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Business Intelligence · head to head

Lightdash vs Supermetrics

Lightdash logo

Lightdash

Business Intelligence

Open-source BI for dbt users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Supermetrics logo

Supermetrics

Marketing

Bring all your marketing data into one place

From
€49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lightdash has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lightdash requires existing dbt infrastructure, not suitable for teams without data models; Supermetrics every package includes only 1 core destination; sending the same data to a second destination is a paid extra
  • They diverge on capability: Lightdash covers dbt Integration, Supermetrics covers Multi-source data connectors.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lightdash and Supermetrics actually diverge.

Attributes where Lightdash and Supermetrics differ
AttributeLightdashSupermetrics
Starting priceFree€49/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise)Web, Google-sheets, Data-studio, Excel, Api
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceMarketing
Founded20212010

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 Lightdash

  • dbt Integration
  • Metrics Layer
  • Dashboards
  • Scheduling
  • Version Control
  • dbt
  • BigQuery
  • Snowflake

Only in Supermetrics

  • Multi-source data connectors
  • Real-time data sync
  • Custom dimensions
  • Data blending
  • Scheduled reports
  • API access
  • Data transformation
  • Visualization

What people use each for

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

Lightdash

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

Supermetrics

  • Pulling marketing platform data into Google Sheets, Looker Studio, Excel or Power BInot Lightdash
  • Loading advertising data into BigQuery or Snowflake for reportingnot Lightdash
  • Automating recurring client marketing reports at an agencynot 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

Supermetrics

  • Every package includes only 1 core destination; sending the same data to a second destination is a paid extra
  • The Starter plan at 49 EUR per month billed monthly includes 1 user, 3 data sources and 3 accounts per data source
  • Data refreshes are weekly on Starter, daily on Growth and hourly on Pro; on-demand refreshes require Enterprise
  • Refresh scheduling on those tiers is stated for Google Sheets only
  • Snowflake and BigQuery data warehouse destinations require the Enterprise package
  • SAML SSO is Enterprise only; lower tiers get basic single sign-on
  • Data transformations, data residency and region control, multiple teams and Management API access are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise carries no published price and is quote only
  • The 20% saving is only available on yearly billing
  • AI credits are metered per plan at 4,000 monthly on Starter and 12,000 on Growth

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

Supermetrics

€49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • 1 core destination
    • 3 data sources
    • 1 user
  • Growth$199/month
    • 1 core destination
    • 7 data sources
    • 2 users
  • Pro$499/month
    • 1 core destination
    • 10 data sources
    • 3 users

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 Supermetrics if

  • You need multi-source data connectors.
  • You work on Web, Google-sheets, Data-studio, Excel, Api.
  • You also want real-time data sync.
Supermetrics review

Questions people ask

Is Lightdash or Supermetrics better?
Neither clearly leads. Lightdash starts at Free and Supermetrics at €49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lightdash or Supermetrics?
Lightdash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lightdash and €49/month for Supermetrics.
Does Lightdash or Supermetrics run on more platforms?
Lightdash runs on Web, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise). Supermetrics runs on Web, Google-sheets, Data-studio, Excel, Api.
Can I use Lightdash for free?
Yes. Lightdash has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Supermetrics starts at €49/month.
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 Supermetrics is typically brought in for.
What can Lightdash do that Supermetrics cannot?
Lightdash covers dbt Integration, Metrics Layer, Dashboards, Scheduling. Supermetrics covers Multi-source data connectors, Real-time data sync, Custom dimensions, Data blending.

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
Supermetrics: How much does Supermetrics cost?

Supermetrics offers three subscription plans: Starter at EUR 49 per month, Growth at EUR 199 per month, and Pro at EUR 499 per month. Annual billing provides a 20% discount. Enterprise plans require a custom quote.

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
Supermetrics: Can I add extra users or data sources to my Supermetrics plan?

Yes, additional features are available for all plans. Additional users cost EUR 29 to EUR 124 per month depending on plan tier, and additional data sources cost EUR 29 to EUR 37 per month. Additional destinations and ad accounts also carry separate monthly fees.

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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