Softwr

Software · head to head

Qlik Sense vs Sisense

Qlik Sense logo

Qlik Sense

Software

Self-service data analytics and visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sisense logo

Sisense

Software

Infuse analytics everywhere

From
$10000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Qlik Sense has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Qlik Sense expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes; Sisense pricing lacks transparency with opaque scaling costs and hidden fees for onboarding and training
  • They diverge on capability: Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine, Sisense covers Embedded Analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Qlik Sense and Sisense actually diverge.

Attributes where Qlik Sense and Sisense differ
AttributeQlik SenseSisense
Starting priceFree$10000/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android)Web, Cloud, On-premises
Founded19932004

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Qlik Sense

  • Associative Engine
  • AI Insights
  • Augmented Analytics
  • Natural Language
  • Alerting
  • SAP
  • ServiceNow
  • Desktop support

Only in Sisense

  • Embedded Analytics
  • AI/ML Integration
  • In-chip Technology
  • White-labeling
  • REST API
  • Google Cloud
  • HubSpot
  • Embedded support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Snowflake
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Qlik Sense

  • Self-service analytics
  • Data exploration
  • Ad-hoc reporting
  • Collaborative analysis
  • Embedded analytics

Sisense

  • Self-service analytics
  • Data exploration
  • Ad-hoc reporting
  • Collaborative analysis
  • Embedded analytics

Both are used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis, embedded analytics, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Sisense

  • Pricing lacks transparency with opaque scaling costs and hidden fees for onboarding and training
  • Limited connector ecosystem compared to competitors; missing native connectors to many data sources
  • Dashboard customization options are limited; widgets cannot span multiple rows, restricting layout possibilities
  • Performance issues reported with large datasets and stability problems with data cubes

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Sisense

$10000/year
  • Small Team$10000/year minimum
    • Basic analytics dashboards
    • Limited data sources
  • Mid-Market$null/custom
    • Advanced analytics
    • Multiple data sources
    • Custom integrations
  • Enterprise$60000/year+
    • Advanced AI analytics
    • Premium support
    • Custom development

Which should you pick?

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.
Qlik Sense review

Choose Sisense if

  • You need embedded analytics.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, On-premises.
  • You also want ai/ml integration.
Sisense review

Questions people ask

Is Qlik Sense or Sisense better?
Neither clearly leads. Qlik Sense starts at Free and Sisense at $10000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Qlik Sense or Sisense?
Qlik Sense has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Qlik Sense and $10000/year for Sisense.
Does Qlik Sense or Sisense run on more platforms?
Qlik Sense runs on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android). Sisense runs on Web, Cloud, On-premises.
Can I use Qlik Sense for free?
Yes. Qlik Sense has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sisense starts at $10000/year.
What is Qlik Sense best used for?
Qlik Sense is most often used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis.
What can Qlik Sense do that Sisense cannot?
Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine, AI Insights, Augmented Analytics, Natural Language. Sisense covers Embedded Analytics, AI/ML Integration, In-chip Technology, White-labeling. Both handle Salesforce, Snowflake, AWS, Azure.

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.

Source
Sisense: What is Sisense primarily used for?

Sisense is an embedded analytics platform that combines data ingestion, modeling, and dashboarding, allowing organizations to embed analytics and insights directly into their applications and workflows.

Source
Qlik 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.

Source
Sisense: Does Sisense have a transparent pricing model?

Sisense pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales. Typical costs start at $10,000 per year for small teams but can scale to $60,000+ annually depending on users, data volume, number of data sources, and complexity. AI capabilities typically add 20-30% to base costs.

Source
Qlik 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.

Source
Sisense: What data sources can Sisense connect to?

Sisense provides pre-built connectors for popular applications including Salesforce, Google Analytics, Zendesk, and others. It also supports custom connections through APIs and SDKs for specialized data sources.

Source
Qlik 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.

Source
Sisense: Is Sisense easy to use for non-technical users?

Sisense requires significant technical expertise to set up, particularly for creating Elasticubes (database caches) which often need SQL code. While it promotes codeless reporting, typical implementations require a technical resource.

Source
Qlik 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.

Source
Qlik 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.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Qlik Sense

More on Sisense

Keep looking

Other head to heads