Qlik Sense vs Looker Studio: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Choosing the right business intelligence tool is crucial for effective data analysis and reporting. Qlik Sense and Looker Studio are both popular options, each with unique features and capabilities.
This comparison will highlight the key differences between Qlik Sense's associative model and Looker Studio's SQL-based approach to data integration and visualization. We aim to assist you in determining which platform suits your business needs.
Additionally, we'll explore how Sourcetable offers a contemporary, spreadsheet-like interface that seamlessly integrates with your data, presenting an alternative for those seeking simpler solutions for their business intelligence tasks.
What is Qlik Sense?
Qlik Sense is a data analytics tool that leverages artificial intelligence to provide insights. It is recognized for its speed and its ability to handle advanced and predictive analytics.
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Qlik Sense is a data analytics tool that leverages artificial intelligence to provide insights. It is recognized for its speed and its ability to handle advanced and predictive analytics.
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Key Features
- Associative analytics for data exploration
- Self-service visualizations and dashboard creation
- Search and natural language interactions
- Automated insight and data preparation
- Integration with numerous data sources
- Accessibility from any location on any device
- Embeddable in various applications
- Comprehensive APIs for data prep and connectivity
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Adoption and Trust
Qlik Sense is a trusted solution, utilized by over 40,000 customers worldwide for its robust analytics capabilities.
What is Looker Studio?
Looker Studio is a web-based tool designed for creating interactive reports and dashboards. It provides a platform for users to visualize and share insights from various data sources.
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Looker Studio is a web-based tool designed for creating interactive reports and dashboards. It provides a platform for users to visualize and share insights from various data sources.
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Key Features
- Free-to-use reporting solution
- Interactive report and dashboard creation
- Multiple data source connectivity through built-in and partner connectors
- Developer platform for customization and extension
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Qlik Sense Key Features
Associative Analytics Engine |
Qlik Sense's associative analytics engine allows deep data exploration, instantly calculating associations and uncovering insights. |
Augmented Analytics |
Embedding AI and ML into its core, Qlik Sense offers augmented analytics for automated insight generation and predictive analytics. |
AI-Powered Insights |
The platform provides AI-powered insights and predictions, facilitating intelligent decision-making and actions. |
Data Visualization and Dashboards |
Qlik Sense features interactive dashboards and visualizations for effective data representation and insights communication. |
Self-Service Analytics |
Users are empowered with self-service analytics, including data prep and connectivity for a code-free experience. |
Advanced and Predictive Analytics |
Advanced analytics capabilities, including predictive analytics and AutoML, enable sophisticated data analysis. |
Data Integration and Preparation |
Qlik Sense offers comprehensive data prep and integration capabilities, supporting a wide array of data sources. |
Automation and Alerting |
Automation, alerting, and event-driven actions streamline processes and ensure timely responses to data-driven events. |
Collaboration Tools |
Enhanced collaboration is facilitated with features like shared notes, discussion threads, and collaborative analytics. |
Customization and Extensions |
With a full set of open APIs, Qlik Sense allows for the creation of custom apps, visualizations, and extensions. |
Mobile Accessibility |
Qlik Sense ensures data accessibility with mobile analytics capabilities, providing insights on the go. |
Scalability and Performance |
The platform is designed for high performance scalability, meeting the needs of diverse and expanding data environments. |
Deployment Flexibility |
Users can deploy Qlik Sense on-premises or in the cloud, offering flexibility to suit various IT and business requirements. |
Key Features of Looker Studio
Self-Service Business Intelligence |
Looker Studio is a self-service BI tool that enables users to analyze data with minimal technical expertise. |
Data Visualization and Reporting |
Users can create interactive reports and visualizations, utilizing Looker Studio's capabilities for smart, real-time data insights. |
Data Source Connectivity |
With connectivity to over 800 data sources, Looker Studio facilitates comprehensive data analysis. |
Collaboration and Sharing |
Real-time dashboard sharing and report embedding on the web enhance collaborative data-driven decision-making. |
User Interface and Ease of Use |
The drag and drop interface simplifies the report and dashboard creation process, supported by a variety of report templates. |
Integration and Customization |
Looker Studio features data connectors, an API, and a report embedding feature for advanced customization and integration. |
Qlik Sense for Business Intelligence
Self-Service Visualization
Qlik Sense offers self-service visualization solutions, empowering users to create custom analytics solutions and develop new visualizations without extensive technical knowledge.
Cost-Effectiveness
At $30 per user per month, Qlik Sense is an affordable option for businesses seeking to leverage data analytics for better decision-making.
