Understand
Understand: A focused scrollytelling platform for turning connected data into guided visual stories. Ranked #5 of 22 in Data Storytelling Tools by our editors (8.8/10); pricing: Free plan · 14-day trial; best for connected scrollytelling for analytics teams.
At a glance
- Editor score8.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 14-day trial
- Best forConnected scrollytelling for analytics teams
- Free planYes
- Interactive visualizationsYes
- Founded2021
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Sequential cards turn analysis into guided, interactive stories.
- Connects to spreadsheets, databases, OLAP cubes, APIs, and files.
- AI analysis, scheduled updates, sharing, and notifications support distribution.
Where it doesn't
- Starter supports only a single editor.
- Growth pricing starts at $25 per editor monthly with annual billing.
- The scrollytelling format may not suit every data presentation need.
Our verdict on Understand
Understand is a data storytelling platform for individuals, teams, and organizations that need to turn data into guided visual stories. It combines sequential scrollytelling cards with interactive charts, narrative annotations, presentation flow, public sharing, and embedded stories. Analytics teams can import CSV files, enter data manually, or connect spreadsheets, SQL databases, OLAP cubes, and APIs. AI-assisted analysis and anomaly finding add another way to explore insights before presenting them.
Its strongest fit is an environment with varied data sources and a need to distribute recurring analysis. Integrations include Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, BigQuery, Redshift, Azure, Snowflake, Excel, CSV, SQL databases, OLAP cubes, APIs, and Slack. Scheduled story updates can keep published narratives current, while email and Slack notifications help surface changes. API-based story creation also supports teams that want to generate stories programmatically rather than build every card manually.
The free Starter plan includes a single editor, unlimited stories, a fully featured story editor, CSV upload, manual data entry, public sharing, and scrollytelling. Growth costs $25 per editor per month with annual billing and adds unlimited viewers, custom themes, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MariaDB connectors. Enterprise options include custom connectors, SSO, access control, and private or single-tenant deployment. Understand is a strong choice for connected, narrative reporting; teams seeking a conventional, non-narrative presentation format may prefer a different tool.
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Understand pricing
All 2 Understand plans and prices →
Understand fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Interactive visualizations | Yes |
| Narrative annotations | Yes |
| Presentation flow | Yes |
| Live data refresh | Yes |
| Share mode | Both |
| Data source limit | Not verified |
| Free trial | 14 days |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 14 integrations: Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, BigQuery, Redshift … |
| Pricing | Free plan · 14-day trial (source) |
| Website | understandhq.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Understand integrations
Understand lists 14 integrations on its own site.
- Google Sheets
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL
- MariaDB
- BigQuery
- Redshift
- Azure
- Snowflake
- Excel
- CSV
- SQL databases
- OLAP cubes
- APIs
- Slack
Alternatives to Understand
- FlourishA flexible browser-based toolkit for interactive charts, maps and scrollytelling.9.3
- DatawrapperA versatile choice for interactive data publishing, collaboration, and newsroom-ready exports.9.1
- InfogramA broad web-based toolkit for branded, interactive reports and infographics.9.0
See all Understand alternatives →
Understand vs the competition
- Understand vs Flourish
- Understand vs Datawrapper
- Understand vs Infogram
- Understand vs ArcGIS StoryMaps
- Understand vs Datastory
- Understand vs TalkingMaps
Compare Understand with any tool side by side →
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Understand for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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