If your dataset is small enough to fit in an Excel spreadsheet, then you probably are not looking for an alternative.

But if your dataset has millions of rows and you need something quick to help you slice and dice the data in a variety of ways to try and find valuable insights in it to drive business decisions; then maybe you are looking for something better.

BTW: creating pivot tables is just one of dozens of things my system can do. I am currently trying to figure out which features will attract the most customers.