Data Literacy and Accessibility
Designed to enhance data literacy, Qlik Sense ensures that insightful data analysis is accessible across various devices, facilitating data-driven decisions anytime, anywhere.
Collaboration and Security
Qlik Sense's centralized hub encourages collaboration, while its comprehensive security features protect sensitive data. The responsive design and mobility feature cater to the needs of on-the-go users.
Customization and Integration
The tool offers extensive customization through open APIs, allowing the development of tailored apps and integration with existing systems, enhancing business intelligence capabilities.
User Experience
As a user-friendly and powerful AI-powered tool, Qlik Sense simplifies complex data analysis, making it an ideal solution for businesses aiming to leverage business intelligence effectively.
Disadvantages of Using Qlik Sense
Performance Issues: Qlik Sense can experience performance degradation when handling large data sets, which may affect the efficiency of data processing and analysis.
Performance Issues: Qlik Sense can experience performance degradation when handling large data sets, which may affect the efficiency of data processing and analysis.
Cost Considerations: The cost of Qlik Sense can be prohibitive for larger teams or for businesses with budget constraints, as the platform may be too expensive for some teams and additional costs for add-ons and plugins further increase the total investment.
Integration Limitations: Users may encounter difficulties with exporting data to Excel, as not all information is readily downloadable from Qlik Sense, potentially complicating data sharing and reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qlik Sense
What payment methods can I use to pay for Qlik Sense training?
You can pay for Qlik Sense training with a credit card, Training Card, or invoice.
How can I determine which Qlik Sense courses to take for my role?
You can take training recommendations to find which courses to take for your role.
Where can I check my registration status for Qlik Sense training?
You can check your registration status on the My Training page.
Can I use a Training Card to pay for Qlik Sense certifications?
No, Training Cards cannot be used to pay for certifications.
Is there an expiration date for using the Qlik Sense Training Card?
Yes, you have 12 months from the purchase date to use the Training Card.
Use Cases for Qlik Sense
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Improving efficiency and customer service
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Enhancing sales performance
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Creating a company-wide portal for analytics
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Improving operational success in retail
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Reducing cost and effort in loan prospect conversion
Advantages of Looker Studio for Business Intelligence
Comprehensive Feature Set
Looker Studio Pro encompasses all the functionalities of Looker Studio, ensuring a robust platform for reporting and data analytics tasks.
Enterprise Capabilities and Support
With enhanced enterprise capabilities, Looker Studio Pro supports large-scale business intelligence operations. Organizations have access to technical support through Google Cloud Customer Care, contingent upon having a Google Cloud support plan and a Looker Studio Pro subscription.
Organizational Management of Assets
Reports and data sources in Looker Studio Pro are owned by the organization, which centralizes control and reinforces data governance.
Collaboration and Sharing
Team workspaces facilitate content sharing among team members, streamlining collaborative efforts in data analysis and reporting.
Automated and Personalized Reporting
Mobile Accessibility
The mobile app feature of Looker Studio Pro enables on-the-go access to reports and data, catering to the needs of mobile users.
Disadvantages of Using Looker Studio for Business Intelligence
Data Blending Limitations
Looker Studio may encounter difficulties blending multiple data sources into a cohesive single view, hindering comprehensive data analysis.
User Interface Performance
The user interface (UI) of Looker Studio may experience slower loading times, which can affect productivity and efficiency in data interaction.
Customer Support
Compared to other business intelligence (BI) tools, Looker Studio's customer support tends to be less responsive, potentially delaying issue resolution and impacting user experience.
Real-time Data Integration
Lack of native support for real-time data integration can be a significant drawback for businesses requiring up-to-the-minute data analytics.
API Quota Limitations
With Google Looker Studio, users face quota limits on GA4 API requests, which can restrict data accessibility for extensive reporting needs.
Data Connectors and Report Templates
Frequently Asked Questions About Looker Studio
What is Looker Studio?
Looker Studio FAQs is a help topic.
Can I share my Looker Studio reports with others?
Looker Studio FAQs is a help topic.
Is Looker Studio free to use?
Looker Studio FAQs is a help topic.
How do I connect my data to Looker Studio?
Looker Studio FAQs is a help topic.
Can I customize my reports in Looker Studio?
Looker Studio FAQs is a help topic.
Use Cases for Looker Studio
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Creating reports and dashboards for data analysis
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Tracking and visualizing marketing analytics
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Generating client reports with visualized data
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Providing embedded analytics solutions
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Visualizing website data for insights
Why Sourcetable is a Superior Choice for Business Intelligence
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Simplified Reporting and Analytics
Sourcetable offers a streamlined approach to business intelligence by integrating data from various services into a user-friendly spreadsheet interface. This simplicity surpasses the often complex visualization and dashboard tools of Qlik Sense and Looker Studio.
