Metabase is the easy-to-use open source Business Intelligence and Embedded Analytics tool that lets everyone work with data via dashboards, SQL editor, and self-service question building.
What is Metabase?
Metabase is the easy-to-use open source Business Intelligence and Embedded Analytics tool that lets everyone work with data via dashboards, SQL editor, and self-service question building.
SubcategoryBusiness Intelligence and Embedded Analytics
Version63.14
PriceFree
What is Metabase?
Introduction to Metabase — what it does and who it is for.
What do you need to run Metabase?
System requirements, OS support, and hardware needs for Metabase.
Metabase can be self-hosted via a Java JAR or Docker (with a supported database), or run without infrastructure via Metabase Cloud.
| Operating system | Linux (any OS with Java support) Cloud (hosted)macOSWindows |
|---|---|
| Devices | Desktop |
Programming languages
- ✓Clojure
- ✓JavaScript
- ✓TypeScript
How much does Metabase cost?
Pricing plans, license type, and availability for Metabase.
Metabase's open-source edition is free and self-hosted only; Cloud plans start at $100/month (Starter), $575/month (Pro), with custom Enterprise pricing.
| Price summary | Free (Open Source) |
|---|---|
| License details | Open-source edition under AGPL-3.0; Pro/Enterprise under Metabase Commercial Software License (open-core/dual-license). |
| Availability | Available |
| Plan | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free (Open Source, self-hosted) | Unlimited users, questions/dashboards, 20+ data sources, SQL editor, AI question assistance; self-hosted only. | Free |
| Metabase Cloud Starter | First 5 users, 3-day support, 14-day free trial. | €100,00 |
| Metabase Cloud Pro | Row/column-level permissions, SSO, caching controls, usage analytics, multi-tenant embedding, whitelabeling. | €575,00 |
| Metabase Cloud Enterprise | Dedicated success engineer, 1-day support SLA, air-gapped deployment option. | Contact Sales |
What is Metabase used for?
Key features, use cases, and capabilities of Metabase.
Metabase provides a SQL editor and visual query builder, interactive dashboards, 20+ connectors, embedded/multi-tenant analytics, AI-assisted queries, and SSO/SAML/JWT/OIDC/LDAP authentication.
Key features
- ✓SQL editor and visual query builder
- ✓interactive dashboards and subscriptions
- ✓20+ native data source connectors
- ✓row/column-level permissions (paid)
- ✓SSO/SAML/JWT/OIDC/LDAP auth
- ✓embedded and multi-tenant analytics
- ✓AI-assisted question/SQL generation
- ✓alerts and scheduled reports
Use cases
- ✓Self-service business analytics for non-technical teams
- ✓embedded/white-labeled analytics
- ✓ad hoc SQL querying and dashboarding
- ✓scheduled reporting/alerting via Slack/email.
Who should use Metabase?
Target users, industries, and ideal use cases for Metabase.
Metabase serves business teams, data analysts, and developers, particularly at startups and mid-market companies.
| Target audience | Business Teams, Data Analysts, Developers At Startups And Mid-market Companies |
|---|---|
| Integration complexity | Moderate |
How is Metabase deployed?
Deployment options, API, and hosting for Metabase.
Metabase can be self-hosted via JAR or Docker, or run as fully managed Metabase Cloud.
| API integration | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Open source | ✓ |
| Self-hosting | ✓ |
How do you get started with Metabase?
Installation and onboarding steps for Metabase.
New users can install via the official guide (JAR or Docker) or start a free Metabase Cloud trial.
What are the pros and cons of Metabase?
Balanced review of strengths and weaknesses of Metabase.
Per G2 (4.4/5, 147 reviews), users praise ease of use, quick setup, and cost-effectiveness, while citing slow performance on large datasets and features gated behind paid tiers.
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| +Ease of use for technical and non-technical users | −Performance issues on large datasets |
| +quick implementation | −limited advanced visualization vs Tableau/Looker |
| +cost-effective open-source option | −missing sophisticated AI querying/native row-level security |
| +flexible SQL and visual query building | −dashboards can load slowly |
| +strong native database integrations | −self-hosted users rely on community support |
| +enables self-service analytics |
Where can you learn more about Metabase?
Documentation, support, and official links for Metabase.
Official resources include docs.metabase.com, API documentation, and the open-source GitHub repository.
| Website | Website |
|---|---|
| Documentation | Documentation |
| Source code | Source code |
| Get started | Get started |
| Install | Install |
| Demo | Demo |
Frequently asked questions
What is Metabase?
Metabase is the easy-to-use open source Business Intelligence and Embedded Analytics tool that lets everyone work with data via dashboards, SQL editor, and self-service question building.
Is Metabase free?
Metabase's open-source edition is free and self-hosted only; Cloud plans start at $100/month (Starter), $575/month (Pro), with custom Enterprise pricing.
What is Metabase used for?
Metabase provides a SQL editor and visual query builder, interactive dashboards, 20+ connectors, embedded/multi-tenant analytics, AI-assisted queries, and SSO/SAML/JWT/OIDC/LDAP authentication.
Where can I get Metabase?
You can get Metabase via the official website, the install page, GitHub and the product page. See the resources section on this page for direct links.
Who should use Metabase?
Metabase serves business teams, data analysts, and developers, particularly at startups and mid-market companies.
What do you need to run Metabase?
Metabase can be self-hosted via a Java JAR or Docker (with a supported database), or run without infrastructure via Metabase Cloud.
How do you get started with Metabase?
New users can install via the official guide (JAR or Docker) or start a free Metabase Cloud trial.
How is Metabase deployed?
Metabase can be self-hosted via JAR or Docker, or run as fully managed Metabase Cloud.
Who developed Metabase?
Metabase is developed by Metabase, Inc..
What are the pros and cons of Metabase?
Per G2 (4.4/5, 147 reviews), users praise ease of use, quick setup, and cost-effectiveness, while citing slow performance on large datasets and features gated behind paid tiers.