Google Looker vs Power Apps: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Choosing the right business intelligence tool is crucial for data-driven decision-making, and Google Looker and Microsoft Power Apps are two prominent contenders in this space. Each platform offers unique features and capabilities, tailored to different business needs and user skill levels.
While Google Looker excels in data exploration and embedded analytics, Power Apps is renowned for its app development framework and deep integration with other Microsoft services. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each can help organizations select the best tool for their specific requirements.
This comparison will delve into the core aspects of Google Looker and Power Apps, highlighting the differences in reporting, data analysis, and overall functionality. Additionally, we'll explore how Sourcetable offers a streamlined, spreadsheet-like interface that automatically synchronizes with your data, presenting an alternative solution for business intelligence tasks.
What is Google Looker?
Google Looker is a business intelligence platform that is part of Google Cloud. It provides a self-service and governed environment for users to access, analyze, and act on their data. Looker facilitates the delivery of data experiences and allows for the creation of custom applications with trusted metrics.
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Google Looker is a business intelligence platform that is part of Google Cloud. It provides a self-service and governed environment for users to access, analyze, and act on their data. Looker facilitates the delivery of data experiences and allows for the creation of custom applications with trusted metrics.
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Features of Google Looker
- Enables users to access and analyze data within a cloud-based platform.
- Supports building data-powered applications using generative AI.
- Offers Looker modeling to integrate with existing BI environments.
- Provides a platform for users to interact with their business data through chat.
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Benefits of Google Looker
- Allows for the creation of custom applications tailored to business needs.
- Supports a wide range of data experiences for various user requirements.
What is Power Apps?
Power Apps is a comprehensive suite that facilitates the creation of custom business applications. It integrates apps, services, connectors, and a data platform to provide a unified development experience.
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Power Apps is a comprehensive suite that facilitates the creation of custom business applications. It integrates apps, services, connectors, and a data platform to provide a unified development experience.
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Development Environment
The platform offers a rapid development environment enabling the building of custom apps catered to specific business needs. This environment accelerates the app creation process, allowing for deployment across browsers and mobile devices.
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Responsive and Rich Features
Responsive design is inherent in apps created with Power Apps, ensuring usability across various screen sizes. These applications also incorporate advanced business logic and workflow capabilities, streamlining complex business tasks.
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Automation and No-code
Power Apps transforms manual business procedures into automated, digital processes. It empowers users to develop feature-rich business applications without the need for coding expertise.
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Extensibility for Developers
While accessible to users without coding skills, Power Apps also provides an extensible platform for professional developers, offering advanced customization and integration possibilities.
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Google Looker Features
Business Intelligence Capabilities |
Looker is a BI tool that provides enterprise-class business intelligence. It delivers a real-time view of data that is fresh, consistent, and governed. |
Data Management and Modeling |
Looker facilitates the creation of reports and dashboards, simplifying data analysis. Analysts use LookML to define and manage business rules and definitions centrally. LookML is SQL-based and version-controlled with Git. |
Integration and Accessibility |
As a core product of Google Cloud, Looker is integrated within the Google Cloud console, ensuring seamless access and management. Looker offers prebuilt integrations and robust APIs for extended functionality. |
Collaboration and Visualization |
Looker integrates with Looker Studio, allowing users to connect to Looker's semantic model to analyze, explore, and visualize data. |
Cloud Infrastructure and Services |
Built on Google Cloud infrastructure, Looker is readily available as a Google Cloud service, benefiting from the security and scalability of Google Cloud. |
Key Features of Power Apps
App Development and Data Integration |
Power Apps enables users to build custom business applications tailored to their needs without requiring coding expertise. It serves as a comprehensive data platform that can connect to various data sources such as SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and SQL Server. |
Cross-Platform Accessibility |
Applications created with Power Apps are accessible through web browsers and on mobile devices, ensuring a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and orientations. |
Business Logic and Workflows |
Power Apps supports advanced business logic and workflow capabilities, allowing for the automation of complex business processes within custom applications. |
Extensibility for Developers |
Pro developers can extend the functionality of Power Apps by interacting with data and metadata programmatically, applying business logic, and creating custom connectors to integrate with external data sources. |
Integration and Customization |
Developers have the ability to embed Power Apps into websites and develop integrated solutions, further enhancing the utility and reach of custom business applications. |
Advantages of Google Looker for Business Intelligence
Enterprise Business Intelligence Tool
Google Looker Studio Pro is an enterprise-level business intelligence platform designed to support medium to large scale environments, providing robust capabilities for comprehensive data exploration and analytics.
Data Exploration and Visualization
Looker Studio Pro enables users to delve into data, answer critical business questions, and build visualizations, facilitating effective reporting and data analysis.
