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Business Intelligence · head to head

Periscope Data vs Visual Studio

Periscope Data logo

Periscope Data

Business Intelligence

SQL and Python analytics platform

From
$1000/month
Free plan
No
Visit Periscope DataFull review
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Visual StudioFull review

The short version

  • Visual Studio is free; Periscope Data starts at $1000/mo.
  • Where Periscope Data falls short: the periscopedata.com domain now redirects to sisense.com, so Periscope Data is no longer sold as a standalone product.
  • Where Visual Studio falls short: A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Periscope Data and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Periscope Data and Visual Studio differ
AttributePeriscope DataVisual Studio
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelSubscriptionFreemium
Free tierNoYes
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: platforms (Web).

Not yet recorded: founded for Visual Studio.

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 Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that Periscope Data does not also cover.

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 Visual Studio
  • Python and R analysis alongside SQL in one workflownot Visual Studio
  • Shared dashboards for data teamsnot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Periscope Data
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Periscope Data
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Periscope Data
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Periscope Data
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot 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

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Periscope Data

$1000/month
  • Team$1,000/mo
    • SQL Analytics
    • Python/R
    • Dashboards
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced Features
    • Custom Integrations
    • Premium Support

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Periscope Data if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You also want python/r integration.
Periscope Data review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Periscope Data or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Periscope Data starts at $1000/month and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Periscope Data or Visual Studio?
Visual Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Periscope Data and Free for Visual Studio.
Does Periscope Data or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Visual Studio for free?
Yes. Visual Studio 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 Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Periscope Data do that Visual Studio cannot?
Periscope Data covers SQL Editor, Python/R Integration, Version Control, Caching.

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
Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

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
Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

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
Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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