Better Analyst (formerly Formula Bot) Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives
AI data analyst that turns files and connected data into analyses, dashboards, reports and Excel formulas.
What is Better Analyst?
Better Analyst is the new name for Formula Bot, an AI tool that started as a way to turn plain-English requests into Excel and Google Sheets formulas. Today it is a broader analytics platform: you connect files or data sources, ask questions in chat, and get analyses, charts, automated dashboards, reports and scheduled tasks. The site states that Formula Bot is now Better Analyst, with the same account and workflows.
The product was created by David Bressler and launched in 2022 as Excel Formula Bot, one of the first viral AI spreadsheet helpers. Over time it added data analysis, visualisation, text analysis and connectors. The 2026 rename to Better Analyst reflects that shift from formulas to full analysis. The homepage says it has more than 1 million users, and formula tools such as the Excel AI and Google Sheets formula generator are still available.
Its main difference from data-team tools is that it targets individuals and growing businesses without a dedicated analyst. It connects to 30+ sources including GA4, Search Console, Google Sheets, Excel, BigQuery, Snowflake, PostgreSQL and PDF or CSV files. It also shows the Python, SQL or R code behind an analysis, so results can be checked, which is a helpful habit with any AI-generated numbers.
Key features of Better Analyst
- AI data analysis chatAsk questions about uploaded files or connected sources and get answers, charts and tables, with the underlying code shown.
- Automated dashboardsGenerate dashboards from your data with AI and keep them refreshed; paid plans include between 2 and 20 dashboards.
- Data connectorsConnect sources such as GA4, Google Search Console, Google Sheets, Excel, BigQuery, Snowflake, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Airtable and cloud drives.
- Data Flows and scheduled tasksAutomate recurring data preparation and reports, with scheduled task limits that grow by plan.
- Formula generator and add-onsThe original Formula Bot tools still turn text into Excel or Google Sheets formulas, with add-ons for both on paid plans.
- Slack integration (beta)Mention Better Analyst in a Slack channel or DM to get answers, charts and files in the thread.
Who is Better Analyst best for?
- Small business owners who want answers from sales, marketing or finance data without hiring an analyst.
- Marketers because GA4 and Search Console connectors make traffic and campaign reporting quick.
- Spreadsheet users who still need help writing, fixing and explaining Excel or Google Sheets formulas.
- Growing teams that want shared workspaces, automated dashboards and Slack access on the Max or Business plans.
Popular ways to use Better Analyst
- Formula help: describe what you need in plain English and get a working Excel or Google Sheets formula.
- Sales analysis: upload a CSV of orders and ask for trends, top products and month-on-month changes.
- Marketing dashboards: connect GA4 and Search Console to build an automated traffic dashboard.
- Text analysis: run sentiment and theme analysis on survey answers or customer reviews.
- Team questions in Slack: ask Better Analyst for a quick chart or number without leaving a channel.
Better Analyst pricing (October 2026)
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free forever plan, no credit card required, with limited usage |
| Starter | $20/month ($10 first month) | 250 chat messages, 2,500 AI Actions, 2 automated dashboards, 25 tasks, 2 data sources, 1 Data Flow, Excel and Sheets add-ons |
| Max | $40/user/month ($20 first month) | Unlimited chat messages, 5,000 AI Actions per user, 10 dashboards, 50 tasks, 10 data sources, 5 Data Flows, shared workspace |
| Business | $80/user/month ($40 first month) | Unlimited chat messages, 15,000 AI Actions per user, 20 dashboards, unlimited tasks, 50 data sources, 20 Data Flows |
| Custom | Custom pricing | Custom AI Action volumes, more dashboards and connectors, embed controls |
Listed prices are monthly; the first month is half price, and the pricing page offers a discounted annual option. Max and Business are charged per user.
Better Analyst pros and cons
Pros
- Free plan with no credit card required
- Shows Python, SQL or R code behind results
- Wide range of connectors for a small-business tool
- Still includes the popular formula generator
- States that customer data is not used to train AI models
Cons
- The rename from Formula Bot may cause some confusion
- Starter caps chat messages at 250 a month
- Per-user pricing adds up on Max and Business
- Slack integration is still in beta
How to get started with Better Analyst
- Go to betteranalyst.com and sign up free (existing Formula Bot accounts still work).
- Upload a spreadsheet or connect a source such as Google Sheets or GA4.
- Ask a specific question and review the chart and the code behind it.
- Turn a useful analysis into an automated dashboard or scheduled task.
- Upgrade to Starter or Max when you need more messages, dashboards or sources.
Tips to get better results from Better Analyst
- Name columns clearly before uploading; vague headers lead to weaker analyses.
- Check the generated code or a sample of rows before sharing numbers with others.
- Use the first-month discount to test a paid plan on a real project.
- Keep the formula generator for quick spreadsheet fixes and the chat for deeper analysis.
Better Analyst vs alternatives
Better Analyst competes most directly with Julius AI, which also lets you chat with data files and shows code, and with general assistants like ChatGPT and Claude that can analyse uploaded spreadsheets. Its edge is the mix of connectors, automated dashboards and spreadsheet add-ons in one product.
If you only need AI inside a spreadsheet, Numerous.ai or Rows may be simpler. For governed company-wide reporting, Microsoft Power BI is the stronger choice. See all best AI data analytics tools.
Our verdict: is Better Analyst worth it?
Better Analyst is a sensible pick for small businesses, marketers and spreadsheet users who want an AI analyst with dashboards and connectors at a modest price. Teams that need strict governance or large-scale BI should pair it with, or choose, a full BI platform instead.
Better Analyst FAQs
Is Formula Bot still available?
Is Better Analyst free?
Can Better Analyst still write Excel formulas?
Does Better Analyst train AI on my data?
What is an AI Action?
Pricing and features change often. Details on this page were last reviewed in October 2026. Always confirm current plans on the official Better Analyst (formerly Formula Bot) website.
Best Better Analyst (formerly Formula Bot) alternatives
Akkio
AI analytics and workflow platform that helps media agencies plan, segment and measure campaigns with data.
Databricks
Data intelligence platform for data engineering, analytics, machine learning and AI agents on a lakehouse.
Hex
AI analytics platform combining SQL and Python notebooks, an AI agent, chat analytics and data apps.
Julius AI
AI data analyst that turns spreadsheets and databases into charts, reports and slides through chat.
Microsoft Power BI
Microsoft's business intelligence platform for data models, reports and dashboards, with Copilot built in.
Numerous.ai
Spreadsheet add-on that brings ChatGPT into Google Sheets and Excel through =AI and other formulas.
