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Business Intelligence · head to head

Mode vs Okteto

Mode logo

Mode

Business Intelligence

Collaborative analytics for data teams

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit ModeFull review
Okteto logo

Okteto

Developer Tools

Runs production-like development environments on your own Kubernetes cluster

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit OktetoFull review

The short version

  • Mode is a collaborative analytics platform.
  • Okteto is free; Mode starts at $65/mo.
  • Only Mode lists SQL Editor; only Okteto lists cluster development environments.
  • Where Mode falls short: free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mode and Okteto actually diverge.

Attributes where Mode and Okteto differ
AttributeModeOkteto
Pricing modelSubscriptionQuote
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows, API, Self-hosted, Web
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: founded for Okteto.

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 Okteto

  • Cluster development environments
  • File synchronisation
  • Development containers
  • Environment catalogue
  • Preview environments
  • Bring your own cloud

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Mode

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

Okteto

  • A microservices estate where no developer can run the full dependency graph on a laptopnot Mode
  • Giving each pull request a working environment reviewers can click rather than describenot Mode
  • Letting coding agents build and test against real databases and queues instead of mocksnot Mode
  • Removing a fleet of local Kubernetes installations that drift from production and produce false test resultsnot 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

Okteto

  • Two of the three plans publish no price at all, with no currency and no billing period stated anywhere, so any budget above five seats requires a sales conversation before you can even compare it with an alternative
  • The Apache-2.0 CLI is restricted to the development section of the manifest, so build services, user management and observability all require the commercial platform and the open licence provides very little continuity insurance
  • The last disclosed funding round is a 15 million US dollar Series A from February 2022 with nothing announced since, and the contributor base is dominated by company employees, which is concentrated risk for something embedded in every developer daily loop
  • You must bring and pay for the Kubernetes cluster, so node cost, capacity planning and version upgrades stay with your platform team on top of the licence fee
  • The 2026 repositioning towards AI agents means the classic developer inner loop is no longer what the marketing leads with, so a buyer purchasing that use case should confirm roadmap commitment rather than assume it

Pricing, plan by plan

Mode

Free
  • FreeFree
    • SQL Editor
    • Python/R Notebooks
    • Basic Charts
  • Business$65/mo
    • Advanced Visualizations
    • Collaboration
    • Integrations

Okteto

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 5 seats included
    • Self-hosted deployment into your own cluster
    • Community support
  • ScaleOn request
    • Contact sales, no price, currency or billing period published
    • More seats and environments than Starter
    • Self-hosted deployment
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Contact sales, no price published
    • Bring your own cloud deployment
    • Available through Google Cloud and AWS marketplaces

Which should you pick?

Choose Mode if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want python/r notebooks.
Mode review

Choose Okteto if

  • You need cluster development environments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, API, Self-hosted, Web.
  • You also want file synchronisation.
Okteto review

Questions people ask

Is Mode or Okteto better?
Neither clearly leads. Mode starts at Free and Okteto at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mode or Okteto?
Mode starts at Free and Okteto at Free.
Does Mode or Okteto run on more platforms?
Mode runs on Web. Okteto runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, API, Self-hosted, Web.
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 Okteto is typically brought in for.
What can Mode do that Okteto cannot?
Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Okteto covers Cluster development environments, File synchronisation, Development containers, Environment catalogue.

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.

Source
Okteto: Is Okteto open source?

The CLI is Apache-2.0, but the README states it supports only the development section of the manifest. Everything operationally interesting, including builds, user management and observability, is in the commercial platform.

Mode: 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.

Source
Okteto: What does it cost?

Only the free Starter tier with five seats is published. Scale and Enterprise are both contact sales, with no price, currency or billing period disclosed on the pricing page.

Mode: 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
Okteto: Do I need my own Kubernetes cluster?

Yes. Okteto installs into a cluster you provide and pay for, so capacity, upgrades and node costs remain your responsibility in addition to the licence.

Okteto: How is this different from running Kubernetes locally?

Environments run against the same managed databases, queues and service mesh as production, so a class of failures that only appears in a real cluster is caught before merge rather than after deploy.

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