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Software · head to head

Lightdash vs Redash

Lightdash logo

Lightdash

Software

Open-source BI for dbt users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redash logo

Redash

Software

Connect and visualize your data

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lightdash requires existing dbt infrastructure, not suitable for teams without data models; Redash a basic self-hosted deployment needs a minimum of 4GB of RAM, and more RAM and CPU as background workers and API processes grow
  • They diverge on capability: Lightdash covers dbt Integration, Redash covers SQL Query Editor.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lightdash and Redash actually diverge.

Attributes where Lightdash and Redash differ
AttributeLightdashRedash
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise)Web, Self-hosted, Cloud
Founded20212013

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

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 Lightdash

  • dbt Integration
  • Metrics Layer
  • Scheduling
  • Version Control
  • dbt
  • Snowflake
  • Databricks

Only in Redash

  • SQL Query Editor
  • Multiple Data Sources
  • Visualizations
  • Alerts
  • MySQL
  • Presto
  • MongoDB

Both cover

  • Dashboards
  • BigQuery
  • Redshift
  • PostgreSQL
  • Web support
  • Self-hosted support
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Lightdash

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

Redash

  • Self-hosted SQL query editor and dashboarding over existing databasesnot Lightdash
  • Sharing scheduled query results with a team without buying a BI licencenot Lightdash

Where each one falls short

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

Lightdash

  • Requires existing dbt infrastructure, not suitable for teams without data models
  • Enterprise features and AI agents unavailable in open-source MIT-licensed core

Redash

  • A basic self-hosted deployment needs a minimum of 4GB of RAM, and more RAM and CPU as background workers and API processes grow
  • The official Docker images were not updated for V10, so the documented route is to deploy a V8 instance and then upgrade it
  • Anyone not using a provided cloud image has to configure the environment variables and secrets by hand

Pricing, plan by plan

Lightdash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • MIT-licensed core
    • Self-hostable
    • dbt integration
  • Cloud Managed$undefined/mo
    • Managed hosting
    • Premium features
    • AI agent capabilities

Redash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Features
    • Self-hosted
    • Community Support
  • Cloud$49/month
    • Managed Hosting
    • Automatic Updates
    • Support

Which should you pick?

Choose Lightdash if

  • You need dbt integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise).
  • You also want metrics layer.
Lightdash review

Choose Redash if

  • You need sql query editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want multiple data sources.
Redash review

Questions people ask

Is Lightdash or Redash better?
Neither clearly leads. Lightdash starts at Free and Redash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lightdash or Redash?
Lightdash starts at Free and Redash at Free.
Does Lightdash or Redash run on more platforms?
Lightdash runs on Web, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise). Redash runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud.
Can I use Lightdash for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lightdash best used for?
Lightdash 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 Redash is typically brought in for.
What can Lightdash do that Redash cannot?
Lightdash covers dbt Integration, Metrics Layer, Scheduling, Version Control. Redash covers SQL Query Editor, Multiple Data Sources, Visualizations, Alerts. Both handle Dashboards, BigQuery, Redshift, PostgreSQL.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lightdash: Is Lightdash free?

Yes. Lightdash is free and open source under the MIT license. Self-hosting is completely free. Managed cloud services and enterprise features require separate licensing.

Source
Lightdash: How does Lightdash integrate with dbt?

Lightdash reads dbt models and metric definitions directly. A team defines metrics once in dbt and reuses them across dashboards, exploration, and AI agents without redefinition.

Source
Lightdash: Does Lightdash support SQL queries?

Yes. As a modern BI platform for analysts, Lightdash supports full SQL capabilities alongside dbt model exploration and visual query builders.

Source
Lightdash: What are Lightdash AI agents?

Lightdash AI agents, available on paid plans, allow natural language queries against your data, generating SQL and visualizations automatically from questions.

Source
Lightdash: Can Lightdash be self-hosted?

Yes. Lightdash's MIT-licensed core is completely self-hostable and free. Enterprise features and AI agents ship under separate licensing.

Source
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