Tableau vs Google Data Studio

by Gralio Mar 11, 2025

Tableau and Google Data Studio are both data visualization tools, but Tableau is a paid platform with advanced features for in-depth analysis, while Google Data Studio is a free tool best suited for users already working within the Google ecosystem. Choose Tableau if you need powerful analytics and customization, and choose Data Studio if you prioritize ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and Google integration.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 4658 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 day, 2 hours, 22 minutes of reading.

Logo of Tableau
Logo of Google Data Studio

About

Tableau is a popular data analytics platform that helps businesses make sense of their data. It offers powerful, user-friendly tools for visualizing data, creating interactive dashboards, and sharing insights across your organization. Tableau is suitable for companies of all sizes and is known for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, even for non-technical users. It allows you to connect to various data sources, analyze information visually, and discover trends to make better business decisions.
Google Data Studio is a free tool that lets you create interactive dashboards and reports from your business data. It connects to various data sources like spreadsheets and marketing platforms, allowing you to combine and visualize information in one place. With easy-to-use features, you can share these reports with colleagues and clients, helping everyone understand the data and make informed decisions.

Summary

Main difference
Tableau is a powerful, paid data visualization tool best suited for complex analyses and large datasets, offering advanced features and extensive customization. Google Data Studio is a free tool ideal for users already within the Google ecosystem, providing easy-to-use dashboarding and reporting functionalities with seamless integration with Google products.

Relative strengths of Tableau (compared to Google Data Studio)

  • Advanced data visualization and analysis capabilities.

  • Extensive customization options for dashboards and reports.

  • Broader range of data source connections and integrations.

Relative weaknesses of Tableau (compared to Google Data Studio)

  • Higher cost compared to Google Data Studio.

  • Steeper learning curve for new users.

  • Less seamless integration with Google products compared to Data Studio.

Who is using Tableau and Google Data Studio?

Parikh Financial
Streamline Your Finances, Elevate Your Business.
No data

Who should use Tableau VS. Google Data Studio

Tableau is a powerful data analytics and visualization platform suitable for users of all technical levels. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface enables anyone to connect to diverse data sources, create interactive dashboards, and uncover valuable business insights. Users praise Tableau's performance with large datasets and its user-friendly design, but some have noted the cost and occasional slowdowns.

Google Data Studio, a free tool, empowers businesses to transform data into interactive dashboards and reports. Connecting to various sources like spreadsheets, it offers customizable visualizations and easy sharing. Users praise its seamless Google integrations and user-friendly interface, while some note limitations in data blending and refresh rates.

  • Ideal for companies of all sizes seeking data-driven decision-making.

  • Suitable for most industries, empowering data analysis and visualization across various departments.

  • Ideal for small to large businesses needing data visualization and reporting.

  • Suitable for diverse sectors like marketing, e-commerce, and healthcare.

Tableau and Google Data Studio features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

  • Drag and Drop Interface
    Supported

    Tableau offers a drag-and-drop interface for creating visualizations and dashboards.

    Supported

    Data Studio supports creating visualizations and dashboards via drag and drop.

  • Community Support
    Supported

    Tableau offers community support with resources, training, and a forum.

    Supported

    Looker Studio has community visualizations, external resources, and training. It lacks a dedicated forum.

  • Market Leader in BI
    Supported

    Tableau is a recognized leader in the BI market, with a large market share and analyst recognition.

    Not supported

    Google Data Studio is not a market leader in the broader BI market, but excels in visualization and reporting.

  • Data Visualization
    Supported

    Tableau offers a wide range of charts and graphs, including pareto charts, stacked bar charts, line graphs, area charts, dual-axis combination charts, Gantt charts, and bullet charts, making it easy to visualize data.

    Supported

    Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) supports creating various charts and graphs for data visualization.

  • Interactive charts and graphs
    Supported

    Tableau allows the creation of interactive charts and graphs, with features like filters, drill-downs, tooltips, and dynamic updates, facilitating data exploration and visualization.

    Partially supported

    Data Studio supports interactive charts, graphs, filters, and tooltips, but drill-downs are not explicitly confirmed.

