Cluvio
German SQL-based dashboard tool that gets a startup from database to shared dashboard in an afternoon
Quick Overview
| Company | Cluvio GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Business Intelligence |
| Headquarters | Berlin, Germany |
| Founded | 2016 |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | EU (Germany) |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | SQL-based charts, R support for advanced analysis, dashboards with filters, scheduled email reports, alerts, embedding, EU hosting |
| Pricing | From about EUR 99/month |
| Best For | Startups and small data teams comfortable writing SQL |
| Replaces | Power BI, Tableau, Metabase, Redash |
Detailed Review
Cluvio makes an assumption the enterprise platforms avoid: that whoever builds the dashboards can write SQL. Given that, it removes everything else — no semantic layer, no modelling project, no implementation partner. Connect a database, write a query, get a chart, arrange charts into a dashboard, share it.
It is a small Berlin company hosting in Germany, and for a startup that needs shared metrics rather than an analytics strategy, that directness is exactly right.
SQL and R
Every chart is a query, which means anyone who knows the database can build one and anyone reviewing it can see exactly what it measures. R support handles statistical work and custom visualisations that SQL alone cannot express — unusual in a tool at this price point.
Dashboard filters are parameterised into the queries, so users get interactivity without needing a modelling layer.
Operational Features
Scheduled email reports, alerts when a metric crosses a threshold, and embedding into internal tools. These are the features that make a dashboard part of a routine rather than something people forget to open.
German Hosting
Data is hosted in Germany under a German data processing agreement. For a European startup whose analytics touch customer data, that is one fewer sub-processor question when enterprise customers start asking.
Limitations to Consider
Requiring SQL excludes business users from building their own charts, so Cluvio suits teams with an analyst rather than self-service organisations. There is no semantic layer, so metric definitions live in individual queries and can drift — the problem Lightdash exists to solve. Visualisation options are basic and the company is small.
Who Should Use Cluvio
Startups and small data teams that write SQL and want shared, scheduled dashboards without a BI project — particularly European companies that want the analytics data hosted in Germany.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very fast from database to shared dashboard
- R support for statistical work
- Alerts and scheduled reports included
- German hosting and DPA
- Affordable for small teams
Cons
- Requires SQL, so no true self-service
- No semantic layer; definitions can drift
- Basic visualisation options
Alternatives to Cluvio
Other European business intelligence worth comparing before you decide:
Jedox
Germany · Planning, budgeting and BI in one Excel-friendly platform
Board International
Switzerland · Decision-making platform joining BI, planning and simulation
Lightdash
United Kingdom · Open-source BI that builds directly on your dbt models
Luzmo
Belgium · Embedded analytics for SaaS products
See all European business intelligence or compare them directly against Power BI on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
To build dashboards, yes. Viewers can use filters and read results without SQL, but chart creation is query-based. For self-service chart building by business users, look elsewhere.
Yes, through R support, which lets you run statistical work and produce custom visualisations that SQL alone cannot express — unusual at this price.
In Germany under a German data processing agreement, which simplifies the sub-processor conversation when your own enterprise customers ask.
Similar positioning, but Cluvio is SQL-first with R support and German hosting, while Metabase offers more no-code chart building and can be self-hosted. Metabase is free to self-host; Cluvio is managed.