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Spreadsheets · head to head

Apache Superset vs Metabase

Apache Superset logo

Apache Superset

Spreadsheets

Modern data exploration and visualization platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Metabase logo

Metabase

Spreadsheets

Fast analytics with the friendly UX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Superset no commercial pricing; open-source project; Metabase aI Service charges $3.75 per 1 million tokens (after 1M free tokens included)
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Superset covers 40+ Visualizations, 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 Apache Superset and Metabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Superset and Metabase differ
AttributeApache SupersetMetabase
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, DockerWeb, Self-hosted cloud
Founded19992014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheets).

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 Apache Superset

  • 40+ Visualizations
  • SQL IDE
  • Semantic Layer
  • Caching
  • Security
  • Presto
  • Druid
  • ClickHouse

Only in Metabase

  • No-code Query Builder
  • SQL Editor
  • Interactive Dashboards
  • Alerts
  • Embedding
  • MongoDB
  • BigQuery
  • Redshift

Both cover

  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Snowflake
  • Web support
  • Self-hosted support

What people use each for

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

Apache Superset

  • Self-service analyticsnot Metabase
  • Data explorationnot Metabase
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Metabase
  • Collaborative analysisnot Metabase
  • Embedded analyticsnot Metabase

Metabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Apache Superset

  • No commercial pricing; open-source project
  • Commercial hosting available via Preset.io (separate vendor)

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

Apache Superset

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Features
    • Self-hosted
    • Community Support

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 Apache Superset if

  • You need 40+ visualizations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want sql ide.
Apache Superset 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 Apache Superset or Metabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Superset starts at Free and Metabase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Superset or Metabase?
Apache Superset starts at Free and Metabase at Free.
Does Apache Superset or Metabase run on more platforms?
Apache Superset runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker. Metabase runs on Web, Self-hosted cloud.
Can I use Apache Superset for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Superset best used for?
Apache Superset is most often used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis. Of those, self-service analytics and data exploration are not what Metabase is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Superset do that Metabase cannot?
Apache Superset covers 40+ Visualizations, SQL IDE, Semantic Layer, Caching. Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, SQL Editor, Interactive Dashboards, Alerts. Both handle PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Superset: What does Apache Superset cost?

Apache Superset is open-source software available free under the Apache 2.0 license. There are no licensing costs, subscription fees, or per-seat charges for using Superset itself.

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
Apache Superset: Is there a paid version of Apache Superset?

Apache Superset itself is free and open-source. Preset.io offers commercial Superset hosting with premium support, but this is a separate vendor service, not an official paid tier of Superset.

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
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
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