BARC Score

Market knowledge and product evaluation at a glance

The assessment and classification of business software and its suppliers can often be a complicated task for companies. BARC Score is designed to demystify this process, providing a quick and clear overview of a unique market based on a combination of detailed end-user feedback and thorough analysis of products and vendors by our analysts.

Current BARC Score Publications

BARC Score Data Intelligence Platforms 2024
BARC Score Analytics for Business Users 2022
BARC Score Enterprise BI & Analytics Platforms 2023
BARC Score Integrated Planning and Analytics (DACH Region + Global) 2023
— BARC Score Financial Performance Management (DACH Region + Global) 2023

All of the above BARC Score titles are available to BARC+ subscribers.

Selection of vendors

In order to qualify for inclusion in BARC Score, vendors must first fulfil a set of criteria based on geographical presence and technical capabilities. This ensures that our analysis is focused on vendors who are not merely confined to one geographical region and who offer a comprehensive range of functionality.
barc score sample chart

BARC Score purchase options

BARC Score criteria

Software providers are evaluated on two dimensions, ‘Portfolio Capabilities’ and ‘Market Execution’, each representing an axis on the chart.

‘Portfolio Capabilites’ includes a series of weighted sub-criteria based on functional and technological capabilities, as well as the overall architecture and product satisfaction from an end-user point of view.

‘Market Execution’ takes into account a blend of product, sales and marketing strategy as well as certain organizational, financial and geographical considerations.

Vendor rankings

Vendors are divided into five categories:

‘Dominators’ (in the upper right corner of the chart) are vendors that drive both technology and market adoption in a highly influential manner. They are considered a contender in virtually every planned implementation.

‘Market Leaders’ are well established vendors that drive strong market adoption, supported by technology innovation and strategic acquisitions and by leveraging robust account management and a solid track record.

‘Challengers’ are usually looking to expand into new markets – either through acquisition or via innovative – perhaps even disruptive – technologies or business models. However, they are limited in terms of sales and marketing.

‘Specialists’ are smaller suppliers with a product focus on particular market segments, offering selected features and functionality to customers.

‘Entrants’ appear in the lower left corner of the chart. They are relatively new to the market and have yet to make a big impact.