Metabase review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Open-source BI tool with a free self-hosted edition and cloud plans priced by a base fee plus extra users.
Our take for buyers
Metabase is an open-source BI tool with a free self-hosted edition and cloud plans, and it fits startups and small teams that want self-service dashboards without a heavy rollout. G2 shows 4.4 from 141 reviews, with praise for easy setup and good dashboards, and complaints about weaker support and limited advanced transformation. Metabase was founded in 2015 and is based in San Francisco.
Buyers needing governance should read the plan boundaries closely. SSO starts on Pro, not Starter, and large governed semantic-layer rollouts are not where Metabase is strongest. Teams embedding analytics will find advanced embedding on Pro or Enterprise. Confirm the plan boundaries in writing before you sign. Teams embedding analytics should also check which plan carries whitelabel and multi-tenant embedding.
Pros
- Easy setup.
- Good dashboards.
Cons
- Support quality weaker in G2 summaries.
- Advanced transformation limited.
- Best for
- Small teams wanting a free self-hosted start.
- Starting price
- Free (open source); Starter $100/mo or $1,080/yr
- G2 rating
- 4.4 (141 reviews)
What is Metabase?
Open-source BI tool with a free self-hosted edition and cloud plans priced by a base fee plus extra users. Small teams and startups can try the free self-hosted edition first, then move to cloud plans with a base fee covering 5 or 10 users. Check where SSO and row permissions start, since both need Pro. Embedding at scale begins at $575 a month. Metabase was founded in 2015 and is based in San Francisco, US.
Category: Business Intelligence Software
Metabase key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee covering 5 (Starter) or 10 (Pro) users plus per extra user; no extra cost for dashboards, queries or data sources. |
| Target company size | Startups and SMB; Enterprise tier from $20,000/yr. |
| Data connectors | 20+ data sources on open source. |
| Self-service analytics | Strong ease-of-setup and dashboard scores on G2 summaries. |
| Visualization and dashboards | Unlimited questions and dashboards on all plans. |
| Data modeling and governance | Row and column permissions on Pro; transforms with 1,000 runs included on Starter/Pro. |
| Embedded analytics | Advanced embedding needs Pro or Enterprise; starts at $575/mo; whitelabel and multi-tenant on Pro. |
| AI and natural language queries | AI on your preferred model, MCP server on open source; Metabase-hosted AI $3.75 per 1M tokens. |
Metabase plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Free | unlimited users | Self-hosted |
| Starter | $100/mo or $1,080/yr | first 5 users; extra $6/mo or $65/yr | 3-day support |
| Pro | $575/mo or $6,210/yr | first 10 users; extra $12/mo or $130/yr | SSO, row/column permissions, auditing, whitelabel, multi-tenant embedding |
| Enterprise | From $20,000/yr | custom | Success engineer, procurement help, air-gap option, 1-day support SLA |
14-day trial on Starter and Pro. Yearly saves 10%. Anyone who logs in counts as a user. Usage add-ons: AI $3.75 per 1M tokens, storage from $2 per 1M rows.
Who should shortlist Metabase
A strong fit for
- Small teams wanting a free self-hosted start.
- Startups needing cheap per-user cloud BI.
- Teams embedding analytics (Pro from $575/mo)
A weak fit for
- Buyers needing SSO on the cheapest plan: SSO starts on Pro.
- Large governed semantic-layer rollouts (not confirmed by the vendor)
Metabase alternatives
Microsoft Power BIMicrosoft 365 and Azure shops.
TableauAnalyst-led teams doing deep visual exploration.
LookerData teams that want a central semantic layer (LookML)
Looker StudioMarketers reporting from Google Analytics 4 and Search Console.
Qlik SenseMid-size and large teams that want many users on one fixed annual fee (Standard onward adds users at no cost)
DataboxSmall teams and agencies that want KPI dashboards from SaaS data sources without a data team.
Security, admin and compliance
Metabase lists SOC 2 Type II, SOC 1 Type II, GDPR and CCPA. SSO is on Pro and Enterprise, and auditing is on Pro and up, with row and column permissions on Pro. Cloud hosting is available in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, and Enterprise adds an air-gap option. SCIM and a data processing agreement are not published. Support is 3-day on Starter and a 1-day SLA with a success engineer on Enterprise, while the Pro level is unspecified. Licences are non-transferable.
- SAML SSO
- Pro and Enterprise.
- Audit logs
- Pro and up (usage analytics and auditing)
- Data residency
- Cloud: US, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific.
- Certifications
- SOC 2 Type II, SOC 1 Type II, GDPR, CCPA.
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- Monthly or yearly; 14-day trial.
- Support
- Starter 3-day support; Enterprise 1-day SLA and dedicated success engineer; Pro level unspecified.
- Starting price
- Free (open source); Starter $100/mo or $1,080/yr.
- Pricing model
- Base fee plus per extra user.
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan, Free trial.
What to test in a Metabase demo or trial
Start with the free self-hosted edition or the 14-day trial on Starter or Pro, and connect your real data sources. Build a dashboard that a non-technical colleague must modify without help, since ease of setup and dashboards are the strengths reviewers cite. Test the limits that matter to you: transformations, which reviewers call limited, and embedding with whitelabel and multi-tenant on Pro. Also open a support ticket during the trial to gauge response, because support is a recurring complaint.
Questions to ask Metabase before you sign
These are the points Metabase's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- SSO requires Pro ($575/mo): Starter has none.
- Cloud hosting options in US, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.
- Billing prorated when users added or deactivated; licences non-transferable.
- Enterprise includes an air-gap option and procurement help.
Metabase FAQ
What is Metabase used for?
Small teams and startups can try the free self-hosted edition first, then move to cloud plans with a base fee covering 5 or 10 users. Check where SSO and row permissions start, since both need Pro. Embedding at scale begins at $575 a month. It suits small teams wanting a free self-hosted start.
Does Metabase support SSO?
Yes, but only on Pro and Enterprise. Starter has no SSO, so Pro at $575 per month is the entry point.
Where can Metabase Cloud be hosted?
Cloud hosting options cover the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Enterprise also offers an air-gap option.
What support does Metabase provide?
Starter includes 3-day support, and Enterprise adds a 1-day SLA with a dedicated success engineer. The Pro support level is not specified.
Vendor profile
- Founded
- 2015.
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, US.
- Employees
- 51-200.
- Funding or owner
- Series B $30M in Aug 2021 (Insight Partners), $42.5M total then.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Metabase's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.