Let’s call it what it is: most dashboards, even in leading SaaS products, just aren’t pulling their weight. Luzmo’s latest research with 200+ SaaS teams tells a clear story:
Only 60% of users say dashboards help them make better decisions—and that’s after all the design, build, and rollout effort.
40% of users feel lukewarm or worse about their dashboard experience.
51% point to a lack of interactivity as their biggest frustration.
72% regularly bypass dashboards by exporting to Excel. When your users start their journey by “leaving” your analytics, something’s broken.
What does this mean for product teams? It means dashboards have become the most underused, overpromised feature in SaaS. Most users log in, see the same generic metrics, and immediately disengage. Or worse, they start doing their own thing in spreadsheets.
But the kicker? 58% of users say they’d pay more for dashboards that actually deliver actionable insights.
This is the opportunity. Fix the user experience, and dashboards can go from dead weight to the core of your product’s stickiness, upgrade revenue, and customer love.
What a modern user dashboard should deliver
The verdict from SaaS teams is crystal clear:
42% want more interactivity—the ability to filter, sort, drill down, and make dashboards their own.
38% say customization and personalization are essential.
It’s not enough to offer pretty charts; dashboards need to be flexible, role-aware, and in context.
When you nail this, dashboards become each user’s home base, not a reporting graveyard.
7 best dashboards for users in 2025
1. Luzmo: Dashboards that users actually want to use
Luzmo was designed for teams who are done settling for static, underused dashboards.
Modular, embeddable dashboards: Luzmo’s embedded analytics let you put dashboards anywhere your users work—onboarding, admin, usage flows, or even in feature popups.
Personalization and interactivity as standard: With Luzmo Flex, users can add, remove, or rearrange widgets, filter views, and create their own dashboards—no more “one size fits none.”
AI-powered insights: Luzmo IQ lets users ask questions in plain English and get answers, charts, and next steps.
Empower everyone: Embedded dashboard editor means non-technical users can build, customize, and share dashboards—without waiting on devs.
Branding and workflow fit: Dashboards match your product 100%, not some BI vendor’s theme.
Easy integration: Luzmo Connect lets you hook up any data, from SaaS to SQL.
Multi-tenant security, audit trails, and compliance out of the box.
Who Luzmo isn’t for:
Internal-only, static BI shops or teams that want dashboards as a checkbox. Luzmo’s for SaaS teams who want dashboards to be a living, breathing user hub.
2. Sisense: Customizable, powerful, but not for everyone
Sisense is a power player for teams with strong dev resources and big ambitions.
Strengths: Widget-based dashboards, deep customization, APIs for workflow integration.
Weaknesses: High setup and maintenance costs, slow iteration for non-dev users, branding requires heavy lifting.
From user feedback: Teams find Sisense fast at first, but “dashboards start to feel disconnected as user needs change”—and only 49% are satisfied with their rollout timelines.
Best for: Enterprise SaaS with big budgets and a tolerance for technical lift.
3. Metabase: Rapid, open-source dashboards, but limited for scale
Metabase is loved by startups and growth teams for fast dashboard deployment.
Pros: Simple to embed, “question builder” UI, strong open-source community.
Cons: Lacks real personalization, everyone gets the same dashboard. Branding and workflow fit are basic; multi-tenancy is a workaround, not a feature.
Pain point echoed in the research:Teams outgrow Metabase as user demands for role-based dashboards and real-time interactivity pile up.
Best for: MVPs and internal dashboards, not SaaS-scale, user-personalized analytics.
GoodData gives you deep programmability and multi-tenant security.
Strengths: Build dashboards for every user role, client, or persona. APIs for custom flows and automations.
Weaknesses: Steep learning curve, dev-driven customization, out-of-the-box dashboards are functional but not beautiful.
User sentiment: Many teams “struggle to keep dashboards fresh” as products and personas evolve, mirroring the 38% of teams who say “changing user needs” is their top challenge.
Best for: ISVs and mature SaaS platforms ready to invest in differentiated user dashboards.
5. ThoughtSpot: Search-driven, self-serve dashboards, but not workflow ready
Strengths: Great for business users, instant answers, low training needs.
Weaknesses:Embedding and branding lag; persistent, highly personalized dashboards are tough to build; weak on workflow integration and actionable triggers.
Relevant stat: 51% of users say dashboards lack meaningful interactivity. ThoughtSpot can deliver quick answers, but often not the custom, always-on dashboards users crave.
Best for: SaaS tools with basic user dashboards, less so for teams wanting persistent, in-product analytics homes.
6. Power BI Embedded: Enterprise-grade, but feels disconnected
Power BI Embedded is the go-to for Microsoft shops needing secure, familiar dashboards.
Strengths: Drag-and-drop builder, audit trails, compliance for enterprise needs.
Weaknesses: Branding is basic, embedding feels “bolted-on,” workflow integration is clunky.
User pain: Only 49% of SaaS teams are happy with dashboard implementation timelines. Power BI’s cycles are a big reason why.
Best for: Enterprise SaaS in finance, healthcare, or government; not for fast-moving, product-led teams.
7. Tableau: Visualization powerhouse, but not for product-native dashboards
Tableau is unbeatable for deep, exploratory visual analytics, if your users are analysts.
Strengths: Gorgeous charts, data blending, powerful for data scientists.
Weaknesses: SaaS UX is lacking: personalization, embedding, and multi-tenant security are complex. Most dashboards look like Tableau, not your product.
Pain point from research: “Dashboards stay static, users disengage”—Tableau’s lack of in-app flexibility is a top reason for churn.
Best for: Analyst-heavy organizations, not everyday SaaS users.
How to build dashboards that users actually use
Gather real user feedback: Don’t assume. Talk to end users and find out which metrics and actions drive their day.
Prioritize fast, flexible rollouts: Remember, 41% of teams spend 4+ months building dashboards, and most aren’t happy with the result.
Empower users to build and share: Business users want ownership. Give them the tools to pin KPIs, set alerts, and share views.
Focus on actionability, not just visuals: 42% of users want dashboards that let them filter, sort, and drill down instantly. Don’t settle for static charts.
Your dashboard is your product’s home base, so make it work for every user
In 2025, dashboards aren’t just about reporting. They’re where users start and end their day.
If you settle for static, “one size fits none” dashboards, you’ll see disengagement, churn, and endless support tickets.
The good news? With the right platform—especially one like Luzmo, built for user-first, modular dashboards—you can turn analytics into the most valuable real estate in your product.
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