Snowplow is a powerful analytics platform that helps companies collect and process event data in real-time. For organizations leveraging Snowplow to understand user behavior, choosing the right analytics UI is crucial. This blog post addresses the most commonly asked questions about integrating Snowplow with various analytics UIs, offering technical insights to help you decide the best solution for your needs.

What are the best analytics UIs for Snowplow?

When it comes to visualizing and exploring Snowplow data, there are several analytics UIs available. Below, we’ve outlined some of the most popular options and discussed their compatibility with Snowplow.

1. Looker

How does Looker integrate with Snowplow?

Looker is widely regarded as a powerful analytics platform that integrates well with Snowplow. Snowplow provides pre-built Looker blocks, like the Event Analytics by Snowplow block, which simplifies setup. These blocks enable seamless integration, allowing teams to easily visualize data from atomic events and custom event tables. Looker’s Explore functionality makes it easy for analysts and non-technical users to interact with data without writing SQL, although some basic SQL knowledge is required for modeling.

What are the pros of using Looker with Snowplow?

• Plug-and-play integration: Snowplow’s Looker blocks make it easy to get started.
  
  
• Customizable views: Once set up, Looker provides extensive customization options for building dashboards and reports.
  
  
• Scalable: Looker is well-suited for organizations with large teams and complex data needs.
  
  

What are the cons?

• Cost: Looker can be expensive, particularly for smaller teams or startups.
  
  
• SQL knowledge required for full customization: While Looker simplifies data exploration, advanced modeling still requires SQL knowledge.
  
  

2. Indicative

How does Indicative integrate with Snowplow?

Indicative is an analytics platform that provides a drag-and-drop interface for product managers to explore customer data without the need for SQL. Snowplow endorses Indicative as a partner platform, and you can connect Snowplow data to Indicative via the Indicative Relay. This integration allows product teams to analyze the customer journey and perform cohort analysis without needing deep technical expertise.

What are the pros of using Indicative with Snowplow?

• SQL-free exploration: Non-technical users can explore the data without writing SQL.
  
  
• Customer journey analysis: Indicative specializes in mapping user behavior, which is ideal for product teams.
  
  
• Free tier: Indicative offers a free tier for up to 1 billion user events per month.
  
  

What are the cons?

• Limited advanced analysis: While great for non-technical users, Indicative may not offer the depth needed for more advanced analysis.
  
  
• Not a full-fledged analytics suite: Indicative is focused primarily on customer behavior rather than broad analytics, which may limit its use for data scientists and analysts.
  
  

3. Metabase

How does Metabase integrate with Snowplow?

Metabase is an open-source analytics tool that can easily connect to Snowplow’s data warehouses, such as Redshift or BigQuery. Metabase’s SQL-like interface and intuitive UI make it a great option for teams starting with analytics. It’s a solid choice for quick reports and dashboards, though more complex analysis may require advanced tools.

What are the pros of using Metabase with Snowplow?

• Cost-effective: Metabase is free to use, with only hosting costs to consider.
  
  
• Easy to get started: Its simple setup process makes it ideal for small teams or those new to data exploration.
  
  
• Active community: As an open-source tool, Metabase has a large community that contributes to ongoing development.
  
  

What are the cons?

• Limited functionality for complex analysis: While Metabase is great for basic reporting, it lacks some advanced features that tools like Looker offer.
  
  
• Scaling issues: As your data volume and complexity increase, Metabase may not scale as efficiently as other options like Looker or Indicative.
  
  

4. Superset

How does Superset integrate with Snowplow?

Apache Superset is an open-source business intelligence tool that can integrate with Snowplow data by connecting to data warehouses like PostgreSQL or Redshift. It offers a collaborative UI for data exploration and dashboard creation. Superset is a great option for teams looking for an open-source solution with flexible customization options.

What are the pros of using Superset with Snowplow?

• Free and open-source: Superset is completely free, making it ideal for teams with limited budgets.
  
  
• Customizable: Developers can extend the functionality to suit their specific needs.
  
  
• Collaborative: Superset’s collaborative features make it easy for teams to share insights and dashboards.
  
  

What are the cons?

• Requires hosting: Unlike other cloud solutions, Superset needs to be hosted, which can add overhead.
  
  
• Learning curve: While the UI is intuitive, it may take time to fully understand how to leverage Superset’s features.
  
  

5. Other Tools: Tableau, Domo, and Holistics

How do Tableau, Domo, and Holistics work with Snowplow?

While Tableau, Domo, and Holistics are not specifically mentioned in the Snowplow ecosystem, they can still be integrated with Snowplow’s data through standard database connections (e.g., Redshift, BigQuery). These tools offer drag-and-drop functionality and advanced visualizations for data analysts.

What are the pros?

• Advanced visualizations: These tools are known for their robust and interactive visualizations.
  
  
• Wide adoption: They are widely used in the industry, ensuring a lot of resources and community support.
  
  

What are the cons?

• Cost: These tools can be expensive for smaller teams or companies with tight budgets.
  
  
• Dependency on data models: Like other advanced BI tools, these platforms rely on structured data models to function properly, making them more suitable for analysts than non-technical users.
  
  

How Do I Choose the Right Tool for My Team?

Choosing the best analytics UI for Snowplow depends on several factors:

• Non-technical vs. technical users: If your primary users are non-technical (e.g., Product Managers), tools like Indicative or Looker with drag-and-drop functionality will be more suitable. For technical users or teams that need in-depth customization, Looker or Superset may be better choices.
  
  
• Cost considerations: If you're on a tight budget, Metabase and Superset are great low-cost or free alternatives. However, if you're willing to invest in a powerful, scalable solution, Looker is worth considering.
  
  
• Data complexity and scalability: For large-scale data exploration, Looker and Superset are well-suited. If you’re just starting out or need a simpler tool, Metabase is a good entry point.
  
  

Conclusion

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for visualizing and analyzing Snowplow data. The right choice depends on your team's needs, budget, and the level of data complexity you're working with. Snowplow’s flexible architecture ensures that it can integrate seamlessly with a wide range of analytics platforms, from simple, drag-and-drop UIs like Indicative to powerful, customizable solutions like Looker and Superset.

For non-technical users, Indicative offers an easy-to-use, SQL-free interface, while Looker is ideal for teams that need robust analytics and reporting capabilities. If you're working with limited resources, Metabase or Superset are excellent open-source options.

By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each platform, you can choose the best tool to unlock the full potential of your Snowplow data and empower your team to make data-driven decisions.

For more insights into Snowplow integrations and the best practices for using Snowplow data, check out our developer documentation or contact us.