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3 Tested AWS QuickSight Alternatives and Competitors for Smart Analytics

May 6, 2025

Ka Ling Wu

Co-Founder & CEO, Upsolve AI

Table of Contents

AWS QuickSight sounds great on paper—serverless, pay-as-you-go, “smart” analytics.

But here’s the problem:

Once you actually start using it, the cracks show fast.

  • Limited dashboard customization

  • Not built for non-technical users

  • Costs pile up as your team grows

  • Tough integrations beyond AWS

  • Basic analytics compared to modern tools

That’s why more teams are switching, looking for tools that are faster, easier, and actually scale with them.

I tested a bunch of alternatives. Only three made the cut.

In this guide, you’ll find: ✅ Tools that create smarter dashboards—no code needed

✅ Platforms anyone can use, not just data teams

✅ Options that save you money as you grow

If QuickSight’s holding you back, this is your way forward.

Why Look for AWS QuickSight Alternatives?

AWS QuickSight works well for many businesses at first, especially if you’re already using AWS services.

But as your needs grow, you might start to notice a few roadblocks.

Here are some common reasons teams start searching for AWS QuickSight alternatives:

  • Customization is limited.

    QuickSight dashboards can feel rigid. If you want complete control over the look and feel, it’s not always easy to get there.


AWS QuickSight user review on Trust radium.com

Read the full user review

  • It’s harder for non-technical users.
    Business users often need training just to build simple reports, which slows down decisions.

AWS QuickSight user review on Trust radium.com

Read the full user review

  • Costs grow fast as you scale.


    While QuickSight’s pay-per-session model sounds affordable at first, the costs add up once more people start using it daily.

  • Connecting outside data isn't smooth.
    If your data isn’t inside AWS, setting up and maintaining connections can be frustrating.

AWS Quicksight user review on TrustRadium.com

Read the full user review

  • Limited smart analytics features.

    Many newer platforms now offer built-in AI insights, predictive analytics, and better automation — areas where QuickSight still lags.

These small problems can create bigger challenges over time, like slower reporting, frustrated teams, and unexpected bills.

That’s why finding the right AWS QuickSight alternative isn’t just about switching tools.

It’s about making sure your analytics grow with your business — smarter, faster, and more affordably.

What Should You Look for Instead?

If you’re planning to move away from AWS QuickSight, you don't just want any tool — you want something that actually makes your life easier.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

What to Look For

Why It Matters

Easy to use

Your team shouldn’t need data science skills to build or use dashboards. Simple = faster results.

Smarter analytics built in

Features like AI insights and auto-alerts help you find trends without manual deep dives.

Flexible and affordable pricing

Pricing should scale with you—no hidden costs or unpredictable charges.

Easy embedding options

If you’re embedding dashboards, it should be seamless, not a heavy lift for your dev team.

Moving to the right AWS QuickSight alternative can make a big difference.

You can save money, work faster, and offer smarter insights to your team or your customers.

How We Tested and Picked These AWS QuickSight Competitors

When we searched for the best AWS QuickSight alternatives, we didn’t just read feature lists, we tested each platform hands-on, like a real SaaS team would.

To see if they truly solve QuickSight’s pain points, we asked the questions that actually matter.

  • Is it easy to get started?
    Could a new user—without heavy tech skills—create a working dashboard in minutes?

  • Can you customize dashboards freely?
    We checked how much flexibility each tool gave us to change layouts, colors, branding, or even embed dashboards with full control.

  • Are the analytics actually smart?
    Not just charts. We looked for platforms that delivered real-time alerts, AI-generated insights, and helped surface hidden patterns.

  • Is the pricing fair and scalable?
    We evaluated what you get at each pricing tier and how much it costs to grow with the platform.

  • How good is the customer support?
    We sent real questions to their support teams and tracked response time, helpfulness, and product knowledge.

How We Set Up the Testing

To truly evaluate the best AWS QuickSight alternatives, we built a real testing environment, not just surface-level demos.

We created a mock SaaS company setup with:

  • Customer profiles

  • Sales and revenue data

  • User engagement metrics

  • Churn and retention rates

Then, for every tool we tested, we followed a full hands-on workflow:

🛠️ Dashboard Building

We rebuilt key SaaS dashboards like MRR, Churn, and Active Users, and scored how fast and easy it was to start from scratch.

🔗 Embedding in a Demo App

We integrated each dashboard into a sample web app to test how smooth (or painful) the embedding experience really was.

🚨 Smart Alert Setup

We created real-time alerts (e.g. revenue drops, churn spikes) to see how well each tool handled proactive analytics.

🎯 Simulating Real User Journeys

We stepped through everything—from login to customization—just like a product manager or analyst would inside a real company.

This wasn’t about clicking a few buttons.

We treated every platform like it had to survive in a real, high-growth SaaS environment — the same way your team would use it.

That’s why the AWS QuickSight alternatives you’ll see next aren’t just good on paper — they’ve been battle-tested for real-world business needs.

Top 3 Tested AWS QuickSight Alternatives for 2025

After weeks of hands-on testing—building dashboards, setting alerts, and embedding analytics—we found that not all QuickSight alternatives hold up. 

