible platform that enables visualization and analysis of business data, though some users say visual statistics need improvement. On the flip side, all users who review its cost say that the tool is expensive. In summary, SAS Viya is an analytics tool that provides data management, visualization and AI-powered analytics to enterprises for improved decision making, though small organizations and startups might find it cost-prohibitive.

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User reviews of IBM Watson Studio provide valuable insights into its strengths and weaknesses. The platform is lauded for its advanced analytics capabilities, allowing users to conduct in-depth data analysis and modeling. Collaboration features are appreciated for enabling effective teamwork, fostering knowledge sharing among data scientists, analysts, and stakeholders. AutoAI is a standout feature, automating machine learning tasks and making it accessible to users with varying skill levels. Users find the data visualization tools helpful for creating compelling visualizations that communicate insights effectively. Model deployment within the platform simplifies the transition from development to production environments. On the downside, complexity is cited as a drawback, particularly for newcomers to data science. Resource demands for handling large datasets can be challenging for organizations with limited computational resources. The platform's effectiveness is highly dependent on data quality, which can pose issues with inaccurate or incomplete data. Some users note challenges in interpreting highly complex machine learning models, especially in regulated industries where model transparency is crucial. Integration and customization efforts may be complex and require advanced expertise. In comparison to similar products, IBM Watson Studio is often seen as a robust contender, offering a comprehensive suite of data science and machine learning tools. However, the learning curve and resource requirements may be factors for consideration. User reviews reflect a mix of praise for its capabilities and challenges in mastering its advanced functionalities.

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