# Looker vs Rill

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Rill

| Attribute | Looker | Rill |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 47.1 (56% (medium)) | 62.2 (77% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 62 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 2,844 |
| adoption.stackoverflow_questions | 2,000 | - |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Looker is a business intelligence and embedded analytics platform owned by Google Cloud that helps organizations explore, visualize, and analyze data to support decision-making. It serves business analysts, data teams, and enterprises seeking to build dashboards, create reports, and embed analytics capabilities into custom applications.","source":"https://cloud.google.com/looker","question":"What is Looker and what is it used for?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"LookML is Looker's proprietary data modeling language that allows developers to define semantic layers, transformations, and business logic on top of raw data. It enables organizations to create a governed, reusable data model that ensures consistent definitions and metrics across all analytics within the platform.","source":"https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/intro","question":"What is LookML and why does Looker use it?","confidence":0.9},{"answer":"Looker uses a subscription-based pricing model with three platform editions (Standard, Enterprise, and Embed) requiring annual commitments. Pricing includes both a platform fee and per-user licensing costs based on user type (Developer, Standard, or Viewer). New customers can access a free trial with 300 dollars in Google Cloud credits.","source":"https://cloud.google.com/looker/pricing","question":"What is the pricing model for Looker?","confidence":0.92},{"answer":"Looker does not offer a permanent free tier, but new users can start with a free trial that includes 300 dollars in Google Cloud credits to explore the platform's capabilities. After the trial period, a paid subscription is required to continue using the platform.","source":"https://cloud.google.com/looker/pricing","question":"Can you use Looker for free?","confidence":0.9},{"answer":"No, Looker is a commercial, proprietary software product owned by Google Cloud. The platform is not open source and requires a paid subscription license to use. Google acquired Looker in 2019 and integrates it as part of its cloud analytics offerings.","source":"https://cloud.google.com/looker","question":"Is Looker open source?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"Embedded analytics refer to integrating Looker dashboards and visualizations directly into third-party applications or custom software, rather than accessing analytics through a separate analytics interface. Organizations use this capability to provide analytics features to end users without requiring them to log into Looker directly, enabling analytics to be embedded in customer-facing applications or internal business systems.","source":"https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/intro","question":"What are embedded analytics in Looker and when would you use them?","confidence":0.88},{"answer":"Looker provides REST APIs that developers can use to build custom applications, automate workflows, and integrate Looker functionality with other tools. Developers can work with LookML for data modeling and use the SQL Runner tool to write custom SQL queries. The APIs enable programmatic access to dashboards, queries, and user management features.","source":"https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs","question":"What programming languages and APIs does Looker support for developers?","confidence":0.87},{"answer":"Looker is primarily deployed as a cloud-based service (SaaS) running on Google Cloud Platform, with customers accessing it through web browsers and mobile applications. The platform is not designed for traditional on-premises self-hosting, positioning it as a fully managed cloud solution.","source":"https://cloud.google.com/looker","question":"Is Looker cloud-only or can it be self-hosted?","confidence":0.9}]` | - |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"hybrid":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Looker transforms static dashboards into governed, agentic analytics experiences. It combines natural language interactions powered by Gemini with a semantic layer to enable organizations to explore data conversationally and automate business decisions through AI agents. | Platform for building analytics with metrics defined in code, then accessed via dashboards, natural language questions, and APIs. Works with multiple data sources and integrates with AI tools for faster insights. |
| features.capabilities | `{"nlq_ai":true,"paradigm":"nlq_search","free_tier":true,"managed_cloud":true,"semantic_layer":"built_in","warehouse_native":true,"connector_breadth":"Cloud data warehouses (Snowflake confirmed), OAuth-authenticated data sources","scheduled_reports":true,"embedded_analytics":true,"transparent_pricing":false}` | `{"nlq_ai":true,"rls_sso":true,"paradigm":"semantic_layer","free_tier":true,"managed_cloud":true,"self_hostable":true,"semantic_layer":"built_in","warehouse_native":true,"connector_breadth":"SQL databases, S3, Google Cloud Storage, and 20+ connectors","scheduled_reports":true,"embedded_analytics":true,"transparent_pricing":true}` |
| integrations.count | 1 | 15 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Snowflake"}]` | `[{"name":"Claude Code"},{"name":"Cursor"},{"name":"ChatGPT"},{"name":"S3"},{"name":"Google Cloud Storage"},{"name":"ClickHouse"},{"name":"ClickHouse Cloud"},{"name":"DuckDB"},{"name":"MotherDuck"},{"name":"Druid"},{"name":"Pinot"},{"name":"Google SSO"},{"name":"Microsoft SSO"},{"name":"Okta"},{"name":"SAML"}]` |
| language.primary | - | Go |
