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Business Intelligence · head to head

Periscope Data vs Quadratic

Periscope Data logo

Periscope Data

Business Intelligence

SQL and Python analytics platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quadratic logo

Quadratic

Spreadsheets

Infinite-canvas spreadsheet that runs Python, SQL and formulas in the same grid

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Quadratic 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; Quadratic aI usage is metered as a dollar allowance rather than a flat entitlement, so a team that adopts the agent enthusiastically will exhaust 20 USD per user per month quickly and the true cost per seat becomes unpredictable.
  • They diverge on capability: Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Quadratic covers Multi-language cells.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Periscope Data and Quadratic actually diverge.

Attributes where Periscope Data and Quadratic differ
AttributePeriscope DataQuadratic
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceSpreadsheets
Founded2012Unknown

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 Periscope Data

  • SQL Editor
  • Python/R Integration
  • Version Control
  • Caching
  • Dashboards
  • Redshift
  • BigQuery
  • Snowflake

Only in Quadratic

  • Multi-language cells
  • Infinite canvas
  • Direct database connections
  • AI agent in the sheet
  • WebAssembly engine
  • Python package 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 Quadratic
  • Python and R analysis alongside SQL in one workflownot Quadratic
  • Shared dashboards for data teamsnot Quadratic

Quadratic

  • An analyst who wants a SQL result, a Python transformation and a set of manual assumptions visible in one file instead of three toolsnot Periscope Data
  • Ad hoc modelling where part of the logic is genuinely code and part is a judgement call typed into a cellnot Periscope Data
  • Sharing a reproducible analysis with a colleague who will only ever open a spreadsheet, not a notebooknot Periscope Data
  • Prototyping a data pull against a warehouse before committing it to a scheduled pipelinenot 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

Quadratic

  • AI usage is metered as a dollar allowance rather than a flat entitlement, so a team that adopts the agent enthusiastically will exhaust 20 USD per user per month quickly and the true cost per seat becomes unpredictable.
  • Self-hosting is available only on the Enterprise plan, so an organisation that cannot send data to the vendor cloud has to enter a sales negotiation rather than run a container.
  • Excel and Google Sheets compatibility is partial, so files with heavy conditional formatting, pivot tables or macros do not survive a round trip and have to be rebuilt.
  • The product is young and the connector list is short, covering the main relational databases and two warehouses, so anything else has to be reached through Python code you write and maintain yourself.
  • There is no real mobile editing experience, which matters more than it sounds for a spreadsheet because approvals and quick checks routinely happen on a phone.

Pricing, plan by plan

Periscope Data

$1000/month
  • Team$1000/month
    • SQL Analytics
    • Python/R
    • Dashboards
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced Features
    • Custom Integrations
    • Premium Support

Quadratic

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Limited AI usage
    • Limited files and connections
    • Limited sharing
  • Pro$18/month
    • Billed annually
    • 20 USD of AI credits per month
    • Unlimited files
  • Business$36/month
    • Billed annually
    • 40 USD of AI credits per month
    • Advanced permissions
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Quoted
    • Self-hosting option
    • Custom AI usage

Which should you pick?

Choose Periscope Data if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want python/r integration.
Periscope Data review

Choose Quadratic if

  • You need multi-language cells.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want infinite canvas.
Quadratic review

Questions people ask

Is Periscope Data or Quadratic better?
Neither clearly leads. Periscope Data starts at $1000/month and Quadratic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Periscope Data or Quadratic?
Quadratic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Periscope Data and Free for Quadratic.
Does Periscope Data or Quadratic run on more platforms?
Periscope Data runs on Web, Cloud. Quadratic runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Quadratic for free?
Yes. Quadratic 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 Quadratic is typically brought in for.
What can Periscope Data do that Quadratic cannot?
Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Python/R Integration, Version Control, Caching. Quadratic covers Multi-language cells, Infinite canvas, Direct database connections, AI agent in the sheet.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Periscope Data: Does Sisense offer a free trial?

Yes. Sisense offers a free trial of their Self-Serve plan. You can try features like data warehouse connectivity, built-in AI for natural-language queries, auto-narratives, and customer assistant features.

Source
Quadratic: Do I need to know Python to use it?

No, formulas work on their own, but the reason to choose Quadratic over Google Sheets is the code cells, so a team with no Python will not get the value.

Periscope Data: What is the difference between Sisense Self-Serve and Enterprise plans?

The Self-Serve plan is for startups and teams and includes basic connectivity and AI features with iframe embedding. The Enterprise plan is for regulated industries and includes multi-tenant architecture, HIPAA readiness, column-level security, single sign-on, on-premise deployment options, 99.99% SLA, and 30-day backups.

Source
Quadratic: What happens when the AI credits run out?

Prompting stops until the next monthly reset or until you move up a plan; the spreadsheet itself keeps working normally.

Periscope Data: How do I access the Sisense Enterprise plan?

The Enterprise plan requires contacting Sisense for a demo and custom quote. There is no self-service signup for this tier.

Source
Quadratic: Can it replace a BI tool?

Not for scheduled distribution or governed metrics. It is for exploratory work by one person or a small team, not for dashboards a hundred people read.

Quadratic: Is my database query sent to the vendor?

Connections run through the vendor service on all plans except Enterprise self-hosting, which is the option to take if that is unacceptable.

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