Is Looker or SAS better?

Neither clearly leads. Looker starts at On request and SAS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Looker or SAS?

SAS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Looker and Free for SAS.

Does Looker or SAS run on more platforms?

Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform). SAS runs on Linux, Windows, Web.

Can I use SAS for free?

Yes. SAS 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 SAS is typically brought in for.

What can Looker do that SAS cannot?

Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. SAS covers Statistical analysis, Machine learning, Forecasting, Text analytics. Both handle Web support.

Spreadsheets · head to head

Looker vs SAS

Looker

Spreadsheets

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

SAS

Machine Learning

Analytics, AI and data management software

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only SAS 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; SAS sAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
They diverge on capability: Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, SAS covers Statistical analysis.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Looker and SAS actually diverge.

Attributes where Looker and SAS differ
Attribute	Looker	SAS
Starting price	On request	Free
Pricing model	Unknown	subscription
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)	Linux, Windows, Web
Category	Spreadsheets	Machine Learning
Founded	2008	1976

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 Looker

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

Only in SAS

Statistical analysis
Machine learning
Forecasting
Text analytics
Optimization
Python
R
Hadoop

Both cover

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 SAS
Embedded analytics for integrating BI capabilities into third-party applicationsnot SAS

SAS

Regulated statistical analysis and clinical reportingnot Looker
Enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platformnot 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

SAS

SAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
Most new and existing customers are routed through authorized resellers rather than buying direct
Cloud marketplace purchases require choosing between pay as you go and bring your own licence, each with different licensing terms

Pricing, plan by plan

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

SAS

Free

SAS OnDemand for AcademicsFree
- Academic use
- Core SAS
SAS ViyaFree
- Full platform
- Cloud-native
- AI/ML

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 SAS if

You need statistical analysis.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Linux, Windows, Web.
You also want machine learning.

SAS review

Questions people ask

Is Looker or SAS better?: Neither clearly leads. Looker starts at On request and SAS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Looker or SAS?: SAS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Looker and Free for SAS.
Does Looker or SAS run on more platforms?: Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform). SAS runs on Linux, Windows, Web.
Can I use SAS for free?: Yes. SAS 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 SAS is typically brought in for.
What can Looker do that SAS cannot?: Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. SAS covers Statistical analysis, Machine learning, Forecasting, Text analytics. Both handle Web support.

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

SAS: Does SAS offer a free trial?

Yes, SAS offers a free trial through a private trial environment for SAS Viya. Interested customers can request access by submitting a trial form on their website.

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

SAS: How does SAS price its software?

SAS does not publish standard pricing on its website. Instead, it uses a custom enterprise sales model where customers can choose between paying as-you-go or purchasing SAS Viya Enterprise. Specific pricing must be requested directly from their sales team.

Source

SAS: What are my pricing options?

SAS offers flexible purchasing models including pay-as-you-go and enterprise licensing options. The company states they can help you find the environment that fits your needs, but specific terms must be discussed with sales.

Source

SAS: How do I get a pricing quote?

You can request pricing through their website by using the quote request form, requesting a customized demo, or contacting their sales team directly.

Source

Looker vs SAS

Looker

SAS

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Looker

Only in SAS

Both cover

What people use each for

Looker

SAS

Where each one falls short

Looker

SAS

Pricing, plan by plan

Looker

SAS

Which should you pick?

Choose Looker if

Choose SAS if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Looker

More on SAS

Keep looking

Other head to heads