Software · head to head
Mode vs Holistics
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; Holistics the entry plan is $960 per month billed monthly, which is a high floor for a BI tool
- They diverge on capability: Mode covers SQL Editor, Holistics covers Data Modeling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mode and Holistics 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
- Databricks
- Slack
Only in Holistics
- Data Modeling
- Caching
- Embedding
- MySQL
- SQL Server
- Cloud support
Both cover
- Version Control
- Scheduling
- Snowflake
- Redshift
- BigQuery
- PostgreSQL
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mode
- Self-service analyticsnot Holistics
- Data explorationnot Holistics
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Holistics
- Collaborative analysisnot Holistics
- Embedded analyticsnot Holistics
Holistics
- Modelling business metrics in a code-defined semantic layer with Git version controlnot Mode
- Self-service exploration and dashboards for non-SQL usersnot Mode
- Embedding analytics into a customer-facing productnot 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
Holistics
- The entry plan is $960 per month billed monthly, which is a high floor for a BI tool
- Every plan includes only the first 10 users, with additional users charged at $15 per month each on Entry and Standard and $18 on the Security Compliance Suite
- The Entry plan caps reports at 100, and each additional 100 reports costs $120 per month
- Google SSO requires the Standard plan at $1,200 per month; enterprise SSO with SAML and SCIM provisioning requires the Security Compliance Suite at $2,400 per month
- Row-based access control, IP whitelisting, pass-through authentication and user activity monitoring are all Security Compliance Suite features
- Connecting Git version control to your own repository requires Standard; Entry only gets Holistics-hosted Git
- White labelling, dynamic row-level permissions and unlimited dashboard viewers for embedded analytics are Custom Plan only, with no published price
- Bank payments and custom payment terms are Custom Plan only, and custom infosec or legal paperwork is Enterprise plan only
- The two months off discount requires yearly billing
Pricing, plan by plan
Mode
Free- FreeFree
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Basic Charts
- Business$65/month
- Advanced Visualizations
- Collaboration
- Integrations
Holistics
Free- FreeFree
- 3 Users
- Basic Features
- Community Support
- Standard$250/month
- Unlimited Users
- Advanced Features
- 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 Holistics if
- You need data modeling.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want caching.
Questions people ask
- Is Mode or Holistics better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mode starts at Free and Holistics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mode or Holistics?
- Mode starts at Free and Holistics at Free.
- Does Mode or Holistics run on more platforms?
- Mode runs on Web. Holistics runs on Web, Cloud.
- 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 Holistics is typically brought in for.
- What can Mode do that Holistics cannot?
- Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Databricks. Holistics covers Data Modeling, Caching, Embedding, MySQL. Both handle Version Control, Scheduling, Snowflake, Redshift.
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