What's Looker / Tableau Actually Costing You?
Per-seat BI platform pricing compounds fast. Compare to a one-time custom dashboard build with honest maintenance modeled.
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Your BI platform spend vs custom dashboards
Looker, Tableau, Mode, and Sigma all use per-user pricing that compounds as your analyst team grows. Compare to a one-time custom dashboard build.
Include analysts, ops, and execs who need access
Looker ~$50/user/mo, Tableau ~$70, Mode ~$30 (post-negotiation)
Most BI platforms raise prices 6–12% per year
Advanced: custom build + maintenance
Our Data Analytics engagements start at $10,000
Typical: 10–15% per year for new dashboards + data model changes
How it works
How the Math Works
BI platform total
Users × per-user monthly × 12 × years, compounded by annual price increase. Most BI platforms raise prices 6-12% per year.
Custom dashboard total
Build cost + annual maintenance × years. Maintenance covers new dashboards, data model changes, and ongoing data engineer work.
Breakeven point
When cumulative BI platform spend equals the custom build. Often happens within 18-30 months at typical user counts.
Net savings
Platform total − custom total. Sensitive to user count: every additional analyst seat tilts further toward custom.
Scenarios
Real Comparisons We've Run
Mid-size analytics team
15 users × $50/mo Looker + 8% escalation → $30K over 3 yrs. Custom $10K + 12%/yr → $13.6K. Net savings: $16K. Breakeven: month 8.
Growing data team
30 users × $70/mo Tableau + 10% escalation → $84K over 3 yrs. Custom $25K + 15%/yr → $36K. Net savings: $48K. Breakeven: month 11.
Small team, occasional viewers
5 users × $30/mo Metabase + 5% escalation → $5.9K over 3 yrs. Custom $10K + 10%/yr → $13K. Platform wins.
Custom Wins For You?
Schedule a 30-minute discovery call. We'll review your current BI spend + send a written replacement proposal within a week.