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Business Intelligence · head to head

Mode vs Yellowfin

Mode logo

Mode

Business Intelligence

Collaborative analytics for data teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yellowfin logo

Yellowfin

Business Intelligence

Action-based business intelligence

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Yellowfin the pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no per-user price; every model ends in a Get Pricing form
  • They diverge on capability: Mode covers SQL Editor, Yellowfin covers Automated Analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mode and Yellowfin actually diverge.

Attributes where Mode and Yellowfin differ
AttributeModeYellowfin
Starting priceFree$50/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile, Embedded
Founded20132003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Business Intelligence).

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 Yellowfin

  • Automated Analysis
  • Data Stories
  • Collaboration
  • Signals
  • Embedded Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • SQL Server

Both cover

  • PostgreSQL
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Mode

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

Yellowfin

  • Embedding white-labelled dashboards and analytics into a software productnot Mode
  • Enterprise reporting with automated business monitoring and alertingnot Mode
  • Data storytelling and guided natural language querying for business usersnot 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

Yellowfin

  • The pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no per-user price; every model ends in a Get Pricing form
  • One of the three embedded models is a revenue share, so Yellowfin takes a cut of the revenue your analytics module earns
  • Another model prices by server core, so scaling deployment hardware raises the licence cost independently of users
  • Getting a quote requires submitting a form with a marketing consent checkbox and a user-count band rather than seeing a rate card

Pricing, plan by plan

Mode

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

Yellowfin

$50/month
  • Team$50/month
    • Dashboards
    • Stories
    • Collaboration
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced Features
    • Embedding
    • Custom SLA

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 Yellowfin if

  • You need automated analysis.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
  • You also want data stories.
Yellowfin review

Questions people ask

Is Mode or Yellowfin better?
Neither clearly leads. Mode starts at Free and Yellowfin at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mode or Yellowfin?
Mode has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mode and $50/month for Yellowfin.
Does Mode or Yellowfin run on more platforms?
Mode runs on Web. Yellowfin runs on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
Can I use Mode for free?
Yes. Mode has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Yellowfin starts at $50/month.
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 Yellowfin is typically brought in for.
What can Mode do that Yellowfin cannot?
Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Yellowfin covers Automated Analysis, Data Stories, Collaboration, Signals. Both handle 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.

Source
Yellowfin: What pricing models does Yellowfin offer?

Yellowfin offers three flexible models for embedded analytics: Aligned Utility Model (price per unit), Revenue Share Model (based on analytics revenue value), and Server Core (fixed price based on server deployment).

Source
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
Yellowfin: Is Yellowfin pricing predictable and scalable?

Yes, Yellowfin pricing is simple, predictable and scalable with no hidden costs or surprises.

Source
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
Yellowfin: Are there limits on user access or development environments?

No limitations exist on access to functionality across users. There are also no limits on dev and test licenses, ensuring DevOps is covered.

Source
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