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5 Best Sisense Competitors or Alternatives You Must Try In 2025
Feb 8, 2024
Ka Ling Wu
Co-Founder & CEO, Upsolve AI
Have you been looking into Sisense competitors?
If you’re a Founder, CTO, Business Analyst, or Product Manager, you know the importance of choosing the right BI tool.
But here’s the problem: Sisense might not fit everyone perfectly.
Whether it’s scalability, pricing, or industry-specific needs that Sisense isn’t meeting, you’re likely wondering if there’s a better alternative.
Well, there is, and I’ve got you covered. In this article, I’m here to help you explore five top Sisense competitors that might be a better fit for your business.
In this blog, I’ll:
Explain what Sisense offers and where it might fall short,
Provide a detailed look into five alternatives to see if they offer what you need,
And look into a detailed comparison of all the tools to see which one is best for your business
By the end of this blog, you’ll have the insights you need to make a confident, informed choice that aligns with your budget, business needs, and industry requirements.
Let’s dive in and find the perfect Sisense alternative for you.
What Is Sisense?
Sisense is a business intelligence (BI) platform designed to simplify data analysis for organizations. It helps businesses gather, analyze, and visualize data from multiple sources.
With Sisense, you can bring all your data together in one place. It connects to databases, cloud services, and spreadsheets, giving you a complete data view.
Key Features Of Using Sisense
Here are some of Sisense’s key features that might make users want to choose it:
Data Integration: Connects to databases, cloud services, and web apps for unified data analysis.
Data Preparation: Provides ETL tools to clean, transform, and shape data.
Data Analysis: Offers analytics for creating queries, reports, and dashboards.
Visualization: Includes charts, graphs, and interactive dashboards for data display.
Embedded Analytics: Enables embedding analytics with pro-code, low-code, and no-code options.
AI and Machine Learning: Supports predictive analytics and trend forecasting.
Security and Governance: Ensures compliance with robust security features.
Scalability: Built to scale for businesses of all sizes.
So yes, Sisense is known for its strong analytics and user-friendly design.
Why should you opt for Sisense Alternatives?
Despite its amazing features, Sisense falls short in a couple of areas. After sorting some reviews on reddit and G2 here are some of the things I found users disliked about Sisense: For example:
Learning Curve and Complexity: Although easy for basic use, some users find Sisense complex for advanced customization, making it challenging for those needing deeper analysis.
Cost and Transparency: Sisense’s pricing structure can be unclear, which might make it challenging for some businesses to budget accurately
Performance and Flexibility Issues: While Sisense performs well for simple applications, users report issues when handling large datasets or complex filtering. This limits scalability for fast-growing businesses with heavy data loads.
Limited Data Integration: While Sisense supports many integrations, users have found the process of integrating with less common or custom data sources to be complicated and time-consuming.
Customer Support Concerns: Although Sisense offers support, some users have reported that the response times and quality of support can be inconsistent, mainly when dealing with technical issues.
High Resource Consumption: Sisense’s cloud and on-premises solutions require significant hardware resources, which could be challenging for businesses with limited IT infrastructure.
Customization Overload: Sisense's high customization options can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. It can lead to complex and overly tailored dashboards and reports that may become difficult to maintain over time.
Limited Mobile Experience: The mobile interface for Sisense has been noted as less intuitive and feature-rich than the desktop version, which may limit users' ability to interact with their data on the go.
If these are areas of concern for you, it’s worth exploring other BI tools that offer greater flexibility, cost-effectiveness, or scalability.
In the next section, I’ll explore some top Sisense competitors that could be a better fit for your business.
What Are The Top 5 Sisense Competitors?
Here are five popular alternatives to Sisense:
Upsolve AI
Tableau
Power BI
Looker
Qlik Sense
In the next few minutes, I’ll explore each of these tools in detail to help you decide which best suits your needs.
1. Upsolve AI
If you’re exploring alternatives to Sisense, Upsolve AI is worth your attention.
