Data Studio (Looker Studio)

Data Studio, known for several years as Looker Studio and originally launched as Google Data Studio, is a web-based reporting and dashboarding platform that turns spreadsheets, databases, ad platforms and other Google services into shareable, interactive visualizations. It runs entirely in the browser and needs only a Google account to start.

In April 2026 Google renamed the product back to Data Studio, retiring the Looker Studio name; the old lookerstudio.google.com address now redirects to datastudio.google.com. There is no version number to track, since it ships as continuously updated SaaS. Since the rename, the new Conversational Analytics preview - letting anyone ask questions of their data in plain language - is available to all Data Studio users, not just Pro subscribers, though Gemini-assisted calculated fields and exporting a report to Google Slides are still tied to the paid, Gemini-enabled tier. A February 5, 2026 update added a 'Show reasoning' toggle that exposes the AI's step-by-step logic - which tables it queried, how it grouped and sorted - along with improvements to cross-data filtering.

Core capabilities include drag-and-drop chart building, blended data from multiple sources, calculated fields, filters and controls, scheduled report delivery on Pro, and connectors to more than 1,400 data sources, including over 1,300 Community Connectors, on top of Google's own native integrations.

Pricing is split into two tiers. The free tier costs nothing beyond a Google account and gives unlimited reports and data sources plus core charting, filtering and sharing. Data Studio Pro is $9 per user per project per month; Google states the price can vary with the length of the subscription, and it adds organizational ownership, team workspaces, scheduled deliveries, the Gemini-enabled AI features, Slack and Google Chat integration, a mobile app and a 99.9% SLA.

The limitations are worth knowing up front. Some of the newer Gemini-assisted features, such as AI-suggested calculated fields and exporting to Slides, are still gated to the paid tier, even though basic Conversational Analytics is now free for everyone. Pro pricing is charged per project, so agencies managing many client projects pay $9 per user for each one separately, and costs add up quickly. Large or heavily blended reports can also feel sluggish.

Data Studio suits marketers, analysts and small teams already inside the Google ecosystem who want free, flexible dashboards, and organizations willing to pay for Pro to get governance, scheduling and the full AI layer. It is a weaker fit for anyone needing enterprise-grade modeling, which lives in the separate, quote-based Looker product.