With the large amount of data we deal with in the modern world, sorting through it all manually is almost impossible.
While it is a good idea to find a decent data analysis or visualization tool, picking one out of hundreds, if not thousands, of available tools can be hard.
If you did your research, you probably found out that Sisense and Tableau are highly reputable and reliable tools that have lots to offer.
But which tool would fit your data needs the best? Keep on reading as that’s exactly what you’ll find out in this Sisense vs Tableau comparison review!
What is Sisense?
Most people know Sisense as a data analytical software, but it is actually a business intelligence company with headquarters in New York and offices all around the world.
They’re the creators of Sisense software that is a business intelligence (BI) tool that helps companies sort, manage, and support their business by analyzing their data.
Therefore, no matter how much data your business might have if you are not analyzing it to generate relevant business trends, Sisense is a great software that can help you out.
What is Tableau?
Tableau is a similar company to Sisense, yet they’re focusing on visualizing the data and still provide business intelligence.
Therefore, most of you might know Tableau as a software, but it is a world-known company that produced the data visualization business intelligence software.
While this company allows you to import your data, sort it, manage it, and analyze it to discover business trends that can work in your favor, there’s much more to it.
Tableau is also training new people in business data management and business intelligence so if you don’t have any idea what you’re doing and yet you know business intelligence is an important step to take, Tableau is a good software to get started with.
How to Get Started
Sisense
To start using Sisense, all you have to do is visit the official Sisense website. A big yellow “Start Free Trial” button will appear and that’s what you need to click to get started.
All you need to input is your email and choose one of the ways you would like to use Sisense.
Since Sisense is a web-based tool, you won’t have to download the tool and yet you’ll get your login credentials to use the software directly through your browser.
Tableau
Tableau also has a free 14-day trial that allows you to quickly get started even before having to pay for anything.
But what Tableau also has is a “see it in action” page that shows you a quick walkthrough video. This video explains how to get started with Tableau but it also shows the most important features so you know exactly how Tableau can work in your favor.
When you’re ready, you can fill out the trial information form which will lead you to a download link.
Then when you download and install the Tableau software, you will be able to log in using your credentials and start getting to know the software’s interface.
Verdict
Both tools have a free trial which is great but Sisense’s effortless approach wins this category as you only have to input less information and there’s no download requirement.
Data Import & Preparation
Sisense
Sisense offers data storage so you get to import data in almost any form from any source. However, you should keep in mind that you might need a data analyst that will prepare and import your data before the first use.
On the bright side, Sisense offers in-cloud data storage so all your data will be securely stored in the cloud. If you prefer keeping your data at your servers and bringing Sisense to your company, you can also opt-in for on-premises Sisense deployment.
Tableau
Tableau also offers to store your data on their cloud and when you import any data, you will get help from Prep and Prep Conductor.
On top of that, from the moment you import any data, Tableau will give you a virtual dashboard to clean your data, combine it, and prepare it for analysis.
With three different views of your uploaded data, you’ll be able to do all the preparation yourself. But keep in mind that some companies might need to purchase a Prep or Prep Conductor license to prepare and cleanse the data.
Verdict
Both tools offer great versatility, but Tableau provides more options and has an available Prep or Prep Conductor license to keep the data import and preparation a smooth process which is why it slightly wins this category.
Smart Dashboards
Sisense
Sisense’s business intelligence dashboard is split into different categories to match the needs of different industries.
When you choose the industry, the industry-specific dashboard will also feature different dashboard types to match your needs. For example, in the marketing industry, you’ll have access to various dashboards such as marketing campaigns, leads to winning analysis, growth share, A/B testing dashboard, Facebook Insights dashboard, and more.
This will help you visually represent and view your specific data.
Tableau
Tableau offers one dashboard type, but it also includes features that enable you to combine multiple views of your data.
With this type of dashboard, you won’t ever miss any data (no matter the volume), and yet you’ll be able to make visually appealing representations that are easy to share with your colleagues.
Tableau’s dashboard also features great elements that make presentations easy to understand yet also give complex data a way to get read quickly and accurately.
Verdict
Both Sisense and Tableau have great dashboards that are as important as the data management and cleaning process. Sisense has a bit of a modern approach to the way data is visualized and they have many custom-fit dashboards for all industries and sub-niches in every industry. Therefore, Sisense wins this category.
Data Governance
Sisense
Data governance is all about providing the right access across various levels in your company and Sisense has a great data governance approach.
Sisense introduced five user roles that are easy to set and can be further customized to each user within your company.
All governance control is done through the Sisense REST API which is fairly easy to use.
Tableau
Tableau has a different approach to data governance than Sisense. They have only three groups: centralized, delegated, or self-regulating.
With these categories, data governance can be set for each user, but it can also be further customized (self-regulated).
