Exploring Evidence.dev, Sisense & Visivo

Evidence.dev vs. Sisense vs. Visivo

Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Evidence.dev, Sisense, Visivo. This comprehensive analysis will help you make an informed decision for your data visualization needs.

Quick Comparison

Key features and capabilities at a glance

FeatureEvidence.devSisenseVisivo
Deployment ModelSelf-host (static site), Self-host (server), Vercel/Netlify deploymentWindows/Linux on-prem, Sisense Cloud (managed), Private cloudOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
PricingOpen-source (MIT); free to use. New hosted service as of fall 2024 (can also deploy on Vercel, Netlify, etc.)Commercial (Proprietary). Pricing by seat and consumption.Open source (GPL-3.0)
Cost$$$$$$$
Git Integration
CI/CD & Testing
Real-time
AI Features
Visual to Code
DAG-Based

Target Users & Use-Cases

Each BI tool is designed with specific user personas in mind.

Evidence.dev

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

Sisense

Product teams (embedded analytics)Enterprise analystsOEM partners

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

Development experience directly impacts team productivity and time-to-value.

Evidence.dev

3/5

Sisense

3/5

Visivo

5/5

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools.

Evidence.dev

SQL databases via JDBC/ODBCdbt metadata integrationStatic site deployment platforms

Sisense

SQL and cloud data warehousesSaaS applicationsJS embedding SDK

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

Visualization Capabilities

The ability to create compelling visualizations is key to data storytelling.

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.

Sisense

Two flavors merged: traditional dashboard builder (drag-drop charts, with advanced widget for custom UI via scripting) and a notebook-style interface (from acquired Periscope Data) for SQL/Python. Visualizations include a wide range of widgets and the special Sisense BloX for custom coded infographic-like blocks. Highly customizable via JavaScript (for those inclined).

Visivo

Highly custom UI with easy defaults

Detailed Differentiators

Each platform's unique strengths and limitations.

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.

Sisense

Strong embedding and customization – you can integrate analytics into your product with full control (white-label). Now with modern DevOps support (Git, CI/CD) making it enterprise-friendly.
Can be complex to administrate; the full platform (with Elasticube manager, etc.) has a learning curve. Some legacy vs new UI inconsistencies after merging Periscope.

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

Critical considerations for enterprise deployments.

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).

Sisense

DB Access: Depending on setup – Live mode: Sisense queries your DB on the fly (needs access); Elasticube mode: data is extracted into Sisense's proprietary in-memory cube (so queries don't hit source DB at runtime). Virtualization: Allows combining multiple sources in one view via its cubes (not exactly virtualization, more like federation into a single cache). Push: In Elasticube mode, data is essentially pushed into Sisense's storage on a refresh schedule. Other: Robust security – single sign-on, row-level security in Elasticubes, and extensive admin controls.

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 for modern data teams.

DAG-Based Architecture for complex data transformations
Visual to Human-readable Code conversion
Multiple development approaches for all skill levels
AI-Powered dashboard creation
Full Git integration and version control
Open-source with enterprise features

Ready to Experience Modern BI?

Try Visivo today and see how it transforms your data analytics workflow.

$ curl -fsSL https://visivo.sh | bash