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Spectacles review

#5 in BI Report Testing ToolsScore 8.4/10Checked Nov 15, 2026By BestSoftwareGuides Editorial Team

Spectacles is a continuous integration and testing tool for Looker that checks LookML changes for SQL errors, broken content and failing data tests. It ranks #5 of 9 in our BI report testing tools list (8.4/10). Best for looker teams that want pull-request checks on LookML.

Price: Free plan · paid plans quote-only · 14-day free trial of the hosted service (per terms of service).

Visit SpectaclesFull pricingAlternatives

What Spectacles is

Spectacles runs SQL, content, assert and LookML style validators against Looker when pull requests are opened, on a schedule, or manually. It is offered as a hosted app operated by Google and as an MIT-licensed open-source CLI.

Pros and cons

Where it wins
  • Finds SQL errors in Explores by running queries in the database, which Looker's built-in validator does not
  • Content validator checks that LookML changes do not break saved dashboards and Looks
  • Integrates with GitHub, GitLab and Azure DevOps pull requests, plus an API and a dbt Cloud integration
  • Open-source CLI (MIT license) on GitHub, last released July 2026
Where it falls short
  • Looker only; no Power BI or Tableau support
  • Hosted app pricing is not published
  • Checks report definitions and queries, not report values against a separate source system

Spectacles pricing

Spectacles pricing plans
PlanBilled annuallyBilled monthlyAnnual savingNotes
Open-source CLIFreeFree—MIT-licensed Python package (spectacles on PyPI)
Hosted subscriptionCustom quoteCustom quote—Price not published; terms say price = base subscription plus additional worker users and projects

USD, per user per month unless noted. "—" means the price is not published or we could not confirm it. Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Status: verified on Spectacles's pricing page.

Key facts

Free planYes. Open-source CLI (MIT license), self-run; hosted app is a paid subscription
Free trial14-day free trial of the hosted service (per terms of service)
Paid fromQuote-only (contact sales)
Minimum seats1
PlatformsCloud (SaaS), CLI (Python)
IntegrationsLooker; GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps; dbt Cloud; API
SupportEmail, Docs, Slack community
Power BINo
TableauNo
Other BI tools (Qlik, Looker, Cognos, MicroStrategy...)Yes
Report regression testingYes
CI/CD integrationYes
Facts checkedNov 15, 2026 · verified on the vendor's own site (source)

Spectacles alternatives

iceDQ 8.6/10
Enterprise QA and data teams testing ETL pipelines, migrations and BI reports
SemanticOps 8.9/10
Power BI developers who edit semantic models with AI assistants and want regression tests
Datagaps BI Validator 8.6/10
Enterprise BI teams testing Power BI, Tableau or Oracle Analytics releases and migrations
QuerySurge 8.5/10
Enterprise QA and data teams testing data warehouses, migrations and BI reports
Tricentis Data Integrity 8.2/10
Enterprises already using Tricentis Tosca, especially for SAP and ERP migrations
Fab Inspector (formerly PBI Inspector) 7.9/10
Power BI developers enforcing report standards in Azure DevOps or GitHub pipelines
Wiiisdom 7.8/10
Large organizations governing Power BI or Tableau estates, especially in regulated industries
MotioCI 7/10
IBM Cognos teams managing upgrades and release testing

Spectacles compared

Frequently asked questions

How much does Spectacles cost?

Spectacles has a free plan; paid plans are quote-only (contact Spectacles sales). Prices last checked Nov 15, 2026.

Is Spectacles free?

Yes. Open-source CLI (MIT license), self-run; hosted app is a paid subscription

What are the best Spectacles alternatives?

SemanticOps (8.9/10), Datagaps BI Validator (8.6/10), iceDQ (8.6/10) are the highest-scoring alternatives in our BI report testing tools ranking.

Sources