Some look good but break under real use. 

These three stood out: faster setup, smarter analytics, easier customization, and better pricing at scale.

Quick Comparison: Our Testing Summary of AWS QuickSight Alternatives

Tool

What We Felt Testing It

Ease of Embedding

Best For

Upsolve AI

Easiest to set up, live dashboards in under an hour — no coding stress.

Very smooth, no-code

Startups and SaaS teams needing fast, no-code embedded analytics.

ThoughtSpot Everywhere

Fun to pull insights, but embedding needed dev support.

Needs developer help

Mid-size teams wanting AI-driven, self-service analytics.

Qlik Sense

Deep exploration power, but setup was slower and more technical.

Requires technical setup

Enterprises needing flexible, complex data analysis.

Let’s break them down.

1. Upsolve AI — Best for Fast, No-Code Embedded Analytics

Upsolve AI is built for SaaS companies that need to turn their data into real-time dashboards — without hiring an army of developers.

It’s a no-code embedded analytics platform that lets you easily create, customize, and launch user-facing analytics dashboards inside your app or portal.

Upsolve.ai

Upsolve AI, the setup feels great.

We connected a sample SaaS database (user growth, revenue, churn metrics) in under 30 minutes, built a live dashboard, and embedded it into a mock app — all without writing a single line of code.

It felt intuitive from the start:

Drag. Drop. Publish. That’s it.

Compared to other platforms that needed heavy configurations or developer help, Upsolve AI stood out for how easy and natural everything felt.

✅ Pros

  • You don’t need any coding skills to build or share dashboards.

  • You can embed dashboards inside your app or internal tools easily.

  • Works well for showing data to both internal teams and external users.

  • Fully white-labeled—so you can match it to your brand.

  • Quick setup, even if you’ve never used analytics tools before.

Upsolve user review on Product Hunt

Read the full review on Product Hunt

❌ Cons

  • Doesn’t support advanced data modeling or complex enterprise-level use cases.

Why We Like It

  • Ridiculously fast setup: We had a working embedded dashboard ready in less than an hour.

  • No technical bottlenecks: Business teams can build dashboards themselves, without waiting for the dev team.

  • Real-time updates: No lag, no refreshing — live data flowed immediately into user-facing dashboards.

  • Affordable and simple pricing: One flat rate, no hidden session charges, no per-user surprises.

✨ Key Highlights

  • No-code dashboard builder — launch analytics without engineering help.

  • Real-time analytics and smart alerts — always up-to-date insights.

  • Fully white-label — customize branding to fit your app seamlessly.

  • Flat pricing under $50/month — predictable costs as you grow.

Upsolve AI pricing

My Honest Rating:

Overall Experience: 5/5

🚀 Our Quick Take

Upsolve AI felt like a breath of fresh air during testing — we connected our database, built dashboards, and embedded them into a mock app in under an hour, all without writing a line of code.

If you want to launch clean, customer-facing analytics fast without a big tech team, Upsolve AI is the easiest, most practical choice.

It’s perfect for SaaS startups and growing companies that need embedded, no-code analytics that just work out of the box.


2. ThoughtSpot — Best for AI-Powered, Search-Driven Analytics

ThoughtSpot is a modern analytics platform that makes finding insights as easy as typing a question.

It’s built for teams who want fast, AI-driven answers without needing to build complex dashboards manually.

Thoughtspot

When we tested it, we connected a sample sales dataset and started asking basic questions like "Top regions by revenue."

Getting instant, smart results without building complex reports was refreshing.

However, embedding dashboards needed a bit more dev involvement compared to Upsolve's faster setup.

✅ Pros

  • It lets you search for answers using plain English, like using Google for your data.

Thoughtspot user experience on G2.com

Read the full review

  • Finds useful insights automatically using built-in AI.

  • Works great with cloud data warehouses like Snowflake and BigQuery.

  • Good for teams that need fast answers without building custom dashboards.

❌ Cons

  • It can get expensive if you have a lot of users or large data sets.

  • You don’t have much design control over how dashboards look.

ThoughtSpot user review on G2.com

Read the full review

Why We Liked It

  • Natural search experience: Just type, no complex training needed.

  • AI-powered insights: It recommends trends you might miss.

  • Polished liveboards: Dashboards update automatically.

  • Developer-friendly APIs: Good for embedding if you have a tech team.

✨ Fast Facts

  • Setup Time: ~1 hour

  • Embedding: Needs moderate dev work

  • Pricing: Custom

  • Best for: AI-driven analytics teams, mid-size SaaS companies

My Honest rating:

Overall Experience: 5/5

🚀 Our Quick Take

"ThoughtSpot Everywhere is impressive if you want to search your data naturally and get AI-driven insights fast.

We loved how simple it was to pull live insights — but embedding took a bit more technical work than we hoped.

It’s a great fit if you have a product team ready to support integrations and you prioritize self-service AI analytics for business users."

3. Qlik Sense — Best for Deep Exploration and Flexible Analytics

Qlik Sense is a powerful business intelligence tool built for teams that need complete flexibility with their data.

