Exploring Mode, Looker Studio & Visivo

Mode vs. Looker Studio vs. Visivo

Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Mode, 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	Mode	Looker Studio	Visivo
Deployment Model	Cloud (SaaS), Enterprise deployment, Private cloud	Cloud (Google Cloud), Enterprise deployment, Private cloud	Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
Pricing	Subscription per user (tiered features). Proprietary.	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.

Mode

Data analystsData scientistsBusiness teams consuming insights

Looker Studio

Business usersMarketersGoogle ecosystem users

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

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

Mode

3/5

Looker Studio

2/5

Visivo

5/5

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

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

Mode

Multiple SQL databasesPython/R for advanced analyticsAPI and webhooks for automation

Looker Studio

500+ data connectorsGoogle products (Analytics, Ads)SQL databases via Simba drivers

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

Visualization Capabilities

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

Mode

Hybrid analytics: Start with SQL query, then seamlessly use results in a Python or R notebook within Mode. Visualizations: either use the built-in chart builder on query results (which is simple but covers basics), or output custom plots from the notebook (Matplotlib, etc.). You can combine these in a report. Good for analytical narratives.

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.

Mode

Combines analytics workflows: SQL + Python/R in one tool, enabling advanced analysis (statistical, ML) with sharing in one place. Great collaboration – team commentary and shareable, embeddable reports.

Not aimed at strict self-service for non-analysts (business users usually consume results, not build). Lacks a governed semantic layer – relies on analysts to maintain consistency.

Looker Studio

Completely free for most use-cases. Extremely easy for simple needs – non-tech users can create a shareable dashboard in minutes. Being Google, sharing and embedding is seamless.

Lacks advanced analytics (no calculated fields beyond basic formulas, limited data shaping). Performance can suffer on large data sets unless using aggregated extracts. No row-level security (one report = one set of credentials or extracted data).

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.

Mode

DB Access: Yes, Mode executes queries against your DB whenever a report refreshes. Virtualization: No separate layer – it's basically a client querying the DB. Push: No, except you can schedule exports of results to external systems. Other: Row-level security must be implemented in SQL (no built-in feature for it). Supports SSO and fine-grained access to reports (who can view/edit).

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.

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

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