Exploring Sisense, Looker (Google) & Visivo
Sisense vs. Looker (Google) vs. Visivo
Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Sisense, Looker (Google), 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 | Looker (Google) | Visivo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment Model | Windows/Linux on-prem, Sisense Cloud (managed), Private cloud | Cloud-hosted (Google Cloud) | Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted |
| Pricing | Commercial (Proprietary). Pricing by seat and consumption. | Commercial (Proprietary); enterprise pricing (no free tier) | 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
Looker (Google)
Visivo
Ease of Development & Deployment
Development experience directly impacts team productivity and time-to-value.
Sisense
Looker (Google)
Visivo
Key Integrations & Ecosystem
A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools.
Sisense
Looker (Google)
Visivo
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).
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).
Visivo
Highly custom UI with easy defaults
Detailed Differentiators
Each platform's unique strengths and limitations.
Sisense
Looker (Google)
Visivo
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.
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.
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
