Tableau Server, Tableau Online, and Tableau Public are all variations on the same concept: hosting visualizations and dashboards on a server and allowing users to access them through a web browser.
The following table provides some of the similarities and differences between the products, but as details may change please consult with a Tableau representative prior to making any purchasing decisions:
|
Product |
Tableau Server |
Tableau Online |
Tableau Public |
|
Description |
A server application installed on one or more server machines that hosts views and dashboards created with Tableau Desktop. |
A cloud-based service maintained by Tableau Software that hosts views and dashboards created with Tableau Desktop. |
A cloud-based service maintained by Tableau Software that hosts views and dashboards created with Tableau Desktop or the free Tableau Public client. |
|
Licensing cost |
Yes |
Yes |
Free |
|
Administration |
Fully maintained, managed, and administered by the individual or organization that purchased the license. |
Managed and maintained by Tableau Software with some options for project and user management by users. |
Managed and maintained by Tableau Software. |
|
Authoring and Publishing |
Users of Tableau Desktop may author and publish workbooks to Tableau Server. Web Authoring allows Tableau Server users the capability to edit and create visualizations and dashboards in a web browser. |
Users of Tableau Desktop may author and publish workbooks to Tableau Online. Web Authoring allows Tableau Online users the capability to edit and create visualizations and dashboards in a web browser. |
Users of Tableau Desktop or the free Tableau Public client can publish workbooks to Tableau Public. |
|
Interaction |
Licensed Tableau Server users may interact with hosted views. Views may also be embedded in intranet sites, SharePoint, and custom portals. |
Licensed Tableau Online users may interact with hosted views. Views may also be embedded in intranet sites, SharePoint, and custom portals. |
Everything is public-facing. Anyone may interact with hosted views. Views may be embedded in public websites and blogs. |
|
Limitations |
None. |
Most data sources must be extracted before workbooks can be published. Most non-cloud-based data sources must have extracts refreshed using Tableau Desktop on a local machine or through the Tableau Online Sync Client. |
All data must be extracted and each data source is limited to 15 million rows. |
|
Security |
The Tableau Server administrator may create sites, projects, and users and adjust permissions for each. Access to the underlying data can be restricted, and downloading of the workbook or data can be restricted. |
The Tableau Server administrator may create projects and users and adjust permissions for each. Access to the underlying data can be restricted, and downloading of the workbook or data can be restricted. |
By default, anyone may download and view data; however, access to these options may be restricted by the author. |
|
Good Uses |
Internal dashboards and analytics and/or use across departments/ divisions/clients through multi-tenant sites. |
Internal dashboards and analytics. Sharing and collaboration with remote users. |
Sharing visualizations and dashboards using embedded views on public-facing websites or blogs. |