BI software comparison by features
The implementation of governed self-service BI is paramount for several reasons. It empowers business users to gain timely and relevant insights from data, enabling them to make more informed decisions and fostering a data-driven culture throughout the organization. Governance mechanisms ensure that these insights are based on accurate and reliable data, that the definitions of key business metrics are consistent across different reports and departments ('single source of truth'), and that sensitive information is protected via appropriate access controls and row-level security rules.
A key challenge is finding a balance between empowering business users with the flexibility to explore and analyze data and maintaining the necessary control by IT over the data environment. Modern BI tools should be suitable for a fundamental shift in how organizations approach BI, moving from a model where IT serves as the primary provider of reports to a more collaborative environment where IT acts as an enabler, providing the infrastructure and a way how business users can perform their own analysis.
Tool/Feature | Report Creation Ease of Use | Visualization Options | SQL Support | Drag-and-Drop Interface | Report Sharing Methods | Embedding | Access Controls | Governed Self-Service Features | Semantic Layer | User Roles/Permissions | Pricing Model | Self-Hosted Option |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metabase | Easy | Wide range | Custom SQL queries | Yes | Email, Slack | Yes | Yes | Models | No native layer, integrates with Cube | Yes | Free, paid plans | Yes |
Tableau | Intuitive basics, advanced can be complex | Extensive, highly customizable | Custom SQL queries | Yes | Tableau Server/Cloud, embed | Yes | Granular permissions | Data governance features | Yes | Comprehensive | User-based subscriptions | Yes |
Power BI | User-friendly | Wide range | Custom SQL queries | Yes | Publish, share, embed | Yes | Row-level security | Integration with Microsoft Purview | Yes | Yes | Free, Pro (per user), Premium (per user/capacity) | Yes |
Looker | Steep learning curve (LookML) | Standard set | Strong (LookML) | Limited | Embed | Yes | Robust | Semantic modeling (LookML) | Yes (LookML) | Yes | Customized, can be expensive | Yes |
Looker Studio | Easy | Wide range | Yes | Yes | Links, embed, schedule email | Yes | Looker Studio Pro: Enhanced | Looker Studio Pro: Team workspaces | Yes (LookML) | Looker Studio Pro: Advanced team permissions | Free, Pro (per user/project) | Yes |
Mode | Intuitive SQL editor, drag-and-drop | SQL + Python visualizations, dashboards | SQL editor | Yes | Collaboration features, embed | Yes | Not specified in detail | Not specified in detail | Not specified in detail | Not specified in detail | Cloud-based, not fully detailed | No |
Apache Superset | User-friendly interface, no-code builder & SQL IDE | 40+ pre-installed, customizable | SQL IDE | Yes | Embed, shareable links | Yes | RBAC | Semantic layer , RBAC | Yes | RBAC | Open-source, cloud hosting via Preset | Yes |
Amazon QuickSight | Interactive dashboards, but potentially less intuitive | Interactive, but potentially limited variety | Limited | Yes | Embeddable dashboards | Yes | AWS security model | AWS ecosystem integration | Not specified in detail | Yes | Usage-based | No (cloud only) |
Domo | User-friendly, low-code interface | Comprehensive, customizable | Yes | Yes | Embed, collaboration features | Yes | Strong controls | Strong governance | Yes | Yes | Enterprise-focused, can be expensive | Yes |
Holistics | Drag-and-drop report builder | Variety, custom visuals via Vega-lite | Strong SQL modeling | Yes | Slack, Email, Sheets, SFTP, Webhooks, embed | Yes | Row & column level | Semantic layer, Git integration, access controls, usage monitoring | Yes | Row & column level | Tiered pricing based on users and features | Yes |
Redash | Lightweight, SQL-focused | Various chart types | SQL editor | Yes | Links, embed, email, Slack, webhooks | Yes | Role-based | Permissions management | No native layer | Yes | Open-source, hosted options | Yes |
SeekTable | Very easy, upload data and report in seconds | Web pivot tables, charts, tabular reports | Direct SQL connection supported | Yes | Team sharing, public links, embed, email, API | Yes | Team sharing with rules, row-level | Shareable cubes, data-level security | Yes (shareable cubes) | Team roles, access rules | Team sharing subscription, self-hosted options | Yes |
Qlik Sense | Intuitive drag-and-drop | Smart visualizations, rich charting | Yes | Yes | Hub, embed, print, export, share | Yes | Roles, security rules | Roles, security rules, governed libraries | Yes | Yes, customizable roles | Subscription-based, can be complex | Client-managed option |