  • Data visualization templates
    Supported

    Tableau offers pre-built templates through various avenues, including Tableau Public, Tableau Accelerators, and third-party providers.

    Supported

    Data Studio offers pre-built templates for various reporting purposes, allowing quick dashboard creation.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    -0.85
    Strongly negative sentiment
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
  • Customer Service
    -0.14
    Neutral sentiment
    No data
  • Ease of Use
    +0.9
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    +0.35
    Rather positive sentiment
    No data
  • Ease of Implementation
    +0.6
    Rather positive sentiment
    No data
  • Scalability
    +0.22
    Neutral sentiment
    No data

Tableau and Google Data Studio Pricing

Tableau offers different editions: Standard, Enterprise, and Tableau+. Tableau+ is only available on Tableau Cloud. All users on a deployment must use the same edition. Nonprofits may be eligible for discounts; contact sales for details.
Plans

User sentiment

Strongly negative
-0.85

See full Pricing page

No data
We couldn't find a pricing page for Google Data Studio.

Tableau and Google Data Studio review insights

Users love

  • User interface with exciting visualisation tools.
  • Works very well as a BI Reporting Tool.
  • Seamless Data Integration
  • The best part about Tableau is the performance and speed which enables me to analyze big data without any slowdowns.
  • Seamless integration with various Google data sources.
  • Easy-to-use interface and drag-and-drop functionality.
  • Highly customizable reports and dashboards.
  • Free to use with a wide range of features.
  • Excellent for creating visually appealing reports.

Users dislike

  • Some time is slow and have some visualizations flexibilities issues.
  • The cost is what comes into my head when I first think of Tableau and the collaborations issues as it isn\'t smooth in the desktop version when cimpared to its competitor Power BI
  • Tableau can be expensive, especially for small businesses or individual users.
  • The Tableau trial period is too short, If they release the free version with limited features it would be beneficial for students to get hands-on experience.
  • Data blending is very difficult to use.
  • Data refresh rate can be slow, leading to delays in real-time data.
  • Occasional bugs and glitches can slow performance.
  • Limited design customization options, especially for fonts.
  • Some third-party connectors are expensive.

Tableau and Google Data Studio Ratings

  • G2
    4.4/5
    (2074)
  • Capterra
    4.6/5
    (2209)
  • Glassdoor
    4.1/5
    (18141)
  • G2
    4.5/5
    (31)
  • Capterra
    4.5/5
    (322)

Company health

Employee growth

2% increase in the last year
58% increase in the last year

Web traffic

7% decrease in the last quarter
6% increase in the last quarter

Financing

July 2022 - $65M
February 2024 - $2M

How do Tableau's pre-built data visualization templates compare to Data Studio's custom dashboard capabilities?

Tableau offers pre-built data visualization templates through various avenues like Tableau Public, Tableau Accelerators, and third-party providers, giving users a starting point for common visualizations. Data Studio, on the other hand, emphasizes custom dashboard capabilities, allowing users to create dashboards tailored to their specific needs by combining various data sources and visualization options. While both offer data visualization tools, Tableau's templates cater to users seeking quick, standardized visuals, whereas Data Studio prioritizes flexibility and customization for building unique dashboards.

Which product best integrates with my existing Google Workspace, given Data Studio's native integration and Tableau's broader third-party connectivity?

Given that Data Studio (Product B) natively integrates with Google Workspace, it's the better choice for seamless integration. While Tableau (Product A) boasts broader third-party connectivity, direct integration with Google Workspace tools will likely provide a smoother, more efficient workflow within your existing environment.

What are the advantages of Tableau?

Tableau's advantages include its market-leading position in BI, robust community support, and a wide array of data visualization options, including interactive charts and graphs, facilitated by a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. It also offers pre-built templates to expedite dashboard creation.

What are the disadvantages of Tableau?

Tableau's cost can be prohibitive, especially for smaller businesses or individuals. The short trial period is also a common complaint, making it difficult for potential users to fully evaluate the software. Some users have reported performance issues, such as slowdowns and occasional bugs. While Tableau is praised for its visualization capabilities, some users find limitations in its flexibility and customization options for visualizations.

Alternatives to Tableau and Google Data Studio

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Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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