Metabase
Analytics platforms
Embedded business intelligence software
Business intelligence software
- Features
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What is Metabase
Metabase is a business intelligence and analytics platform used to query data sources and build dashboards, charts, and reports for internal stakeholders. It supports both no-code exploration (questions built through a UI) and SQL-based analysis for analysts and data teams. Metabase can be deployed as open source/self-hosted or consumed as a managed cloud service, and it includes options for embedding analytics into other applications.
Flexible deployment options
Metabase is available as an open-source project for self-hosting and also as a managed cloud offering. This supports different security, compliance, and infrastructure preferences across organizations. Teams can start with a lightweight deployment and scale usage without changing tools.
Broad database connectivity
Metabase connects to many common SQL databases and data warehouses and can query them directly. This makes it suitable for organizations with heterogeneous data stacks or multiple environments. It also supports saved questions and models to standardize commonly used datasets.
Accessible for mixed skill levels
Metabase provides a GUI for building questions and dashboards for non-technical users while still supporting SQL for advanced users. This helps teams serve both self-service reporting and analyst-driven exploration in one product. Features like sharing, dashboard filters, and scheduled delivery support operational reporting workflows.
Advanced semantic layer limits
Metabase includes modeling features, but it is not a full enterprise semantic layer with the same depth of governed metrics, complex reuse patterns, and centralized logic management found in some BI stacks. Organizations with strict metric governance may need additional processes or complementary tooling. This can increase effort to keep definitions consistent across teams.
Complex analytics can require SQL
While the UI supports many common queries, more complex transformations and analyses often require SQL or upstream data modeling. This can reduce true self-service for business users when requirements go beyond standard aggregations and filters. Teams may rely more heavily on analysts or data engineers for advanced use cases.
Embedding and customization tradeoffs
Metabase supports embedding, but deeper white-labeling, fine-grained multi-tenant controls, and highly customized embedded experiences can require additional engineering work and careful configuration. Some embedded scenarios may need application-layer authorization patterns beyond basic sharing. This can affect time-to-implement for product analytics use cases.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Free | Self‑hosted, AGPL license; community support forum; unlimited queries/charts/dashboards; basic embedding with “Powered by Metabase” badge; Metabot AI not available. Source: Metabase pricing page. |
| Starter | $100 per month + $6 per month per user (monthly); $1,080 per year + $65 per year per user (annual, 10% discount). First 5 users included. | Fully-managed cloud instance; 3‑day support via Slack/Teams/email; automatic upgrades/patches/backups; Metabot AI available; "Start free trial" available. |
| Pro | $575 per month + $12 per month per user (monthly); $6,210 per year + $130 per year per user (annual). First 10 users included. | Cloud or self-hosted; row- & column-level permissions, SSO & SCIM; advanced caching; environment staging/production; usage analytics; white‑labeling (no "Powered by" badge); multi-tenant embedded analytics; "Start free trial" available. |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing — starts at $20,000 per year (listed). | Priority support; cloud or self-hosted; dedicated success engineer & 1‑day email SLA; procurement assistance; optional air-gapped or single-tenant hosting; professional services; talk to sales. |
Add-ons / usage-based (officially listed): Pricing model: Usage-based add-ons Free tier/trial: Metabot AI: free 14‑day trial included on Cloud plans (per Metabase site). Example costs:
- Metabot AI — starts at $100 / month for 500 Metabot requests (higher tiers and talk-to-sales for >2,500).
- Storage — starts at $40 / month for 500k rows.
- Advanced transforms — starts at $250 / month for 72,000 runs.
- Development / dev instances — $100 / month (where available). Discounts/Notes: Annual billing receives a 10% discount vs monthly; prices exclude applicable taxes; Enterprise negotiating may include custom discounts. (All items above taken from Metabase official pricing pages.)
Seller details
Metabase, Inc.
San Francisco, CA, USA
2014
Private
https://www.metabase.com/
https://x.com/metabase
https://www.linkedin.com/company/metabase/
