Software · head to head
Mode vs Redash
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; 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: Mode covers SQL Editor, Redash covers SQL Query Editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mode and Redash actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2013).
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
- Databricks
- Slack
Only in Redash
- SQL Query Editor
- Multiple Data Sources
- Visualizations
- Dashboards
- Alerts
- MySQL
- Presto
- MongoDB
Both cover
- 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 Redash
- Data explorationnot Redash
- Ad-hoc reportingnot Redash
- Collaborative analysisnot Redash
- Embedded analyticsnot Redash
Redash
- Self-hosted SQL query editor and dashboarding over existing databasesnot Mode
- Sharing scheduled query results with a team without buying a BI licencenot 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
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
Mode
Free- FreeFree
- SQL Editor
- Python/R Notebooks
- Basic Charts
- Business$65/month
- Advanced Visualizations
- Collaboration
- Integrations
Redash
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full Features
- Self-hosted
- Community Support
- Cloud$49/month
- Managed Hosting
- Automatic Updates
- 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 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 Mode or Redash better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mode 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, Mode or Redash?
- Mode starts at Free and Redash at Free.
- Does Mode or Redash run on more platforms?
- Mode runs on Web. Redash runs on Web, Self-hosted, 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 Redash is typically brought in for.
- What can Mode do that Redash cannot?
- Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Redash covers SQL Query Editor, Multiple Data Sources, Visualizations, Dashboards. Both handle Redshift, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, 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