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Software · head to head

Dataiku vs Looker

Dataiku logo

Dataiku

Software

Everyday AI, Extraordinary People

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Looker logo

Looker

Software

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dataiku has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Dataiku no pricing is published at any tier, and the plans page carries no figures at all; Looker requires annual commitment with no month-to-month billing option
  • They diverge on capability: Dataiku covers Visual data prep, Looker covers LookML Data Modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dataiku and Looker actually diverge.

Attributes where Dataiku and Looker differ
AttributeDataikuLooker
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Mac, Windows, WebWeb, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)
Founded20132008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Dataiku

  • Visual data prep
  • AutoML
  • MLOps
  • Collaboration
  • Governence
  • Python
  • R
  • Spark

Only in Looker

  • LookML Data Modeling
  • Embedded Analytics
  • API Access
  • Version Control
  • Data Actions
  • BigQuery
  • Redshift
  • PostgreSQL

Both cover

  • Snowflake
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Dataiku

  • Building and deploying data science and machine learning pipelinesnot Looker
  • Giving analysts and data scientists a shared visual and code environmentnot Looker

Looker

  • Business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision makingnot Dataiku
  • Embedded analytics for integrating BI capabilities into third-party applicationsnot Dataiku

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Dataiku

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and the plans page carries no figures at all
  • User, row and compute limits are not stated, so nothing about scale can be assessed before contacting sales
  • Access begins with a demo request or a trial rather than a self serve signup

Looker

  • Requires annual commitment with no month-to-month billing option
  • Conversational analytics will incur token overage charges ($3.00 per 1M input tokens, $20.00 per 1M output tokens) after October 1, 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Dataiku

Free
  • Free EditionFree
    • Single user
    • Core features
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform
    • Collaboration
    • MLOps

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Dataiku if

  • You need visual data prep.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web.
  • You also want automl.
Dataiku review

Choose Looker if

  • You need lookml data modeling.
  • You work on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform).
  • You also want embedded analytics.
Looker review

Questions people ask

Is Dataiku or Looker better?
Neither clearly leads. Dataiku starts at Free and Looker at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dataiku or Looker?
Dataiku has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dataiku and On request for Looker.
Does Dataiku or Looker run on more platforms?
Dataiku runs on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web. Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform).
Can I use Dataiku for free?
Yes. Dataiku has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Looker starts at On request.
What is Dataiku best used for?
Dataiku is most often used for building and deploying data science and machine learning pipelines, giving analysts and data scientists a shared visual and code environment. Of those, building and deploying data science and machine learning pipelines and giving analysts and data scientists a shared visual and code environment are not what Looker is typically brought in for.
What can Dataiku do that Looker cannot?
Dataiku covers Visual data prep, AutoML, MLOps, Collaboration. Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. Both handle Snowflake, Web support.
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Related pages

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