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Spreadsheets · head to head

Metabase vs Qlik Sense

Metabase logo

Metabase

Spreadsheets

Fast analytics with the friendly UX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Qlik Sense logo

Qlik Sense

Business Intelligence

Self-service data analytics and visualization

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); Qlik Sense expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes
  • They diverge on capability: Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Metabase and Qlik Sense actually diverge.

Attributes where Metabase and Qlik Sense differ
AttributeMetabaseQlik Sense
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted cloudWeb (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android)
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence
Founded20141993

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 Metabase

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

Only in Qlik Sense

  • Associative Engine
  • AI Insights
  • Augmented Analytics
  • Natural Language
  • Alerting
  • SAP
  • Salesforce
  • ServiceNow

Both cover

  • Snowflake
  • Web support

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 Qlik Sense
  • Embedded analytics for SaaS applicationsnot Qlik Sense
  • Self-service reporting and dashboard creationnot Qlik Sense
  • Integration with 40+ data sources including cloud warehousesnot Qlik Sense

Qlik Sense

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

Qlik Sense

  • Expensive pricing structure, particularly for enterprise users and large data volumes
  • Performance degradation when working with very large datasets
  • Limited field capacity and strict 10 GB data limit on Starter plan ($300/month)
  • Weak date handling in set analysis compared to other BI tools
  • Poor API usability, particularly for Python scripts and integration workflows

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

Qlik Sense

Free
  • Qlik Sense Business (Desktop)Free
    • Personal dashboards
    • No content sharing
    • Desktop only
  • Starter$300/month
    • 10 users
    • 10 GB data for analysis
    • Cloud-based
  • Standard$825/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 25 GB data for analysis
    • Advanced analytics
  • Premium$2750/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 50 GB data for analysis
    • Enhanced support

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 Qlik Sense if

  • You need associative engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android).
  • You also want ai insights.
Qlik Sense review

Questions people ask

Is Metabase or Qlik Sense better?
Neither clearly leads. Metabase starts at Free and Qlik Sense at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Metabase or Qlik Sense?
Metabase starts at Free and Qlik Sense at Free.
Does Metabase or Qlik Sense run on more platforms?
Metabase runs on Web, Self-hosted cloud. Qlik Sense runs on Web (Cloud), Desktop (Windows), Mobile (iOS/Android).
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 Qlik Sense is typically brought in for.
What can Metabase do that Qlik Sense cannot?
Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, SQL Editor, Interactive Dashboards, Alerts. Qlik Sense covers Associative Engine, AI Insights, Augmented Analytics, Natural Language. Both handle Snowflake, Web support.

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
Qlik Sense: Does Qlik Sense have a free tier?

Qlik Sense Business (Desktop) is permanently free for individual users for creating personal dashboards, though content cannot be shared. Qlik Cloud Analytics offers a 30-day free trial with full features.

Source
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
Qlik Sense: What is the entry price for Qlik Cloud Analytics?

Qlik Cloud Analytics Starter plan starts at $300 per month (annual billing) for 10 users and 10 GB of data. Standard is $825/month for 25 GB with unlimited users. Premium is $2,750/month for 50 GB.

Source
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
Qlik Sense: How many users can access Qlik Sense?

The Starter plan is limited to 10 users. Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans include unlimited users and charge based on data capacity (gigabytes) rather than seat count.

Source
Qlik Sense: What is the Associative Engine in Qlik Sense?

The Associative Engine is Qlik's proprietary technology that automatically discovers and explores all possible relationships between data points, enabling intuitive analysis compared to traditional query-based BI tools.

Source
Qlik Sense: Does Qlik Sense support self-service analytics?

Yes, Qlik Sense is designed for self-service business intelligence, allowing business users to create dashboards and explore data without extensive technical knowledge, though complex implementations require expertise.

Source
Qlik Sense: Is Qlik Sense available on-premises?

Yes, Qlik offers both cloud-based (Qlik Cloud Analytics) and on-premises deployment options, though on-premises licensing requires a separate quote.

Source
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