How Query Streams compares

Query Streams vs. the alternatives.

SeekWell, Coefficient, Skyvia, Supermetrics, Power BI — see how Query Streams delivers governed, on-demand SQL in Excel and Google Sheets, without VPNs, inbound firewall rules, or sharing your SQL and credentials.

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Connectors53 connectorsSQL Server, Postgres, Stripe…

RefreshInstantOn-demand, no schedule

SecurityOutbound onlyNo VPN, no firewall changes

Where most tools fall short

The usual spreadsheet-to-database tools trade away freshness, security, or simplicity. Query Streams was built to keep all three.

Scheduled syncs = stale decisions.

Your spreadsheet looks updated, but the data is already hours behind.

Sharing = credential chaos.

You end up passing around database users, API keys, or ungoverned data copies.

VPNs don’t scale.

Inbound ports and VPN clients stall enterprise rollouts before they start.

API reporting needs engineering.

Scripts, pagination, ETL — just to answer a few simple questions.

What you get with Query Streams

Live results, governed sharing, and enterprise-friendly security — in the spreadsheets your team already uses.

Share a live query, not a file

Filters auto-detected from your SQL. Recipients see UI inputs, never the code.

Works behind strict firewalls

A lightweight, outbound-only agent with encrypted, compressed streaming. No inbound ports.

API Connector — no coding

Write SQL to query Stripe, HubSpot, Shopify and GA4 data. Learn more

Data automation on a schedule

Send results to Airtable, Smartsheet, Baserow and more, on a schedule. Learn more

Alerts & reports that come to you

Set a threshold in SQL and get told in Slack, Discord or Google Chat — with Nova writing the narrative. Learn more

Parallel execution

5 queries. 1 click. All parallel.

Most tools load tabs one at a time. Query Streams fires every query at once. Press the button and watch the difference. (Illustrative timing.)

Query Streams 0.0s

P&L

Balance

Cash

KPIs

Trends

All 5 fire together, in parallel.

Sequential tools 0.0s

P&L

Balance

Cash

KPIs

Trends

One tab at a time keeps users waiting.

Financial dashboards Sales analytics Inventory reports Executive workbooks

Query Streams vs. competitors

How Query Streams compares to SeekWell, Coefficient, Skyvia, Mixed Analytics, Apipheny and CData Connect AI across the capabilities that matter for live SQL in spreadsheets.

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The full comparison grid needs JavaScript — the highlights are in the notes below.

Fair comparison: CData Connect AI is a genuinely broad platform — 270+ connectors, a virtual-datasets layer that can join across sources with SQL, and an on-premises Connect Gateway that tunnels out the same way our Network Agent does. Where Query Streams differs is the workflow: governed sharing with external recipients who never see your SQL or credentials, parallel multi-tab execution, and self-serve published pricing with no per-seat fee — share a query with 5 people or 500 for the same price.

^*On CData Connect AI: facts sourced from cdata.com/ai, cdata.com/connect and cloud.cdata.com documentation as of August 2026. Connect AI Standard starts at $79–99/mo (1 user, 1 source); Growth at $159–199/mo, plus $29–49 per additional user. Cells marked “Not documented” reflect the absence of a public claim, not a confirmed absence of the feature.

^†SeekWell’s site returned 404 site-wide at time of writing (August 2026) — ThoughtSpot confirmed SeekWell reaches end of life July 31, 2026 (see FAQ below), so no current per-seat pricing could be verified; its live tiers were user-capped (e.g. 3 users on the free tier) rather than metered by usage alone. ^‡Mixed Analytics’ pricing pages were unreachable at time of writing; its per-seat Team pricing is reported via third-party sources, not confirmed first-party.

Bottom line: if you need live, shareable SQL queries in Excel & Sheets with enterprise security, Query Streams is the one tool that delivers parallel execution, compression, and governed external sharing without exposing credentials.

Sharing a database as an API? QS vs. API servers

CData API Server, DreamFactory, PostgREST and Hasura are powerful, broad platforms — but turning your database into a partner-ready API still means standing up a public server, wiring your own keys, and exposing your schema. For handing a partner one live, revocable endpoint, Query Streams is the simpler path.

Scroll to see all API servers

The full comparison grid needs JavaScript — the highlights are in the notes below.

Fair comparison: CData API Server and DreamFactory are genuinely powerful, broad API platforms — if you need to expose dozens of tables across hundreds of sources, they do that well. Query Streams isn’t trying to replace them. We’re the simpler, cheaper answer when the job is “let a partner pull one live query result without me exposing my database, hosting a server, or sharing my SQL.” See the Query Streams API Platform.

