Analytics Built Into Your Product
Shaper is an open-source, SQL-first platform for building data dashboards, reports, and customer-facing analytics that embed directly into your product. It provides a code-based approach with Git-versioned SQL workflows, multi-source querying (DuckDB), and full white-labeling, while keeping data in your infrastructure.
Key facts
What is Analytics Built Into Your Product?
Write SQL queries and Shaper handles the rest—dashboards, reports, exports, all embedded in your product, so you can build analytics features in hours, not months.
Who is Analytics Built Into Your Product best for?
Data teams, product teams, engineering teams, startups, and companies needing embedded analytics or customer-facing dashboards.
What are its main limitations?
- Pricing is not publicly listed on the website
- Requires SQL knowledge, which may be a barrier for less technical users
- Limited out-of-the-box visual query builder (UI is SQL-first)
Limitations are based on product materials or editorial synthesis; confirm on the official site.
Key features
- ✓SQL-driven dashboards with interactive filtering and drill-downs
- ✓Multi-source querying via DuckDB
- ✓Git-versioned SQL workflows for auditability
- ✓Row-level security using JWT
- ✓PDF, PNG, Excel, and CSV exports; scheduled email delivery
- ✓Full CSS white-labeling for embedded analytics
- ✓Slack & Teams notifications
- ✓AI-ready design allowing LLMs to generate dashboards
Use cases
- →Embedding analytics directly into SaaS products without redirects or separate logins
- →Providing customer-facing dashboards and reports
- →Internal reporting and research tools with version-controlled SQL
- →Automated PDF and Excel report generation for stakeholders
Pros
- +Open source with no vendor lock-in; can self-host anytime
- +SQL-first approach is familiar to data teams and auditable via Git
- +Flat-fee pricing with unlimited users (managed service)
- +Data stays in your infrastructure; row-level security built-in
- +Lightweight embed SDKs (no iframes) for seamless product integration
Cons
- −Pricing is not publicly listed on the website
- −Requires SQL knowledge, which may be a barrier for less technical users
- −Limited out-of-the-box visual query builder (UI is SQL-first)
Positioning
- Core value: Write SQL queries and Shaper handles the rest—dashboards, reports, exports, all embedded in your product, so you can build analytics features in hours, not months.
- Ideal for: Data teams, product teams, engineering teams, startups, and companies needing embedded analytics or customer-facing dashboards.
- Product type: Open source engine, React & JS SDKs (no iframes), REST API, managed cloud service, self-hosted option
Frequently asked questions
What is Shaper?
Shaper is an open-source, SQL-first platform for building embedded analytics, dashboards, and reports that can be integrated directly into your product. It is powered by the Taleshape team.
Is Shaper truly open source?
Yes, Shaper is fully open source and can be run anywhere. You can use the managed service or self-host without vendor lock-in.
How does Shaper handle data sovereignty?
Your data stays within your infrastructure. The platform uses DuckDB for local processing and supports multi-source querying without sending data to external servers.
Can I embed dashboards without iframes?
Yes, Shaper provides React and JS SDKs that embed analytics directly into your application without using iframes.
How is Shaper different from legacy BI tools?
Shaper uses Git-versioned SQL workflows instead of opaque UI-driven changes, offers a flat fee with unlimited users instead of per-user licensing, and runs locally on your infrastructure rather than a multi-tenant cloud.
Does Shaper support AI integration?
Yes, the code-based SQL approach makes it straightforward to use LLMs to generate and iterate on dashboards securely.
You may also like
Curated suggestions based on similar categories.
KiHub
KiHub is a dynamic social innovation incubator based in Kasserine, Tunisia, dedicated to empowering grassroots communities through entrepreneurship and inclusivity. It runs initiatives including KiMeetup, the Programme Designers' Lab, and the KiHub Impact Studio to transform ideas into sustainable community solutions.
Comms
Customer Online Management System (COMS) is a Wells Fargo-hosted portal that enables secure online payments, inventory management, and access to analytics and reports to guide business growth. It also provides resources for real-time inventory monitoring.
Turbine
Turbine is a cloud-based business management platform that helps small businesses handle purchase orders, expenses, time-off requests, and employee records online. It offers web and mobile access to streamline approvals and reduce paperwork.
Seerly
Seerly is a financial intelligence platform that uses AI and machine learning to provide personal financial advisory through a mobile app. It connects via Plaid and Apple FinanceKit to analyze transactions, generate an Economic Health Score, and offer personalized insights for individuals and businesses.
Seller by Facebook
Seller is a dedicated iOS app for Facebook Marketplace sellers, offering tools like AI-powered listing creation, a unified inbox, inventory management, and performance insights. It syncs with existing Marketplace accounts and is available to US users aged 18 and older.
MenuSquared
MenuSquared lets restaurant owners build a single digital menu that updates across web, QR code, and print-ready PDF from a phone. It offers professionally designed templates, AI tools for descriptions and pricing, and features like live '86' toggles, daypart scheduling, and multilingual translation.