Enhanced Collaboration and Management
With features tailored for team collaboration, Looker Studio Pro optimizes the management of team content, allowing for streamlined sharing and collaboration on dashboards.
Enterprise Support Access
Users gain access to enterprise-grade support, ensuring any issues encountered can be promptly addressed, which is essential for maintaining continuity in business intelligence tasks.
Disadvantages of Using Google Looker for Business Intelligence
Integration and Connectivity Issues
Google Looker's lack of connectivity can present challenges for businesses requiring reliable data integration. Migrating data from AWS to BigQuery has been described as painful, indicating potential difficulties in data consolidation.
User Experience Difficulties
Users report that Google Looker has a steep learning curve and is not very intuitive, which can lead to prolonged onboarding processes and increased training costs. The platform's performance issues, such as being slow and laggy, especially with numerous graphs on a single page, further complicate the user experience.
Collaboration and Sharing Challenges
The complicated sharing mechanism in Google Looker can hinder effective collaboration among teams, which is vital for data-driven decision-making in businesses.
Access and Security Constraints
A heavily restricted access by the security team can limit flexibility and responsiveness, affecting timely data analysis and reporting.
Resource Availability
Training materials and documentation are not easily accessible, posing an additional barrier to efficient use and mastery of the platform.
Frequently Asked Questions About Google Looker
What are the hours for Looker Support in Japanese?
Japanese language support is available from 9:00 AM JST – 5:00 PM JST, Monday – Friday, and from 5:00 PM JST – 9:00 AM JST, Monday – Saturday, including weekends and holidays.
Is Looker Support available for all versions of Looker?
Looker Support is only available for instances running an officially supported Looker version. Instances hosted by Looker automatically update, but customer-hosted instances must update manually to a supported version.
How do I ensure my Looker instance is eligible for Looker Support?
For Looker (original) instances, ensure that the Google Cloud Project number is filled in on the Admin General Settings page. Additionally, users must have the Tech Support EditorIAM role to receive support.
Who can access Looker Support?
Looker Support is available to users with the Tech Support EditorIAM role and to administrators and developers on instances using Legacy Support.
What should I do when submitting a support request to Looker?
You may be prompted to choose from a product area when submitting a support request.
Use Cases for Google Looker
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Reducing client report time
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Modernizing business intelligence infrastructure
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Embedding analytics in a quote-to-revenue platform
Advantages of Power Apps for Business Intelligence
Accelerated App Creation for Analytics
Power Apps enhances the speed of app development, enabling businesses to quickly deploy solutions for reporting and data analytics.
Low-Code Development Environment
With its low-code and no-code capabilities, Power Apps simplifies the creation of custom business intelligence applications without the need for extensive coding expertise.
Seamless Integration
Power Apps easily integrates with third-party services and other Microsoft products, facilitating the consolidation and analysis of big data across platforms.
Automation of Manual Processes
By automating manual processes, Power Apps streamlines data collection and reporting, leading to more efficient business intelligence operations.
Multi-Device Accessibility
Business intelligence apps created with Power Apps can be run on browsers, tablets, and mobile devices, ensuring access to analytics on-the-go.
Reduction of Complexity
Power Apps eliminates the complexities traditionally associated with app development, making it easier for any department to leverage business intelligence tools.
Disadvantages of Power Apps for Business Intelligence
Limited Third-Party Integrations
Power Apps' inability to connect to third-party apps restricts its use for business intelligence. This limitation prevents seamless data flow from diverse sources, hindering comprehensive reporting and analytics.
Absence of Source Control
The lack of source control in Power Apps poses a challenge for maintaining version history and collaborative development, which is crucial for BI reporting accuracy and team productivity.
Code Management
Without code splitting capability, Power Apps can complicate the management of large and complex BI applications, leading to potential performance issues.
Scalability Concerns
Power Apps' scalability issues may affect the performance of BI tools as business data grows, impacting the efficiency of data processing and analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions About Power Apps
What licensing options are available for Power Apps?
Power Apps offers a premium per user license and a per app plan that allows users to run one app for a specific fee per user, per app, per month. Organizations can also mix and match licenses to suit their needs.
Can Power Apps be used to build custom apps within Microsoft Teams?
Yes, Power Apps allows users to build and deploy custom apps within Teams using capabilities such as custom APIs through Azure API Management and Dataverse for Teams.
What is Dataverse for Teams and how does it work?
Dataverse for Teams is a capability within select Microsoft 365 subscriptions that allows users to build flows and operate within the Teams environment. It is accessible across web, desktop, and mobile Teams clients but does not support desktop flows or custom connectors.