It’s designed to let users explore data relationships freely, uncover hidden insights, and create highly customized analytics experiences.

Qlicksense

We tested it by loading a mixed dataset with customer and sales behavior.

Once we got past the initial setup learning curve, the data exploration felt very powerful.

Still, it wasn't as quick or straightforward to embed compared to Upsolve.

✅ Pros

  • Great for exploring how different data points are connected.

  • Smart search and filtering help you discover trends easily.

  • Works with both cloud and on-premise environments.

  • Offers good security and access controls for larger teams, user-friendly.

Qlik Sense user review on G2.com

Read full review

❌ Cons

  • It can be harder for beginners to use.

Qlik Sense user review on G2.com

Read the full review

  • Takes longer to build and set up dashboards compared to simpler tools.

  • The interface may feel overwhelming for non-technical users.

Why We Liked It

  • Associative exploration: Find hidden data links easily.

  • Strong predictive analytics: Forecasts trends using AI.

  • Flexible deployments: Cloud, hybrid, on-premises.

  • Enterprise security: Strong controls for compliance-heavy industries.

✨ Fast Facts

  • Setup Time: 1–2 hours

  • Embedding: Needs developer help

  • Pricing: ~$200/user/month

Qlik sense pricing
  • Best for: Large enterprises, complex data teams

My Honest Rating:

Overall Experience: 5/5

🚀 Our Quick Take

Qlik Sense gives you serious data exploration power once you get used to it.

We enjoyed discovering hidden patterns easily, but the setup took longer, and embedding required solid technical help.

It’s best if you have a data-savvy team and need full control over deep, complex analytics.

How to Choose the Best AWS QuickSight Alternative for Your Needs

Finding the right AWS QuickSight alternative really comes down to what your team needs today and what you’ll need as you grow.

After testing different platforms, here’s what we realized are the four big factors you should think about:

🔹 Team size & technical skills

→ Pick a tool that's easy for non-technical users.

→ Faster setup = faster value.

🔹 Need for embedded analytics

→ If you're embedding dashboards, choose a platform that’s flexible and smooth—not clunky or limited.

🔹 Budget constraints

→ Watch for pricing that scales badly.

→ Look for flat, predictable costs you can grow with.

🔹 Smart features (AI, predictive, search)

→ Want trend spotting, auto-alerts, or natural language search?

→ Choose tools that go beyond static dashboards.

📋 Quick Checklist to Pick the Right Alternative

Ask yourself:

Need no-code dashboards and fast embedded analytics?

→ Go with Upsolve AI — it’s the easiest for startups and SaaS teams.

Want smart, search-driven insights powered by AI?

→ Choose ThoughtSpot Everywhere — great for mid-sized teams who want natural language querying.

Need deep, flexible data exploration for complex analytics?

→ Pick Qlik Sense — best for enterprises that can invest time into mastering it.

👉 Choosing the right AWS QuickSight alternative isn’t just about features — it’s about making your analytics easy, scalable, and useful for real people on your team.

Think about how fast you want to move, who will use it daily, and how much flexibility you’ll really need.

Conclusion: Here's What I Learned After Testing AWS QuickSight Alternatives

After spending real time setting up dashboards, embedding analytics, and pushing each platform to its limits, I realized something simple:

👉 Choosing the right alternative isn’t just about features — it’s about how easy it feels to actually get value out of your data.

Each tool we tested had strengths:

  • ThoughtSpot made pulling insights feel fast and intuitive.\

  • Qlik Sense unlocked deep data exploration for complex needs.

But personally, I feel Upsolve AI stood out the most for everyday teams, especially if you want something simple, powerful, and ready to use without technical headaches.

From setup to embedding, it just made everything faster and lighter, without sacrificing the quality of analytics.

If you’re looking for a smarter, no-code way to bring embedded dashboards to your app or business, I genuinely recommend giving Upsolve AI a look.

It’s the one platform that I believe could work not just for startups, but for any growing team that wants their analytics to scale without becoming a burden.

Choose the AWS QuickSight alternative that fits you best — and watch your business boom.

FAQs 

  1. What is the best alternative to AWS QuickSight?

    The best AWS QuickSight alternative depends on your needs.

    Tools like Upsolve AI offer simple, no-code embedded analytics, while Looker and Power BI provide more advanced features for large teams.

  1. Why do users switch from AWS QuickSight?

    Users often leave AWS QuickSight due to limited customization, a steep learning curve for non-tech users, and high costs as usage scales.

  1. Is there a more affordable option than AWS QuickSight?

    Yes, many businesses find tools like Upsolve AI or Qlik Sense offer better pricing models, especially when embedding dashboards or adding more users.

  1. Does AWS QuickSight work outside the AWS ecosystem?

    While possible, QuickSight is optimized for AWS data sources. Connecting external databases can be complex and often requires extra setup.

  1. Can I use AWS QuickSight without coding?

    Partially. While AWS QuickSight has a GUI, advanced customizations and integrations often require technical skills or scripting.

  1. Which AWS QuickSight alternative is easiest for non-technical users?

    Upsolve AI is a great choice for non-technical teams. It offers drag-and-drop dashboard creation with no setup required.

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