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Enhanced Data Syncing Across Services
Unlike Qlik Sense and Looker Studio, which require extensive setup for data integration and preparation, Sourcetable automatically syncs data across all platforms, providing real-time insights without the need for advanced technical skills.
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Intuitive Spreadsheet-like Interface
The familiar spreadsheet format provided by Sourcetable enables users of all skill levels to perform data analytics efficiently, eliminating the steep learning curve associated with the AI and ML tools of Qlik Sense and the visualization complexities of Looker Studio.
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Optimized for SEO and User Accessibility
By focusing on ease-of-use and accessibility, Sourcetable ensures that users can quickly find and trust their data, which is crucial for SEO optimization and making informed business decisions.
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Comparison of Qlik Sense and Looker Studio
Data Visualization and Dashboards
Both Qlik Sense and Looker Studio are tools that specialize in data visualization. They provide interactive dashboards that are easy to create and share, allowing users to dive into data analysis.
AI and Augmented Analytics
Qlik Sense and Looker Studio incorporate AI to enhance data analytics. They offer augmented analytics capabilities, including automated insight generation and predictive analytics, facilitating intelligent decision-making.
Self-Service Analytics
They support self-service visualization, enabling users of all skill levels to explore and analyze data without the need for coding or specialized knowledge.
Multiple Data Source Integration
Qlik Sense and Looker Studio can integrate with a variety of data sources. This integration allows for a comprehensive analysis of data from multiple origins.
Collaboration and Reporting
Both platforms provide features for collaboration among team members and the ability to generate and schedule reports, enhancing the data-driven decision-making process.
Cloud-Based Solutions
Qlik Sense and Looker Studio offer cloud-based SaaS deployment options, catering to businesses seeking cloud solutions for analytics.
Scalability
They are designed to be scalable, accommodating the growing data analytics needs of businesses.
APIs and Customization
Qlik Sense and Looker Studio offer APIs for building custom applications and extending functionality, providing flexibility in how analytics are used and embedded.
Qlik Sense vs Looker Studio
Analytics Capabilities
Qlik Sense is an AI-powered analytics platform with a unique associative analytics engine, supporting advanced, predictive, and augmented analytics. Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, focuses on visualization and reporting, with a strong integration with Google services.
Interactivity and Exploration
Qlik Sense offers highly interactive visualizations, allowing users to explore data from any direction without predefined queries. Looker Studio provides a user-friendly interface for creating reports and dashboards with less emphasis on ad-hoc data exploration.
Data Integration and Preparation
Qlik Sense integrates with hundreds of data sources and has extensive data preparation and integration capabilities. Looker Studio primarily integrates with Google products and services, with limited data prep features compared to Qlik Sense.
Deployment Options
Qlik Sense is available as a SaaS or on-premises solution, catering to various industry needs, including highly regulated ones. Looker Studio is a cloud-native solution, which may not be suitable for industries requiring on-premises deployment.
Customization and Extensibility
Qlik Sense features a complete set of open APIs for custom app development, new visualizations, and embedded analytics. Looker Studio offers customization through its integration with Google products and community connectors, but it may not match Qlik Sense's level of extensibility.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Qlik Sense leverages AI and ML across its platform for insights, predictions, and AutoML capabilities. Looker Studio provides intelligent features primarily through Google's AI and machine learning services.
Collaboration Features
Qlik Sense has built-in collaboration and notes features, as well as event-driven automation for teamwork. Looker Studio provides collaboration through Google Workspace's sharing and commenting functions.
Customer Base
Qlik Sense is trusted by over 40,000 customers worldwide, including major enterprises. Looker Studio's customer base is not explicitly stated, but it is widely adopted due to its free access and seamless integration with Google's ecosystem.
Comparison of Qlik Sense, Looker Studio, and Sourcetable
Qlik Sense
Qlik Sense is a data analytics and visualization tool that uses an AI-powered associative analytics engine to enable advanced and predictive analytics. It supports a wide range of functionalities, including automated insight generation, natural language interaction, and AutoML. Qlik Sense is highly interactive and fast, allowing for active analytics and self-service visualization without requiring coding skills. It integrates with numerous data sources, offers a well-governed data catalog, and can be deployed as a cloud-native platform or on-premises. Qlik Sense is used by over 40,000 customers worldwide and provides a complete set of open and standard APIs for custom app development. It also features a real-time data pipeline for in-the-moment insights and collaborative tools.