What’s great about this is that Tableau’s data governance approach allows quick and steady scaling which can be a huge advantage for companies of any size that are rapidly growing in both data and team members.
Verdict
Both tools have an excellent approach to data governance and it won’t ever be an issue for a company of any size. Therefore, this is a tie between Sisense and Tableau.
Embedded Analytics
Sisense
Both tools include embedded analytics, but Sisense took analytics to another level by featuring a platform where companies can build their custom analytical tools.
From there, you can use your custom-built analytical tools and integrate them into any third-party app you’re using through API or as a standalone plugin.
Sisense took analytics so far that it is even compatible with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa for various custom uses.
Most companies will be fine with embedded analytics, but it’s good to know that there’s an option for every company that needs to go the extra mile.
Tableau
Tableau offers great embedded analytics, yet just like Sisense, Tableau is also offering custom embedded controls.
With these embedded analytics, you offer an even better BI experience to whoever is reading the data analysis, yet you can also make the most of your resources (data).
In fact, Tableau customers were able to increase revenue by driving engagement and find potential sources of income from existing products/services.
Verdict
Both Sisense and Tableau thought embedded analytics through both tools provides a great solution to businesses who are looking to work within the software to produce even better results from their sources. Therefore, this category is a tie.
Integrations
Sisense
Sisense is good at allowing companies to infuse its artificial intelligence analytics into various workflows, processes, products, and even applications.
Remember how I’ve mentioned that you have to choose the way you’d use Sisense when you’re starting your trial?
You get to choose between analytics or embed-type use which allows you to either integrate Sisense into your business applications, projects, or anything – anywhere your teams spend most of their time.
Therefore, Sisense is good at integrating into your existing business structure and only harvesting the most important aspect (which is data) to provide you with AI-powered data analytics.
Tableau
Tableau is also known as one of the broadest yet deepest analytical platforms, and ever since it was bought by Salesforce, its integrations improved.
You can use Tableau deeply in the cloud or on-premises, but you can also integrate it with Salesforce CRM.
Wherever you integrate Tableau, you can use the data AI/ML capabilities so visual storytelling and collaboration are guaranteed.
Verdict
If only Tableau was easy to integrate with other CRM software or other types of tools, its integration would be even stronger. However, Sisense is doing a brilliant job and that’s why Sisense wins this category.
Ease of Use
Sisense
Sisense is a web-based tool and it’s very easy to set it up and start importing data. Once data is imported and sorted through, you can use any of the hundreds of available interface types to represent your data in the best way possible.
For a web-based tool, Sisense is very easy to get started with and use, and it doesn’t take long to fully set it up to experience business benefits.
Tableau
Even though Tableau is software that has to be downloaded and installed, it is very simple to set it up, analyze data, and even understand the data in visually appealing reports.
Tableau is all about answering questions you may ask yourself after trying to figure out your data rather than providing software that needs to be learned inside out.
Therefore, limitless data exploration with a very small learning curve is a result. As a result, Tableau helps companies improve the flow of analysis and that’s just one of many reasons why businesses love using it.
Verdict
While both tools are quick and easy to set up and fairly easy to use, Tableau surprised everyone with how small the learning curve is and yet how quickly a business can adapt its data analysis and process to Tableau.
Therefore, Tableau wins this category.
Processing Power
Sisense
Sisense is a web-based tool, but it won’t ever lag or be too harsh on your browser. Why?
It is built with in-chip technology that ensures your computer is fully using its power by basing Sisense on the CPU (central processing unit) instead of the RAM and disk memory of your computer.
Therefore, any decent computer will be able to easily run Sisense. Sisense also claims that it works even smoother the more you use it as it builds blocks from queries so queries are re-used in the future which eliminates waiting time.
Tableau
Tableau is a software based on Hyper technology that improves the speed and processing power of the tool by increasing queries which eventually improves the processing speed.
Therefore, Tableau is ideal for computers that run multi-core processors (almost any modern computer). With the in-memory technology, Tableau can break down queries into smaller work units that won’t ever overuse the full processing capacity of your computer.
Verdict
Both tools have a brilliant approach to providing a great solution to one of the most common issues, which is processing power.
Even though Tableau is also very decent, Sisense has to take credit for this one for creating such a complex tool available in a web browser while eliminating processing power errors.
Natural Language Features
Sisense
Sisense offers natural language features that help add narratives that explain data and can even answer questions regarding user’s data. However, this isn’t free and every company will have to purchase an add-on license.
When purchased, Sisense adds English descriptions to widgets that serve as a better explanation, but it also offers a bot that is usable in third-party tools such as Slack. This bot helps analyze the data upon questions and deliver answers directly to users.
Tableau
Tableau only adds natural language features with the help of a connection to tools such as Wordsmith.
With the help of third-party apps, Tableau can provide descriptions for the metrics and insights of the data.
