Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Looker VS SmartThings

Compare Looker VS SmartThings and see what are their differences

Looker logo Looker

Looker makes it easy for analysts to create and curate custom data experiencesโ€”so everyone in the business can explore the data that matters to them, in the context that makes it truly meaningful.

SmartThings logo SmartThings

SmartThings makes it easy to turn your home into a smart home.
  • Looker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-11

Looker is a business intelligence platform with an analytics-oriented application server that sits on top of relational data stores. The Looker platform includes an end-user interface for exploring data, a reusable development paradigm for creating data discovery experiences, and an extensible API set so the data can exist in other systems. Looker enables anyone to search and explore data, build dashboards and reports, and share everything easily and quickly.

  • SmartThings Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-21

Looker features and specs

  • Powerful Data Modeling
    Looker uses LookML, a proprietary modeling language, making it possible to transform raw data into meaningful metrics and dimensions, providing deep insights without needing SQL expertise.
  • Ease of Use
    Its intuitive user interface enables non-technical users to create visualizations and reports with relative ease, reducing the workload on data teams.
  • Customization
    Looker offers extensive customization options for data exploration and visualization, allowing dashboards and reports to be tailored to specific user needs.
  • Embedded Analytics
    Provides robust capabilities for embedding analytics into applications or portals, broadening the scope of data-driven decision-making throughout the organization.
  • Real-time Data
    Supports real-time data analytics by querying live data, which ensures up-to-date insights and helps in making timely decisions.
  • Integrations
    Looker integrates seamlessly with a wide range of databases and cloud data warehouses, including Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, and Snowflake.

Possible disadvantages of Looker

  • Learning Curve
    LookML, while powerful, can be complex for beginners who are not already familiar with data modeling or SQL, resulting in a steep learning curve.
  • Cost
    Looker can be expensive, especially for small businesses, as pricing is typically based on the number of users and the data volume processed.
  • Performance
    Query performance can sometimes be slow, especially with complex data models and large data sets, which may impact the user experience.
  • Customization Constraints
    While Looker offers great customization, certain advanced customizations may require significant expertise and time, posing a potential barrier.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Looker is primarily designed for online use, so it lacks robust offline capabilities, which can be a limitation for users who need access to data in situations without internet connectivity.

SmartThings features and specs

  • Wide Compatibility
    SmartThings supports a wide range of devices from different manufacturers, allowing users to integrate and control various smart home devices in one platform.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The app provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible even for users who are new to smart home technology.
  • Automation Capabilities
    SmartThings offers robust automation features, enabling users to create custom routines and automate their devices based on triggers like time of day or device interactions.
  • Cloud Connectivity
    SmartThings leverages cloud connectivity to allow for control and monitoring of devices remotely from anywhere, as long as the user has an internet connection.
  • Developer-Friendly
    The platform provides tools and resources for developers to create custom integrations and expand the functionality of SmartThings through its API.

Possible disadvantages of SmartThings

  • Reliance on Cloud
    SmartThings' dependence on cloud services for certain functionalities can lead to potential issues like latency or outages if there's a problem with the internet connection.
  • Privacy Concerns
    With cloud-based operations, there's always a concern regarding data privacy and the potential for unauthorized access to personal information.
  • Limited Local Control
    Some users may find the limited options for local device control a drawback, especially if internet connectivity is unreliable in their area.
  • Complex Setup for Advanced Features
    While it is user-friendly, setting up advanced features and custom automations may require a learning curve or deeper technical understanding.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Devices
    The integration of third-party devices might lead to compatibility issues, varying performance, or less seamless experiences if updates or changes occur in those devices.

Analysis of Looker

Overall verdict

  • Looker is generally considered a robust solution for organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. Its flexibility, extensibility, and ease of use make it a strong contender in the BI space, though it may require some learning and setup effort to fully utilize its features.

Why this product is good

  • Looker is a data analytics platform that provides powerful tools for data exploration, visualization, and business intelligence. It offers a user-friendly interface and is known for its ability to connect to a wide variety of data sources. Looker's LookML, a modeling language, allows users to define data relationships and calculations, making it easier to create custom reports and dashboards. Additionally, it integrates well with other tools and supports collaboration with data teams.

Recommended for

  • Companies seeking scalable and flexible business intelligence solutions.
  • Organizations that need to integrate multiple data sources.
  • Teams looking for a collaborative platform with custom reporting capabilities.
  • Users who prefer a code-based approach to data modeling and analysis.

