How Looker Studio Report on Smartsheet Can Save License Costs?

Many businesses rely on Smartsheet to manage projects, track workflows, and collaborate across teams. While Smartsheet offers powerful tools for task management and reporting, a common challenge arises when organizations need to share data insights with a wider audience—like stakeholders, executives, or clients. 

Granting access to each of these users typically requires a paid Smartsheet license, which can quickly drive up costs. 

Smartsheet provides flexible plans catering to various organizational needs:

Pro Plan – $9 per Member/month (billed annually)

• Designed for teams of 1–10 members
  
  

• Includes unlimited free Viewers
  
  

• Features: Gantt, table, board, and calendar views; rich formulas; unlimited sheets, forms, and reports; 250 automations per month
  
  

Business Plan – $19 per Member/month (billed annually)

• Suitable for teams with 3 or more members
  
  

• Includes unlimited free Guests and Viewers
  
  

• Features: All Pro plan features plus timeline view, team workload tracking, admin capabilities, unlimited automations, and 1 TB attachment storage
  
  

While Smartsheet allows unlimited free Viewers, only licensed Members can create or edit sheets and reports. This means that to generate and customize reports, organizations must allocate licenses to users, potentially increasing costs.

Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a free data visualization tool by Google that transforms raw data into informative dashboards and reports. By connecting Smartsheet to Looker Studio using a connector, organizations can create interactive reports accessible to any number of users without additional Smartsheet licenses.

Jivrus Looker Studio Connector for Smartsheet

• Pricing: Starts at $19 per user/month or $190 per user/year
  
  

Features:

• • Unlimited dashboards and reports
    
    

  • Real-time data synchronization with Smartsheet
    
    

  • Customizable visualizations
    
    

  • Secure sharing options
    
    

  • Supports multiple data sources and blending
    
    

With this integration, a single licensed Smartsheet user can manage data, while reports are shared via Looker Studio to unlimited viewers, eliminating the need for additional Smartsheet licenses.

Scenario: An organization has 5 team members actively managing projects in Smartsheet and 25 stakeholders who need to edit reports.

Traditional Approach:

• 30 Smartsheet Business licenses: 30 users × $19 × 12 months = $6,840/year
  
  

Integrated Approach with Looker Studio Connector:

• 5 Smartsheet Business licenses: 5 users × $19 × 12 months = $1,140/year
  
  

• 1 Looker Studio Connector license: $19 × 12 months = $228/year
  
  

• Total: $1,368/year
  
  

Annual Savings: $6,840 - $1,368 = $5,472

This approach not only reduces costs but also streamlines reporting processes and enhances data accessibility.

✅ Interactive Dashboards – Use filters, dropdowns, and charts for dynamic reporting
✅ Real-Time Data – Syncs with Smartsheet in near real-time
✅ Unlimited Viewers – No need to manage user licenses
✅ Scalable Solution – One connector serves small businesses and enterprises alike

This isn’t just about saving money—it’s about simplifying access to business intelligence and making your data work harder for you.

If your organization relies on Smartsheet for project and data management but is struggling with license costs, especially for non-editing users, it's time to consider Looker Studio Connector as your reporting platform.

By using a reliable Smartsheet connector, you can:

• Create beautiful, interactive dashboards

• Cut unnecessary license expenses by up to 90%
  
  

Why pay more just to view/ edit a report?
Make smarter choices with your tech stack—and your budget.