You know the drill: numbers are great, but visuals are even better. They make complex data digestible, trends obvious, and insights actionable. But not everyone has a fat budget for fancy software, which is why free data visualization tools exist.
In this listicle, we'll explore the best free data visualization tools based on genuine user feedback and compare their features, pros and cons, and overall value. Whether you're a data analyst, marketer, or just someone who loves playing with numbers, you'll find something for yourself.
At G2, we rank software solutions using a proprietary algorithm that considers customer satisfaction and market presence based on authentic user reviews. Our market research analysts and writers spend weeks testing solutions against multiple criteria set for a software category. We give you unbiased software evaluations – that's the G2 difference! We don’t accept payment or exchange links for product placements in this list. Please read our G2 Research Scoring Methodology for more details.
Data visualization tools transform complex data sets into visual formats like charts or maps. They make data easier to understand, uncover patterns, and communicate insights more effectively.
The free data visualization tools listed below draw from real user reviews. Please note that in the context of this list, software that requires payment after a free trial is considered free.
To be included in this category, a solution must:
This data was pulled from G2 in 2024. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.
Looker gives you what you need to unlock the full potential of your data with its intuitive interface, extensive features, and powerful analytics. It integrates seamlessly with various data sources so you can produce custom, real-time dashboards that are both visually appealing and highly functional.
Pros of Looker |
Cons of Looker |
|
Integrates and unifies data from multiple sources |
Limited data volume and user access for free version |
|
Intuitive drag-and-drop interface, no coding needed |
Depends on internet connectivity |
|
Easy to share dashboards with stakeholders |
Lags on large datasets |
“Using Looker Studio was the start of my career in data and reporting. Their interface was friendly and easy to navigate. If you are a Google ecosystem user, then it's the best affordable tool for your business. Would recommend it to any start-up looking for a business intelligence tool at an affordable price with amazing capabilities. It is easy to implement as it integrates with dozens of data connectors available from internal to third-party connectors. Has a huge community willing to solve your issues and be open for recommendations. I have used it extensively in my past role and still work with it in my freelance projects.”
“Looker has a limited number of chart visualizations available, so customizations are limited to a certain level. Also, there's very little control on data refreshes, which can sometimes make the dashboard slow when working with a lot of data.”
- Looker Review, Mariam J.
Canva stuns when it comes to designing social media posts and flyers, but it also functions as a powerful data visualization platform. Call on to create eye-catching charts and graphs that make your data pop. Its drag-and-drop interface is super user-friendly even if you're not a design pro. Canva also offers a variety of templates to get you started quickly.
Pros of Canva |
Cons of Canva |
|
User-friendly interface with a plethora of design options |
Paid plans expensive for smaller teams |
|
Ready-to-customize inbuilt templates |
Improvement needed for the export feature |
|
Works on mobile devices |
No offline editing |
“Canva offers some of the best designs out there, with over a thousand ready-made templates. I love the ready-made designs, which are perfect for instant editing. It’s user-friendly and works well for both professional designers and beginners. As a graduate student, I use data visualization in my projects to create charts and graphs with Canva. I rely on large datasets of statistical, quantitative, and qualitative information to prepare these visuals. Canva simplifies this process, guiding me along the way.”
- Canva Review, Sudarshan S.
“The subscription charge is a bit on the higher side, and many good-looking templates are not free.”
- Canva Review, Dilip Kumar D.
Grow.com’s feature-rich business intelligence (BI) platform excels at data visualization. Small to midsize businesses employ it to consolidate data from various sources. With Grow, you can create interactive dashboards that provide as-they-happen insights into your data.
Pros of Grow.com |
Cons of Grow.com |
|
Ample integration capabilities with tools like customer relationship management (CRM) |
Limited complexity and design options for dashboards |
|
Ability to connect databases and systems with a small amount of coding |
Lacks online assistance |
|
Speedy dashboard and metric deployment |
Paid plans not viable for everyone |
“Grow is fully customizable! From the sources of data all the way to the actual graphs and displays themselves. It is very easy to take any type of raw data and combine it into useful metrics so you can check on things at a glance. The refresh rate is very good, and it comes with some automated code for pulling data based on your specific location.”
- Grow.com Review, Ben R.
“Because it is more of an out-of-the-box solution there are limitations to the level of complexity and design of the dashboards.”
- Grow.com Review, Joel M.
Whatagraph simplifies transforming complex data into visual reports. It's a favorite among digital marketers for following campaign performance across different channels. With its automated reporting and sophisticated design, Whatagraph saves time and leaves clients impressed.