Looker videos

Looker Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How To Use Looker as a Business User
  • Review - Looker Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

SmartThings videos

SmartThings v3 Review & New Sensors - Comparing v3 vs v2

More videos:

  • Review - Samsung SmartThings Updates and New Features For April 26, 2020
  • Review - What I wish I knew when I started with SmartThings

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Looker and SmartThings)
Data Dashboard
97 97%
3% 3
Business Intelligence
100 100%
0% 0
Home
0 0%
100% 100
Data Visualization
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Looker and SmartThings

Looker Reviews

Top 10 BI Tools in 2026 (with Pricing, AI Features & Enterprise Fit)
Looker like business intelligence platforms include tools that offer governed data models, embedded analytics, real-time dashboards, and scalable cloud performance. These platforms are ideal for organizations that need consistent metrics, strong data governance, and customizable analytics similar to what Looker provides.
Source: supaboard.ai
Explore 7 Tableau Alternatives for Data Visualization and Analysis
Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is a user-friendly business intelligence tool that transforms raw data into interactive, customizable dashboards and reports. It integrates seamlessly with Google's ecosystem and supports various data sources, including Google Analytics and BigQuery. Looker Studio offers robust visualization capabilities and real-time collaborative...
Source: www.draxlr.com
Explore 6 Metabase Alternatives for Data Visualization and Analysis
To find the best Metabase alternative for your business, start by listing your specific requirements, such as customer support, data integrations, visualization options, user access controls, and budget. Compare these needs with the features of other BI tools like Draxlr, Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or Holistics. Once you've identified a few suitable options, take advantage...
Source: www.draxlr.com
5 best Looker alternatives
In this blog, weโ€™ll dive into the best 5 Looker alternatives currently dominating the market. Whether you're seeking a Looker alternative with enhanced features, better pricing, or a more tailored fit for your analytics needs, this guide will help you discover BI tool that could be a perfect match for your business.
Source: www.draxlr.com
10 Best Alternatives to Looker in 2024
Exploring alternatives to Looker isn't just about finding a different tool; it's about uncovering solutions that better address your specific business challenges and operational workflows. Here, we highlight five areas where Looker's limitations might lead you to consider other options.

SmartThings Reviews

We have no reviews of SmartThings yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Looker seems to be a lot more popular than SmartThings. While we know about 14 links to Looker, we've tracked only 1 mention of SmartThings. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Looker mentions (14)

  • edit home page to add folder section
    Then in the "foldername" you can have 5 folders, each one for each of the groups. This means that when group1 enters looker.com, his default page will be the "foldername", which contains group1folder (he cannot see the rest of the folders if you have set the permissions correctly for each folder). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Stars, tables, and activities: How do we model the real world?
    Even if you want to make Wide Tables, combining fact and dimensions is often the easiest way to create them, so why not make them available? Looker, for example, is well suited to dimensional models because it takes care of the joins that can make Kimball warehouses hard to navigate for business users. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • dbt for Data Quality Testing & Alerting at FINN
    We take daily snapshots of test results, aggregate them, and send Looker dashboards to the appropriate teams. - Source: dev.to / over 4 years ago
  • I'm a dev ID 10 T please help me
    Dashboard: I like to use Datastudio because it's easy (just like using google sheets), but you can also try out Looker. Source: over 4 years ago
  • The Data Stack Journey: Lessons from Architecting Stacks at Heroku and Mattermost
    For Growth and larger, I would recommend Looker. The only reason I wouldn't recommend it for the smaller company stages is that the cost is much higher than alternatives such as Metabase. With Looker, you define your data model in LookML, which Looker then uses to provide a drag-and-drop interface for end-users that enables them to build their own visualizations without needing to write SQL. This lets your... - Source: dev.to / over 4 years ago
View more

SmartThings mentions (1)

  • Senville (Midea?) Mini Split System Possible Problems/Questions - Southern New Mexico
    However, I've been doing a lot more reading and came across a forum on smartthings.com regarding a Carrier system. One member said he installed a Senville ducted system and what he did to make his ducted system wireless. He got rid of the very basic thermostat that came with the unit for an upgraded programmable thermostat and tied it in with the Wi-Fi kit. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Looker and SmartThings, you can also consider the following products

Tableau - Tableau can help anyone see and understand their data. Connect to almost any database, drag and drop to create visualizations, and share with a click.

Google Home - Set up, manage, and control your Chromecast, Chromecast Audio and Google Home devices.

Microsoft Power BI - BI visualization and reporting for desktop, web or mobile

openHAB - "empowering the smart home" - vendor and technology agnostic open source home automation

Sisense - The BI & Dashboard Software to handle multiple, large data sets.

Home-Assistant.io - Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform running on Python 3.