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Software · head to head

Looker vs Mode

Looker logo

Looker

Software

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mode logo

Mode

Software

Collaborative analytics for data teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mode has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Looker requires annual commitment with no month-to-month billing option; Mode free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
  • They diverge on capability: Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Mode covers SQL Editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Looker and Mode actually diverge.

Attributes where Looker and Mode differ
AttributeLookerMode
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)Web
Founded20082013

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 Looker

  • LookML Data Modeling
  • Embedded Analytics
  • API Access
  • Data Actions
  • MySQL
  • Salesforce
  • Mobile support
  • Api support

Only in Mode

  • SQL Editor
  • Python/R Notebooks
  • Interactive Reports
  • Scheduling
  • Databricks
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Version Control
  • BigQuery
  • Snowflake
  • Redshift
  • PostgreSQL
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Looker

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

Mode

  • Self-service analyticsnot Looker
  • Data explorationnot Looker
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Looker
  • Collaborative analysisnot Looker
  • Embedded analyticsnot Looker

Where each one falls short

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

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

Mode

  • Free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
  • Requires SQL knowledge for most analysis tasks, creating dependency on technical resources
  • Paid plan pricing not publicly listed; requires sales consultation
  • Recently acquired by ThoughtSpot in 2026, creating product direction uncertainty
  • Limited customization options for visual aspects and embedded analytics

Pricing, plan by plan

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

Mode

Free
  • FreeFree
    • SQL Editor
    • Python/R Notebooks
    • Basic Charts
  • Business$65/month
    • Advanced Visualizations
    • Collaboration
    • Integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Looker if

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

Choose Mode if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want python/r notebooks.
Mode review

Questions people ask

Is Looker or Mode better?
Neither clearly leads. Looker starts at On request and Mode at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Looker or Mode?
Mode has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Looker and Free for Mode.
Does Looker or Mode run on more platforms?
Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform). Mode runs on Web.
Can I use Mode for free?
Yes. Mode has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Looker starts at On request.
What is Looker best used for?
Looker is most often used for business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision making, embedded analytics for integrating bi capabilities into third-party applications. Of those, business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision making and embedded analytics for integrating bi capabilities into third-party applications are not what Mode is typically brought in for.
What can Looker do that Mode cannot?
Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Data Actions. Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Scheduling. Both handle Version Control, BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mode: What languages does Mode support for analysis?

Mode notebooks support SQL, Python (3.11 with pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, matplotlib), and R (4.2.0 with ggplot2, dplyr, tidyr). Both Python and R allow additional library installation at runtime.

Source
Mode: Can I integrate Mode notebook results into reports?

Yes. Mode allows adding notebook cell results directly to reports, with synchronized scheduling so reports re-run to keep data current.

Source
Mode: Does Mode support collaborative analysis?

Yes. Mode notebooks provide moveable code blocks and markdown cells enabling exploratory analysis and team collaboration on data queries and visualizations.

Source
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