Top Sisense Competitors for Embedded Analytics in 2025

When researching embedded analytics tools, Sisense is bound to show up as one of the top contenders for building interactive dashboards within products. It has powerful data analysis features, solid data visualizations, and it's relatively easy to embed in different environments.

At the same time, it has very secretive pricing, and once you get to your quote, it can go into six figures per year. It can also be pretty slow with large-scale data processing, and it doesn't have a huge selection of data visualizations.

Let's look at some common reasons why Sisense customers switch to other embedded business intelligence tools, and what those tools are.

Why do people look for Sisense competitors?

Sisense is a popular option for companies that want data analytics capabilities embedded in their website or app. It's a good alternative to traditional business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Tableau that are more geared towards on-premise use cases.

Sisense actually started out in that same fashion: as an internal BI tool. As time went by, they quickly realized that they can’t compete with the likes of giants such as Looker or Power BI, so they switched their focus to embedded analytics.

The consequences are tha, albeit being an embedded-first tool, Sisense has a lot of the remnants of the BI tool architecture, such as limited customization options.

High costs

Want to figure out Sisense pricing? There are no shortcuts, and you'll have to talk to their sales team to find out the details for your unique use case. We've done some research on how much this analytics platform costs, and the results are not great: it's anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 and up per year.

For startups looking to provide data insights to their end users, Sisense can simply be too expensive to justify. And once you factor in the added costs of embedding dashboards, data modeling and transforming raw data into something usable, Sisense might become prohibitively pricey.

Complexity of use for developers and end users

Whether you want to build dashboards for internal stakeholders or add embedded analytics functionality to your platform, getting off the ground can be difficult, even if you have previous BI experience. Here is how Sisense users describe their experience:

"Permissions can be difficult to navigate. Currently, there's only a single owner of any given Sisense object. Only the owner can publish any changes. Luckily Sisense is working on a feature for multi-owner functionality." - Source

"Blox, which gives the developer the ability to manipulate the functionality and look/feel completely is complex, and difficult to implement. It has the same difficulty as DAX: it's far more powerful than DAX, and can change to visuals of a widget/page, but lacks the documentation, however you rarely need to use it.

It can be hard to find support information, there isn't the online community you find with the largest tools, but this is getting better. Sisense should focus on creating better documentation and guides for specific use-cases." - Source

"What makes Sisense great is also what makes it occasionally frustrating. There are so many options for viewing data, including what feels like an unlimited number of dashboards, it's easy to drown yourself in data. Learning how to use filters well is crucial for getting the most from Sisense, especially if you're working with a large dataset." - Source

Performance issues with large data sets

If you work with large data sets or write custom queries, Sisense might take a while to load. While this may not be an issue for internal use cases, it can be a major problem for end-users just trying to monitor key metrics in a dashboard.

Here's how one user put it: "Too slow in fetching data from the database if you are writing customized queries. The same query runs in the database within a second but Sisense takes 10 to 20 minutes or sometimes hours in execution."

One way to go around this issue is to aggregate your data: "Data needs to be aggregated otherwise it leads to performance issues."

But at the end of the day, Sisense is simply slow for a BI tool, which is something to bear in mind before using it in an embedded analytics environment.

"For being a web tool, the performance sometimes can be an issue as well as debugging or finding the root cause for an error. Sometimes it's solved by just refreshing the page, other times I need to contact the support." - Source

Lack of data visualization options and chart types

To do proper data exploration and analysis, end users should be able to choose from a wide range of visualizations. In Sisense, business users have limited visualization types, especially compared to industry leaders such as Power BI and Tableau.

As one user said: "There are some limitations on variability in the charts you create. You cannot create as complex visuals as you can in some other data visualization tools, for example, map charts and auto-bucketing for histograms."

This is the result of an architectural flaw in most embedded analytics tools: that they decide the charts you can choose from, and how you might want to edit them. If you’re looking for unlimited flexibility in the charting options, you might want to opt for a headless embedded analytics tool like Embeddable.

