The Better Looker Studio
Alternative
An honest look at Looker Studio's strengths and limitations. Discover why thousands of marketing teams are switching to a simpler, faster dashboard solution.
Written by the ZapDigits team. We'll be honest about when Looker Studio might be right for you too.
An Honest Look at Looker Studio
We believe in transparency. Here's our fair assessment of Looker Studio's strengths and weaknesses, so you can make an informed decision.
What Looker Studio Does Well
Credit where it's due
It's Free
Looker Studio's core functionality is completely free, making it accessible for small teams and individuals just getting started with data visualization.
Google Ecosystem Integration
Seamless connection with Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google Sheets, and BigQuery. If you're all-in on Google, the native integrations are smooth.
Powerful for Power Users
Advanced users who know SQL and data modeling can create complex reports with calculated fields, data blending, and custom formulas.
Flexible Customization
Offers granular control over chart styling, allowing pixel-perfect report designs for those willing to invest the time.
Where It Falls Short
The honest downsides
Steep Learning Curve
Non-technical team members often struggle with concepts like data blending, calculated fields, and connector configuration. It can take weeks to become proficient.
Third-Party Connector Costs
Connecting non-Google data sources requires paid connectors like Supermetrics ($39-$599/month), quickly eliminating the 'free' advantage.
Performance Issues
Reports with multiple data sources become slow. Data blending with more than 2 sources often causes timeout errors and frustrating load times.
Limited Collaboration
Basic sharing options, no built-in team workspaces in the free version, and no approval workflows for client-facing reports.
No Ready Templates
You build every dashboard from scratch. There's no library of pre-built, professional templates for common marketing use cases.
Support is Almost Non-Existent
Free users get community forums only. Even when something breaks, you're largely on your own to figure it out.
The Verdict
Looker Studio is a good fit if: You're a data-savvy individual or small team, primarily use Google products, have time to learn, and don't need non-Google data sources.
Consider an alternative if: You need quick setup, work with non-technical team members, require multiple data sources, want ready-made templates, or need better performance and support.
Looker Studio Problems, Solved
We built ZapDigits after experiencing these exact frustrations with Looker Studio. Here's how we address each one.
Hours Lost to Setup
Creating a single dashboard in Looker Studio can take hours of configuration, data blending, and troubleshooting.
ZapDigits: Pick a template, connect your data, launch in minutes. No coding required.
Hidden Connector Costs
Free becomes expensive fast. Supermetrics, Funnel.io, or other connectors for non-Google data can cost $100-600+/month.
ZapDigits: 45+ native integrations included. No third-party connectors needed.
Slow & Unstable Reports
Looker Studio struggles with data blending. Reports with 3+ sources become painfully slow or time out entirely.
ZapDigits: Fast performance even with 10+ data sources and 100 widgets.
Team Can't Use It
Your marketing team shouldn't need to learn SQL and data modeling just to see campaign performance.
ZapDigits: Intuitive interface anyone can use from day one.
Build Everything from Scratch
No templates means recreating common dashboards over and over. Every new client = hours of work.
ZapDigits: Professional templates for marketing, SEO, ads, analytics. Customize in minutes.
No Support When You Need It
Something breaks? Good luck. Community forums are your only option with the free tier.
ZapDigits: Real human support via live chat on all plans. We're here to help.
ZapDigits vs Looker Studio
A detailed feature-by-feature comparison to help you make the right choice.
Looker Studio Questions, Answered
Everything you need to know about Looker Studio, alternatives, and making the switch.
Yes, Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is free to use. However, the 'free' label can be misleading. While the core product costs nothing, connecting non-Google data sources like Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, or HubSpot requires third-party connectors like Supermetrics, which range from $39 to $599+ per month. For many marketing teams, these hidden costs quickly add up.
Looker Studio Pro is Google's paid enterprise tier that adds team workspaces, administrative controls, Google Cloud project integration, enhanced security (like VPC Service Controls), and Google Cloud support. Standard Looker Studio lacks these collaboration features, making it difficult for teams to organize reports and manage access efficiently. ZapDigits includes team features in all plans.
Looker Studio performance degrades when working with large datasets, multiple data sources, complex calculated fields, or data blending. Reports that blend more than 2 sources are particularly prone to slowdowns and timeout errors. This is a fundamental architecture limitation. ZapDigits is built from the ground up for speed, handling 10+ sources without performance issues.
While basic reports are possible without SQL, getting the most out of Looker Studio typically requires understanding data modeling concepts, calculated fields, and sometimes SQL for custom queries. For marketing teams without technical expertise, this creates a significant barrier. ZapDigits is designed for non-technical users with no SQL required.
Popular Looker Studio alternatives include ZapDigits, Whatagraph, DashThis, AgencyAnalytics, and Databox. ZapDigits stands out for marketing agencies because it offers native integrations without third-party connector fees, professional templates, white-label options, and a faster learning curve. Unlike Looker Studio, it's built specifically for marketing use cases.
Migration is straightforward: (1) Connect your existing data sources to ZapDigits using our native integrations, (2) Choose from our template library or create a custom dashboard, (3) Configure your metrics and visualizations. Most users complete the migration in under an hour. Our support team is available to help with any questions.
For client-facing reports, ZapDigits offers several advantages: white-label options to use your own branding, professional templates that look polished immediately, scheduled report delivery, and a cleaner interface that clients can actually understand. Looker Studio reports often require significant customization to look professional.
ZapDigits supports 45+ native integrations covering major marketing platforms: Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Stripe, and many more. Unlike Looker Studio, these integrations are built-in—no expensive third-party connectors required.
Looker Studio limits data blending to 5 sources and performance degrades quickly even with 2-3 sources. Blends can be confusing to set up correctly, and errors are common. Many users report timeout issues with blended data. ZapDigits handles data from multiple sources seamlessly without these limitations.
Choose Looker Studio if: you're a solo data analyst comfortable with SQL, primarily use Google products, and have time to learn the platform. Choose ZapDigits if: you need quick setup, work with non-technical team members, require multiple data sources, want ready-made templates, or need reliable performance and support.
Still have questions?
Contact our support teamExperience the Better Way
to Build Dashboards
Join thousands of marketing teams who've moved beyond Looker Studio's complexity. Start building beautiful, fast dashboards in minutes—not hours.
Trusted by marketing teams at
Compare
Resources
ZapDigits 2025. All rights reserved. | Made in The EU 🇪🇺