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Tableau

Business intelligence and data visualisation platform

$15
Starting price
4.4/5
G2 rating
3
Pricing plans
2003
Founded

Quick verdict

Tableau is built for growing teams and mid-market companies who need solid business intelligence capabilities. It holds its own against competitors like Microsoft Power BI. There is no free plan, so you need to be fairly sure it fits before committing.

Tableau is a leading BI and data visualisation platform by Salesforce. It enables business users and analysts to connect to data sources, build interactive dashboards, and share insights — without needing to write SQL.

What we like

  • Most powerful visualisations available
  • Huge chart type library
  • Active community
  • Good Salesforce integration

Watch out for

  • Very expensive
  • Desktop app required for full features
  • Steep learning curve
  • Slow performance with large datasets

Key features

Drag-and-drop dashboard builder100+ data connectorsInteractive visualisationsMapsNatural language queriesMobile dashboardsEmbedded analytics

Who should use Tableau?

If you are a Solo / freelancer...

At $15/mo, it is a real investment for a solo operator. Consider a free alternative first, then switch when you outgrow it.

If you are a 5-person startup...

For a team of five, expect to pay roughly $75/mo on the Tableau Viewer plan. That is reasonable for a startup budget.

If you are a 50+ person company...

You will likely need the Tableau Explorer plan or above. At this scale, check the mobile dashboards and embedded analytics capabilities — they matter more as teams grow.

Pricing: the honest take

Starting at $15/mo with no free tier, Tableau is positioned for buyers who already know they need this category of tool. The Tableau Viewer plan is competitively priced for the business intelligence market.

See full Tableau pricing breakdown →
See Tableau pricing → See alternatives →

Top Tableau alternatives

Microsoft Power BI Business analytics tool by Microsoft
Free Compare →
Looker Business intelligence platform by Google Cloud
Free Compare →
See all Tableau alternatives →

Our verdict

Tableau is a well-regarded business intelligence tool with 3 pricing plans. Starting at $15/mo, it is priced for growing teams. If the watch-outs above are dealbreakers, see the alternatives below.

Tableau: frequently asked questions

Is Tableau free?

No — Tableau does not have a free plan. Pricing starts at $15/mo.

How much does Tableau cost?

Tableau has 3 plans. Paid plans start at $15/mo. See full pricing →

What are the best alternatives to Tableau?

Top alternatives include Microsoft Power BI, Looker. See full comparison →