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Spreadsheets · head to head

Looker vs Preset

Looker logo

Looker

Spreadsheets

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Preset logo

Preset

Business Intelligence

Managed Apache Superset

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Preset has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Looker no pricing published on website; quote-based model requires contacting Google Cloud sales; Preset limited SQL IDE advanced features compared to specialized query tools
  • They diverge on capability: Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Preset covers Managed Superset.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Looker and Preset actually diverge.

Attributes where Looker and Preset differ
AttributeLookerPreset
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)Web, Cloud
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence
Founded20082019

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Looker

  • LookML Data Modeling
  • Embedded Analytics
  • Version Control
  • Data Actions
  • MySQL
  • Salesforce
  • Mobile support
  • Api support

Only in Preset

  • Managed Superset
  • Auto-scaling
  • Enterprise Security
  • Custom Branding
  • Databricks
  • Trino
  • Cloud support

Both cover

  • API Access
  • 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 Preset
  • Embedded analytics for integrating BI capabilities into third-party applicationsnot Preset

Preset

  • 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

  • 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

Preset

  • Limited SQL IDE advanced features compared to specialized query tools
  • Viewer licenses add substantial cost for embedded analytics deployments
  • Dataset-centric approach requires preprocessing by data teams for some use cases

Pricing, plan by plan

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

Preset

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Preset review.

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 Preset if

  • You need managed superset.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want auto-scaling.
Preset review

Questions people ask

Is Looker or Preset better?
Neither clearly leads. Looker starts at On request and Preset at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Looker or Preset?
Preset has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Looker and Free for Preset.
Does Looker or Preset run on more platforms?
Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform). Preset runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use Preset for free?
Yes. Preset 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 Preset is typically brought in for.
What can Looker do that Preset cannot?
Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, Version Control, Data Actions. Preset covers Managed Superset, Auto-scaling, Enterprise Security, Custom Branding. Both handle API Access, BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Preset: Is Preset free?

Preset offers a free tier for small teams called Starter with 5 users and no credit card required. Paid plans start at $25 per user per month.

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
Preset: Can I export my data from Preset?

Yes. Preset uses Apache Superset and the founders contribute over 75% of commits to the open-source project, enabling migration to Superset without vendor lock-in.

Source
Preset: Does Preset include embedded analytics?

Yes. Embedded dashboards are available on Professional and Enterprise plans, with viewer licenses starting at $500 per month for 50 licenses.

Source
Preset: What is the enterprise pricing for Preset?

Enterprise plans are custom quoted. The median buyer pays $35,495 per year.

Source
Preset: Does Preset support AI-powered analytics?

Yes. As of 2026, Preset includes an AI Chatbot and MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration for building charts and dashboards via natural language.

Source
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