Upsolve AI is a business intelligence tool designed to create customer-facing dashboards.
Unlike traditional BI solutions, it focuses on fast deployment and embedding analytics into your app.
This makes it an ideal choice because it simplifies customer-facing analytics, letting you focus on building your core product while offering data insights seamlessly.
Key Features Of Upsolve AI
Here are key features of using Upsolve AI:
Effortless Visualization: Build embedded analytics dashboards using a point-and-click interface. Accelerate the visualization creation process by simply asking Upsolve AI a question.
Guided Action: Allow your end users to explore and drill down into the data using the embedded analytics as a base and to act on recommendations provided by the AI.
Self-Serve Customizability: Give your end users the capability to customize their dashboards to best fit their needs without waiting for your customer success or product team to get the metrics or reports they need.
Seamless Connection: Provide out-of-the-box connections to popular databases and data warehouses. Upsolve's API approach allows you to customize your own connection.
Upsolve Pricing Breakdown
1. Zero to One (Launch Plan) - $300/month
$300/month
Designed for early-stage startups needing quick dashboard integration.
Includes:
3 embedded dashboard templates.
Support for up to 50 tenants.
iFrame component embedding for easy setup.
CSV downloads.
Access to Slack Community support.
Comes with a free 30-day trial to explore all features.
2. One to N (Growth Plan) - Starting at $1000/month
Starting at $1000/month
Ideal for businesses looking to scale and customize their dashboards.
Features include:
3+ embedded dashboard templates and styling customization.
50+ tenants, offering scalability for expanding teams.
Options for both iFrame and React component embedding.
Embedded BI capabilities with end-user personal workspaces.
CSV and PDF download options.
Dedicated support and onboarding assistance.
3. One to ∞ (Enterprise Plan)
Custom Pricing
Suited for large enterprises with extensive data needs and high scalability.
Key offerings:
Unlimited embedded dashboard templates and tenants.
Full customization with both iFrame and React components.
Advanced embedded BI with AI-powered end-user analytics.
CSV and PDF downloads, on-premise deployment, and SAML SSO.
24/7 dedicated support and tailored onboarding.
Pros And Cons Of Using Upsolve AI
According to user reviews, here are the pros and cons of using Upsolve AI.
Pros
Seamless Integration: Users appreciate how easily Upsolve AI integrates with their existing systems, letting them pull and analyze data without disrupting their workflow.
User-Friendly Interface: Users love the intuitive interface, which makes it simple for both technical and non-technical team members to get started quickly.
Cost-Effective: Users feel Upsolve AI offers great value at a lower cost than many traditional platforms, making it a go-to choice for businesses of all sizes.
Real-Time Analytics: Users think real-time insights are a game-changer, allowing them to react swiftly to changing data and trends.
Scalable Solutions: Users feel confident knowing that Upsolve AI can grow with their needs, offering flexible pricing and features that can handle larger data volumes as their business expands.
Advanced Predictive Analytics: Users appreciate predictive analytics, which help them forecast trends and make more informed, data-driven decisions.
Enhanced Security: Users think Upsolve AI provides strong security measures, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication, ensuring their data is always protected.
Support for Multiple Data Sources: Users value how Upsolve AI can connect to various data sources, giving them a comprehensive view of their business performance.
24/7 Customer Support: Users feel reassured by the always-available customer support, ensuring they can get help whenever they need it.
Cons
Limited Customization: Some users feel Upsolve AI lacks flexibility for complex or highly specific visualizations and data manipulations.
Focus on Customer-Facing Analytics: Users note that Upsolve AI primarily supports external analytics, making it less suitable for internal business reporting.
Limited Documentation: A few users mention that the documentation could be more comprehensive, especially for advanced setups or troubleshooting.
Summary of Upsolve AI
Upsolve AI is a business intelligence tool designed to simplify customer-facing analytics.
With features like a user-friendly interface, guided actions, and self-serve customization, allows you focus on the building while enhancing customer engagement.
