Spreadsheets · head to head
Looker vs Teable
Looker
Spreadsheets
Modern business intelligence platform by Google
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Teable
Spreadsheets
Spreadsheet interface over real PostgreSQL tables, so the data stays queryable by anything that speaks SQL
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Teable 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; Teable the automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
- They diverge on capability: Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Looker and Teable actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheets).
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 Teable
- PostgreSQL native storage
- Multiple views
- Linked records and rollups
- Generated REST API
- Real time collaboration
- Self hosting via Docker
- Field level permissions
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 Teable
- Embedded analytics for integrating BI capabilities into third-party applicationsnot Teable
Teable
- A team that has hit the record ceiling of a hosted spreadsheet database and does not want to move to raw SQLnot Looker
- Operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync jobnot Looker
- A regulated or data resident organisation that needs the underlying database inside its own infrastructurenot Looker
- An internal tool where a grid interface and a REST API over the same table are both requirednot 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
Teable
- The automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
- Self hosting moves PostgreSQL backups, version upgrades, connection pooling and capacity planning onto your team, and the licence saving disappears if that time is costed honestly.
- The integration catalogue is small, so connecting to a common business system often means writing against the REST API rather than installing a connector.
- The project is young relative to the products it replaces, and interface and API changes still arrive at a pace that requires reading release notes before upgrading.
- Storing every table as a real PostgreSQL table means schema changes are real migrations, so a careless field type change on a large table can lock it far longer than a spreadsheet user would expect.
Pricing, plan by plan
Looker
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.
Teable
Free- Self hosted open sourceFree
- No licence fee
- Unlimited rows subject to your PostgreSQL capacity
- Docker deployment
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.
Choose Teable if
- You need postgresql native storage.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Linux.
- You also want multiple views.
Questions people ask
- Is Looker or Teable better?
- Neither clearly leads. Looker starts at On request and Teable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Looker or Teable?
- Teable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Looker and Free for Teable.
- Does Looker or Teable run on more platforms?
- Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform). Teable runs on Web, Linux.
- Can I use Teable for free?
- Yes. Teable 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 Teable is typically brought in for.
- What can Looker do that Teable cannot?
- Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, Multiple views, Linked records and rollups, Generated REST API.
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.
SourceTeable: How many rows can it actually hold?
As many as your PostgreSQL instance can serve. There is no product imposed record limit on the self hosted edition, which is the main reason to choose it.
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.
SourceTeable: Can I query the data with SQL directly?
Yes. Tables are real PostgreSQL tables, so any SQL client or reporting tool can read them.
Teable: Is self hosting genuinely free?
The licence is. The database server, backups and the engineer maintaining them are not.
Teable: Does it replace Airtable feature for feature?
No. Views and field types are close; automations, apps and the integration catalogue are not.
Teable: What happens to my data if the project stops?
It remains in a standard PostgreSQL database that you control, which is a materially better exit than a proprietary export format.
Related pages
Other head to heads
- Looker vs Metabase
- Looker vs Apache Superset
- Looker vs Tableau
- Looker vs Redash
- Looker vs Equals
- Looker vs Sigma Computing
- Looker vs NocoDB
- Looker vs Fibery
- Looker vs Baserow
- Looker vs Budibase
- Looker vs Numbers
- Looker vs Rowy
- Looker vs SeaTable
- Looker vs Coefficient
- Looker vs Cube Software
- Looker vs APITable
- Looker vs Mathesar
- Looker vs Quadratic
- Teable vs Metabase
- Teable vs Apache Superset
- Teable vs Tableau
- Teable vs Redash
- Teable vs Equals
- Teable vs Sigma Computing
- Teable vs NocoDB
- Teable vs Fibery
- Teable vs Baserow
- Teable vs Budibase
- Teable vs Numbers
- Teable vs Rowy
- Teable vs SeaTable
- Teable vs Coefficient
- Teable vs Cube Software
- Teable vs APITable
- Teable vs Mathesar
- Teable vs Quadratic