Software · head to head
Mode vs Cyfe
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Mode free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets; Cyfe dashboards are the billing unit, at 2 on the $29 Starter plan and 5 on the $39 Standard plan
- They diverge on capability: Mode covers SQL Editor, Cyfe covers Pre-built Widgets.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mode and Cyfe actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Mode
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Interactive Reports
- Version Control
- Scheduling
- Snowflake
- Redshift
- BigQuery
Only in Cyfe
- Pre-built Widgets
- Custom Metrics
- Historical Data
- White-labeling
- Embedding
- Google Analytics
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mode
- Self-service analyticsnot Cyfe
- Data explorationnot Cyfe
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Cyfe
- Collaborative analysisnot Cyfe
- Embedded analyticsnot Cyfe
Cyfe
- Building business dashboards from marketing, sales and finance sourcesnot Mode
- Displaying live metrics on office screens and shared public URLsnot Mode
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mode
- Free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
- Requires SQL knowledge for most analysis tasks, creating dependency on technical resources
- Paid plan pricing not publicly listed; requires sales consultation
- Recently acquired by ThoughtSpot in 2026, creating product direction uncertainty
- Limited customization options for visual aspects and embedded analytics
Cyfe
- Dashboards are the billing unit, at 2 on the $29 Starter plan and 5 on the $39 Standard plan
- Users are capped separately, at 1 on Starter and 2 on Standard, so a two person team needs the second tier for seats alone
- Unlimited users only appears on the $119 Premier plan
- Additional dashboards beyond a plan are $5 each
- The Agency plan includes 10 clients with further clients at $19 each
Pricing, plan by plan
Mode
Free- FreeFree
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Basic Charts
- Business$65/month
- Advanced Visualizations
- Collaboration
- Integrations
Cyfe
Free- FreeFree
- 5 Widgets
- Basic Features
- Community Support
- Solo$19/month
- 10 Dashboards
- Premium Widgets
- Email Support
Which should you pick?
Choose Mode if
- You need sql editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want python/r notebooks.
Choose Cyfe if
- You need pre-built widgets.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Tv.
- You also want custom metrics.
Questions people ask
- Is Mode or Cyfe better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mode starts at Free and Cyfe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mode or Cyfe?
- Mode starts at Free and Cyfe at Free.
- Does Mode or Cyfe run on more platforms?
- Mode runs on Web. Cyfe runs on Web, Mobile, Tv.
- Can I use Mode for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Mode best used for?
- Mode 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 Cyfe is typically brought in for.
- What can Mode do that Cyfe cannot?
- Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Cyfe covers Pre-built Widgets, Custom Metrics, Historical Data, White-labeling. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Mode: What languages does Mode support for analysis?
Mode notebooks support SQL, Python (3.11 with pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, matplotlib), and R (4.2.0 with ggplot2, dplyr, tidyr). Both Python and R allow additional library installation at runtime.
SourceMode: Can I integrate Mode notebook results into reports?
Yes. Mode allows adding notebook cell results directly to reports, with synchronized scheduling so reports re-run to keep data current.
SourceMode: Does Mode support collaborative analysis?
Yes. Mode notebooks provide moveable code blocks and markdown cells enabling exploratory analysis and team collaboration on data queries and visualizations.
Source