Home » Business Intelligence and Analytics Software » Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio)
Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is a user-friendly tool that turns your data into clear, interactive dashboards and reports. It’s great for businesses wanting to visualize trends, track performance, or share insights with teams.
You can connect it to tons of data sources, like Google Analytics or spreadsheets, and customize your visuals with drag-and-drop ease. It’s perfect for making data-driven decisions without needing a tech degree!
User-Friendly Interface: Looker Studio has an intuitive drag-and-drop design, and this makes it easy for anyone to create dashboards without needing tech skills. You can jump in and start building reports in no time, even if you’re not a data wizard.
Data Connectivity: The platform connects to over 800 data sources, like Google Analytics, Google Ads, BigQuery, and third-party tools such as Salesforce or MySQL. This lets you pull all your data into one place for a complete view.
Customizable Dashboards: You can tweak layouts, fonts, colors, and visuals to match your brand or needs. This flexibility ensures your reports look professional and tailored to your audience.
Interactive Visualizations: Looker Studio offers 36 chart types, including bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and geo maps. Features like filters, drill-downs, and date range pickers let users explore data dynamically.
Real-Time Data Updates: Data syncs in real time from connected sources, and this keeps your dashboards current. You can monitor live metrics, which is perfect for fast-paced decisions.
Collaboration and Sharing: Share reports via links, email, or embedded web pages with view-only or edit permissions. Real-time collaboration, similar to Google Docs, keeps teams aligned.
Report Templates: A library of pre-built templates helps you get started quickly. You can customize these to fit your data, and this saves time for beginners or busy teams.
Data Blending: Combine data from multiple sources, like Google Analytics and Salesforce, into one chart or report. This creates unified insights without extra tools.
Custom Calculations: Create new metrics, like ROI or profit margins, using formulas. It lets you tailor analytics to specific business goals without altering raw data.
Scheduled Email Reports: Automate report delivery on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. This ensures stakeholders get timely updates without manual effort.
Looker Studio API: Automate asset management and migration for Google Workspace or Cloud Identity users, which streamlines workflows for larger organizations.
Security and Compliance: Robust encryption and compliance with GDPR and HIPAA protect sensitive data. Role-based access controls keep information secure.
Mobile Accessibility: Dashboards are mobile-friendly, and this allows you to view insights on any device. You can stay informed on the go, which is great for busy professionals.
| Version | Cost | What It Includes | Note on Add-Ons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looker Studio (Free) | $0 | Dashboards, reports, Google data connectors | No enterprise tools or advanced collaboration |
| Looker Studio Pro | ~$9/user/month (per project) | Collaboration, scheduling, admin controls, support | Pricing per user per project; some usage unclear |
| Enterprise-like Tier | ~$3,000–$5,000/month (for ~10 users) | Full team/org features and support | Based on estimated pricing models |
| Third-party Connectors | $20–$350+/month each | Access to non-Google data sources | Often required for full data reach |
| Competitor | Pros of Looker Studio |
|---|---|
| Tableau | Looker Studio’s free plan offers unlimited dashboards and Google data connectors, which makes it budget-friendly for freelancers or small businesses. It integrates seamlessly with Google products like Analytics and BigQuery, and this simplifies setup for users in the Google ecosystem.
The drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly, which allows non-technical users to create reports quickly. Collaboration tools, like real-time editing, also make team workflows smoother than Tableau’s server-based sharing. |
| Microsoft Power BI | Looker Studio’s free tier includes 21 native Google integrations, which outshines Power BI’s paid plans starting at $10/user/month. Its cloud-based platform requires no on-premise setup, unlike Power BI, which can demand more technical configuration. The interface is simpler for beginners, and this makes it ideal for quick visualizations without Power BI’s steeper learning curve. |
| Whatagraph | Looker Studio’s free plan and unlimited dashboards beat Whatagraph’s paid-only model starting at $249/month. Native Google data source connections reduce setup time, unlike Whatagraph’s reliance on third-party connectors for non-Google platforms. Real-time data updates and mobile accessibility provide flexibility, which ensures users can access insights anywhere, unlike Whatagraph’s less frequent data refreshes. |
| Databox | Looker Studio’s free access and 36 chart types give it an edge over Databox’s $72/month plans with fewer visualization options. Google ecosystem integration is smoother, which eliminates complex API setups Databox often requires. Collaboration features, like shareable links and real-time editing, make it more team-friendly than Databox’s limited multi-user capabilities. |
| Qrvey | Looker Studio shines for internal analytics with its free plan and intuitive interface, which is more accessible than Qrvey’s custom-priced, SaaS-focused embedded analytics. Drag-and-drop dashboard creation and templates speed up report building, which suits non-technical users better than Qrvey’s multi-tenant focus. Google integrations also streamline data connectivity for common business needs. |
| Competitor | Cons of Looker Studio |
|---|---|
| Tableau | Looker Studio lacks Tableau’s advanced visualization and data modeling capabilities, which limits its ability to handle complex datasets or highly customized dashboards. Third-party connectors for non-Google sources can break, unlike Tableau’s 100+ reliable integrations. A 6-minute query limit slows large reports, which frustrates users compared to Tableau’s faster big data processing. Customer support is minimal without the Pro plan, whereas Tableau offers a strong community and paid support. |
| Microsoft Power BI | Looker Studio falls behind in advanced analytics, like Power BI’s AI-driven insights and deep Microsoft ecosystem integration (e.g., Azure, Excel). Its visualizations are less flexible, which restricts customization compared to Power BI’s extensive chart library. Third-party connector reliance can cause data inconsistencies, unlike Power BI’s stable integrations. The free plan lacks automated report scheduling, which Power BI includes in its plans. |
| Whatagraph | Looker Studio’s interface can feel clunky compared to Whatagraph’s streamlined, marketing-focused platform, which slows report creation for non-technical users. It lacks advanced marketing features, like custom metrics or ad creative insights, that Whatagraph offers. Data refresh delays and third-party connector issues can cause inconsistencies, unlike Whatagraph’s managed integrations. Automated report sharing requires the $9/user/month Pro plan, whereas Whatagraph includes it across plans. |
| Databox | Looker Studio’s data refresh frequency, often 12 hours for non-Google sources, lags behind Databox’s flexible updates (down to 1 hour). It lacks native campaign management or custom alerts, which makes it less robust for marketing teams compared to Databox’s real-time tracking focus. Third-party connector issues can cause data breakages, unlike Databox’s stable API-driven integrations. |
| Qrvey | Looker Studio isn’t built for embedded analytics, unlike Qrvey, which excels in multi-tenant, customer-facing solutions for SaaS companies. Its visualizations are less customizable, which limits appeal for branded, client-ready dashboards.
Performance lags with large datasets due to query time limits, whereas Qrvey’s Elasticsearch-based data lake handles high volumes efficiently. It also lacks Qrvey’s ability to monetize analytics as a premium feature. |
