Spreadsheet & Data · head to head
Metabase vs Redash
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Metabase row and column level permissions and SSO available only in Pro tier and above; 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: Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, Redash covers SQL Query Editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Metabase and Redash actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheet & Data).
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
- Embedding
- Snowflake
Only in Redash
- SQL Query Editor
- Multiple Data Sources
- Visualizations
- Dashboards
- Presto
Both cover
- Alerts
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL
- MongoDB
- BigQuery
- Redshift
- Web support
- Self-hosted support
- Cloud 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 Redash
- Embedded analytics for SaaS applicationsnot Redash
- Self-service reporting and dashboard creationnot Redash
- Integration with 40+ data sources including cloud warehousesnot Redash
Redash
- Self-hosted SQL query editor and dashboarding over existing databasesnot Metabase
- Sharing scheduled query results with a team without buying a BI licencenot Metabase
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Metabase
- Row and column level permissions and SSO available only in Pro tier and above
- Advanced analytics features like multi-tenant embedded analytics require Pro tier or higher
- AI-powered features incur additional usage-based costs: $3.75 per 1M tokens
- Self-hosted deployment on Free/Open Source tier requires infrastructure management
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
Metabase
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Metabase review.
Redash
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full Features
- Self-hosted
- Community Support
- Cloud$49/month
- Managed Hosting
- Automatic Updates
- 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.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Metabase or Redash better?
- Neither clearly leads. Metabase 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, Metabase or Redash?
- Metabase starts at Free and Redash at Free.
- Does Metabase or Redash run on more platforms?
- Metabase runs on Web, Self-hosted cloud. Redash runs on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud.
- 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 Redash is typically brought in for.
- What can Metabase do that Redash cannot?
- Metabase covers No-code Query Builder, SQL Editor, Interactive Dashboards, Embedding. Redash covers SQL Query Editor, Multiple Data Sources, Visualizations, Dashboards. Both handle Alerts, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB.