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Business Intelligence · head to head

Cube vs Metabase

Cube logo

Cube

Business Intelligence

AI-native analytics platform with semantic layer and governed access

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: Cube per-developer licensing can be expensive for large analytics teams; Metabase aI Service charges $3.75 per 1 million tokens (after 1M free tokens included)
  • They diverge on capability: Cube covers Analytics Chat, 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 Cube and Metabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Cube and Metabase differ
AttributeCubeMetabase
Pricing modelPer-developer seats with volume pricingfreemium
PlatformsCloud, Self-hostedWeb, Self-hosted cloud
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceSpreadsheets
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Cube

  • Analytics Chat
  • Workbooks
  • Dashboards
  • Embedded Analytics
  • AI Integrations
  • Core Data APIs
  • Caching and pre-aggregations

Only in Metabase

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

What people use each for

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

Cube

  • Building governed semantic data models for analyticsnot Metabase
  • Embedding analytics into customer-facing productsnot Metabase
  • Enabling natural language data queries for teamsnot Metabase
  • Creating conversational dashboards with AI assistancenot Metabase

Metabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cube

  • Per-developer licensing can be expensive for large analytics teams
  • Additional cost for Explorer and Viewer roles beyond developers
  • Semantic layer approach requires upfront modeling investment
  • Smaller connector ecosystem than dedicated BI platforms
  • May be overengineered for simple reporting needs

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

Cube

Free
  • FreeFree
    • For hobbyists and personal projects
    • Basic data source connection
    • Semantic modeling
  • Starter$40/developer/month
    • Extended agent limits
    • Premium LLMs
    • Unlimited workbooks
  • Premium$80/developer/month
    • All Starter features
    • Embedded dashboards
    • Embedded analytics chat
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • 99.990% uptime SLA
    • Dedicated single-tenant installation
    • Bring Your Own Cloud

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 Cube if

  • You need analytics chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want workbooks.
Cube 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 Cube or Metabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Cube 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, Cube or Metabase?
Cube starts at Free and Metabase at Free.
Does Cube or Metabase run on more platforms?
Cube runs on Cloud, Self-hosted. Metabase runs on Web, Self-hosted cloud.
Can I use Cube for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cube best used for?
Cube is most often used for building governed semantic data models for analytics, embedding analytics into customer-facing products, enabling natural language data queries for teams, creating conversational dashboards with ai assistance. Of those, building governed semantic data models for analytics and embedding analytics into customer-facing products are not what Metabase is typically brought in for.
What can Cube do that Metabase cannot?
Cube covers Analytics Chat, Workbooks, Dashboards, Embedded Analytics. Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, SQL Editor, Interactive Dashboards, Alerts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cube: What is the cost per developer on Cube?

Starter plan costs $40/developer/month. Premium adds embedded analytics at $80/developer/month. Explorer and Viewer roles cost $40 and $20/month respectively.

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
Cube: What uptime SLAs does Cube offer?

Premium plan offers 99.950% uptime SLA. Enterprise plan provides 99.990% uptime SLA with dedicated support.

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
Cube: Can I use Cube for free?

Yes, the Free plan includes basic data source connection, semantic modeling, workbooks, and dashboards for hobbyists and personal projects.

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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