Exploring Sigma Computing, Qlik Sense & Visivo

Sigma Computing Vs. Qlik Sense Vs. Visivo

In this article, we'll compare the key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Sigma Computing, Qlik Sense, 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.

FeatureSigma ComputingQlik SenseVisivo
Deployment ModelCloud (SaaS) - AWS, Cloud (SaaS) - GCP, Multi-tenant deploymentClient-managed (Windows), Client-managed (Kubernetes), Qlik Cloud (SaaS)Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
PricingCommercial SaaS; no free tier (trial available). Proprietary.Commercial. Qlik Sense Enterprise is subscription (by user or capacity). Qlik Sense Desktop free for personal use.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
Sigma ComputingCloud (SaaS) - AWS, Cloud (SaaS) - GCP, Multi-tenant deploymentCommercial SaaS; no free tier (trial available). Proprietary.$$$$
Qlik SenseClient-managed (Windows), Client-managed (Kubernetes), Qlik Cloud (SaaS)Commercial. Qlik Sense Enterprise is subscription (by user or capacity). Qlik Sense Desktop free for personal use.$$$$
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.

Sigma Computing

Business users (spreadsheet aficionados)BI & data teamsFinancial analysts

Qlik Sense

Enterprise BI usersData analystsGoverned self-service users

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.

Sigma Computing

Qlik Sense

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.

Sigma Computing

Cloud data warehousesdbt metadata syncEmbedding API for apps

Qlik Sense

Multiple data sources via connectorsPython/R Server Side ExtensionsWeb APIs and databases

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
Sigma Computing
Qlik Sense
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.

Sigma Computing

Spreadsheet-like UI on cloud data: users drag columns, create formulas in cells (Excel-style). Visualizations are built atop these 'workbooks.' Good variety of charts, but geared towards data in tables first. Custom visuals possible via SQL or minimal coding (no full script extensions as in PowerBI).

Qlik Sense

Powerful interactive visuals with unique associative filtering: all charts update with each selection, and show gray 'excluded' values to encourage discovery. Chart types cover most needs, and extension mechanism allows custom charts. Good formatting control but primarily via UI (no raw HTML/CSS editing).

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.

Sigma Computing

+ Familiar Excel-like interface on big data – low learning curve for spreadsheet users. No data extraction – queries run in your warehouse, so leverages its power. Unique ability to "write-back" or materialize prepared datasets into the DB.
− Performance can suffer on very large datasets or complex filters (depends on warehouse; UI might hang on millions of rows). Less suitable for pixel-perfect presentations (focuses on ad-hoc exploration).

Qlik Sense

+ The Associative Engine is Qlik's hallmark – users can freely explore data without query limitations (no SQL needed when using the app). Great for uncovering relationships in data.
− Requires data to be loaded into memory for full power, which can be heavy. Learning Qlik's script and the "set analysis" syntax for expressions has a learning curve.

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.

Sigma Computing

DB Access: Yes – requires direct access to cloud DB (Sigma sends SQL to your warehouse). Virtualization: Yes – leaves data in DB, no local storage (except temp cache), effectively a virtualization approach. Push: Not typical; however, users can push (materialize) a result back to DB if needed. Other: Data never leaves your cloud environment (Sigma runs within cloud region). Supports row-level security via warehouse and within Sigma. SSO support available.

Qlik Sense

DB Access: Typically Qlik imports data into its engine (so not needed at runtime). The new Direct Query option (in Qlik Cloud) allows leaving data in DB and querying on interaction for huge data sets. Virtualization: Qlik's standard method is not virtualization but in-memory copies. However, with Direct Query it behaves virtually. Push: Data is pushed into Qlik via load scripts (you schedule reloads). Other: Strong security – Section Access to implement row-level security inside Qlik apps, and robust user access control on the server.

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
Sign Up for FreeRequest a Demo
undefined
Jared Jesionek (co-founder)
Jared Jesionek (co-founder)
Jared Jesionek (co-founder)
agent avatar
How can I help? This connects to our slack so I'll respond real quickly 😄
Powered by Chatlio