What to Check Before Choosing Klipfolio for Your Dashboards

Updated

Klipfolio (the product it now calls Klips) is worth shortlisting if you want live dashboards built on data you already keep in spreadsheets and cloud tools, without hiring developers. Before committing, verify four things: that your data sources are covered by its 200+ connectors or by SQL/REST query connectors, whether you have a data warehouse (it works either way), how you need to distribute dashboards (scheduling, roles, embedding, exports), and which pricing track applies to you — standard, agency, or partner.

1. Data sources: connectors first, SQL/REST as the fallback

Klipfolio states it connects directly to 200+ services, naming CRM tools, Google Ads, and social platforms as examples, and it pulls live data straight from Excel and Google Sheets. For anything outside that list, it offers query connectors including SQL and REST, which the site describes as a way to "get data from almost anywhere."

What to check on your side:

  • List your sources. Separate the ones likely covered by standard connectors (major ad platforms, CRMs, spreadsheets) from internal databases or niche SaaS tools.
  • Confirm the specific integration, not just the category. The site gives examples, not a full list; ask for or look up the connector for each tool you rely on.
  • Plan the SQL/REST path for the rest. This works, but it means someone on your team must write and maintain queries — a different skill than building charts.

If most of your data lives in a handful of mainstream cloud tools, the connector route is straightforward. If it lives in a custom internal system, budget for the query-connector work.

2. Data warehouse: optional, not required

The site is explicit that Klips "works great with or without a data warehouse." That matters in two directions:

  • No warehouse yet: you can connect sources directly and start building, which suits small teams that haven't built data infrastructure.
  • Warehouse in place: Klipfolio can sit on top of it rather than duplicating ingestion, so your existing modeling work isn't wasted.

The decision point is governance. Direct connections are faster to set up but spread logic across many integrations; routing through a warehouse centralizes definitions. Klipfolio supports both, so pick based on how much consistency your reporting needs, not on a tool limitation.

3. Presentation and distribution: match the feature list to your audience

The site describes three steps — Connect, Build, Share — and the Share step is where most buying decisions actually get made. According to the page, you can:

  • Present live dashboards
  • Schedule reports to inboxes
  • Control access with roles
  • Export or embed dashboards anywhere

On the build side, it cites thirty chart types, thousands of styling combinations, and custom layouts with "zero developers required."

Check these against your real workflow:

Your need What to verify
Client-facing reporting Whether embedding and role-based access fit how you share with external parties
Recurring executive updates How scheduled email reports are configured and formatted
Mixed internal/external audiences Whether roles let you separate what each group sees
Portability What export formats are available for offline or archival use

If your main requirement is a live link your team checks daily, the basics are covered. If you run a client reporting business, embedding and access control deserve a hands-on trial before you commit.

4. Pricing: three entry points, so pick the right one

The site links to pricing in three places: the main pricing page, a pricing page filtered for the Klips product and an agency type, and a separate partners pricing page. That structure suggests distinct tracks for standard users, agencies managing multiple clients, and partners.

Before choosing:

  • Identify your model. Are you reporting for one organization, or for multiple clients? Agencies should look at the agency-filtered pricing rather than assume standard rates apply.
  • Check the partner track if you resell or embed reporting in your own offering.
  • Confirm what each tier includes — seats, dashboards, and connector access are the usual variables, but the page evidence here doesn't specify them, so review the pricing pages directly.

A quick pre-purchase checklist

  1. Map every data source to a named connector or to SQL/REST.
  2. Decide whether data flows directly or through a warehouse.
  3. List your distribution requirements: live views, scheduled emails, roles, embeds, exports.
  4. Trial the build experience against one real dashboard you need this month.
  5. Compare standard, agency, and partner pricing for your situation.

Klipfolio's own positioning is that spreadsheets are fine as a data source but poor as a dashboard backbone. If your current process is exactly that — spreadsheet formulas feeding charts that lag behind reality — the fit is strong, provided your sources are connectable and your sharing needs match the features above.