Software · head to head
Mode vs Glassbox
The short version
- Only Mode has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Mode free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets; Glassbox the plans page names three tiers, Production Operation, Marketing and Business, and Product, and states cost is determined by package, data retention and session volume, all gated behind contact sales
- They diverge on capability: Mode covers SQL Editor, Glassbox covers Session Replay.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mode and Glassbox actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Glassbox
- Session Replay
- Struggle Detection
- Journey Mapping
- AI Insights
- Voice of Customer
- Adobe Analytics
- Google Analytics
- Salesforce
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mode
- Self-service analyticsnot Glassbox
- Data explorationnot Glassbox
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Glassbox
- Collaborative analysisnot Glassbox
- Embedded analyticsnot Glassbox
Glassbox
- User experience analysisnot Mode
- Bug reproductionnot Mode
- Conversion optimizationnot Mode
- Customer journey mappingnot Mode
- Usability testingnot 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
Glassbox
- The plans page names three tiers, Production Operation, Marketing and Business, and Product, and states cost is determined by package, data retention and session volume, all gated behind contact sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Mode
Free- FreeFree
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Basic Charts
- Business$65/month
- Advanced Visualizations
- Collaboration
- Integrations
Glassbox
On request- CustomFree
- Full Platform
- Mobile Analytics
- Enterprise 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 Glassbox if
- You need session replay.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Hybrid.
- You also want struggle detection.
Questions people ask
- Is Mode or Glassbox better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mode starts at Free and Glassbox at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mode or Glassbox?
- Mode has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mode and On request for Glassbox.
- Does Mode or Glassbox run on more platforms?
- Mode runs on Web. Glassbox runs on Web, Mobile, Hybrid.
- Can I use Mode for free?
- Yes. Mode has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Glassbox starts at On request.
- 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 Glassbox is typically brought in for.
- What can Mode do that Glassbox cannot?
- Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Glassbox covers Session Replay, Struggle Detection, Journey Mapping, AI Insights. 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