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Business Intelligence · head to head

Lightdash vs Whatagraph

Lightdash logo

Lightdash

Business Intelligence

Open-source BI for dbt users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Whatagraph logo

Whatagraph

Marketing

Automated marketing reporting and analytics

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; Whatagraph the entry Max plan starts at 699 EUR per month and is billed annually, with no monthly billing option shown
  • They diverge on capability: Lightdash covers dbt Integration, Whatagraph covers Automated reporting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lightdash and Whatagraph actually diverge.

Attributes where Lightdash and Whatagraph differ
AttributeLightdashWhatagraph
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise)Web, Mobile, Api
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceMarketing
Founded20212016

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 Lightdash

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

Only in Whatagraph

  • Automated reporting
  • Multi-channel integration
  • Custom dashboards
  • Data visualization
  • PDF reports
  • Real-time updates
  • Historical tracking
  • Anomaly detection

What people use each for

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

Lightdash

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

Whatagraph

  • Automated client marketing reports for agenciesnot Lightdash
  • Blending data from multiple ad platforms into one dashboardnot Lightdash
  • White-labelled reporting under an agency's own brandingnot 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

Whatagraph

  • The entry Max plan starts at 699 EUR per month and is billed annually, with no monthly billing option shown
  • Only two plans exist and the Prime plan is custom priced with no published rate
  • Public API access, transfer to BigQuery and Looker, a custom report domain and premium integrations all require the Prime plan
  • Data sources are metered as credits at 1 credit per connected data account, so each additional ad account consumes quota
  • Extra credits can be bought only up to the next plan threshold, after which an upgrade is required
  • Moving to either the Max or Prime plan requires booking a call with sales rather than self-serve upgrade
  • The free trial is 14 days

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

Whatagraph

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 data sources
    • Basic dashboards
    • Daily updates
  • Starter$99/month
    • Up to 10 data sources
    • Advanced dashboards
    • Hourly updates
  • Professional$299/month
    • Unlimited data sources
    • Real-time updates
    • White-label

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 Whatagraph if

  • You need automated reporting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want multi-channel integration.
Whatagraph review

Questions people ask

Is Lightdash or Whatagraph better?
Neither clearly leads. Lightdash starts at Free and Whatagraph at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lightdash or Whatagraph?
Lightdash starts at Free and Whatagraph at Free.
Does Lightdash or Whatagraph run on more platforms?
Lightdash runs on Web, Cloud (managed), Self-hosted (on-premise). Whatagraph runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
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 Whatagraph is typically brought in for.
What can Lightdash do that Whatagraph cannot?
Lightdash covers dbt Integration, Metrics Layer, Dashboards, Scheduling. Whatagraph covers Automated reporting, Multi-channel integration, Custom dashboards, Data visualization.

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
Whatagraph: What is the starting price for Whatagraph's Max plan?

The Max plan starts at 699 euros per month when billed annually.

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
Whatagraph: Do Whatagraph plans limit the number of users or reports?

No, both the Max and Prime plans include unlimited users and unlimited reports.

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
Whatagraph: What is a 'source credit' in Whatagraph pricing?

One source credit equals one connected data account. The Max plan starts with 50 source credits, and the Prime plan includes a custom amount based on needs.

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
Whatagraph: What's included in both Whatagraph plans?

Both Max and Prime plans include Whatagraph IQ with automated report creation, live chat support, EU data center access, and version history.

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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