SeventhBiz vs. IBISWorld: Two Ways to Research an Industry

IBISWorld and SeventhBiz cost about the same per year, and both answer the question of what is happening in an industry. They answer it from different source material, on different schedules, for different parts of the economy. For some teams the right setup is one of each. For others, the choice is clear once the work is defined.

How IBISWorld works

IBISWorld has published analyst-written industry research since 1971. Its library covers more than 50,000 industry titles across dozens of countries, including narrowly defined industries made up mostly of small private operators. Each report follows a consistent structure covering performance, products and markets, competitive forces, major companies, external environment, financial benchmarks, and a five-year forecast.

IBISWorld analysts build reports from government data, industry associations, industry contacts, and non-public sources. Reports are reviewed and updated one to four times a year, depending on how quickly the industry is changing. The platform also includes an AI assistant, Phil, which answers questions from IBISWorld's own report content.

How SeventhBiz works

SeventhBiz reads the 10-Ks, 10-Qs, 8-Ks, and earnings call transcripts of the public companies in each industry it covers, as each one is filed, and reads them together as a single dataset. The industry narrative, signals, competitive landscape, and cross-industry hot topics update within hours of a new filing.

Every statement is sourced to the document it came from and, for earnings calls, to the speaker. Market sizing appears in management's own words, quoted from the filing or call where it was stated. Coverage is selective by design. The 50+ industries are organized the way an investment bank structures its coverage groups, around the sectors where public companies, capital, and M&A activity concentrate: data centers, semiconductors, fintech and payments, healthcare services, building products, and the major REIT subsectors. New sectors are added as subscribers request them.

The platform was built by Bizologie, a research firm that has done industry and due diligence research for private equity and venture capital firms for nearly 20 years.

Side by side

What the difference looks like in practice

The practical gap is what happens between scheduled updates. When a data center operator discloses a new customer prepayment structure in an 8-K, the SeventhBiz Data Centers page reflects it the same day, next to what the other operators said about financing in the same quarter. The Data Centers industry page shows its own last-refreshed time and the filings behind each signal. An industry report on a scheduled revision cycle picks up a development like that at its next update.

The source material also changes what ends up in a memo. An analyst estimate gives a defensible number for industry size. A management quote gives the operator's own view of the opportunity, with a citation an investment committee can check. Both are useful, and they answer different questions.

When IBISWorld is the better fit

IBISWorld is the stronger tool when the industry has few or no public companies. Landscaping, dental laboratories, and funeral homes are industries of small private operators, and SeventhBiz reads public company filings. Where there are no filers, there is no filing record to read.

It is also the right choice when the work calls for a five-year revenue forecast, financial benchmark ratios for small-business operators, or broad coverage of markets outside the U.S.

When SeventhBiz is the better fit

SeventhBiz is built for sector diligence where public companies define the market, and for keeping a current read on that market after the deal closes. Typical uses include preparing for a management meeting, tracking what changed in a portfolio company's sector this quarter, and following what major competitors and customers told their investors.

It is also the faster route when a memo needs a citation. Every signal links to the filing or call it came from.

Using both

Many research teams keep both. A deal team evaluating a private building products manufacturer might use IBISWorld for the size and forecast of the manufacturer's specific niche, and SeventhBiz to read what the public building products companies told investors this quarter about pricing and acquisitions.

Frequently asked questions

Is SeventhBiz an alternative to IBISWorld?

For industries where public companies define the market, yes. For industries made up mostly of small private businesses, IBISWorld covers ground SeventhBiz does not.

How often does IBISWorld update its reports?

IBISWorld states that its reports are reviewed and updated one to four times a year, depending on the industry.

How often does SeventhBiz update?

Industry pages update within hours of each new SEC filing or earnings call from a tracked company.

Does SeventhBiz cover private companies?

SeventhBiz reads public company filings. It gives a read on an industry through its public companies, which is how many teams benchmark a private company against its public peers.

How much does SeventhBiz cost?

$4,990 per year or $499 per month for a Professional seat, with all industries included. Team seats are $3,990 per seat per year.

Try it on your industry

A 7-day free trial includes every industry on the platform. No credit card required.

Last reviewed October 23, 2026. Information about IBISWorld is drawn from IBISWorld's published product pages as of that date.