Exploring Lightdash, Looker Studio & Visivo
Lightdash vs. Looker Studio vs. Visivo
Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Lightdash, Looker Studio, 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
| Feature | Lightdash | Looker Studio | Visivo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment Model | Self-host (Docker, CLI), Lightdash Cloud | Cloud (Google Cloud), Enterprise deployment, Private cloud | Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted |
| Pricing | Open-source (MIT); Cloud hosted plans (basic $800/mo & Cloud Pro $2,400/mo) | Free to use (with Google account); Pro version for enterprise (Looker Studio Pro) introduced with SLAs. | 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.
Lightdash
Looker Studio
Visivo
Ease of Development & Deployment
Development experience directly impacts team productivity and time-to-value.
Lightdash
Looker Studio
Visivo
Key Integrations & Ecosystem
A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools.
Lightdash
Looker Studio
Visivo
Visualization Capabilities
The ability to create compelling visualizations is key to data storytelling.
Lightdash
Modeled after Looker: define metrics in dbt, then drag-and-drop UI. Provides common charts & filters; less free-form than code, but ensures consistency via definitions.
Looker Studio
Drag-and-drop report editor. Offers charts like time series, bar, geo maps, tables. Customization is decent (colors, labels), though not as fine-grained as Tableau. Supports community visualizations (bring custom JS charts). Layout is canvas-style – good for dashboards and infographics.
Visivo
Highly custom UI with easy defaults
Detailed Differentiators
Each platform's unique strengths and limitations.
Lightdash
Looker Studio
Visivo
Security & Architecture
Critical considerations for enterprise deployments.
Lightdash
DB Access: Yes, connects directly to DB (runs SQL on warehouse). Virtualization: Relies on live queries (no internal storage). Push: Data is pulled via queries on demand or scheduled caching. Security: Uses dbt/warehouse for access control; supports role-based access in app; inherits dbt's data perms.
Looker Studio
DB Access: Yes, live connects to sources using provided credentials (or OAuth tokens). Option to cache query results in Google's cache for performance. Virtualization: Data remains in source or cache – Data Studio doesn't store data persistently (except cached). Push: No, it pulls data when rendering charts. Other: Uses Google account auth for access; you can manage view/edit permissions on reports. Lacks fine security on data level (you'd need separate reports or filters per audience).
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.
Ready to Experience Modern BI?
Try Visivo today and see how it transforms your data analytics workflow.
$ curl -fsSL https://visivo.sh | bash
