Software · head to head
Periscope Data vs Qlik Sense
The short version
- Only Qlik Sense has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Periscope Data the periscopedata.com domain now redirects to sisense.com, so Periscope Data is no longer sold as a standalone product; Qlik Sense expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes
- They diverge on capability: Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Periscope Data and Qlik Sense actually diverge.
| Attribute | Periscope Data | Qlik Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1000/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Cloud | Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android) |
| Founded | 2012 | 1993 |
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 Periscope Data
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Integration
- Version Control
- Caching
- Dashboards
- Redshift
- BigQuery
- PostgreSQL
Only in Qlik Sense
- Associative Engine
- AI Insights
- Augmented Analytics
- Natural Language
- Alerting
- SAP
- Salesforce
- ServiceNow
Both cover
- Snowflake
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Periscope Data
- SQL-based analytics and dashboards over a data warehousenot Qlik Sense
- Python and R analysis alongside SQL in one workflownot Qlik Sense
- Shared dashboards for data teamsnot Qlik Sense
Qlik Sense
- Self-service analyticsnot Periscope Data
- Data explorationnot Periscope Data
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Periscope Data
- Collaborative analysisnot Periscope Data
- Embedded analyticsnot Periscope Data
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Periscope Data
- The periscopedata.com domain now redirects to sisense.com, so Periscope Data is no longer sold as a standalone product
- No Periscope Data pricing, plan or seat rate remains published at the original domain
- Buyers must now purchase through Sisense, whose own pricing is not published as a rate card
Qlik Sense
- Expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes
- Performance degradation when working with very large datasets
- Limited field capacity and strict 10 GB data limit on Starter plan ($300/month)
- Weak date handling in set analysis compared to other BI tools
- Poor API usability, particularly for Python scripts and integration workflows
Pricing, plan by plan
Periscope Data
$1000/month- Team$1000/month
- SQL Analytics
- Python/R
- Dashboards
- EnterpriseFree
- Advanced Features
- Custom Integrations
- Premium Support
Qlik Sense
Free- Qlik Sense Business (Desktop)Free
- Personal dashboards
- No content sharing
- Desktop only
- Starter$300/month
- 10 users
- 10 GB data for analysis
- Cloud-based
- Standard$825/month
- Unlimited users
- 25 GB data for analysis
- Advanced analytics
- Premium$2750/month
- Unlimited users
- 50 GB data for analysis
- Enhanced support
Which should you pick?
Choose Periscope Data if
- You need sql editor.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want python/r integration.
Choose Qlik Sense if
- You need associative engine.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android).
- You also want ai insights.
Questions people ask
- Is Periscope Data or Qlik Sense better?
- Neither clearly leads. Periscope Data starts at $1000/month and Qlik Sense at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Periscope Data or Qlik Sense?
- Qlik Sense has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Periscope Data and Free for Qlik Sense.
- Does Periscope Data or Qlik Sense run on more platforms?
- Periscope Data runs on Web, Cloud. Qlik Sense runs on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android).
- Can I use Qlik Sense for free?
- Yes. Qlik Sense has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Periscope Data starts at $1000/month.
- What is Periscope Data best used for?
- Periscope Data is most often used for sql-based analytics and dashboards over a data warehouse, python and r analysis alongside sql in one workflow, shared dashboards for data teams. Of those, sql-based analytics and dashboards over a data warehouse and python and r analysis alongside sql in one workflow are not what Qlik Sense is typically brought in for.
- What can Periscope Data do that Qlik Sense cannot?
- Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Python/R Integration, Version Control, Caching. Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine, AI Insights, Augmented Analytics, Natural Language. Both handle Snowflake, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Qlik Sense: Does Qlik Sense have a free tier?
Qlik Sense Business (Desktop) is permanently free for individual users for creating personal dashboards, though content cannot be shared. Qlik Cloud Analytics offers a 30-day free trial with full features.
SourceQlik Sense: What is the entry price for Qlik Cloud Analytics?
Qlik Cloud Analytics Starter plan starts at $300 per month (annual billing) for 10 users and 10 GB of data. Standard is $825/month for 25 GB with unlimited users. Premium is $2,750/month for 50 GB.
SourceQlik Sense: How many users can access Qlik Sense?
The Starter plan is limited to 10 users. Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans include unlimited users and charge based on data capacity (gigabytes) rather than seat count.
SourceQlik Sense: What is the Associative Engine in Qlik Sense?
The Associative Engine is Qlik's proprietary technology that automatically discovers and explores all possible relationships between data points, enabling intuitive analysis compared to traditional query-based BI tools.
SourceQlik Sense: Does Qlik Sense support self-service analytics?
Yes, Qlik Sense is designed for self-service business intelligence, allowing business users to create dashboards and explore data without extensive technical knowledge, though complex implementations require expertise.
SourceQlik Sense: Is Qlik Sense available on-premises?
Yes, Qlik offers both cloud-based (Qlik Cloud Analytics) and on-premises deployment options, though on-premises licensing requires a separate quote.
SourceRelated pages
More on Periscope Data
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