Softwr

Machine Learning · head to head

Alteryx vs Metabase

Alteryx logo

Alteryx

Machine Learning

Analytics automation platform

From
$250/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Metabase logo

Metabase

Spreadsheets

Fast analytics with the friendly UX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Metabase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alteryx starter is $250 per user per month billed annually, and the Professional and Enterprise editions are quote-only; Metabase aI Service charges $3.75 per 1 million tokens (after 1M free tokens included)
  • They diverge on capability: Alteryx covers Data preparation, Metabase covers No-code Query Builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alteryx and Metabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Alteryx and Metabase differ
AttributeAlteryxMetabase
Starting price$250/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, WebWeb, Self-hosted cloud
CategoryMachine LearningSpreadsheets
Founded19972014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Alteryx

  • Data preparation
  • Data blending
  • Predictive analytics
  • Spatial analytics
  • Reporting
  • Python
  • R
  • AWS

Only in Metabase

  • No-code Query Builder
  • SQL Editor
  • Interactive Dashboards
  • Alerts
  • Embedding
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB

Both cover

  • Snowflake
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alteryx

  • Data preparation and building AI-ready datasetsnot Metabase
  • Predictive analytics without writing codenot Metabase
  • Automating and orchestrating repeatable analytics workflowsnot Metabase
  • Enterprise reporting with governed, reusable logicnot Metabase
  • Connecting to Snowflake, Databricks and cloud warehouses alongside on-premises systemsnot Metabase

Metabase

  • Business intelligence and data exploration for non-technical usersnot Alteryx
  • Embedded analytics for SaaS applicationsnot Alteryx
  • Self-service reporting and dashboard creationnot Alteryx
  • Integration with 40+ data sources including cloud warehousesnot Alteryx

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alteryx

  • Starter is $250 per user per month billed annually, and the Professional and Enterprise editions are quote-only
  • Automation runs are metered, with 50 included on Starter and 15,000 on Professional, and more must be bought
  • Cost depends on three separate dimensions at once: edition, user role and automation capacity
  • Advanced analytics, governance and orchestration are withheld from the entry edition

Metabase

  • AI Service charges $3.75 per 1 million tokens (after 1M free tokens included)
  • Transforms cost $0.01 per run after 1,000 included runs per month
  • Advanced Transforms cost $0.02 per run after included allocation
  • Storage overages start at $2 per 1M rows (1M rows free)
  • All yearly plans offer 10% discount versus monthly, incentivizing annual commitment

Pricing, plan by plan

Alteryx

$250/month
  • Starter Edition$250/month
    • 1-10 users
    • 50 automation runs included
    • Cloud only
  • Professional Edition$null/month
    • Basic and Full users
    • 15,000 automation runs included
    • Cloud and desktop deployment
  • Enterprise Edition$null/month
    • All user types
    • 15,000 automation runs included
    • All deployment options

Metabase

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited questions and dashboards
    • AI-powered query generation
  • Starter$90/month
    • Email and chat support
    • $100/month standard monthly billing
    • 20+ data connectors
  • Pro$517.5/month
    • $575/month standard monthly
    • Row/column-level permissions
    • SSO
  • Enterprise$20000/year
    • Dedicated success engineer
    • 1-day support response SLA
    • Air-gapped deployment

Which should you pick?

Choose Alteryx if

  • You need data preparation.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want data blending.
Alteryx review

Choose Metabase if

  • You need no-code query builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted cloud.
  • You also want sql editor.
Metabase review

Questions people ask

Is Alteryx or Metabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Alteryx starts at $250/month and Metabase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alteryx or Metabase?
Metabase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $250/month for Alteryx and Free for Metabase.
Does Alteryx or Metabase run on more platforms?
Alteryx runs on Windows, Web. Metabase runs on Web, Self-hosted cloud.
Can I use Metabase for free?
Yes. Metabase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alteryx starts at $250/month.
What is Alteryx best used for?
Alteryx is most often used for data preparation and building ai-ready datasets, predictive analytics without writing code, automating and orchestrating repeatable analytics workflows, enterprise reporting with governed, reusable logic. Of those, data preparation and building ai-ready datasets and predictive analytics without writing code are not what Metabase is typically brought in for.
What can Alteryx do that Metabase cannot?
Alteryx covers Data preparation, Data blending, Predictive analytics, Spatial analytics. Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, SQL Editor, Interactive Dashboards, Alerts. Both handle Snowflake, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alteryx: How much does Alteryx Starter cost?

Alteryx Starter Edition costs $250 USD per user per month when billed annually, for teams of 1-10 users.

Source
Metabase: How much does Metabase cost?

Metabase Open Source is free for self-hosted deployments with unlimited users and dashboards. Cloud-hosted Starter tier costs $90/month annually ($100/month monthly) with Pro at $517.50/month annually ($575/month monthly). Enterprise plans start at $20,000 per year.

Source
Alteryx: Is there a free trial for Alteryx?

Yes, Alteryx offers a 30-day free trial to evaluate the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
Metabase: Does Metabase charge for additional users?

Yes, Metabase charges per-user fees beyond included users. Starter includes 5 users at $6 per additional user per month. Pro includes 10 users at $12 per additional user per month. Enterprise pricing is custom.

Source
Alteryx: What differentiates Alteryx Professional from Starter?

Professional Edition supports both Basic and Full user roles, includes 15,000 automation runs, offers cloud and desktop deployment, connects to 100+ data sources, and enables advanced data preparation and macros. Professional and Enterprise editions require contacting sales for pricing.

Source
Metabase: What usage-based fees does Metabase charge?

Metabase charges $3.75 per 1 million tokens for AI services (after 1M free tokens), $0.01 per transform run after 1,000 included per month, $0.02 for advanced transforms, and storage overages at $2 per 1M rows beyond the included 1M rows.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Alteryx

More on Metabase

Keep looking

Other head to heads