7 Top Forrester Competitors & Alternatives (2024)
Forrester is a market research company offering business, government, and technology insights. Customers can benefit from Forrester’s data by reading in-depth reports, attending events, or working directly with a consultant.
Forrester research is applicable to B2B and B2C markets as well as governmental initiatives. However, it’s not the best fit for every company and industry.
It can cost upward of $1,000 to access a single Forrester report. If that’s all you need, you may be able to find similar data at lower price points via one of Forrester's competitors.
However, if you’re interested in Forrester’s events and consulting packages, paying for ongoing support may be well worth the investment. You’ll need to consider whether or not Forrester is the best option for your company—and this guide to the best alternatives can help.
1. Gartner
Gartner, like Forrester, is a research and advisory company offering data-rich reports, industry events, and consulting support.
If you like the services that Forrester offers but aren’t seeing your market represented in the research, Gartner could be a good option for you. The platform goes beyond tech, big business, and government and provides data for industries including:
- Education
- Energy and utilities
- Financial and investing services
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Retail
This data is accessible with the help of Gartner tools that are meant to make business decisions easier:
- BuySmart™ for tech purchasing (a possible alternative to the Forrester Wave™ methodology)
- Critical Capabilities for product and service analysis
- Digital IQ for brand positioning
- Hype Cycle for measuring tech lifecycles
- Magic Quadrant for evaluating market competitors
- Product Decisions for building product strategy
Gartner pricing is customized and based on business needs.
Forrester vs. Gartner: At a glance
| Forrester | Gartner | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Reports, consulting, events |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | Custom pricing |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Education, energy and utilities, financial services, government, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, telecom |
2. Exploding Topics
Exploding Topics is a trend spotting tool that allows businesses to easily identify key changes in their market, including:
- Consumer interests
- Competitor growth
- Influence from other markets
We use AI to listen to a variety of online conversations across blogs, news outlets, social media platforms, and more. Our AI then identifies topics that are being discussed with more or changing frequency, before a human data expert takes over.
This combination of AI discovery and human verification allows us to update our database daily, keeping leaders informed about important trends forming in industries like:
- Education
- E-commerce
- Finance
- Marketing
- Media
- Product, sales
- Software
- Technology
We regularly find patterns among trends (also known as a "meta trend"). A meta trend is a broad industry shift—one that can have a big impact on how your company (and its customers) conduct business. These trends can impact:
- How people look for and are hired into jobs
- Where businesses are turning to make sound investments and obtain funding
- How supply chains operate
- When and where consumers are making purchases
- How technology is evolving and influencing business operations
If you don’t have time to dig into the trends yourself, that’s okay—we send all of our Exploding Topics Pro users a weekly report that breaks down different topics you need to be aware of in your business.
You can also use Exploding Topics to keep an eye on new industry players via our trending startups feature. Useful for tech founders, marketers, and investors, this dashboard shows startups’ growth trajectory, funding details, and industry sectors.
Access to this trending startup feature, the full meta trends database, and meta trends is available with an Exploding Topics Pro subscription. It’s just $1 for your first two weeks—and as little as $39 per month after that.
Forrester vs. Exploding Topics: At a glance
| Forrester | Exploding Topics | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Reports, trend exploration tools |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | $39 per month (billed annually) |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Education, e-commerce, finance, marketing, media, product, sales, software, technology |
3. Bain & Company
The Bain & Company consulting firm provides insights and advice to global businesses in a variety of industries.
Unlike some other Forrester competitors, Bain & Company offers a variety of solutions for the energy and construction industries. Its insights include support for:
- Automotive
- Aviation
- Chemical, oil, and gas
- Construction and infrastructure
- Financial services and private equity
- Healthcare
- Natural resources
- Metals and mining
- Machinery
- Technology
- Utilities & renewables
While the company does publish research reports and other insightful publications, much of their services are focused on 1:1 management consulting. You can work with Bain & Company advisors on business initiatives such as:
- Improving operations plans
- Developing a sound business strategy
- Implementing enterprise technology stacks
- Utilizing automation for efficiency
- Refining the customer experience
- Navigating mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
Bain & Company’s services are priced on a custom basis—it all depends on your needs. However, a number of the company’s reports are available for free.
If you work in the energy or construction industry and need customized support, Bain & Company could be a good choice.
Forrester vs. Bain & Company: At a glance
| Forrester | Bain & Company | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Reports, advisory services |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | Custom pricing |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Automotive, aviation, construction, energy, finance, mining, utilities |
4. Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan is an analytics and growth advisory firm working with global companies.