Top Sisense competitors for embedded analytics in 2025

Whether you want to offer self-service analytics to your end users or need a reliable way to explore data in your team, Sisense just may not be enough. Below, we added some of the best Sisense competitors for embedded analytics to consider in 2025. On top of BI tools built for internal reporting (e.g., Tableau, Metabase, Power BI etc.), we included a number of tools built specifically for embedded analytics, such as Embeddable.

Embeddable

Embeddable is a developer-first embedded analytics platform built for lightning-fast, customer-facing dashboards. Launched in 2023 as the first headless embedded analytics tool, it gives full control over the UI/UX and performance. It’s positioned as a modern Sisense alternative that loads in milliseconds and feels native in your app.

Top features:

• Headless architecture enables you to embed any chart or visualization. Developers can extend the provided chart library or create custom ones via code. This means there are no limits on chart types or designs.
• Native embedding (no iframes): Embeddable uses a Web Component or native React embed to load analytics directly in the DOM (no iframe), allowing bi-directional interaction with your app. Dashboards truly blend into your product’s look and feel, and when someone wants to analyze data, it looks like they're still in your app.
• High performance: A multi-layer caching data service yields sub-second load times​. Embeddable connects directly to real-time databases like ClickHouse, StarTree and Druid, for lightning-fast analytics.
• No-code editor: In addition to the code flexibility, it offers a no-code dashboard builder for non-technical users to create reports and iterate on them​.
• Scalability & security: Embeddable supports row-level security and multi-tenant setups out-of-the-box, with a semantic layer and configurable caching for efficient scaling​.

Why it’s better than Sisense:

• Unlimited customization: Because of its headless approach, Embeddable isn’t restricted to a fixed set of chart types or styles. On the other hand, Sisense allows only theme tweaks on predefined visuals​.
• Truly seamless integration: Embeddable avoids iframes entirely​, delivering a more native user experience than Sisense’s iframe embeds.
• Transparent, flat pricing: Embeddable offers flat-rate pricing with no per-user fees, so you can scale user counts freely. Sisense’s pricing is typically usage or user-based and often expensive for large audiences.
• Performance at scale: Users report Embeddable’s dashboards load extremely fast, thanks to aggressive caching, whereas Sisense dashboards can be slower under heavy data loads​. This means a snappier experience for your end-users.

Get access to Embeddable today.

GoodData

GoodData is a veteran in the analytics space, known for powering the embedded analytics in many SaaS applications. It provides a full-stack BI platform with a strong semantic layer and multi-tenant support. GoodData allows companies to deliver both internal BI and customer-facing analytics from a single tool, making it a popular Sisense alternative for unified use cases.

Top features:

• Multiple embedding options: GoodData is one of the few platforms that supports embedding via a Web Component (no iframe), as well as JavaScript SDK or iframes​.
• Semantic layer & metrics: It offers a robust semantic model to define reusable metrics and data relationships.
• Multi-tenant architecture: GoodData was built with multi-tenancy in mind – you can easily isolate data by client or workspace and apply row-level security for each tenant.
• No-code and code combo: Analysts can use a drag-and-drop interface to create visuals, while developers can leverage APIs to automate and extend analytics, e.g. for predictive analytics use cases.
• Enterprise features: From governance (SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA compliance​ to custom branding and theming, GoodData covers enterprise needs. You can deploy it as a cloud service or self-hosted for full control.

Why it’s better than Sisense:

• True headless experience: GoodData is designed to be fully composable and API-first, which gives developers complete control over how dashboards, metrics, and visualizations are built and embedded. Sisense offers APIs too, but GoodData is more modular and cloud-native from the ground up, supporting headless BI use cases more cleanly.
• Cloud-native multi-tenant tech: GoodData Cloud uses a multitenant architecture with strong isolation, built for the cloud (supporting Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, etc.). While Sisense also supports these, it's heavier and often requires more IT support to configure properly.

ThoughtSpot

ThoughtSpot is a analytics platform distinguished by its search-driven interface and AI capabilities. Instead of relying solely on preset dashboards, ThoughtSpot allows users to ask questions in natural language and get answers and charts.