How can users trial AI Builder and what are the limitations?
Users can access a 30-day trial of AI Builder by signing up for a Power Apps or Power Automate trial. Additionally, users without these licenses can also access the AI Builder trial. After the trial, AI Builder is a paid add-on.
Are there any service limits for Power Apps and Power Automate?
Yes, the use rights for Power Automate and Power Apps may be subject to service limits. Additionally, there is a transition period for existing apps and flows with Microsoft 365 connectors, exempting them from premium connector licensing requirements until October 1, 2024.
Use Cases for Power Apps
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Custom dashboards for data visualization
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Real-time reporting from ERP systems
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Performance tracking applications
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Sales forecasting tools
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Interactive data exploration applications
Why Sourcetable is a Superior Alternative for Business Intelligence
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Streamlined Data Management
Sourcetable offers a simplified approach to data management by integrating data from various services into a user-friendly, spreadsheet-like interface. This contrasts with Google Looker's more complex platform, which may require deeper technical expertise for data modeling and analysis.
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Enhanced Accessibility
Unlike Google Looker, which caters to both self-service and governed BI, Sourcetable emphasizes ease of use, making it more accessible for users with varying levels of technical skills. This accessibility ensures that decision-making is faster and more inclusive across different organizational levels.
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Efficient Reporting
Reporting in Sourcetable is designed to be more straightforward than in Google Looker. By syncing data across all services, Sourcetable allows for efficient reporting without the need for complex data pipelines or embedded analytics applications.
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Cost-Effective Solution
Sourcetable provides a cost-effective alternative for businesses seeking to perform data analytics without investing in the more extensive features of Google Looker that may not be necessary for their operations.
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Comparison Between Google Looker and Power Apps
Similarities in Business Intelligence
Both Google Looker and Power Apps are used to enhance organizational business intelligence. They offer solutions for analyzing and acting on data, providing businesses with insights to make informed decisions.
Self-Service Capabilities
Google Looker and Power Apps allow for self-service business intelligence. Users can independently access and analyze data without extensive technical support, enabling quicker and more personalized insights.
Application Development
Each platform can be utilized to build data-powered applications. This ability empowers organizations to create custom applications tailored to their specific data-handling needs.
Embedded Analytics and Data Modeling
Both platforms offer embedded analytics, allowing for the integration of analytics into other applications. Embedded data modeling is also a feature, providing tools to define and manage data from within the applications themselves.
Google Looker vs. Power Apps
Business Intelligence and Data Modeling
Google Looker is a business intelligence platform offering self-service and governed BI. It allows for embedded data modeling and can be used for organizational and self-service business intelligence. In contrast, Power Apps is primarily a suite for building custom business apps, focusing less on BI and data modeling.
Data-Powered Applications
Looker provides tools to build data-powered applications with the capability for embedded analytics. Power Apps is designed to create applications without an inherent focus on data analytics or embedded BI features.
Generative AI and Data Interaction
Google Looker has a generative AI feature and enables users to chat with business data, offering a more interactive data experience. Power Apps does not have a generative AI feature and focuses more on app design and process automation.
Trusted Data Experiences
Looker can deliver trusted data experiences by allowing users to access, analyze, and act on data. Power Apps primarily provides the tools to build apps that may consume data but does not specialize in data analysis or action.
Self-Service BI
Both Google Looker and Power Apps offer self-service capabilities, but Looker's are specifically tailored for BI, including self-service business intelligence, whereas Power Apps is more about self-service app development.
Comparison of Google Looker, Power Apps, and Sourcetable
Google Looker vs Power Apps
Google Looker is a business intelligence platform focused on data analytics, offering a wide range of functionalities including self-service and governed BI, data application building capabilities, and embedded analytics. Power Apps is a suite of apps, services, and connectors, as well as a data platform that provides a rapid application development environment to build custom apps for business needs. Unlike Looker, Power Apps is more focused on app development rather than on comprehensive data analytics and business intelligence.
Google Looker vs Sourcetable
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet interface that integrates with multiple data sources to bring together data for analysis and reporting without code. Google Looker, with its full-fledged BI platform features, offers more advanced data modeling, application building, and AI integrations compared to Sourcetable’s simpler, no-code data consolidation approach.
Shared Capabilities
Both Google Looker and Power Apps, as well as Sourcetable, share the ability to use data to build workflows and improve business processes. All three can be used to access and analyze data, although the complexity and depth of analysis vary across the platforms.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sourcetable
What is Sourcetable and who is it for?
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet application that allows users to access, centralize, analyze, and model data from over 100 applications and most databases without the need for coding. It is typically used by growth teams and business operations teams.
How does Sourcetable integrate with third-party applications?
