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Business Intelligence · head to head

Geckoboard vs Looker

Geckoboard logo

Geckoboard

Business Intelligence

Real-time KPI dashboards

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Looker logo

Looker

Spreadsheets

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Geckoboard has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Geckoboard annual billing required; monthly billing not offered; Looker no pricing published on website; quote-based model requires contacting Google Cloud sales
  • They diverge on capability: Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, Looker covers LookML Data Modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Geckoboard and Looker actually diverge.

Attributes where Geckoboard and Looker differ
AttributeGeckoboardLooker
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Tv, MobileWeb, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceSpreadsheets
Founded20102008

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

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 Geckoboard

  • Real-time Updates
  • TV Mode
  • Custom Widgets
  • Data Blending
  • Sharing
  • Zendesk
  • Google Analytics
  • Stripe

Only in Looker

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

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

Geckoboard

  • TV wall dashboards for office and operations displaysnot Looker
  • Live KPI monitoring for sales and support teamsnot Looker
  • Sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tiernot Looker
  • Alerting when a metric crosses a thresholdnot Looker

Looker

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

Where each one falls short

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

Geckoboard

  • Annual billing required; monthly billing not offered
  • Add-on dashboards cost $24 each
  • Additional editors cost $20 each
  • Additional screens cost $20 each

Looker

  • No pricing published on website; quote-based model requires contacting Google Cloud sales
  • Pricing typically based on user count, deployment type, and feature requirements with no transparency

Pricing, plan by plan

Geckoboard

Free
  • Essentials$79/month
    • 2 dashboards
    • 1 editor
    • 1 screen
  • Performance$319/month
    • 20 dashboards
    • 3 editors
    • 5 screens
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Unlimited dashboards, editors, and screens
    • All Performance features
    • Dedicated support manager

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Geckoboard if

  • You need real-time updates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Tv, Mobile.
  • You also want tv mode.
Geckoboard 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 Geckoboard or Looker better?
Neither clearly leads. Geckoboard 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, Geckoboard or Looker?
Geckoboard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Geckoboard and On request for Looker.
Does Geckoboard or Looker run on more platforms?
Geckoboard runs on Web, Tv, Mobile. Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform).
Can I use Geckoboard for free?
Yes. Geckoboard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Looker starts at On request.
What is Geckoboard best used for?
Geckoboard is most often used for tv wall dashboards for office and operations displays, live kpi monitoring for sales and support teams, sharing read-only metrics widely, since viewers are unlimited on every tier, alerting when a metric crosses a threshold. Of those, tv wall dashboards for office and operations displays and live kpi monitoring for sales and support teams are not what Looker is typically brought in for.
What can Geckoboard do that Looker cannot?
Geckoboard covers Real-time Updates, TV Mode, Custom Widgets, Data Blending. Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. Both handle Salesforce, Web support, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Geckoboard: How much does Geckoboard cost?

Geckoboard offers Essentials at $79 per month, Performance at $319 per month, and custom-priced Enterprise plans. All plans are billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.

Source
Looker: How much does Looker cost?

Looker does not publish pricing on its website. The platform uses a custom quote model where organizations contact Google Cloud sales for personalized pricing. Pricing is typically based on factors including user count, deployment type (cloud-hosted versus self-hosted), and required feature set.

Source
Geckoboard: Is there an annual billing discount for Geckoboard?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% savings compared to monthly pricing. Pricing is shown for annual billing with VAT not included.

Source
Looker: What are Looker's pricing tiers?

Looker offers subscription-based tiers typically including Standard with core BI capabilities, Advanced with enhanced features and integrations, and Premium with enterprise-grade features. Specific pricing and feature distinctions require contacting Google Cloud sales.

Source
Geckoboard: What are the add-on costs for additional Geckoboard resources?

Additional dashboards cost $24 each, extra editors cost $20 each, and additional screens cost $20 each. All add-ons are billed with the annual subscription.

Source
Geckoboard: Does Geckoboard offer discounts for nonprofits?

Yes, Geckoboard offers 20% off any plan for nonprofit organizations.

Source
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