Pros of Whatagraph |
Cons of Whatagraph |
|
Automated report gathering |
Occasional performance and speed issues |
|
Flexible data consolidation and creating custom metrics |
Paid plans expensive for small private ventures |
|
Pre-designed report templates for clear and engaging data presentation |
Customization cap for report layouts |
“Straightforward reporting tool that integrates well with Google Analytics, Facebook, and LinkedIn ads. It helps visualize data from multiple channels and makes analysis simpler because everything is centralized. You can easily customize your reports with the drag-and-drop functionality and analyze trends to drive your decision-making process for online marketing. The setup process is rather easy, with pre-built templates provided to get you started immediately.”
- Whatagraph Review, Rajat C.
“The pricing of Whatagraph is quite steep, especially for small businesses and startups. Additionally, I encountered some performance and speed issues when generating reports.”
- Whatagraph Review, Isam K.
AgencyAnalytics targets marketing agencies that like to track and report on multiple client campaigns. Its wide widgets and integrations chip in to create comprehensive dashboards. Plus, it allows for white-label reports that will make your agency look top-notch.
Pros of AgencyAnalytics |
Cons of AgencyAnalytics |
|
Detailed reports with numerous KPIs that look highly professional |
Steep learning curve |
|
Positive customer support from the start |
Limited data presentation options |
|
Mobile version available for easy access |
Has occasional integration issues, leading to empty reports |
“Agency Analytics stands out as the ultimate solution for comprehensive and swift reporting. With seamless integration across various marketing, e-commerce, and SEO tools, it simplifies the process by automatically generating insightful dashboards. This feature alone saves us significant time that would otherwise be spent on manual report creation. Moreover, our account management team quickly grasped its intuitive interface, enabling us to enhance client communication, minimize distractions, and provide real-time performance insights efficiently.”
- AgencyAnalytics Review, Cristian V.
“The main thing I dislike about Agency Analytics is that sometimes the integrations do not work properly, and when the scheduled report is sent to the client, it goes empty. For each month, I have to check integration for each and every client (over 100) to make sure it is fetching the data.”
- AgencyAnalytics Review, Muhammad Umar A.
SAP Crystal supplies powerful reporting and analytics to businesses that need detailed, formatted reports. It delivers data visualization reports in multiple formats and features an interface that supports 24 languages. While it may come with a bit of a learning curve, the depth of its features makes it worthwhile.
Pros of SAP Crystal |
Cons of SAP Crystal |
|
Comprehensive reporting capabilities |
Premium pricing model |
|
Integration with the SAP system |
Not beginner-friendly |
|
Easy data sharing and access |
Not easy to set up |
“Our company primarily uses SAP Crystal as an embedded product. The programming language and customizations are very intuitive. We utilize this tool for managing large datasets, creating custom reports and subtotals, and categorizing data into tables and graphs. We found that the data source connectivity is crucial and it works really well.”
- SAP Crystal Review, Ruthvik J.
“Like most SAP applications, you must have previous training and support to be able to use the application in the best way.”
- SAP Crystal Review, Maria R.
Databox makes your data accessible and actionable. With its mobile-first approach, you can track KPIs on the go. It integrates with a variety of data sources to let you pull everything into one dashboard.
Pros of Databox |
Cons of Databox |
|
Offers a wide range of visualization options |
Poor customer support availability |
|
Intuitive platform with a variety of data sources |
Inadequate data reporting feature |
|
Cloud-based for easy dashboard sharing |
Software limited to three panels in the free trial |
“Databox makes it simple to interact with data in ways you never thought possible. I can easily sync it to my Google Analytics, Hubspot, Adwords, LinkedIn, and other tools to get a precise view of marketing attribution and follow the data to discover holes in strategy. I love this tool. It was easy to implement.”
- Databox Review, Robert R.
“I'm not sure what has happened with the customer support team at Databox but they are fairly unresponsive these days. Formerly, they were the best out there – super helpful and super responsive. I know because the nature of my work means that I consult martech support teams on an almost daily basis. But currently sitting on a query I made 24 hours ago without any communication and this has been a familiar pattern over the last few months.”
- Databox Review, Alan M.
Infogram specializes in creating interactive charts and engaging infographics. Educators, journalists, and marketers take advantage of its array of charts, maps, and visual elements to make their data stand out.
Pros of Infogram |
Cons of Infogram |
|
Dynamic inbuilt templates |
No offline features or functionality |
|
Intuitive application interface |
Inflexible paid version |
|
Easy uploading and editing of data |
Not for complex visualization |
“Infogram provides an amazing collection of professionally designed layouts, graphs, charts, and icons, making it easy to create visually amazing and impactful infographics. Whether you're presenting data, sharing reports, or making appealing social media graphics, Infogram offers a number of customizable themes to match various industries and purposes. The ability to start with an appropriately designed layout significantly accelerates the design process and assures high-quality outcomes.”
- Infogram Review, Satyam A.
“No doubt, the price is quite expensive. We are unable to download the infographics without purchasing the app. They should also improve their customer service to make it easier for us to connect with them.”
