Exploring Tableau (Salesforce), Apache Superset & Visivo

Tableau (Salesforce) Vs. Apache Superset Vs. Visivo

In this article, we'll compare the key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Tableau (Salesforce), Apache Superset, 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.

FeatureTableau (Salesforce)Apache SupersetVisivo
Deployment ModelDesktop + Tableau Server, Desktop + (on-prem) Tableau Server, Desktop + Tableau Cloud (SaaS)Self-host (Apache OSS), Preset Cloud (managed), Docker deploymentOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
PricingCommercial (Proprietary); ~$70/user/mo for Creator. Public edition free (cloud, limited)Open-source (Apache 2.0); Preset Cloud offers paid hosting/supportOpen 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
Tableau (Salesforce)Desktop + Tableau Server, Desktop + (on-prem) Tableau Server, Desktop + Tableau Cloud (SaaS)Commercial (Proprietary); ~$70/user/mo for Creator. Public edition free (cloud, limited)$$$$$
Apache SupersetSelf-host (Apache OSS), Preset Cloud (managed), Docker deploymentOpen-source (Apache 2.0); Preset Cloud offers paid hosting/support$
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.

Tableau (Salesforce)

Enterprise OrganizationsData analysts & business users (self-service BI)

Apache Superset

Data analystsSQL-savvy business usersData engineers

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.

Tableau (Salesforce)

Apache Superset

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.

Tableau (Salesforce)

Major SQL and cloud data warehousesPython/R via TabPydbt through published data sources

Apache Superset

SQL databases via SQLAlchemyAuthentication systems (OAuth, LDAP)dbt outputs as data sources

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
Tableau (Salesforce)
Apache Superset
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.

Tableau (Salesforce)

Best-in-class drag-and-drop visualization. Wide variety of chart types and mapping; highly refined visual customization. Dashboards with interactive actions. Limited custom theming without extensions, but very flexible analytically.

Apache Superset

Rich set of visualizations (bar, line, time-series, big number, etc.) via built-in plugins. Dashboards support filters and cross-highlighting. Customization is decent (colors, chart options) but not as polished as Tableau. Can create custom viz plugins with React/D3 if needed.

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.

Tableau (Salesforce)

+ + Renowned for its ease of use and visual analytics power – users can explore data fluidly. Strong community and support. AI: 'Ask Data' (NL queries) and 'Explain Data' insights in newer versions.
− Licensing cost; less programmable (proprietary formulas, no Git). Large deployments require governance to avoid 'spreadmarts.'

Apache Superset

+ Open-source BI with no vendor lock-in. Large community and improving UI. Suitable for embedding into internal tools.
− Setup and maintenance require engineering effort (Docker, config). UI can be less intuitive for non-technical users; SQL knowledge often needed for custom queries.

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.

Tableau (Salesforce)

DB Access: Optional – can import data into Tableau's Hyper engine or query live. Virtualization: Live query leaves data at source (virtualized access). Push: Extracts are pull-based (scheduled). Other: Row-level security via data source filters; fine-grained user permissions on Server; supports SAML/OAuth for auth.

Apache Superset

DB Access: Yes, connects directly to databases with provided creds (queries run in DB). Virtualization: No internal data storage beyond caches – queries are delegated to sources. Push: No, data is pulled via queries on demand or scheduled caching. Other: Supports row-level security filters and role-based access to datasets/dashboards. Uses your DB's security for data access (you supply read-only creds).

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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