| license.spdx | - | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | `{"source":"https://cloud.google.com/looker","hqCountry":"US","confidence":0.85,"primaryMarkets":["US","GB","DE","JP","AU"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | - | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Starter","summary":"$20/seat/month + $0.15/compute unit-hour","features":["Platform access","Unlimited dashboards, reports, alerts","Embedded analytics (previews only)","Agentic analytics (1M tokens/seat/month)","API access (2,500 calls/seat/month, $0.01/call overage)","Support (1 business day response time)","Single AZ, non-replicated","Google/Microsoft SSO"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":20,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"compute unit-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.15,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB/month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.1,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Small teams getting started with Rill Cloud","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"seats":"20","projects":"3","api_calls":"2,500/seat/month","agentic_analytics_tokens":"1M/seat/month","managed_database_storage":"10GB"}},{"free":false,"name":"Growth","summary":"$30/seat/month + $500/month embedded + $0.20/compute unit-hour","features":["Platform access","Unlimited dashboards, reports, alerts","Embedded analytics ($500/month up to 100 active seats)","Agentic analytics (2M tokens/seat + 200k/embedded)","API access (5,000 calls/seat + 500/embedded, $0.01/call overage)","Support (6 hour response time, 24/7/365)","Multi-AZ, replicated","Google/Microsoft SSO, Okta, SAML, Custom IdP","Custom branding and white-labeling","VPC Peering/PrivateLink","Committed Use Discounts"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":30,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":500,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"compute unit-hour"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.2,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB/month"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.2,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Teams scaling internal and embedded analytics","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"seats":"100","projects":"10","api_calls":"5,000/seat/month + 500/embedded seat/month","embedded_seats_fee":"$500/month for up to 100 active seats","agentic_analytics_tokens":"2M/seat/month + 200k/embedded seat/month","managed_database_storage":"1TB"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom annual pricing with unlimited scale","features":["Platform access (unlimited seats)","Unlimited dashboards, reports, alerts","Embedded analytics (unlimited active seats)","Agentic analytics (custom quota)","API access (custom quota)","Support (1 hour response time, 24/7/365, uptime SLA, dedicated account manager)","Dedicated infrastructure","All Growth plan features"],"commitment":"annual","description":"Organizations needing dedicated scale and governance","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"seats":"unlimited","projects":"unlimited","api_calls":"custom","embedded_seats":"unlimited","support_response_time":"1 hour","agentic_analytics_tokens":"custom"}}],"summary":"From $20/seat/month. Free tier with $250 credit. Hybrid seat + usage-based pricing","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.rilldata.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T22:25:17.008Z","startingPrice":{"amount":0.1,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | no | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | - | low |
| pricing.transparent | no | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 30 | 2 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.89.2","date":"2026-08-26T09:44:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.89.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.89.1","date":"2026-08-25T06:38:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.89.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.89.0","date":"2026-08-20T10:25:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.89.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.6","date":"2026-08-03T10:45:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.5","date":"2026-07-29T17:11:07Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.4","date":"2026-07-24T13:41:07Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.3","date":"2026-07-23T15:08:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.2","date":"2026-07-22T12:58:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.1","date":"2026-07-17T12:05:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.88.0","date":"2026-07-16T10:30:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.88.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.8","date":"2026-07-03T09:07:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.7","date":"2026-06-26T13:43:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.6","date":"2026-06-25T14:41:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.5","date":"2026-06-25T10:08:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.4","date":"2026-06-22T15:48:57Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.3","date":"2026-06-22T11:41:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.2","date":"2026-06-15T13:08:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.1","date":"2026-06-12T13:09:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.87.0","date":"2026-06-11T13:01:33Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.87.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/rilldata/rill/releases/tag/v0.86.6","date":"2026-05-25T10:03:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.86.6"}]` |
| reliability.sla_pct | 99.9 | - |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.iso27001 | yes | - |
| security.soc2 | yes | yes |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Frilldata%2Frill&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (BI Software)

| Capability | Looker | Rill |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| BI paradigm | NLQ / search | Semantic layer |
| Semantic / modelling layer | Built-in | Built-in |
| **Engine** |  |  |
| Warehouse-native (SQL push-down) | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Self-hostable / OSS core | - | ✓ |
| Managed cloud available | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Intelligence** |  |  |
| Natural-language query / AI copilot | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Delivery** |  |  |
| Embedded / white-label analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduled reports / alerting | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Governance** |  |  |
| Row-level security & SSO/SAML | - | ✓ |
| **Commercial** |  |  |
| Per-seat pricing published | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free tier / free desktop | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| dbt-native integration | - | - |
| Data-source connector breadth | Cloud data warehouses (Snowflake confirmed), OAuth-authenticated data sources | SQL databases, S3, Google Cloud Storage, and 20+ connectors |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:14:05.006Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*