The company’s services include:
- Industry analysis and trend mapping
- Growth strategy development
- Frost Radar growth reporting and benchmarks
- Plan implementation
- Mega trend analysis
Frost & Company customers have a similar profile to those of Bain & Company, including companies involved in:
- Aerospace
- Chemicals
- Energy and environment
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing processes
- Supply chain and logistics
And like Forrester, Frost & Company also offers events that are a source of information and networking.
Anyone interested in the events aspect of a Forrester partnership might like Frost & Sullivan as an alternative—if they’re in the right industries, that is.
Forrester vs. Frost & Sullivan: At a glance
| Forrester | Frost & Sullivan | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Advisory services, events |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | Custom pricing |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Aerospace, chemicals, energy, environment, manufacturing, supply chain |
5. IDC
The International Data Corporation (IDC) provides data analytics and consulting services like Forrester—but strictly for the tech sector. As such, technology leaders interested in Forrester may find IDC to be an even better option.
There are a few ways to work with IDC and its data:
- Tech vendors can access IDC insights and reports on a subscription basis.
- Tech and software buyers at corporations can join IDC’s Information Technology executive program, in addition to reading industry insights.
- Tech investors can use IDC’s research service to identify strong investment opportunities
All IDC users can also participate in industry events that are potentially useful for networking as well as staying up-to-date on industry developments.
The cost to access a single IDC report is $4,500. If you’d like to work with the company on an ongoing basis as a consulting client, you’ll need to get in touch for a custom quote.
Forrester vs. IDC: At a glance
| Forrester | IDC | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Reports, consulting, events |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | Single reports for $4500 |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Technology |
6. 451 Research
451 Research is part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Like IDC, they provide research and insights for the tech industry.
It’s another strong Forrester alternative for:
- Corporate I.T. executives
- Technology vendors
- Technology service providers
- Financial professionals interested in the tech sector
Much of 451 Research’s data is future-focused, giving its users insights and information on what they can expect in their industries in the near future. You can use the platform to learn more about developments in tech verticals including:
- Applied infrastructure
- Cloud computing
- Customer experience
- Data analytics and AI
- Datacenter infrastructure
- Fintech
- Information security
- Internet of Things (IoT)
If you’re interested in really diving deep into one of these areas, you’ll likely be well served by the 451 Research platform, or another trend exploration tool like Exploding Topics. You can access 451 Research tend reports for free by submitting your contact information.
You can also work with the company to receive a briefing with more information on your industry and competitors. This is custom priced—so you’ll need to get in touch with 451 Research for more details.
Forrester vs. 451 Research: At a glance
| Forrester | 451 Research | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Reports, custom briefings |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | Custom pricing |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Artificial intelligence, data analytics, fintech, IoT, technology |
7. The Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is a global insights firm focused on economic trends and international business regulations.
Clients can use EIU insights to:
- Examine trends that can have an impact on business operations
- Create a plan to enter new markets
- Remain abreast of developments in the global economy
Because the company describes its analysis services as focusing on "the intersection of politics and economics," EIU services are best suited for clients like:
- Academic institutions
- Automotive companies
- Financial services firms
- Governments
- Healthcare and medical technology groups
- International development and trade organizations
- Multinational telecommunications corporations
- Tourism boards
It's very easy to access EIU data and reports. You can purchase access to specific reports directly through EIU's website, and each purchase typically includes a 12-month license.
Access to single reports ranges from $405 to $11,000, and topics include both broad global surveys as well as industry-specific reports forecasting the demand of specific commodities.
Forrester vs. EIU: At a glance
| Forrester | EIU | |
| Available services: | Reports, consulting, events | Reports |
| Starting cost: | Single reports for $1000+ | Single reports for $405+ |
| Key sectors: | B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, government, project management, technology, sales | Automotive, consumer goods, energy, government, healthcare, telecommunications, tourism |
Get Actionable Data Insights Now
If you're in need of one-on-one consulting services tailored to your business, Forrester—and its competitors like Gartner or Bain & Company—can help.
However, not everyone needs to invest in complete advisory services. There's a lot that you can do with access to the right data, especially when it's presented in a clear and interactive way.
An Exploding Topics Pro subscription is a great way to instantly access the data and trends that can have a significant impact on your business. And with daily updates, you can be confident that you're always looking at the most up-to-date information. It costs just $1 to begin exploring Exploding Topics data right now.
