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Business Intelligence · head to head

Hex vs Mode

Hex logo

Hex

Business Intelligence

AI-powered analytics platform unifying notebooks, dashboards, and business intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mode logo

Mode

Business Intelligence

Collaborative analytics for data teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hex pricing based per-seat ($36-$75/editor/month) becomes expensive for large teams; Mode free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
  • They diverge on capability: Hex covers Agentic notebooks, Mode covers SQL Editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hex and Mode actually diverge.

Attributes where Hex and Mode differ
AttributeHexMode
Pricing modelSeat-based subscription with credit systemsubscription
PlatformsWeb, SlackWeb
Founded20192013

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

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 Hex

  • Agentic notebooks
  • Conversational analytics
  • Data apps
  • Context Studio
  • Data warehouse integration
  • dbt integration
  • Version history
  • Scheduled automation

Only in Mode

  • SQL Editor
  • Python/R Notebooks
  • Interactive Reports
  • Version Control
  • Scheduling
  • Snowflake
  • Redshift
  • BigQuery

What people use each for

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

Hex

  • Deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasetsnot Mode
  • Self-serve analytics for business users without SQL knowledgenot Mode
  • Executive dashboarding and reporting with real-time datanot Mode
  • Cross-functional data collaboration and insight sharingnot Mode
  • AI-assisted analysis reducing manual exploration timenot Mode

Mode

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hex

  • Pricing based per-seat ($36-$75/editor/month) becomes expensive for large teams
  • Free Community tier limited to small compute and trial AI features
  • Advanced compute adds per-hour fees ($0.32-$4.06/hour), requiring cost monitoring
  • Learning curve for users unfamiliar with SQL or Python notebooks
  • Enterprise features requiring custom quotes lack transparent pricing

Mode

  • Free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
  • Requires SQL knowledge for most analysis tasks, creating dependency on technical resources
  • Paid plan pricing not publicly listed; requires sales consultation
  • Recently acquired by ThoughtSpot in 2026, creating product direction uncertainty
  • Limited customization options for visual aspects and embedded analytics

Pricing, plan by plan

Hex

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Hex agent trial
    • Data source connections
    • All cell types
  • Professional$36/month
    • Everything in Community
    • Full Hex agent access
    • Standard credits
  • Team$75/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Extended credits
    • Unlimited published apps
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Everything in Team
    • Explorer seat add-ons
    • Audit logs

Mode

Free
  • FreeFree
    • SQL Editor
    • Python/R Notebooks
    • Basic Charts
  • Business$65/month
    • Advanced Visualizations
    • Collaboration
    • Integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Hex if

  • You need agentic notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Slack.
  • You also want conversational analytics.
Hex review

Choose Mode if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want python/r notebooks.
Mode review

Questions people ask

Is Hex or Mode better?
Neither clearly leads. Hex starts at Free and Mode at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hex or Mode?
Hex starts at Free and Mode at Free.
Does Hex or Mode run on more platforms?
Hex runs on Web, Slack. Mode runs on Web.
Can I use Hex for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hex best used for?
Hex is most often used for deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasets, self-serve analytics for business users without sql knowledge, executive dashboarding and reporting with real-time data, cross-functional data collaboration and insight sharing. Of those, deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasets and self-serve analytics for business users without sql knowledge are not what Mode is typically brought in for.
What can Hex do that Mode cannot?
Hex covers Agentic notebooks, Conversational analytics, Data apps, Context Studio. Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hex: What is included in the free Community plan?

The Community plan ($0) includes Hex agent trial, data source connections, all cell types, and small compute sizing. It's suitable for prototyping and hobbyist projects.

Source
Mode: What languages does Mode support for analysis?

Mode notebooks support SQL, Python (3.11 with pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, matplotlib), and R (4.2.0 with ggplot2, dplyr, tidyr). Both Python and R allow additional library installation at runtime.

Source
Hex: How much do advanced compute resources cost?

Advanced compute is billed per minute and ranges from $0.32 to $4.06 per hour depending on resource tier. Monthly credit grants are included in paid plans.

Source
Mode: Can I integrate Mode notebook results into reports?

Yes. Mode allows adding notebook cell results directly to reports, with synchronized scheduling so reports re-run to keep data current.

Source
Hex: Can I share analytics with non-Hex users?

Yes. Published apps can be shared publicly. Embedded analytics are available on Enterprise plans for integrating Hex into other applications.

Source
Mode: Does Mode support collaborative analysis?

Yes. Mode notebooks provide moveable code blocks and markdown cells enabling exploratory analysis and team collaboration on data queries and visualizations.

Source
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