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Google Data Studio vs Tableau

Google Data Studio logo

Google Data Studio

Software

Free data visualization by Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tableau logo

Tableau

Software

Visual analytics platform for business intelligence

From
$70/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Data Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Data Studio google Data Studio has been renamed Looker Studio; the vendor's own landing page states it is free to use ("It's easy and free"), with no enterprise pricing tier visible on the consumer product itself.; Tableau listed on UK G-Cloud at £9.47 per device per month for the Salesforce Tableau Platform edition, via reseller XMA Limited
  • They diverge on capability: Google Data Studio covers Free Platform, Tableau covers Interactive Dashboards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Data Studio and Tableau actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Data Studio and Tableau differ
AttributeGoogle Data StudioTableau
Starting priceFree$70/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded19981999

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 Google Data Studio

  • Free Platform
  • Real-time Collaboration
  • Custom Visualizations
  • Sharing
  • Google Analytics
  • BigQuery
  • Google Sheets
  • YouTube

Only in Tableau

  • Interactive Dashboards
  • Real-time Analytics
  • Advanced Visualizations
  • Mobile Support
  • Salesforce
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • AWS

Both cover

  • Data Blending
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Google Data Studio

  • Self-service analytics
  • Data exploration
  • Ad-hoc reporting
  • Collaborative analysis
  • Embedded analytics

Tableau

  • Self-service analytics
  • Data exploration
  • Ad-hoc reporting
  • Collaborative analysis
  • Embedded analytics

Both are used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis, embedded analytics, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Google Data Studio

  • Google Data Studio has been renamed Looker Studio; the vendor's own landing page states it is free to use ("It's easy and free"), with no enterprise pricing tier visible on the consumer product itself.

Tableau

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £9.47 per device per month for the Salesforce Tableau Platform edition, via reseller XMA Limited

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Data Studio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited Reports
    • Data Connectors
    • Collaboration

Tableau

$70/month
  • Creator$70/month
    • Full authoring capabilities
    • Prep Builder
    • Data Management
  • Explorer$42/month
    • Web editing
    • Self-service analytics
  • Viewer$15/month
    • View and interact with dashboards

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Data Studio if

  • You need free platform.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Google Data Studio review

Choose Tableau if

  • You need interactive dashboards.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
Tableau review

Questions people ask

Is Google Data Studio or Tableau better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Data Studio starts at Free and Tableau at $70/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Data Studio or Tableau?
Google Data Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Data Studio and $70/month for Tableau.
Does Google Data Studio or Tableau run on more platforms?
Google Data Studio runs on Web. Tableau runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Google Data Studio for free?
Yes. Google Data Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tableau starts at $70/month.
What is Google Data Studio best used for?
Google Data Studio is most often used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis.
What can Google Data Studio do that Tableau cannot?
Google Data Studio covers Free Platform, Real-time Collaboration, Custom Visualizations, Sharing. Tableau covers Interactive Dashboards, Real-time Analytics, Advanced Visualizations, Mobile Support. Both handle Data Blending, Web support.
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Related pages

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