Sourcetable syncs data from most 3rd party applications. Data integrations update every 15 minutes on the regular plan and every 5 minutes on the pro plan.
What are the pricing plans for Sourcetable?
Sourcetable offers a starter plan at $50 per month and a pro plan at $250 per month. Additional seats can be purchased for $20 per month per user.
Does Sourcetable offer a free trial?
Yes, all plans of Sourcetable come with a 14-day free trial period.
Do users need to know how to code to use Sourcetable?
No, Sourcetable does not require any coding to use its features.
Google Looker Cost Overview
Google Looker's pricing structure includes two main components: platform pricing and user pricing. Platform pricing refers to the cost associated with running a Looker instance, which encompasses platform administration, integrations, and semantic modeling capabilities. User pricing relates to the licensing fees for individual users to access the Looker platform.
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Google Looker's pricing structure includes two main components: platform pricing and user pricing. Platform pricing refers to the cost associated with running a Looker instance, which encompasses platform administration, integrations, and semantic modeling capabilities. User pricing relates to the licensing fees for individual users to access the Looker platform.
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Platform Pricing
Every Looker instance incurs platform costs, which vary depending on the chosen platform edition. Google Looker offers three platform editions: Standard, Enterprise, and Embed. The edition selected determines the base capabilities and integrations available.
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User Pricing
User pricing is based on the type of license and the user's permissions within the Looker platform. Looker provides three license types: Developer User, Standard User, and Viewer User. The cost for each user type reflects their level of access and functionality within the platform.
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Billing and Subscription Terms
Each Looker instance is linked to a billing account, to which all charges for the instance and added users are billed. Looker offers annual subscription plans, with terms available in one, two, or three-year durations, providing flexibility in commitment length.
Power Apps Pricing Overview
The cost of Power Apps Premium is set at $20 per user per month. This plan comes with an allocation of 500 AI Builder service credits each month. For users requiring additional AI Builder capabilities, extra service credits can be purchased at a rate of $500 per unit per month. Power Pages offers a tier for larger user groups, priced at $200 per 100 users per site each month. When users stay within the service limits, there are no extra costs for Power Apps and Power Pages beyond the initial licensing fees.
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The cost of Power Apps Premium is set at $20 per user per month. This plan comes with an allocation of 500 AI Builder service credits each month. For users requiring additional AI Builder capabilities, extra service credits can be purchased at a rate of $500 per unit per month. Power Pages offers a tier for larger user groups, priced at $200 per 100 users per site each month. When users stay within the service limits, there are no extra costs for Power Apps and Power Pages beyond the initial licensing fees.
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AI Builder Service Credits
- 500 AI Builder credits included with Power Apps Premium.
- Additional AI Builder credits purchasable at $500 per unit/month.
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Power Pages Pricing
Power Pages is priced at $200 for every 100 users on a per site per month basis.
User Reviews and Ratings of Google Looker
Google Looker is a business intelligence (BI) and analytics platform. It has received various reviews from users, some of which are critical of its performance and usability.
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Google Looker is a business intelligence (BI) and analytics platform. It has received various reviews from users, some of which are critical of its performance and usability.
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Negative Feedback
- Some users have labeled Looker as the worst reporting tool available on the market.
- Common complaints include the platform being slow and buggy.
- Users also find Looker to be unintuitive, making the user experience less favorable.
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Comparative Assessment
- According to user opinions, both free and paid alternative products, such as Data Studio and Tableau, are considered superior to Looker in functionality and user-friendliness.
Note: The reviews and ratings cited come from user testimonials and have not been sourced from a specific review platform. The information reflects a summary of user experiences and perceptions of Google Looker.
User Opinions on Power Apps
Power Apps have garnered a significant amount of user feedback centered around their perceived drawbacks. Common criticisms highlight issues with functionality and user experience.
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Power Apps have garnered a significant amount of user feedback centered around their perceived drawbacks. Common criticisms highlight issues with functionality and user experience.
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Common Criticisms
- Arbitrary limitations within the platform.
- Half-functional graphical user interfaces.
- Increased complexity when compared to traditional web applications.
- Janky performance and behavior.
Despite the criticisms, Power Apps remains a profitable sector within the app development market. A notable sentiment among users is a preference for custom coding applications over using Power Apps.
Conclusion
Google Looker and Power Apps serve distinct niches in business intelligence, offering different integration capabilities and user experiences.
Looker excels with its robust data modeling and analytics features, while Power Apps is known for its ease of use in app development and integration with other Microsoft services.
Sourcetable provides an alternative by enabling real-time data sync across services in a user-friendly spreadsheet interface, simplifying the business intelligence process.
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