Looker vs Apache Superset
Looker and Apache Superset are both BI & dashboards tools. Looker is aimed at enterprise and developers, while Apache Superset is aimed at developers and enterprise. Both have a free plan.
Looker
Google Cloud's enterprise BI platform built on LookML
Apache Superset
Open-source data exploration at scale
| Pricing | Paid | Open source |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days | — |
| Built for | Enterprise, Developers | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | US · 2012 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Looker if
Data teams on a modern cloud warehouse, especially BigQuery, that need governed metrics or embedded analytics at scale.
- Single source of truth for metrics across the whole company
- No data extracts: always queries live warehouse data
- Strong embedded analytics and API for customer-facing use
Look elsewhere if: Small teams that need a few dashboards on a budget (Data Studio, Metabase, Power BI).
Choose Apache Superset if
Data teams wanting open-source BI at scale.
- Free and powerful
- Scales to large data
- Open source
Look elsewhere if: Non-technical small teams (Metabase).
Looker vs Apache Superset pricing
Looker
- StandardCustomUnder 50 users; incl. 10 standard + 2 developer users; annual
- EnterpriseCustomInternal BI at scale; 1 to 3 year commitments
- EmbedCustomExternal and customer-facing analytics at scale
- Trial$030 days; 5 viewer, 1 standard, 1 developer user
Apache Superset
- Open source$0Apache 2.0, self-hosted
- Preset Starter$0Managed cloud, up to 5 users
- Preset Professional$25/user/mo$20/user/mo billed annually; 14-day trial
- Preset EnterpriseCustomDeployment at scale, AI agent access
Looker · Key features
- LookML semantic layer with Git version control for governed metrics
- In-database querying on BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift and Databricks
- Gemini conversational analytics across up to five Explores
- Explores for self-service drill-down without writing SQL
- Embedded analytics with signed embedding and APIs for customer apps
- Scheduled deliveries and alerts to email, Slack and webhooks
Cons
- No published prices; contracts are typically five figures and up
- Requires developers who know LookML
- Visualisation options are weaker than Tableau
Apache Superset · Key features
- SQL Lab IDE
- 40+ chart types
- Dashboards
- Semantic layer
- RBAC
- Many databases
Cons
- Setup and maintenance
- UX less friendly than Metabase
- Learning curve
Looker vs Apache Superset: FAQ
Do Looker and Apache Superset have a free plan?
Yes, both Looker and Apache Superset have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.