Upsolve AI is best suited for:
Startups and growing businesses that need fast, cost-effective dashboard deployment.
Enterprises looking to embed advanced analytics into their apps with scalable customization options.
Product teams aiming to enhance user experience with intuitive and actionable data insights.
If your focus is on customer-facing analytics, Upsolve AI could be the right fit for you.
2. Tableau
Tableau is a business intelligence tool that transforms complex data into simple, interactive visuals.
As a Sisense competitor, it offers powerful visualization capabilities and flexible deployment options to cater to diverse business needs.
Key Features of Tableau
Drag-and-Drop Interface: You can easily create interactive dashboards and reports without coding. This feature saves time and effort.
Real-Time Data Updates: Tableau integrates with multiple data sources, providing up-to-date insights to keep you informed.
Advanced Visual Analytics: Explore trends and patterns in your data using Tableau’s visual analytics tools, making decision-making easier.
Collaboration Tools: Share dashboards and reports with your team or clients, improving collaboration and transparency.
Flexible Deployment: Choose between cloud or on-premise deployment based on your organization's preferences.
Tableau Pricing Breakdown
Tableau offers a range of pricing plans tailored to different user roles and organizational needs.
Here's a breakdown of their primary offerings:
Tableau Plans
Tableau Creator
Designed for users who create and manage data visualizations and dashboards.
Includes Tableau Desktop, Tableau Prep Builder, and a Creator license for Tableau Cloud or Tableau Server.
$70 per user per month, billed annually.
Tableau Explorer
Suited for users who explore and analyze data without the need for full content creation capabilities.
Includes Access to Tableau Cloud or Tableau Server with capabilities to interact with and modify existing dashboards.
$42 per user per month, billed annually.
Tableau Viewer
Intended for users who primarily view and interact with dashboards and visualizations.
Includes access to published content with interactive features.
$15 per user per month, billed annually.
Enterprise Plans
For organizations requiring advanced features, Tableau offers Enterprise editions:
Enterprise Creator
Provides all features from the Tableau Creator plan plus advanced data management.
$115 per user per month, billed annually.
Enterprise Explorer
Expands on the Tableau Explorer plan with enhanced management tools.
$70 per user per month, billed annually.
Enterprise Viewer
Similar to Tableau Viewer but with added enterprise-level features.
$35 per user per month, billed annually.
Tableau +
Ideal for large enterprises seeking maximum analytics depth, customized reporting, and powerful, organization-wide data management.
Includes all standard Tableau features and adds cutting-edge AI insights, customizable data alerts, AI-powered analytics, and exclusive Tableau Pulse capabilities.
Contact sales for pricing.
Pros And Cons Of Using Tableau
Pros
Interactive Dashboards: Users appreciated how Tableau makes it easy to create interactive dashboards with its drag-and-drop interface
Seamless Data Integration: Many users highlighted Tableau’s ability to connect with various data sources, from spreadsheets to databases..
Real-Time Insights: Users valued Tableau’s real-time data updates, which keep reports and dashboards current.
Collaboration Features: Teams found Tableau’s sharing options helpful for improving collaboration.
Cons
High Cost: Users often mentioned that Tableau’s pricing can be a barrier, especially for smaller teams or startups. The cost adds up quickly when scaling across multiple users.
Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Several users noted that advanced functionalities require additional training or experience, making it harder for beginners to fully utilize the tool.
Performance Issues with Large Datasets: Some users experienced slowdowns when working with large or complex datasets, which impacted efficiency and user experience during analysis.
Summary Of Tableau
Tableau is a business intelligence tool designed to simplify complex data through interactive dashboards and visualizations.
Its offering of flexible deployment options makes it suitable for both cloud and on-premise use.
Who Is Tableau Best For?
Data-Driven Organizations: Ideal for teams needing real-time insights and data exploration to make informed decisions quickly.
Enterprises and Mid-Sized Businesses: Its collaboration features and scalability make it a strong fit for larger teams.