With ThoughtSpot Everywhere (its embedding solution), you can embed this search-powered analytics experience into your application, providing an AI-driven data exploration approach.

Top features:

• Search-driven analytics: ThoughtSpot’s hallmark is a simple search bar for analytics. Users type queries as if using Google (e.g., “Total sales by product in Europe this month”) and ThoughtSpot dynamically generates the relevant visualization or table​. This empowers even non-technical end-users to explore data on their own.
• AI-powered insights (SpotIQ): Built-in AI algorithms automatically analyze your data to surface trends, anomalies, and insights without being explicitly asked. An end-user can get AI-generated charts highlighting noteworthy patterns, which adds tremendous value beyond static reports.
• Live analytics on cloud data: ThoughtSpot can connect directly to cloud data warehouses (like Snowflake, BigQuery, etc.) and run live queries, or use its in-memory engine for speed. This means up-to-date data in your embedded insights, without requiring heavy data extracts.
• ThoughtSpot Everywhere SDK: For embedding, ThoughtSpot provides an SDK to integrate the search bar or specific ThoughtSpot visualizations (from “Liveboards”) into your app. You can embed entire interactive dashboards or just the search-driven interface, and customize the look via iframes or front-end config.
• Self-service and collaboration: Business users can create shareable Liveboards (dashboards) and pin answers they found via search. This encourages a collaborative analytics culture. In an embedded scenario, it means your application’s users can go from asking ad-hoc questions to building their own mini-report, all within the product.

Why it’s better than Sisense:

• Automated insights: The AI engine SpotIQ will find insights a user might not even think to ask for​. This proactive insight generation is something Sisense lacks – it can give you charts for metrics you define, but it won’t surprise you with trends or outliers automatically.
• Seamless big data handling: ThoughtSpot was designed to handle large-scale, cloud data. Suppose your app needs to analyze billions of records on the fly. In that case, ThoughtSpot’s architecture (and its integration with cloud warehouses) might handle those queries faster or more flexibly than Sisense’s in-chip or cached approach.
• Modern UI and UX: The look and feel of ThoughtSpot is clean and geared towards quick exploration, which can be a selling point for your product.

One consideration: ThoughtSpot’s visualization customization is improving, but historically has been less flexible than Sisense’s (focused more on simplicity than complex custom charts). Also, ThoughtSpot can be costly and may require training for users to fully leverage the search.

Luzmo

Luzmo (previously Cumul.io) is an embedded analytics platform for SaaS applications. It provides a lightweight, out-of-the-box solution for quickly adding dashboards to your product with minimal coding. Founded in Belgium, Luzmo focuses on simplicity and a smooth end-user experience, making it a strong alternative for teams that found Sisense too heavy or complex for their needs.

Top features

• Drag-and-drop dashboard designer: Luzmo offers an easy UI for building dashboards with charts, tables, etc. It’s designed to be intuitive and straightforward, even for non-technical users. This means faster dashboard creation and iteration, as well as doing things such as predictive analytics without previous experience.
• End-user self-service: A standout feature is Luzmo’s self-service BI interface for your end customers​. You can embed a dashboard editor in your app, allowing end-users to create or customize their own dashboards (within limits you define) – a capability usually only found in much larger BI tools.
• Multiple embedding options: Luzmo dashboards can be embedded via iframes or using their SDK. They also support embedding via a secured API endpoint for cases where data comes from a web service rather than direct database connections.
• Basic theming and white-labeling: You can apply your product’s colors and fonts easily, so the embedded components match your design. Full white-label (removing Luzmo branding) is available on higher plans (often used by SaaS OEM customers).
• Conversational analytics: Luzmo has recently introduced a chatbot interface that allows users to ask questions and get chart answers (bringing a bit of AI flavor). While not as advanced as ThoughtSpot’s search, it’s a forward-looking feature adding to user engagement.

