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Move Beyond Legacy BI and LookML

Looker's LookML creates complexity and Google lock-in. Preset is an open analytics platform with semantic layer power, standard SQL, and 40+ database connections — no proprietary language required.

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Why Teams Choose Preset

Open analytics with semantic layer power

No LookML required

Define metrics and business logic with standard SQL and a visual interface. Your analysts can build without learning a proprietary language.

Not just for Google Cloud

Native connections to 40+ databases including Snowflake, Redshift, Databricks, and BigQuery. True multi-cloud flexibility.

50-70% lower cost

Free tier with 5 users forever. No $3,000+ minimum contracts. Simple per-user pricing without platform fees.

Built-in semantic layer

Define metrics, calculated columns, and certified datasets. Ensure consistency across dashboards without LookML's learning curve.

Open-source foundation

Built on Apache Superset with 70k+ GitHub stars. No vendor lock-in. Export your work and self-host if needed.

SQL Lab for exploration

Powerful SQL IDE with autocomplete, query history, and the ability to save queries as datasets. Looker's SQL Runner, but better.

Comparison

Preset vs Looker: Key Differences

Semantic Layer

Looker: LookML (proprietary language, steep learning curve). Preset: SQL-based metrics and visual dataset editor. Define once, use everywhere.

Pricing

Looker: $3,000-5,000/month minimum, complex enterprise pricing. Preset: Free tier, $20/user/month Professional, no minimums or platform fees.

Cloud Flexibility

Looker: Google Cloud-centric, best with BigQuery. Preset: Cloud-agnostic, equal support for AWS, GCP, Azure, and 40+ databases.

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Head-to-Head

Preset vs Looker Feature Comparison

FeaturePresetLooker
100% browser-based (no desktop app)✓✓
Open source foundation✓Apache Superset✗Google proprietary
Standard SQL (no proprietary language)✓✗LookML required
40+ native database connections✓✓Best with BigQuery
Cloud agnostic (AWS, GCP, Azure)✓✗Google Cloud-centric
No dataset size limits✓Query warehouse directly✓
Real-time OLAP database support✓Druid, ClickHouse, Pinot✗Limited
Jinja templating for dynamic SQL✓✗
Full CSS and Theming customization✓✗Limited theming
REST API & CLI access✓✓
Free tier available✓5 users forever✗$3k+/month minimum
Semantic layer support✓dbt, Cube, OSI✓LookML only
Private cloud in your account (fully managed)✓MPC/PCS✗Google Cloud only
Public roadmap you can influence✓GitHub✗
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Many teams find the long-term savings and flexibility justify migration. Preset's team helps translate LookML concepts to our semantic layer. You can run both tools during transition to minimize disruption.

  • Yes. Preset's dataset-centric approach is similar to Looker explores. Users can slice and dice data, add filters, and create visualizations from curated datasets without writing SQL.

  • Preset supports certified datasets, column-level permissions, and row-level security. You can control who sees what data and ensure everyone uses approved metrics and definitions.

  • Yes. Preset serves enterprises with thousands of users and billions of rows. We connect to the same enterprise data warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift) that handle the compute.

Ready to switch?

Try Preset free—no credit card required

See why teams are switching from Looker to open-source BI. Start with our free tier and scale when you're ready.

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Background

Questions?
Talk to our team about migrating from Looker

Ready to make the switch?

Our team can help you evaluate Preset for your Looker workloads and plan a smooth migration.

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<small>Looker is a trademark of Google LLC. Apache Superset is a trademark of The Apache Software Foundation. Preset is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google or The Apache Software Foundation. Feature comparisons are based on publicly available information and may not reflect the most recent product updates.</small>