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Spreadsheets · head to head

Metabase vs Numbers

Metabase logo

Metabase

Spreadsheets

Fast analytics with the friendly UX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Numbers logo

Numbers

Spreadsheets

Apple spreadsheet, free on Apple hardware, now with an optional Apple Creator Studio subscription for AI features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Metabase aI Service charges $3.75 per 1 million tokens (after 1M free tokens included); Numbers numbers is not available on Windows or Android as a full application, so any collaborator outside the Apple ecosystem is limited to the basic iCloud.com web version.
  • They diverge on capability: Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, Numbers covers Canvas-style layout.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Metabase and Numbers actually diverge.

Attributes where Metabase and Numbers differ
AttributeMetabaseNumbers
Pricing modelfreemiumFree with Apple hardware, optional Apple Creator Studio subscription for AI features
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted cloudmacOS, iOS, Web
Founded2014Unknown

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

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 Metabase

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

Only in Numbers

  • Canvas-style layout
  • Formulas and categories
  • iCloud collaboration
  • Excel import and export
  • Apple Pencil and touch support
  • Apple Creator Studio AI features

What people use each for

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

Metabase

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

Numbers

  • A Mac or iPad user who wants a spreadsheet with no additional software cost beyond the devicenot Metabase
  • Someone building a visually laid-out document, an invoice or a planner, rather than a dense data tablenot Metabase
  • A small team already on Apple hardware collaborating through iCloud without adopting Google Workspace or Microsoft 365not Metabase
  • A user who wants light AI-assisted content generation and is willing to pay for Apple Creator Studio to get itnot Metabase

Where each one falls short

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

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

Numbers

  • Numbers is not available on Windows or Android as a full application, so any collaborator outside the Apple ecosystem is limited to the basic iCloud.com web version.
  • Complex Excel formulas, pivot tables and VBA macros do not convert reliably, so heavy Excel users moving files into Numbers risk losing functionality.
  • Its canvas-style layout that is a strength for visual documents becomes a weakness for large, dense datasets, where a fixed grid like Excel or Sheets is easier to navigate.
  • The newest AI features are now gated behind the separate Apple Creator Studio subscription, meaning the previously all-free app now has a paid tier for its most talked-about new capability.
  • Performance and formula depth trail both Excel and Google Sheets for serious financial modelling or statistical analysis.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Numbers

Free
  • NumbersFree
    • Free with a Mac, iPad or iPhone
    • Core spreadsheet and canvas features
    • iCloud collaboration included
  • Apple Creator Studio$12.99/month
    • AI-assisted features across Numbers, Pages and Keynote
    • Premium templates
    • 129 USD annual option

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Numbers if

  • You need canvas-style layout.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, Web.
  • You also want formulas and categories.
Numbers review

Questions people ask

Is Metabase or Numbers better?
Neither clearly leads. Metabase starts at Free and Numbers at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Metabase or Numbers?
Metabase starts at Free and Numbers at Free.
Does Metabase or Numbers run on more platforms?
Metabase runs on Web, Self-hosted cloud. Numbers runs on macOS, iOS, Web.
Can I use Metabase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Metabase best used for?
Metabase is most often used for business intelligence and data exploration for non-technical users, embedded analytics for saas applications, self-service reporting and dashboard creation, integration with 40+ data sources including cloud warehouses. Of those, business intelligence and data exploration for non-technical users and embedded analytics for saas applications are not what Numbers is typically brought in for.
What can Metabase do that Numbers cannot?
Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, SQL Editor, Interactive Dashboards, Alerts. Numbers covers Canvas-style layout, Formulas and categories, iCloud collaboration, Excel import and export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Numbers: Do I have to pay for Numbers?

No, it is free for anyone with a Mac, iPad or iPhone; it does not require a separate purchase.

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
Numbers: What does Apple Creator Studio add?

AI-assisted content generation and premium templates across Numbers, Pages and Keynote, for around 12.99 USD a month.

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
Numbers: Can I use Numbers on Windows?

Only through a limited web version at iCloud.com; there is no native Windows application.

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