Why it’s better than Sisense

• Speed of integration: Luzmo is purpose-built for quick embedding. Teams can get dashboards live in days, not months.
• Simplicity for developers and users: The platform’s simplicity is its strength – fewer features means less complexity to wade through. Luzmo’s straightforward approach yields a gentler learning curve for your developers and a cleaner interface for end-users.
• Cost-effective for mid-scale: Luzmo’s pricing is transparent and generally has a lower barrier (reports indicate ~$2k/month for full white-label capabilities).

If your use case calls for basic but pretty dashboards embedded quickly and you don’t need the full analytical depth of Sisense, Luzmo can be a refreshing alternative.

Other internal BI tools with embedding features

These tools are traditional business intelligence platforms that offer embedded analytics as a feature. When embedding, their dashboards will not feel as native or load as fast as  tools built specifically for customer-facing / embedded analytics. Switching from Sisense to these tools is often unnecessary, unless they have a really specific feature you need. .

Power BI is a user-friendly BI tool ideal for teams using Microsoft products. While its embedded version works well within the Microsoft ecosystem, it's not built from the ground up for embedding, making customization tricky. It offers low-cost licensing, strong security, and native Azure integration.

Its familiar Excel-like interface and broad community support make it easy to adopt. However, layout limitations and complex embedding steps make it less flexible than purpose-built embedded analytics tools like Sisense.

Tableau is known for stunning visuals and in-depth data exploration. It connects to nearly any data source and has a large ecosystem of extensions. While it supports embedding, it's primarily designed for internal dashboards, so embedding can feel clunky and slow. 

Tableau’s strength lies in its visualization power and enterprise readiness. However, its steep learning curve and high embedded licensing costs may deter small teams seeking quick-to-deploy embedded analytics.

Looker uses a developer-first approach with LookML to deliver consistent metrics across dashboards. Its strength is in tightly integrated, code-driven analytics, especially if you're in the Google Cloud ecosystem. 

Looker’s API-first design allows for deeper embedding and workflow integration than Sisense. However, it’s expensive, and like Sisense, uses iframes, limiting layout control. Ideal for teams prioritizing semantic consistency and developer-driven customization over out-of-the-box visuals.

Qlik Sense offers powerful associative data exploration, allowing users to interact with data dynamically. It's built for large-scale enterprise use with strong security, hybrid hosting, and rich visualizations. 

Qlik’s APIs offer deep embedding options beyond simple iframes. Its data integration capabilities (via Talend) also stand out. While its visuals will require restyling to match your app, Qlik excels at flexible data exploration and scalable embedded analytics compared to Sisense’s more rigid dashboards.

Zoho Analytics is a budget-friendly BI tool with strong AI features, easy drag-and-drop reporting, and over 250 data connectors. Its embedded analytics solution includes white labeling, JavaScript API support, and built-in automation with workflows and alerts. 

With Zia, users can query data in natural language and receive AI-generated insights. Compared to Sisense, Zoho offers transparent pricing, fast setup, and all features included in base plans. It’s especially well-suited for SMBs and mid-market apps needing embedded analytics without enterprise-level costs or complexity.

Yellowfin stands out for data storytelling, allowing users to create guided narratives with charts and commentary. It includes automated insights (Signals), collaborative tools like annotations and discussions, and strong visual customization. 

Designed for OEMs, Yellowfin offers embedding via APIs and iframes. Compared to Sisense, Yellowfin excels at contextualizing data and enabling in-app collaboration. It might be an interesting pick if your product needs not just analytics but interactive reporting with user discussions and guided insights.

Conclusion

Sisense is an extremely capable business intelligence app that can give data insights capabilities to your end users. However, it misses a few key points to excel in an embedded setting: real time data access with great performance, high customizability, low costs and an exceptional user experience.

If you want something similar at a lower price then consider tools like Luzmo or GoodData.

If you really need AI features, take a look at ThoughtSpot.

If you're looking for something that loads fast and gives you more flexibility and control over the end-user expeirnece than an off-the-shelf embedded BI tool like Sisense, then consider using a headless embedded analytics tool like Embeddable. With Embeddable, you can import any chart and modify or extend them in code. This control over the UX and UI enables you to create beautiful, native-feeling dashboards that load fast due to its performant data service, lightweight embedding options and built-in caching layers.

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