Businesses Seeking Flexibility: With cloud and on-premise options, Tableau adapts to varied IT infrastructure preferences.
Due to its cost and learning curve for advanced features, Tableau is best suited for organizations with the resources to invest in robust analytics tools.
3. Power BI
Power BI is a widely-used business intelligence tool from Microsoft that helps you connect to data, visualize insights, and make informed decisions.
Positioned as a competitor to Sisense, Power BI particularly excels in its affordability, user-friendly interface, and seamless integration with Microsoft tools.
Key Features of Power BI
Seamless Integration with Microsoft Tools: If you already use Microsoft products like Excel, Teams, or SharePoint, Power BI fits right in. For example, you can quickly visualize Excel data directly in Power BI without needing to switch platforms.
User-Friendly Interface: Power BI’s drag-and-drop functionality allows you to build interactive dashboards and reports without needing coding skills.
Real-Time Data Access: Power BI connects to a wide range of data sources, including cloud services like Azure, databases, and even Excel files.
Advanced Analytics with AI: Using built-in AI capabilities, you can uncover trends, forecast outcomes, and even receive automated insights, making your decision-making faster and more accurate.
Embedding and Collaboration: You can embed Power BI dashboards directly into your applications, making it easier to share insights with your team.
Power BI Pricing Breakdown
Power BI Free
Ideal for personal use or small-scale reporting. You can create and view reports but can’t share them with others.
Free
Power BI Pro ($10/user/month):
Perfect for businesses needing to create and share reports. It includes collaboration features and access to shared datasets.
$10/user/month
Power BI Premium Per User ($20/user/month):
Adds enterprise-grade capabilities like advanced analytics, AI-generated insights, and higher storage limits.
$20/user/month
Power BI Premium
Designed for large organizations, this plan offers enterprise-scale features, unlimited sharing, and access to Microsoft Fabric workloads.
Contact sales for pricing
Pros And Cons Of Using Power BI
Pros
Microsoft Integration: Users appreciated seamless connections with Excel, Teams, and SharePoint, making workflows easier.
Easy to Use: The drag-and-drop interface simplifies report creation, even for non-technical users.
Real-Time Updates: Users valued automatic updates from multiple data sources for timely insights.
Variety of Visuals: Power BI’s charts, maps, and graphs help present data interactively and clearly.
Cons
Performance Issues: Users often noted slow response times with large datasets, impacting efficiency.
Steep Learning Curve: Advanced features like DAX and Power Query require significant training for new users.
Limited Customization: Some users found it challenging to personalize reports or visual elements beyond basic options.
Summary Of Power BI
Power BI is a popular business intelligence tool from Microsoft that allows you to connect to various data sources, create interactive dashboards, and leverage AI for advanced analytics.
Who Is Power BI Best For?
Power BI is an excellent choice if you:
Work within the Microsoft Ecosystem: If you already use tools like Excel, Teams, or Azure, Power BI integrates seamlessly.
Need Cost-Effective BI Solutions: Its pricing makes it accessible for both small businesses and large enterprises.
Want to Empower Non-Technical Users: Its easy-to-use interface makes it suitable for teams with varying levels of technical expertise.
Power BI stands out for its affordability and deep integration with Microsoft products, though it might lack some of Sisense's advanced customization options.
4. Looker
Looker is a modern business intelligence tool that helps you transform raw data into meaningful insights.
As a Sisense competitor, Looker stands out with its robust integration with Google Cloud, customizable analytics, and powerful APIs.
Key Features Of Using Looker
Here’s what Looker offers to enhance your data analytics experience:
Embedded Analytics: You can embed interactive dashboards directly into your applications. For instance, embedding a sales dashboard into your CRM allows users to view real-time metrics without switching platforms.
Semantic Layer for Data Consistency: Looker ensures your data remains consistent across reports and tools by using a trusted modeling layer.
AI-Powered Insights: With features like Looker Studio and Gemini, you can uncover trends and automate data tasks, making it easier to spot opportunities.
