In Looker Studio, the API calls work differently than the Google Sheets' API calls
An API call is generated each time one of our connectors calls the data source API to get information.
In general, in Looker Studio each chart, widget, or table is equivalent to 1 API call. Every time you add, refresh, or edit one of them, API calls will be consumed (depending on how many elements you have on the page, it may consume more or less API calls).
However, there are some times that 1 widget is NOT equivalent to 1 API call:
Depending on the chart you've selected, Looker Studio can consume more than 1 API call per widget. There are some charts (like the "table with heat map" chart) that need more API calls to work and show the data the way you want.
The Grand total row, the Blend data connector, the filters, and the comparison dates options add + 1 more API call to any graph.
If you share the document with your clients, every time they refresh the data or change an option in a control, the API calls associated with the Dataslayer account that manages the document will be consumed.
- Please note that Looker Studio's refresh and update system depends on Google, not Dataslayer. That's why our plans for Looker Studio include more API calls than Google Sheets.
Finally, remember that if a query returns an error, it does NOT count as an API call.
Tip: to avoid consuming so many API calls you can pause updates while modifying your report. Learn more about Pause Updates functionality here.
Great! But how do I know how many API calls I need?
Log in to our website and you can test all our Looker Studio connectors free for 15 days (no credit card required).
You can then check in your user portal how many API calls you have used and decide which plan best suits your needs.
Pro tip: use our 15-day free trial to create your dashboards for free, as this process is the one that consumes the most API calls.
Do you have any questions? Don't hesitate to write us through our website chat or through our email.