Exploring Looker (Google), Metabase & Visivo
Looker (Google) vs. Metabase vs. Visivo
Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Looker (Google), Metabase, 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 | Looker (Google) | Metabase | Visivo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment Model | Cloud-hosted (Google Cloud) | Self-host OSS (Java), Metabase Cloud (hosted SaaS), Docker deployment | Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted |
| Pricing | Commercial (Proprietary); enterprise pricing (no free tier) | Open-source core (AGPL v3); Enterprise features in paid plans | 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.
Looker (Google)
Metabase
Visivo
Ease of Development & Deployment
Development experience directly impacts team productivity and time-to-value.
Looker (Google)
Metabase
Visivo
Key Integrations & Ecosystem
A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools.
Looker (Google)
Metabase
Visivo
Visualization Capabilities
The ability to create compelling visualizations is key to data storytelling.
Looker (Google)
Robust web dashboards and exploratory interface. Good selection of chart types; custom visualizations via plugins or custom code. Highly customizable via LookML for data logic, but visual formatting is UI-driven (some limitations vs. Tableau).
Metabase
Simplified UI: users can create questions (queries) via a point-and-click interface or SQL editor. Visualizations cover basic needs (bar, line, pie, maps, etc.). Dashboards allow filter widgets to link multiple cards. Customization is basic – focus is on quick insights over polished design.
Visivo
Highly custom UI with easy defaults
Detailed Differentiators
Each platform's unique strengths and limitations.
Looker (Google)
Metabase
Visivo
Security & Architecture
Critical considerations for enterprise deployments.
Looker (Google)
DB Access: Yes (direct read queries to DB with cached results). Virtualization: No internal engine – relies on source DB ('in-database' analytics). Push: No, pull-based queries (though persistent derived tables can be pushed into DB). Other: Fine-grained RBAC; row-level security; SSO/SAML support.
Metabase
DB Access: Yes, Metabase connects directly to each data source to run queries. Virtualization: No intermediate layer – it's live queries (with caching). Push: No (pull-based queries; can cache results in application DB). Other: Supports row-level security with query filters (enterprise). Offers auditing of questions run. Embedding to apps with signed tokens available (with its own permissions).
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
