Exploring ThoughtSpot, Mode & Visivo

ThoughtSpot vs. Mode vs. Visivo

Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between ThoughtSpot, Mode, 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	ThoughtSpot	Mode	Visivo
Deployment Model	Cloud (SaaS), On-prem appliance, Private cloud	Cloud (SaaS), Enterprise deployment, Private cloud	Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
Pricing	Commercial (Proprietary); enterprise pricing (by user and/or data volume)	Subscription per user (tiered features). Proprietary.	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.

ThoughtSpot

Business users (especially C-suite)Data teams for scalable analyticsSearch-driven analytics users

Mode

Data analystsData scientistsBusiness teams consuming insights

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

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

ThoughtSpot

4/5

Mode

3/5

Visivo

5/5

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

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

ThoughtSpot

Cloud data warehousesdbt metadata syncEmbedding API for apps

Mode

Multiple SQL databasesPython/R for advanced analyticsAPI and webhooks for automation

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

Visualization Capabilities

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

ThoughtSpot

Search-driven analytics UI: users type questions in natural language and ThoughtSpot generates charts/tables as answers. Dashboards (pinboards) can be created from these answers. Visualizations are generally standard (bar, line, scatter, etc.) and auto-chosen by the engine (with ability to change chart type). Emphasis on simplicity – limited custom formatting beyond basic styling.

Mode

Hybrid analytics: Start with SQL query, then seamlessly use results in a Python or R notebook within Mode. Visualizations: either use the built-in chart builder on query results (which is simple but covers basics), or output custom plots from the notebook (Matplotlib, etc.). You can combine these in a report. Good for analytical narratives.

Visivo

Highly custom UI with easy defaults

Detailed Differentiators

Each platform's unique strengths and limitations.

ThoughtSpot

Natural language search interface – Googling your data. Extremely scalable architecture (built to handle billions of rows). Strong AI analytics capabilities (SpotIQ automatically finds anomalies/patterns).

Requires well-modeled data and user training to ask the right questions. Expensive at scale. Limited chart customization; not meant for pixel-perfect reports.

Mode

Combines analytics workflows: SQL + Python/R in one tool, enabling advanced analysis (statistical, ML) with sharing in one place. Great collaboration – team commentary and shareable, embeddable reports.

Not aimed at strict self-service for non-analysts (business users usually consume results, not build). Lacks a governed semantic layer – relies on analysts to maintain consistency.

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.

ThoughtSpot

DB Access: If using live query (Embrace), it requires direct read access to the DB. If using imported data, queries hit the in-memory engine (no external DB access needed at query time). Virtualization: Yes – Embrace is essentially virtualization (no data copy, live query on external DB). Push: With imported mode, data is pushed into TS's storage from source on a schedule. Other: Robust security – row and column-level security, user and group permissions, and audit logs. Supports SSO and OAuth.

Mode

DB Access: Yes, Mode executes queries against your DB whenever a report refreshes. Virtualization: No separate layer – it's basically a client querying the DB. Push: No, except you can schedule exports of results to external systems. Other: Row-level security must be implemented in SQL (no built-in feature for it). Supports SSO and fine-grained access to reports (who can view/edit).

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