Looker Studio
Looker Studio, formerly known as Google Data Studio, is a business intelligence tool that allows users to visualize data through reports and dashboards. It integrates well with other Google services and offers a user-friendly interface for creating visualizations. Looker Studio supports real-time data access and collaborative features. It is primarily a cloud-based platform and is known for its ability to handle large amounts of data efficiently.
Sourcetable
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet-based tool designed for data analysis and visualization. It combines features of traditional spreadsheets with data integration capabilities, enabling users to pull data from various sources into a single interface. Sourcetable is aimed at simplifying data analysis without the need for advanced technical skills. It provides a user-friendly platform for managing and visualizing data, offering collaboration features similar to those found in cloud-based spreadsheet applications.
Contrast
Qlik Sense stands out with its associative analytics engine and augmented analytics capabilities, which allow for deep data exploration and insight generation. It is suitable for both self-service and enterprise analytics and offers a wide range of deployment options, including a robust cloud-native platform. Looker Studio is highly integrated with Google's ecosystem, making it a strong choice for users already invested in Google's services. It is also known for its real-time data handling capabilities. Sourcetable, on the other hand, offers a more spreadsheet-centric approach to data analysis, which may be more familiar to users with experience in Excel or Google Sheets but may not provide the same level of advanced analytics as Qlik Sense.
Try Sourcetable
Simplify your BI tooling with a spreadsheet that syncs with all your data.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sourcetable
What is Sourcetable and who typically uses it?
Sourcetable is a spreadsheet application that replaces workflows typically done in Excel, Google Sheets, and Business Intelligence tools. It is commonly used by growth teams and business operations teams.
How does Sourcetable handle data from other applications?
Sourcetable allows users to access and sync data from over 100 applications and most databases. Data integrations update every 15 minutes on the regular plan and every 5 minutes on the pro plan.
Do I need to know how to code to use Sourcetable?
No, Sourcetable does not require any coding to use. Users can query data and build live models that automatically update without needing to write code.
How much does Sourcetable cost?
Sourcetable costs $50 per month for the starter plan and $250 per month for the pro plan. All plans have a 14-day free trial, and additional seats cost $20 per month per user.
How quickly can I start creating reports with Sourcetable?
Users can start creating reports with Sourcetable within minutes of starting with the application.
Qlik Sense Pricing Overview
Qlik Cloud Analytics Plans are structured with an annual billing cycle, offering businesses a predictable expense for their data analytics needs.
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Qlik Cloud Analytics Plans are structured with an annual billing cycle, offering businesses a predictable expense for their data analytics needs.
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Premium Plan Costs
The Premium plan of Qlik Sense is priced starting at $2,700 per month, catering to organizations requiring advanced analytics capabilities.
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Enterprise Plan Features and Data Capacity
Enterprise plans are designed for larger-scale data analysis, beginning at 500GB per year. These plans encompass all features available in the Premium plan, ensuring comprehensive analytics solutions for enterprise-level users.
Looker Studio Cost Overview
Looker Studio is a data visualization tool that is provided at no cost for both creators and report viewers. It offers an upgrade option for enterprise customers seeking advanced features.
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Looker Studio is a data visualization tool that is provided at no cost for both creators and report viewers. It offers an upgrade option for enterprise customers seeking advanced features.
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Looker Studio Pro
Looker Studio Pro is designed for enterprise users, offering expanded administrative features and support. This premium version is available for a monthly fee.
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Pricing Structure
- Cost for Looker Studio Pro: $9 per user per project per month.
- Free access for creators and report viewers remains available with Looker Studio Pro.
- Upgrade available directly via the Looker Studio website.
User Reviews of Looker Studio
Looker Studio, part of the Google Cloud suite, is a business intelligence (BI) and analytics platform. Reviews have indicated a mix of opinions among its users.
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Looker Studio, part of the Google Cloud suite, is a business intelligence (BI) and analytics platform. Reviews have indicated a mix of opinions among its users.
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Negative Feedback
- There is a general consensus of dissatisfaction from many users.
- Common complaints label the platform as slow, buggy, and unintuitive.
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Comparative Opinions
- Some users believe that alternative reporting tools, such as Data Studio and Tableau, outperform Looker Studio.
Note: The reviews and ratings mentioned are not sourced from a specific platform in the provided facts and are therefore not cited.
Conclusion
In summary, both Qlik Sense and Looker Studio offer robust business intelligence capabilities but cater to different user needs. Qlik Sense provides a self-service data visualization and discovery application for individuals and enterprises, while Looker Studio focuses on providing customizable data analysis for businesses.
Sourcetable offers an alternative by providing a simplified business intelligence solution. It syncs data in real-time across various services into a spreadsheet interface, which may be more familiar to some users.
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Simplify Your BI Tooling
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