Exploring Apache Superset, Evidence.dev & Visivo

Apache Superset Vs. Evidence.dev Vs. Visivo

In this article, we'll compare the key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Apache Superset, Evidence.dev, Visivo. This comprehensive comparison will help you make an informed decision about which platform best suits your data visualization and analytics needs.

Quick Comparison

A high-level overview of key features and capabilities across these BI tools. This comparison helps you quickly identify which platform best matches your needs.

FeatureApache SupersetEvidence.devVisivo
Deployment ModelSelf-host (Apache OSS), Preset Cloud (managed), Docker deploymentSelf-host (static site), Self-host (server), Vercel/Netlify deploymentOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
PricingOpen-source (Apache 2.0); Preset Cloud offers paid hosting/supportOpen-source (MIT); free to use. New hosted service as of fall 2024 (can also deploy on Vercel, Netlify, etc.)Open source (GPL-3.0)
Cost$$$
Git Integration✔️✔️
CI/CD & Testing✔️
Real-time
AI✔️
Visual to Code✔️
DAG-Based✔️

Deployment & Pricing

Understanding the deployment options and pricing structure is crucial for making an informed decision. Here's how each platform handles deployment and what you can expect in terms of costs.

ToolDeployment ModelPricingCost
Apache SupersetSelf-host (Apache OSS), Preset Cloud (managed), Docker deploymentOpen-source (Apache 2.0); Preset Cloud offers paid hosting/support$
Evidence.devSelf-host (static site), Self-host (server), Vercel/Netlify deploymentOpen-source (MIT); free to use. New hosted service as of fall 2024 (can also deploy on Vercel, Netlify, etc.)$
VisivoOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hostedOpen source (GPL-3.0)$

Target Users & Use-Cases

Each BI tool is designed with specific user personas in mind. Understanding the target audience helps ensure you choose a platform that aligns with your team's skills and needs.

Apache Superset

Data analystsSQL-savvy business usersData engineers

Evidence.dev

Analytics engineersData-savvy users who prefer code/markdown workflowEngineers & Academics

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

The development experience can significantly impact your team's productivity. This section compares how easy it is to build, deploy, and maintain dashboards in each platform.

Apache Superset

Evidence.dev

Visivo

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools. Here's how each platform connects with other tools in your data stack.

Apache Superset

SQL databases via SQLAlchemyAuthentication systems (OAuth, LDAP)dbt outputs as data sources

Evidence.dev

SQL databases via JDBC/ODBCdbt metadata integrationStatic site deployment platforms

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

AI & Advanced Features

Artificial intelligence is transforming how we interact with data. Compare the AI capabilities and advanced features offered by each platform.

ToolAI Features
Apache Superset
Evidence.dev
Visivo✔️

Visualization Capabilities

The ability to create compelling and insightful visualizations is a key differentiator between BI tools. Here's how each platform handles data visualization.

Apache Superset

Rich set of visualizations (bar, line, time-series, big number, etc.) via built-in plugins. Dashboards support filters and cross-highlighting. Customization is decent (colors, chart options) but not as polished as Tableau. Can create custom viz plugins with React/D3 if needed.

Evidence.dev

Reports built as Markdown with embedded SQL and charts. Outputs static HTML dashboards. Customization via editing Markdown/HTML/CSS; not a point-and-click UI.

Visivo

Highly custom UI with easy defaults

Detailed Differentiators

Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. Here's a detailed breakdown of what sets each tool apart, including both advantages and limitations.

Apache Superset

+ Open-source BI with no vendor lock-in. Large community and improving UI. Suitable for embedding into internal tools.
− Setup and maintenance require engineering effort (Docker, config). UI can be less intuitive for non-technical users; SQL knowledge often needed for custom queries.

Evidence.dev

+ + Write dashboards as code – lightweight, reproducible, easily integrated with dbt pipelines. Great for data narratives that combine text, data, and charts.
− Static output means no ad-hoc drilling by end users; requires comfort with writing Markdown/SQL.

Visivo

+ BI-as-code approach enables version control, collaboration, and CI/CD workflows. DAG-based architecture provides powerful data transformation capabilities and dependency management. Seamless visual-to-code workflow allows both technical and non-technical users to build dashboards effectively.
− Requires understanding of data concepts; not a pure drag-and-drop tool like Tableau. Initial setup requires technical knowledge for optimal configuration.

Security & Architecture

Security and architecture are critical considerations for enterprise deployments. Here's how each platform handles data security and system architecture.

Apache Superset

DB Access: Yes, connects directly to databases with provided creds (queries run in DB). Virtualization: No internal data storage beyond caches – queries are delegated to sources. Push: No, data is pulled via queries on demand or scheduled caching. Other: Supports row-level security filters and role-based access to datasets/dashboards. Uses your DB's security for data access (you supply read-only creds).

Evidence.dev

DB Access: Queries run at build time (or page load if in server mode); not needed for end viewer (static pages). Virtualization: By nature, it materializes results into the page (no live DB query once published). Push: Yes – essentially a push of data into static site. Other: No runtime user management (pages are static); security depends on where you host (you wouldn't include sensitive data in a public build).

Visivo

No db access required. Very strong security features due to the DAG-based access controls and the push based deployment model.

Why Visivo Stands Out

While each platform has its strengths, Visivo offers unique advantages that make it an excellent choice for modern data teams.

  • DAG-Based Architecture: Enables complex data transformations and dependencies
  • Visual to Human-readable Code: Seamlessly switch between visual and code-based development
  • Ease of Development: Multiple approaches to build for both technical and non-technical users
  • AI-Powered Development: Leverage AI to accelerate dashboard creation
  • Git Integration: Full version control and collaboration capabilities

Ready to experience the power of modern BI? Try Visivo today and see how it compares to other tools in your stack.

$pip install visivo
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