Looker Studio

Looker Studio, formerly known as Data Studio, is a Business Intelligence tool within the Google Cloud ecosystem that offers a key advantage over other popular BI tools: a set of free basic BI features, with the option to upgrade to a pro (paid) version for additional capabilities. This free access aligns with Looker Studio’s goal of democratizing data access for business teams.

Looker Studio provides several key features that set it apart:

• A simple and intuitive interface that enables quick visualization creation using a drag-and-drop system.
• Collaboration and versioning options, making it easier for teams to develop reports together.
• Native integration with other Google products (Google Cloud, Google Analytics, Google Sheets, etc.), allowing for direct deployment within the ecosystem.

Looker Studio also supports connections to numerous external data sources, such as CSV files and third-party APIs. Reports can be shared or embedded in web interfaces. However, the tool has limitations in terms of customization for complex use cases, performance with large data volumes, and governance management.

Some features are also locked behind the pro version, including:

• Governance management via Google Cloud IAM.
• Automated delivery of customized exploratory reports.
• Access to a team workspace for enhanced collaboration and content sharing at scale.

Theodo’s point of view

We recommend adopting Looker Studio for companies seeking a fast and cost-effective reporting solution, especially those already using the Google Cloud ecosystem. For more advanced requirements, it may be worth considering more robust alternatives such as Looker or Power BI.