^*On pricing: figures reflect each vendor’s published or third-party-listed commercial tiers as of June 2026 and are shown only as a starting point — most enterprise tiers are quote-based, so your cost may differ. CData API Server’s free edition is non-commercial-use only and DreamFactory’s open-source edition is feature-limited, so sharing data with a partner in production generally lands on a paid tier. PostgREST and Hasura are open-source and free to run, but you host, scale, secure, and patch them yourself. Always confirm current pricing with each vendor.

^¶On our own price: $100–150/mo covers Business Plus and Business Max, Query Streams’ current published tiers (verified against our own billing database, August 2026) — and that figure does not move with headcount. A 15-person team and a 25-person team pay the same $100–150/mo; what changes the tier is data sources, agents and API endpoints needed, never seats. Larger orgs needing more of those land on Enterprise tiers ($250–600/mo) — still flat per organization, never per person.

^§On setup time: Query Streams’ ~90 seconds is measured, start to a live shared endpoint. The others are ESTIMATES, not vendor-published figures — built from what the row above already establishes each platform requires beyond schema introspection (a public server, your own auth/keys, or custom code). DreamFactory’s own marketing claims an API in ~10 minutes; that covers generating CRUD endpoints from a schema, not the hosting and access-control work still needed to hand one safely to an external partner, which is what this row measures.

Query Streams as a Supermetrics alternative

Supermetrics dominates marketing-SaaS connectors, pulling from 200+ platforms like Google Ads, Facebook and HubSpot into spreadsheets. But if your data lives in SQL databases, Supermetrics falls short — it was built for marketing pipelines, not live database connectivity.

Choose Query Streams when you need

Direct SQL against 53 connectors (PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Snowflake, Stripe, HubSpot and more)
Live, on-demand refresh — no scheduled pipelines or row limits
Governed query sharing with external users who never see SQL or credentials
Parallel execution of multiple queries at once
Both Excel and Google Sheets native add-ins

Supermetrics may be better when you need

200+ marketing-SaaS connectors (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)
Native Looker Studio integration for marketing dashboards
Pre-built marketing metrics without writing SQL

Verdict: if your workflow is SQL-native and you need live database access in spreadsheets with enterprise-grade sharing, Query Streams is the stronger Supermetrics alternative.

Query Streams vs. Power BI

Power BI is Microsoft’s enterprise analytics platform — powerful for interactive dashboards, but it requires licenses, training, and a dedicated BI workflow. Query Streams takes a different approach: live SQL results directly inside the spreadsheets your team already uses.

Choose Query Streams when you need

Ad-hoc SQL queries without dashboard licenses or per-user costs
Spreadsheet-native results — no new tool for your team to learn
Governed query sharing with external users, partners or clients
Google Sheets support — Power BI does not integrate with Google Sheets
Outbound-only agent — no firewall changes, VPNs or IP whitelisting

Power BI may be better when you need

Enterprise dashboards with advanced visualizations (charts, maps, KPIs)
Row-level security and data modeling in a BI-native environment
Deep Microsoft ecosystem integration (Azure, Teams, SharePoint)

Verdict: for teams that want live database data in Excel or Google Sheets without a full BI platform, Query Streams is a lean, cost-effective Power BI alternative.

A Power Query alternative for Google Sheets

Power Query is a powerful data-transformation tool — but it only works in Microsoft Excel. Google Sheets users have no Power Query. Query Streams fills that gap: the same live SQL database connectivity, dynamic filters, and governed sharing in both Excel and Google Sheets.

If you need Power Query-like database access outside the Microsoft ecosystem, connect your database to Google Sheets with the same live query features Power Query provides only in Excel.

Query Streams vs. data virtualization platforms

Denodo and its peers built this category. A data virtualization platform is a federation engine wrapped in a semantic modelling layer, caching, and enterprise governance tooling — deployed as a platform of its own, usually with a project and consultants attached. Query Streams deliberately ships the narrow slice: federated querying over the connections you already have, inside the tool your team already writes queries in.

Choose Query Streams when you need

One SQL statement across databases you already connected — nothing to model first
A plan you can read: which database ran which part, and what was joined afterwards
Setup in minutes on the outbound-only agent you already installed — no new server
The joined result in Excel, Google Sheets, a REST endpoint or an AI assistant, with no extra plumbing
A refusal with a clear reason instead of a quietly wrong total

A virtualization platform may be better when you need

A governed semantic layer shared across an entire enterprise
Caching and materialization strategies tuned per data product
Formal lineage, cataloguing and data-stewardship workflows
Federation across dozens of exotic sources, mainframe and SAP included

Verdict: if the goal is an enterprise data-fabric programme, that is precisely what those platforms are for. If the goal is to answer today’s question across two or three databases you already run, Query Streams is the honest, narrow slice of data virtualization — and it works this afternoon.

Common questions

SeekWell shuts down July 31, 2026 — what should I migrate to?