Wide Data Connectivity: Looker connects to multiple data sources, including BigQuery, Excel, and third-party apps.
Collaborative Workflows: You can share dashboards, set up alerts, and integrate Looker with tools like Google Workspace for seamless collaboration.
Looker Pricing Breakdown
Looker is not very transparent with its pricing.
However, here’s what I found regarding the major pricing packages they offer.
1. Standard Edition
Designed for smaller teams with fewer than 50 users.
Includes:
One main setup (production instance).
10 Standard Users.
2 Developer Users.
1,000 query-based API calls per month.
1,000 admin API calls per month.
Pricing: Contact Looker’s sales team for custom pricing.
2. Enterprise Edition
Built for larger teams needing enhanced security features.
Includes:
One main setup (production instance).
10 Standard Users.
2 Developer Users.
100,000 query-based API calls per month.
10,000 admin API calls per month.
Pricing: Custom quote available through Looker’s sales team.
3. Embed Edition
Ideal for embedding analytics in customer-facing applications.
Includes:
One main setup (production instance).
10 Standard Users.
2 Developer Users.
500,000 query-based API calls per month.
100,000 admin API calls per month.
Pricing: Requires a custom quote from Looker’s sales team.
Pros And Cons Of Using Looker
Pros
Ease of Integration with Data Sources: Users reported that Looker integrates seamlessly with a variety of data sources, including Google Analytics, BigQuery, and CRM systems.
User-Friendly Interface for Non-Technical Teams: Many users appreciated Looker’s drag-and-drop interface, allowing non-technical team members to create dashboards and reports quickly.
Centralized Metrics Across Teams: According to users, Looker’s LookML modeling layer ensures consistent metrics across teams.
Improved Collaboration: Users highlighted Looker’s collaboration features, such as sharing dashboards and setting up triggers for important data updates.
Cons
Steep Learning Curve for Beginners: Users reported that Looker’s advanced features, such as LookML modeling and SQL-based configuration, can be challenging for new users.
Performance Issues with Large Datasets: Several users noted slow performance when working with large datasets. This limitation affected dashboard loading times and real-time data exploration..
High Cost: Many users find looker expensive compared to competitors like Power BI or Tableau. The cost is particularly prohibitive for small businesses or teams requiring numerous licenses.
Summary of Looker
Looker is a modern business intelligence tool that transforms raw data into actionable insights, offering robust integration with Google Cloud and a range of customizable analytics capabilities.
Who Is Looker Best For?
Looker is a great choice if you:
Leverage Google Ecosystem Tools: It integrates seamlessly with tools like BigQuery, Google Workspace, and Google Ads.
Embed Analytics in Applications: Ideal for embedding interactive dashboards directly into your customer-facing applications.
Need Centralized Data Consistency: Its semantic layer ensures consistent metrics across teams and tools.
Looker excels with its embedded analytics, AI-powered insights, and collaborative workflows.
However, it may fall short for smaller businesses due to its high cost and steep learning curve.
5. Qlik Sense
Qlik Sense is a modern business intelligence tool designed to help you turn complex data into meaningful insights.
As a Sisense competitor, Qlik Sense stands out for its unique Associative Engine and AI-driven features, making data exploration faster and more interactive.
Key Features Of Using Qlik Sense
Here’s how Qlik Sense enhances your analytics experience:
Associative Engine for Free Exploration: Unlike traditional query-based tools, Qlik Sense allows you to explore data without restrictions.
AI-Powered Assistance: Qlik Sense uses AI to assist with data preparation, predictive analytics, and natural language queries. For instance, its AI assistant lets you ask questions like, “What were last month’s top sales regions?” and get instant answers.
Real-Time Alerts and Automation: You can set up alerts for key metrics and automate actions based on data.
Embedded Analytics: Qlik Sense makes it easy to integrate analytics into your workflows.
Flexible Deployment Options: Qlik Sense supports both cloud and on-premise deployments, letting you choose the setup that works best for your organization.
