Exploring Sisense, Lightdash & Visivo

Sisense vs. Lightdash vs. Visivo

Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Sisense, Lightdash, 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	Sisense	Lightdash	Visivo
Deployment Model	Windows/Linux on-prem, Sisense Cloud (managed), Private cloud	Self-host (Docker, CLI), Lightdash Cloud	Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
Pricing	Commercial (Proprietary). Pricing by seat and consumption.	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 Features
Visual to Code
DAG-Based

Target Users & Use-Cases

Each BI tool is designed with specific user personas in mind.

Sisense

Product teams (embedded analytics)Enterprise analystsOEM partners

Lightdash

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

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

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

Sisense

3/5

Lightdash

2/5

Visivo

5/5

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

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

Sisense

SQL and cloud data warehousesSaaS applicationsJS embedding SDK

Lightdash

dbtGithubGitLabGoogle Sheets

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

Visualization Capabilities

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

Sisense

Two flavors merged: traditional dashboard builder (drag-drop charts, with advanced widget for custom UI via scripting) and a notebook-style interface (from acquired Periscope Data) for SQL/Python. Visualizations include a wide range of widgets and the special Sisense BloX for custom coded infographic-like blocks. Highly customizable via JavaScript (for those inclined).

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's unique strengths and limitations.

Sisense

Strong embedding and customization – you can integrate analytics into your product with full control (white-label). Now with modern DevOps support (Git, CI/CD) making it enterprise-friendly.

Can be complex to administrate; the full platform (with Elasticube manager, etc.) has a learning curve. Some legacy vs new UI inconsistencies after merging Periscope.

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

Critical considerations for enterprise deployments.

Sisense

DB Access: Depending on setup – Live mode: Sisense queries your DB on the fly (needs access); Elasticube mode: data is extracted into Sisense's proprietary in-memory cube (so queries don't hit source DB at runtime). Virtualization: Allows combining multiple sources in one view via its cubes (not exactly virtualization, more like federation into a single cache). Push: In Elasticube mode, data is essentially pushed into Sisense's storage on a refresh schedule. Other: Robust security – single sign-on, row-level security in Elasticubes, and extensive admin controls.

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 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

Start Free Trial Request a Demo


Email	Mute	End Chat