This is a decent way for everyone who just wants to find insights inside a bunch of data without learning to code.
Verdict
Both tools provide a decent option to natural language, but Sisense did a really good job at integrating it better and that’s why it wins this category.
Tableau vs Sisense – Pricing
Sisense
Sisense offers a free trial and after the trial, you will have to get in touch with Sisense to get custom pricing.
What’s different about Sisense is that it doesn’t have one pricing system that fits all businesses.
Instead, they work with businesses one-on-one to listen to the needs of a business before drafting a custom price that will fit the business.
Of course, this takes a lot more time for Sisense, but they’re committed to providing custom pricing that’s based on an annual license model where there are “no surprises”.
Even though you can’t find out the pricing immediately, Sisense guarantees immediate ROI, customer commitment, and a full-stack solution so you will have everything you need to analyze your data and take full advantage of it without breaking the bank.
For the latest pricing information, visit the official pricing page.
Tableau
Tableau has a 14-day free trial, but after that, you will be able to choose one of a couple of pricing models.
The great thing about Tableau is that they divided pricing into three different categories:
- For individuals
- For teams and organizations
- Embedded analytics
From there, each category has different pricing plans that will most likely fit the needs.
Individuals will be able to get a Tableau Creator pricing plan that runs at $70/month.
However, organizations and teams will be able to choose between on-premises/public-cloud or fully hosted by Tableau plans.
On-Premises/Public-Cloud pricing is divided into three categories:
- Tableau Viewer – $12/user/month
- Tableau Explorer – $35/user/month
- Tableau Creator – $70/user/month
Fully hosted by Tableau pricing plans include:
- Tableau Viewer – $15/user/month
- Tableau Explorer – $42/user/month
- Tableau Creator – $70/user/month
Therefore, if you are a large team and you are going for the best package available, you can have the tool hosted by Tableau and see no huge difference in pricing.
Also, you have to keep in mind that additional Tableau add-ons range from $5.50 to $250 per add-on.
For the latest pricing, visit the official pricing page.
Check out how Tableau does when put against the likes of Power BI.
Similarities
Both Sisense and Tableau offer:
- Free trial
- Data visualization
- Multiple data importing ways
- Public and private dashboards
- Great fit for medium to large companies
- Customizable dashboard
- Visual reports
- Natural language features
Differences
- Sisense is a web-based tool while Tableau is downloadable software
- Sisense has only a by-quote pricing system while Tableau has set pricing plans
- Sisense supports more languages than Tableau
- Tableau offers dashboard comments while Sisense doesn’t
Sisense vs Tableau – Pros and Cons
Sisense Pros
- Great design and dashboard visualization makes the tool easy to use
- You don’t have to be a coder or developer to take advantage of the tool
- Very easy to get started using the tool
- Performance and improvements are guaranteed
- Data discovery is very effective
- Easy integrations of different APIs
- Lots of customization available
- Custom-fit industry dashboards
Sisense Cons
- Admins can’t edit each others’ dashboards which could be improved
- Navigation and filters on mobile platforms could be improved
Tableau Pros
- Performance is very quick
- The very small learning curve
- Remarkable data visualizations
- Ability to import data from multiple sources
- Great support and thriving community
- Mobile responsive design
- The dashboard is minimalistic and easy to use
Tableau Cons
- Inflexible pricing
- Can be difficult to create data reports with complex visuals
- Requires proper data cleaning before using the tool, otherwise, it is ineffective
Sisense vs Tableau – Which is Better?
Doing all your data analysis manually is barely impossible, and yet it can only lead to unsorted data that will most likely accumulate.
Tools like Sisense and Tableau are not only great at helping you visualize your data, but these tools allow you to sort through your data from the moment you import it.
Both tools reviewed in this Tableau vs Sisense comparison post are on the high-end of a competitive business intelligence software and they’re a great fit for businesses of all sizes.
They’re very similar in some aspects such as deployment, capabilities, and features. However, they are also different in other aspects, especially in the way they work.
If you’re looking for a tool that will help you have very specific control over your data permissions and yet have internal dashboards where you can analyze your data, Tableau is a good option.
On the other hand, if you need a tool that will help you build data-driven and analytical-based apps, Sisense is a great choice because of the variety of in-built features it offers.
According to this comparison review and the categories I took as an example for the comparison, Sisense won the review with a slight advantage.
However, I also believe that both tools are great and yet it’s a matter of preference which will help you decide on one of these tools that will fit the needs of your company the most.
Even pricing can be important as not only the pricing is different, but models are also different. If you prefer working closely with a company and have constant support, Sisense is a great choice.
On the other hand, if you prefer fixed pricing plans and making a choice on your own, Tableau should be your choice.
If you still can’t make a decision, I recommend you just go with either choice as you won’t be wrong!
