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Business Intelligence · head to head

Periscope Data vs QuestDB

Periscope Data logo

Periscope Data

Business Intelligence

SQL and Python analytics platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuestDB logo

QuestDB

Databases

Fast open source time-series database for high throughput ingestion

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only QuestDB 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; QuestDB open-source edition lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • They diverge on capability: Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, QuestDB covers High Throughput Ingestion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Periscope Data and QuestDB differ
AttributePeriscope DataQuestDB
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudDocker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP)
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDatabases
Founded20122014

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 QuestDB

  • High Throughput Ingestion
  • SQL Support
  • Time-series Optimization
  • SIMD Vectorization
  • Column-oriented Storage
  • Built-in Web Console
  • InfluxDB Line Protocol
  • Grafana

Both cover

  • PostgreSQL
  • 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 QuestDB
  • Python and R analysis alongside SQL in one workflownot QuestDB
  • Shared dashboards for data teamsnot QuestDB

QuestDB

  • Time-series analytics ingesting up to 20M rows/second from IoT sensors or financial data feedsnot Periscope Data
  • Real-time dashboarding with 32ms time-to-first-row latency for minute-level analyticsnot Periscope Data
  • Applications requiring multi-tier storage (hot ingest, real-time SQL, cold Parquet archive)not 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

QuestDB

  • Open-source edition lacks high-availability, distributed architecture, and enterprise security features
  • Enterprise edition pricing not published; requires contacting sales for custom quote
  • Ingestion limit of 20M rows/sec platform-dependent; may not scale to extreme throughput requirements

Pricing, plan by plan

Periscope Data

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

QuestDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the QuestDB review.

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 QuestDB if

  • You need high throughput ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • You also want sql support.
QuestDB review

Questions people ask

Is Periscope Data or QuestDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Periscope Data starts at $1000/month and QuestDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Periscope Data or QuestDB?
QuestDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Periscope Data and Free for QuestDB.
Does Periscope Data or QuestDB run on more platforms?
Periscope Data runs on Web, Cloud. QuestDB runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Can I use QuestDB for free?
Yes. QuestDB 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 QuestDB is typically brought in for.
What can Periscope Data do that QuestDB cannot?
Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Python/R Integration, Version Control, Caching. QuestDB covers High Throughput Ingestion, SQL Support, Time-series Optimization, SIMD Vectorization. Both handle PostgreSQL, Web support.

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
QuestDB: How much does QuestDB Enterprise cost?

QuestDB does not publish specific pricing for the Enterprise tier. Customers must contact QuestDB via their enterprise contact form to receive a custom quote.

Source
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
QuestDB: Does QuestDB offer a free version?

Yes, QuestDB Open Source is completely free and recommended for evaluation, prototyping, and pilot projects. Enterprise features, high availability, security, and dedicated support require the paid Enterprise tier.

Source
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
QuestDB: What deployment options does QuestDB offer?

QuestDB offers open source deployment, Enterprise deployment, and Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) deployment. Pricing details for BYOC and Enterprise tiers are not published and require direct contact with sales.

Source
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