Metabase
Companies with a SQL database or warehouse and at least one technical person to connect it (and host it, if self-hosting).
Quick overview
- Pricing
- Free open source; Cloud from $100/mo (5 users)
- Plans
- Open Source (self-hosted, AGPL): free, unlimited users; you pay hosting. Starter (Cloud only): $100/month billed monthly or $1,080/year, includes 5 users; extra users $6/user/month or $65/user/year. Pro (Cloud or self-hosted): $575/month or $6,210/year, includes 10 users; extra users $12/month or $130/year; adds row and column permissions, SSO, auditing, multi-tenant embedding and white-labeling. Enterprise: custom, starts at $20,000/year. 14-day free trials on Starter and Pro; yearly billing saves 10%; prices exclude taxes. Embed users count toward user totals.
- G2 rating
- Not yet verified
- Comparisons
- Featured in 3 comparisons
Key features
- No-code query builder plus SQL editor
- 18 official database connectors plus community drivers
- AI questions and SQL generation, even on Open Source
- Embedded analytics with row and column security (Pro)
- Usage analytics, auditing and SSO (Pro)
Pros
- Free self-hosted edition with unlimited users
- Query builder lets non-SQL users explore data
- Fast to set up on an existing database
- Published pricing with users included in base fee
Cons
- No direct SaaS app connectors; apps go through a warehouse
- Self-hosting means owning upgrades and backups
- Permissions and SSO need the $575/month Pro plan
Metabase in our comparisons
Best BI Tools for Small Business
Zoho Analytics is the best BI tool for most small businesses: a free plan, flat pricing with users included, and native connectors with prebuilt reports for accounting, CRM, ad and ecommerce apps. Data Studio is the best free choice for Google-centric teams.
Emily RodriguezUpdated October 2026Power BI alternatives
Tableau is the best all-round Power BI alternative, with Mac authoring and a self-hosted option. Choose Data Studio for Google shops, Metabase for open source, or Zoho Analytics on a budget.
Emily RodriguezUpdated October 2026Tableau alternatives
Switch to Microsoft Power BI for comparable authoring at a much lower per-user price. Choose Data Studio if you need free, Metabase for open source or self-hosting, and Sisense for embedded analytics.
Emily RodriguezUpdated October 2026