ThoughtSpot has confirmed SeekWell reaches end of life on July 31, 2026. The official path is ThoughtSpot Sync, but it requires a full BI license. If you bought SeekWell because you didn’t want a BI platform, Query Streams is the focused replacement: SQL-to-spreadsheet with on-demand live queries from native Excel and Google Sheets add-ins and cron-scheduled syncs to Sheets, Excel, Airtable, Smartsheet, Baserow, SeaTable and Anvil.Works. Public pricing, no Slack bot required. See the step-by-step migration guide.

PopSQL is shutting down September 1, 2026 — what should I migrate to?

PopSQL is moving to limited support and shuts down on September 1, 2026 after its acquisition by TigerData — saved queries, dashboards and shared connections are deleted on that date. Query Streams is a natural home for PopSQL teams: a collaborative SQL editor with real-time co-editing and presence, a shared saved-query library, dynamic filters, and live results in Excel, Google Sheets, a REST API or your AI tools — across 53 connectors, relational databases and APIs alike. Build your first query free, no credit card required at my.querystreams.com.

How is Query Streams different from SeekWell?

SeekWell runs queries sequentially and requires cloud database access or IP whitelisting. Query Streams runs queries in parallel, uses an outbound-only agent (no firewall changes), and lets you share governed queries with external users who never see SQL or credentials. SeekWell is also being retired by ThoughtSpot on July 31, 2026 — Query Streams is the natural migration path for teams that want a focused replacement instead of a full BI platform.

Does Coefficient support on-demand refresh?

Coefficient is schedule-centric. Its free tier is manual only; paid tiers unlock daily or hourly auto-refresh. Query Streams provides true instant, on-demand refresh — anyone with access can click and get live data.

Can Skyvia replace Query Streams?

Skyvia is an ETL/iPaaS platform designed for data pipelines and replication. It exports to CSV/Excel files but is not a native spreadsheet add-in. Query Streams is built for interactive, live queries inside Excel and Google Sheets.

Do Mixed Analytics or Apipheny connect to databases?

No. Both are Google Sheets add-ons for REST APIs only. They don’t connect to SQL databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQL Server.

What about security compared to competitors?

Query Streams uses a lightweight outbound-only agent. Requests and results travel over one encrypted connection the agent opens — there’s no inbound port, no VPN and no firewall change, and credentials never leave your network. Many competitors require cloud database access, IP whitelisting, or SSH config.

Is there a free tier?

Yes. Query Streams has a free-forever Individual tier for querying your databases in Excel and Google Sheets — no credit card required. The API Platform and AI MCP server are paid features, but you can try them on a free trial.

Is Query Streams a good Supermetrics alternative?

If you need to query SQL databases and APIs in spreadsheets with governed sharing, yes. Supermetrics excels at marketing-SaaS connectors (200+), but Query Streams supports 53 connectors — relational databases and API sources alike, all queried with SQL — plus parallel execution and external query sharing with hidden SQL.

Can Query Streams replace Power BI?

For ad-hoc database queries in spreadsheets, yes. Query Streams delivers live SQL results in Excel and Google Sheets without dashboard licenses. Power BI is better for enterprise visualization and Microsoft-native analytics workflows.

Is there a Power Query alternative for Google Sheets?

Yes. Query Streams works as a Power Query alternative that supports both Excel and Google Sheets. Google Sheets users get the same live SQL database connectivity, dynamic filters, and governed sharing that Power Query provides only in Excel.

Is Query Streams a CData API Server alternative?

For partner data-sharing, yes — and a simpler, cheaper one. CData API Server is a powerful, broad platform you install and host to expose hundreds of data sources as REST/OData. Query Streams takes the opposite approach for the narrow job of sharing a query with a partner: there’s no public API server to stand up, your database never faces the internet (an outbound-only agent dials out), recipients get a per-recipient key you revoke in one click, and they never see your SQL or schema.

Query Streams vs. PostgREST or Hasura — what’s the difference?

PostgREST and Hasura turn your database schema into the API — every exposed table is queryable, you self-host the server, and you bring your own JWT auth and revocation logic. They’re great as an internal data layer or app backend. Query Streams is built specifically for external sharing: you share a saved query (not your schema), the SQL stays hidden, there’s nothing to host beyond a lightweight agent, and per-recipient keys, rate limits and expiring endpoints are built in. PostgREST is also Postgres-only, while Query Streams supports 53 connectors.

Do I have to expose my database to share it as an API?

No. With traditional API servers (DreamFactory, PostgREST, Hasura, or a DIY Express/FastAPI service) you stand up a public server that must reach your database — so you open a firewall port, publish an endpoint, or run a VPN. Query Streams uses an outbound-only Network Agent that dials out over HTTPS, so your database and its ports stay invisible to the internet. There’s no inbound rule to open and no server for you to host or patch.

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Outbound-only agent SQL + credentials hidden Compressed streaming