Exploring Omni, Lightdash & Visivo

Omni Vs. Lightdash Vs. Visivo

In this article, we'll compare the key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Omni, Lightdash, 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.

FeatureOmniLightdashVisivo
Deployment ModelCloud (SaaS on AWS), Private cloud, Enterprise VPCSelf-host (Docker, CLI), Lightdash CloudOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
PricingCommercial (Proprietary SaaS); demo & trial available (pricing not public)Open-source (MIT); Cloud hosted plans (basic $800/mo & Cloud Pro $2,400/mo)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
OmniCloud (SaaS on AWS), Private cloud, Enterprise VPCCommercial (Proprietary SaaS); demo & trial available (pricing not public)$$$$
LightdashSelf-host (Docker, CLI), Lightdash CloudOpen-source (MIT); Cloud hosted plans (basic $800/mo & Cloud Pro $2,400/mo)$$
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.

Omni

SQL usersSpreadsheet usersBusiness executivesData teams

Lightdash

Looker Users who want a cheaper alternativeAnalytics engineersBusiness users who want to explore data

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.

Omni

Lightdash

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.

Omni

dbt (bi-directional sync)Cloud data warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift)Spreadsheet data sources

Lightdash

dbtGithubGitLabGoogle Sheets

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
Omni
Lightdash
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.

Omni

Combines spreadsheet-like calculations, SQL, and drag/drop. Users can create charts with one-click from data tables. Good selection of standard visuals, with focus on ease (smart defaults). Custom styling is somewhat guided (aims for simplicity over exhaustive options).

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.

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.

Omni

+ Spreadsheet meets SQL: users can use Excel formulas or SQL interchangeably. AI "calculation assistant" suggests formulas from natural language. Governed semantic model ensures consistent metrics.
− Newer product – not as feature-rich in visualization customization as legacy tools; purely cloud (may not suit those needing on-prem).

Lightdash

+ Directly leverages dbt's semantic layer: 'write metrics in dbt, Lightdash enables self-serve'. Open-source alternative to Looker.
− Requires an existing dbt project and good documentation; not usable without dbt setup. Fewer visualization types than Tableau/PowerBI.

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.

Omni

DB Access: Yes, Omni directly queries your databases (encrypted connections). Virtualization: Queries data in place (no data copy) – essentially virtualization with a semantic layer. Push: No, it's live query (though cached metrics can be materialized on demand). Other: Strong security focus – column & row-level controls, SAML SSO, data encrypted at rest. SOC 2 compliant.

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.

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.

$ curl -fsSL https://visivo.sh | bash
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Jared Jesionek (co-founder)
Jared Jesionek (co-founder)
Jared Jesionek (co-founder)
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