The tools at a glance#
| Tool | Best for | Free tier | Cheapest paid plan | Data sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julius | Dedicated AI data analyst | Daily free credits, lighter models | Plus $20/month ($16 billed yearly) | Files, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint; Snowflake, BigQuery, Postgres from Plus |
| ChatGPT | Occasional analysis if you already pay | Yes, 3 file uploads a day | Plus $20/month | Uploads; Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint |
| Claude | Occasional analysis if you already pay | Yes, can run code on files | Pro $20/month ($17 billed yearly) | Uploads (CSV, TSV, Excel) |
| Copilot in Excel | Teams that work in Excel | No | Microsoft 365 Personal $9.99/month | Your workbook |
| Gemini in Google Sheets | Teams that work in Google Sheets | No | Google Workspace Business Standard $14/user/month | Your sheet; read-only BigQuery |
| Rows | A cheap AI spreadsheet with marketing data | 5 AI tasks a month | Plus $8/user/month ($6 billed yearly) | GA4, Search Console, ad platforms, databases, APIs |
| Hex | Data teams on a warehouse | Community plan, limited AI | Professional $36/editor/month | 16 database types incl. Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks |
| Powerdrill | Budget alternative to Julius | 1,000 daily credits | Pro $19.90/month | Uploads; built-in open data |
Julius: the dedicated AI data analyst#
Julius is built for asking questions of data: upload Excel or CSV files (including workbooks with several tabs), Google Sheets, PDFs or Word files, or connect a database, then ask in plain English. It returns charts, statistics and forecasts, can train simple machine-learning models from a description, and can schedule an analysis to rerun. Code runs in a cloud container with up to 32 GB of memory on Pro, and Julius says it enforces no data-size limit beyond what fits in that memory. It now also markets itself as a general AI workspace (research, slides, websites), but data analysis is still the core.
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | Credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Daily free credits (number not stated) | Lighter models; 3 scheduled runs |
| Plus | $20 | $16/month | 2,000 a month + 100 daily | 16 GB RAM; database connectors |
| Pro | $45 | $37/month | 5,000 a month | 32 GB RAM |
| Business | $450 | $375/month | 60,000 a month | Up to 50 team members |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Permanent file storage |
- Data sources: Google Drive, OneDrive and SharePoint on Free; Snowflake, BigQuery and Postgres from Plus. Its FAQ also lists MySQL and SQL Server, and its docs list Supabase, Google Ads and Meta Ads connectors.
- Security: Julius states SOC 2 Type II and TX-RAMP, with data stored and processed in the United States. Its security page does not mention GDPR.
- Read this before uploading sensitive data: Julius says it "may share data with AI technology providers to help improve their models", and its privacy documentation covers prompts, uploaded files and outputs. Sharing is the default; you opt out by emailing privacy@julius.ai. Do that first if your data is confidential.
ChatGPT and Claude: good enough if you already pay#
Both general assistants can analyse a file by writing and running code for you, which covers most one-off questions: summarise this export, chart sales by month, find outliers.
- ChatGPT: writes and runs Python in a notebook-like environment; interactive charts are limited to bar, line, pie and scatter. Free users get 3 file uploads a day; Plus is $20 a month. Spreadsheets and CSV files are limited to about 50 MB, up to 80 files every 3 hours, and the code cannot reach the internet. (OpenAI help)help.openai.com
- Claude: the Free plan can run code and create files, and Claude can process CSV and TSV and produce spreadsheets with working formulas. Pro is $20 a month or $17 billed yearly. Up to 20 files per chat; Anthropic's help articles give different file-size limits (30 MB in one, 500 MB in another), so test large files first. (Claude pricing)claude.com
- Where a dedicated tool wins: live database connections, scheduled reruns, more memory for big files, and reports you can share. Where the assistants win: you probably already pay for one.
Copilot in Excel and Gemini in Google Sheets: AI inside your spreadsheet#
- Copilot in Excel edits worksheets, writes formulas, builds charts and PivotTables and points out insights. For individuals it comes with Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 a month (on promotion at $6.99 when we checked); for businesses, Microsoft 365 Copilot Business is $21 per user a month billed yearly, or $25.20 billed monthly.support.microsoft.com
- Gemini in Google Sheets creates tables, formulas, charts, pivot tables and written insights, and can query BigQuery read-only. It needs an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan: Business Standard ($14 per user a month) is the cheapest Workspace plan that includes it; Business Starter ($7) does not. Google notes it works best on native Sheets files and that generated charts do not update when the data changes.support.google.com
- Choose these when the spreadsheet is the shared source of truth and your colleagues will open the result. They are weaker than Julius or a notebook for large files or multi-step statistics.
Rows, Hex and Powerdrill#
- Rows is a spreadsheet with AI built in: it adds columns, builds charts, runs predictions and significance tests, and turns PDFs and images into tables. It connects natively to GA4, Search Console and the big ad platforms, which makes it handy for marketing reports. Free gives 5 AI tasks a month; Plus is $8 per user ($6 yearly) with 200 tasks; Pro is $79 a month plus $8 per user with 1,000 tasks. Rows says its AI sees only headers, up to 5 sample rows and basic statistics. (pricing)stork.ai
- Hex is an analytics platform for data teams: notebooks, SQL and Python with AI agents, plus apps business users can query. It connects to 16 database types. Community is free with limited AI; Professional is $36 and Team $75 per editor a month. (pricing)stork.ai
- Powerdrill is the closest budget alternative to Julius for uploaded files: 1,000 daily credits free, Pro at $19.90 a month. It lists no database connectors. A sale banner was running when we checked, so the yearly price may change. (pricing)stork.ai
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How to choose#
- You analyse data every week and want answers, not code: Julius. Opt out of model-training data sharing first if your data is sensitive.
- You analyse a file now and then and already pay for ChatGPT or Claude: use what you have.
- Your team lives in Excel or Google Sheets: Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets, so results stay where colleagues work.
- You need marketing dashboards from GA4 and ad platforms: Rows.
- You are a data team on Snowflake, BigQuery or Databricks: Hex.
- You want Julius-style analysis on a tighter budget, files only: Powerdrill.
Whatever you pick, check the numbers the AI gives you: Julius' own help pages warn that AI can "hallucinate", and none of these vendors publishes an accuracy rate. Ask the tool to show its code or working, and spot-check one figure by hand.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the best AI for data analysis?#
For a dedicated tool, Julius: it analyses uploaded files and connected databases in plain English, from $20 a month. If you already pay for ChatGPT or Claude, both can analyse a CSV or Excel file. For teams in Excel or Google Sheets, use Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets.
Can ChatGPT do data analysis?#
Yes. ChatGPT writes and runs Python on uploaded files. Free users get 3 uploads a day; spreadsheets and CSV files are limited to about 50 MB, and its interactive charts cover bar, line, pie and scatter.
How much does Julius AI cost?#
Julius has a Free plan with daily credits. Plus is $20 a month ($16 billed yearly), Pro $45 ($37 yearly) and Business $450 ($375 yearly) for up to 50 team members, as listed on julius.ai/pricing on November 11, 2026.
Is Julius AI safe for confidential data?#
Julius states SOC 2 Type II and US data storage, but says it may share prompts, files and outputs with AI providers to improve their models unless you opt out by emailing privacy@julius.ai. Opt out before uploading confidential data.
Is there a free AI for data analysis?#
Yes, with limits: Julius and Powerdrill give daily free credits, ChatGPT Free allows 3 file uploads a day, Claude Free can run code on files, and Rows Free includes 5 AI tasks a month.