Is Looker Studio Free? Yes, and It Now Has a New Name

Looker Studio, the reporting tool many marketers use to build dashboards from Google Analytics, Google Ads and Google Sheets, has gone back to the Data Studio name on Google Cloud's site. If you searched for Looker Studio and landed on a page called Data Studio, you're in the right place. Here's what's free, what isn't and where the catches are.

Looker Studio and Data Studio: the same tool

Google's product page now describes Data Studio as visualisation and reporting for individuals and teams. The report editor, connectors, sharing and embedding are the same features you know from Looker Studio. Your existing reports keep working; it's the branding that's changed.

That's worth knowing when you search for help, because older tutorials say Looker Studio and newer ones may say Data Studio. They're talking about the same product.

What the free version includes

• Connections to more than 1,400 data sources, including Google Sheets, Google Ads, BigQuery and Google Analytics, according to Google.
• Customisable charts and tables, with filters, images, text and multiple pages.
• A drag-and-drop report editor, with a pixel-perfect or snap-to-grid responsive canvas.
• Sharing and real-time collaboration with individuals and groups.
• Embedding, so you can put a report on a web page or intranet.
• Blending, to combine data from different sources in one dashboard.

What Data Studio Pro adds

	Data Studio (free)	Data Studio Pro
Build and view reports	Yes	Yes
Connectors and charts	Yes	Yes
Team content management	No	Yes
Expanded admin features	No	Yes
Technical support from Google	No	Yes

Google describes Pro as the same Data Studio features you already know, plus capabilities for teams and technical support. You can upgrade directly from the Data Studio website. For most freelancers and small businesses, the free version covers everything they build.

The catch: connectors can have their own rules

Data Studio itself is free, but the data you pull in isn't always. Google's own connectors, such as Google Analytics, Google Ads and Sheets, are the free, straightforward route. Google also lists over 1,300 Community Connectors for other databases and apps, and those are built by third parties, so each one sets its own terms. Some are free, many ask you to upgrade once you add more accounts.

If you connect BigQuery, remember it's a separate Google Cloud product with its own terms, so check that side before you build a heavy dashboard on it.

The other catch: who owns the reports

Google lists team content management as a Pro feature, which tells you something about the free version: it's built around individual accounts. If a freelancer or agency builds your dashboards on their own Google account, you're relying on them to share or hand them over later. The simple fix on free is to create reports from your own business account and invite outside help as editors, so the work stays with you when a project ends.

How to build your first free dashboard

1. Go to Data Studio and sign in with your business Google account.
2. Create a blank report and add a data source, such as Google Analytics.
3. Add a scorecard for your headline number and a time series chart for the trend.
4. Add a date range control so viewers can change the period.
5. Share the report with view access, or embed it on an internal page.

If you're deciding between this and a heavier business intelligence tool, I've compared the main Looker Studio alternatives, and my guide on how to use Power BI shows how Microsoft's tool handles the same job.

Who the free version suits

It suits marketers, consultants and small business owners who want a single page showing traffic, leads and ad results, refreshed automatically. It's also a good way to send clients a live report instead of a monthly spreadsheet. Pro becomes worth a look when several people manage reports for one organisation and you need shared ownership and support.

Free report ideas for a small business

• A traffic and leads page pulling Google Analytics and your enquiry spreadsheet together.
• An ads summary from Google Ads, showing clicks and conversions by campaign.
• A content report listing your top pages and how their visits change week by week.
• A client report you share as a live link instead of sending a spreadsheet every month.

Each of these uses Google's own connectors, so they stay inside the free version. Start with one, keep it to a single page, and add more only when someone asks for them.

If you hand reports to clients, add a short text box at the top of each page explaining what the numbers mean and which date range they cover. Data Studio lets you add text and images to any report, and that one line of context saves a lot of follow-up questions. It also helps when you open the report again in six months and need to remember what you built.

My verdict

Looker Studio is free, and under its Data Studio name it still is. Build from your own business account, stick to Google's connectors where you can, and check the terms of any third-party connector before a client relies on it. Move to Pro only when shared ownership and support matter more than the free version's simplicity.

Frequently asked questions

Is Looker Studio free?

Yes. Google says Data Studio, the current name for Looker Studio, is free for creators and report viewers, and the self-service version remains free.

Did Looker Studio change its name?

Google Cloud's product page now calls the tool Data Studio, with the upgraded version called Data Studio Pro.

What does Data Studio Pro add?

Google says Pro adds capabilities for teams and technical support, including team content management and expanded admin features.

Are all Looker Studio connectors free?

Google's own connectors such as Google Analytics, Google Ads and Sheets are part of the free tool. Community Connectors are built by third parties and each sets its own terms.

How many data sources can Looker Studio connect to?

Google says you can directly connect to more than 1,400 data sources, including Google Sheets, Google Ads, BigQuery and Google Analytics.