Qlik Sense Pricing Breakdown
Qlik Sense offers tiered pricing based on your business needs.
1. Standard Plan
Designed for small teams or groups, the Standard plan starts with 25 GB of annual data for analysis and 20 Full Users.
Features include:
Interactive data visualizations, automated reporting, and AI-powered analytics.
Access to a no-code automation builder to streamline actions across systems.
24/7 critical customer support for added peace of mind.
$825/month, billed annually
2. Premium Plan
Built for larger teams, the Premium plan starts with 50 GB of data and scales up to 100,000 Basic Users along with the original 20 Full Users.
Includes everything in the Standard plan, plus:
Expanded data sources, such as SAP, mainframe, and legacy systems.
Predictive analytics powered by machine learning and advanced governance.
A guided customer success onboarding to get teams up and running smoothly.
$2500/month, billed annually
3. Enterprise Plan
For organizations with extensive data needs, the Enterprise plan offers a starting capacity of 500 GB and scales to accommodate up to 100,000 users.
Adds extra features beyond the Premium plan, such as:
Higher performance, scalability, and larger app sizes.
Volume discounts, enhanced data governance, and a customized onboarding plan.
Custom Pricing
Pros And Cons Of Using Qlik Sense
Pros
User-Friendly Interface: Drag-and-drop functionality simplifies dashboard creation, even for non-technical users.
Associative Engine: Dynamically explores relationships in data, uncovering insights often missed by traditional tools.
Self-Service Analytics: Enables teams to analyze data independently without relying on IT support.
Wide Data Connectivity: Connects to diverse data sources like databases, spreadsheets, and cloud platforms.
Cons
Performance Issues with Large Datasets: Users often reported slow loading times when handling massive amounts of data.
Limited Customization: Advanced users found restrictions in customizing visuals and layouts for complex use cases.
Complex Data Preparation: Combining and preparing data from multiple sources can require significant expertise or IT support.
High Costs: Several users mentioned that Qlik Sense is expensive compared to competitors like Power BI or Tableau.
Summary Of Qlik Sense
Qlik Sense is recognized for its advanced data integration and real-time insights, making it an excellent choice for enterprises managing diverse data sources.
Qlik Sense is a great fit if you:
Work with Large, Complex Data: Its associative engine helps you explore data dynamically and uncover hidden insights.
Need Self-Service Analytics: The platform allows non-technical users to create dashboards and reports with ease.
Collaborate Across Teams: With sharing and alerting features, Qlik Sense supports seamless collaboration.
However, its cost and performance limitations with large datasets might make alternatives like Sisense or Power BI worth considering.
Whether you're a mid-size company or a large enterprise, Qlik Sense empowers you to transform data into actionable insights efficiently.
Comparison Table
Conclusion: Which Sisense Competitor Should You Choose?
Finding the right business intelligence tool depends on your unique needs, budget, and goals.
Sisense is a strong choice, particularly because it offers robust analytics and scalability.
However, it may not fit every use case, especially for businesses looking for more cost-effective, highly customizable, or customer-facing solutions.
If you need:
Fast Deployment and Customer-Facing Analytics: Upsolve AI is a standout choice. Its focus on embedding analytics seamlessly into your applications sets it apart.
Advanced Visualizations: Tableau excels with its intuitive dashboards and real-time updates.
Microsoft Integration: Power BI is ideal if you’re deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem.
AI-Powered Insights: Looker’s semantic layer and AI tools make it great for enterprise-level modeling.
Free Data Exploration: Qlik Sense is unmatched in dynamic exploration with its Associative Engine.
For those focusing on customer-facing analytics and real-time insights, Upsolve AI provides an edge.
It combines user-friendly dashboards, guided actions, and seamless embedding with a cost-effective approach tailored for growing businesses and enterprises alike.
If you’re ready to simplify analytics for your users and create impactful dashboards effortlessly, give Upsolve AI a try today. It might just be the perfect BI solution for your business.
