Free Tableau Desktop Alternative That Runs in Your Browser

How to open a workbook or dataset without installing Tableau Desktop

You do not need a desktop installer or a paid Creator license to open a packaged workbook, run Tableau calculations, or build a view with shelves and marks.

1. Open your file in the browser. Open a .twbx, .twb, .csv, .xlsx, or .parquet file from your computer in the xmetric app (/app/). Packaged data files inside .twbx archives unpack locally in browser memory.
2. Place dimensions and measures on shelves. Drag fields to Columns, Rows, and the Marks card (Color, Size, Label, Detail, Tooltip), or pick a chart type from Show Me.
3. Write calculated fields. Create calculated fields, Level of Detail expressions (FIXED, INCLUDE, EXCLUDE), and table calculations (RUNNING_SUM, WINDOW_AVG, INDEX, RANK). To test a formula on its own and see the equivalent SQL, use the formula playground (/play/).
4. Filter, save, and share. Drag fields to Filters, then sign in to save the workbook online and share a view-only link. Your data stays local unless you choose to save.

Formula compatibility: Tableau calculations and SQL equivalents

Analysts switching tools usually hit a wall when they need cohort dates, percent-of-total across panes, or nested aggregations. xmetric uses Tableau's calculation syntax directly. Here is each formula with its equivalent SQL.

Customer acquisition cohort (FIXED LOD)

Tableau calculation syntax in xmetric:

{ FIXED [Customer ID] : MIN([Order Date]) }

Equivalent SQL query:

SELECT
  customer_id,
  order_date,
  MIN(order_date) OVER (PARTITION BY customer_id) AS first_order_date
FROM orders;

Share of category revenue (EXCLUDE LOD)

Tableau calculation syntax in xmetric:

SUM([Sales]) / SUM({ EXCLUDE [Sub-Category] : SUM([Sales]) })

Equivalent SQL query:

SELECT
  category,
  sub_category,
  SUM(sales) / SUM(SUM(sales)) OVER (PARTITION BY category) AS category_share
FROM orders
GROUP BY category, sub_category;

Running total down a table (Table Calculation)

Tableau calculation syntax in xmetric:

RUNNING_SUM(SUM([Sales]))

Equivalent SQL query:

SELECT
  order_month,
  SUM(sales) AS monthly_sales,
  SUM(SUM(sales)) OVER (ORDER BY order_month ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW) AS running_sales
FROM orders
GROUP BY order_month;

Current scope and limits

• Works today in the browser: The xmetric app opens .twbx and .twb workbooks and imports CSV, Excel, and Parquet files, with shelves, Show Me charts, calculated fields, LODs, and table calcs. Not every dashboard will look identical to Tableau. The free workbook inspector (/inspect/) also reads .pbix and .pbip files.
• Live cloud databases: Direct connections to Postgres and BigQuery are coming. If your workbook connects to a live enterprise warehouse without a packaged extract, export a .twbx extract or CSV file first.
• Agent control: Every shelf, mark, and filter action in the xmetric app is a command. An MCP server, a ChatGPT app, and a Claude connector are in development.

Spec comparison: xmetric vs Tableau Desktop and other alternatives