- Infogram Review, Janvi S.
Data scientists and business analysts turn to Spotfire by TIBCO for data visualization and analytics. It’s known for its advanced analytics capabilities, you can explore your data, uncover insights, and share what you’ve learned via interactive dashboards.
Pros of Spotfire |
Cons of Spotfire |
|
Advanced data visualization options |
Paid plans pricier than other BI tools |
|
Easy report sharing |
Complicated for self-service BI |
|
Scalable with enterprise deployment capabilities |
Outdated interface |
“Spotfire is a very powerful BI tool. It helped us understand customer behavior and interests, and, in particular, the actions they took. Generating insights from our marketing and sales data and integration with the Zoho CRM is fantastic. Spotfire also has a very good user interface which makes things easier to implement.”
- Spotfire Review, Dheeraj K.
“Spotfire is quite expensive and only good for big companies in domains like oil and gas or pharma. It is not quite responsive and doesn't come up with a mobile application to view the reports.”
- Spotfire Review, Ansh D.
Brightmetrics focuses on call center analytics. If your business demands high-quality call center performance, this tool delivers deep insights into call data. You can configure Brightmetrics dashboards with the visuals and metrics that matter most to you, whether you're tracking high-level trends or drilling down into individual calls. Brightmetrics presents data clearly, optimizing operations and enhancing customer service.
Pros of Brightmetrics |
Cons of Brightmetrics |
|
Detailed analytics and accurate call tracking |
Requires training to operate |
|
Simple configuration of custom reports |
Cumbersome to create new dashboards for individual agents |
|
Prompt customer service |
Cannot generate a report from multiple databases |
“I thoroughly enjoy using Brightmetrics. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to create and use dashboards, and the reports are detailed with a wide variety of customization options. Additionally, the staff is always very friendly and helpful.”
- Brightmetrics Review, Maryse V.
“I wish Brightmetrics supported more enterprise telephony platforms. Our organization converted to a phone system that is not supported by Brightmetrics.”
- Brightmetrics Review, Rob S.
NVivo has earned its rep as the go-to tool for qualitative data analysis. Researchers love using it for working with non-numeric data like interviews, open-ended survey responses, and social media content. NVivo organizes, analyzes, and finds patterns in your qualitative data.
Pros of NVivo |
Cons of NVivo |
|
Ability to import a variety of data types |
Time-intensive and complex coding |
|
Suitable for mixed methods research |
Difficult to use thematic and conceptualization maps |
|
Offers transcription and text-to-speech tools for audio and video data tasks |
Higher subscription cost |
“What I like the most about Nvivo is its ability to organize information. It can be organized by user cases, research categories, or documents. Additionally, it has many options for analyzing the information obtained from fieldwork such as interviews or surveys.”
- NVivo Review, Alejandro G.
“The cost as a small home-based business person pushes my budget capabilities. An economical 6-month or 12-month license would be appreciated.”
- NVivo Review, Psych n Stats Tutor C.
If navigating through all the information about free data visualization software seems overwhelming, this comparison table will assist you with the key points.
|
Software name |
G2 rating |
Free plan |
Paid plan |
|
Looker |
4.4/5 |
Free trial available |
Available on request |
|
Canva |
4.7/5 |
Yes, limited features |
Starting at $100 per person per year |
|
Grow.com |
4.3/5 |
Free trial available |
Available on request |
|
Whatagraph |
4.5/5 |
Free trial available |
Starting at $249 per month |
|
AgencyAnalytics |
4.7/5 |
Free trial available |
Starting at $79 per month |
|
SAP Crystal |
4.2/5 |
Free trial available |
Available upon request |
|
Databox |
4.4/5 |
Yes, limited features |
Starting at $47 per month |
|
Infogram |
4.7/5 |
Yes, limited features |
Starting at $19 per month |
|
Spotfire |
4.2/5 |
Free trial available |
Available upon request |
|
Brightmetrics |
4.9/5 |
Free trial available |
Starting at $10 per month per concurrent agent count (Mitel pricing) Pricing for RingCentral and Genesys Cloud also available. |
|
NVivo |
4.1/5 |
Free trial available |
Starting at $118 |
Consider its ease of use, variety of data visualization types, customization options, integration capabilities, and data import and export options.
It depends on the tool. Some free versions are limited to personal or educational use, while others allow commercial use with restrictions on features or data.
Yes, there often are, such as feature restrictions, data limits, customization constraints, and export restrictions. Think about paid data visualization tools if you need more components to do your necessary work.
Data visualization transforms casual buyers into loyal customers, enhances efficiency, and drives revenue. With these free tools, you can turn your data into actionable insights and make smarter decisions.
We hope this roundup of the best free data visualization tools helps you find you the perfect software for your data analysis and visualization needs.
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