Decision comparison
Mode Analytics vs Metabase
Mode documents a data-team-oriented platform spanning SQL, R, Python, visual analytics, reusable datasets, self-service reporting, interactive dashboards, and custom data apps. Metabase documents visual and SQL querying, AI-assisted plain-English queries, dashboards, drill-through, governance, embedding, and published plan pricing.
Direct comparison. These are reviewed substitutes bought for the same job, so the differences below are the ones that decide between them.
All 2 are BI platforms.
Quick Comparison
| Decision factor | Mode Analytics | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Analytics platform connecting SQL, R, Python, and data visualization for data and business teams | Business intelligence with a visual query builder, SQL editor, AI data queries, dashboards, and embedded analytics |
| Pricing Model | Mode publishes no prices on its website. Studio, for individual analysts, is free to sign up for and covers up to 3 users and 10 MB per query. For Pro (minimum 3 users) and Enterprise (minimum 50 users), Mode asks buyers to schedule a demo. Verified 2026-11-02 against https://mode.com/compare-plans/. | Community Edition is free, open-source and self-hosted, with unlimited users. Paid Metabase Cloud plans start with Starter at $100/month, or $90/month billed annually, including the first 5 users, then $6 per user/month. Pro is $575/month, or $517.50/month annually, including the first 10 users, then $12 per user/month. Enterprise is custom pricing starting at $20,000/year. Both paid plans offer a 14 days free trial. |
| Deployment Options | Not available: Mode's documentation does not state Mode deployment options | Cloud deployment or self-hosted; Enterprise lists air gap availability |
| GitHub Stars | N/A: no applicable supported star count | N/A: no applicable supported star count |
| User Rating | Not available: our research does not include a user rating | Not available: our research does not include a user rating |
| Best For | Teams using SQL, R, Python, visual exploration, interactive dashboards, reusable datasets, and custom internal data tools | Teams needing visual and SQL querying, governed metrics, interactive dashboards, drill-through, or embedded analytics |
Mode Analytics
- Primary Purpose:
- Analytics platform connecting SQL, R, Python, and data visualization for data and business teams
- Pricing Model:
- Mode publishes no prices on its website. Studio, for individual analysts, is free to sign up for and covers up to 3 users and 10 MB per query. For Pro (minimum 3 users) and Enterprise (minimum 50 users), Mode asks buyers to schedule a demo. Verified 2026-11-02 against https://mode.com/compare-plans/.
- Deployment Options:
- Not available: Mode's documentation does not state Mode deployment options
- GitHub Stars:
- N/A: no applicable supported star count
- User Rating:
- Not available: our research does not include a user rating
- Best For:
- Teams using SQL, R, Python, visual exploration, interactive dashboards, reusable datasets, and custom internal data tools
Metabase
- Primary Purpose:
- Business intelligence with a visual query builder, SQL editor, AI data queries, dashboards, and embedded analytics
- Pricing Model:
- Community Edition is free, open-source and self-hosted, with unlimited users. Paid Metabase Cloud plans start with Starter at $100/month, or $90/month billed annually, including the first 5 users, then $6 per user/month. Pro is $575/month, or $517.50/month annually, including the first 10 users, then $12 per user/month. Enterprise is custom pricing starting at $20,000/year. Both paid plans offer a 14 days free trial.
- Deployment Options:
- Cloud deployment or self-hosted; Enterprise lists air gap availability
- GitHub Stars:
- N/A: no applicable supported star count
- User Rating:
- Not available: our research does not include a user rating
- Best For:
- Teams needing visual and SQL querying, governed metrics, interactive dashboards, drill-through, or embedded analytics
Public signals
Verified factual signals only. Bars appear only for like-for-like metrics with five weekly assessments for every tool; missing evidence stays explicit. These signals do not establish enterprise adoption, product quality, or total cost.
| Metric | Mode Analytics | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Search interest(Market interest) | 1 | 1 |
| Hacker News mentions, 90d(Community interest) | 1 | 11 |
| Product Hunt comments(Community interest) | 9 | 30 |
| Product Hunt rating(Community interest) | Unavailable | 4.9/5 |
| Product Hunt reviews(Community interest) | 0 | 24 |
| Product Hunt votes(Community interest) | 105 | 314 |
| Stack Overflow questions(Community interest) | 14 | 374 |
| Docker Hub pulls(Product adoption) | Not available | 279.2M |
| GitHub commits, 90d(Product adoption) | Not available | 2.3k |
| GitHub stars(Product adoption) | Not available | 50,000+ |
| npm weekly downloads(Developer adoption) | Not available | 80.6k |
As of November 9, 2026 — updated weekly.
Health & risk evidence
Observed public-source checks for mapped package versions and repositories.
Mode Analytics
Package vulnerabilities
Not available
Repository security score
Not available
Metabase
November 9, 2026Package vulnerabilities
npm · @metabase/embedding-sdk-react@0.65.2
0 vulnerabilities
across 1 package
Repository security score
github.com/metabase/metabase
7.1/10
Interface Preview
Mode Analytics
Metabase
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mode Analytics | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Query and Analysis | ||
| SQL Editing | SQL editor with rapid query iteration; SQL results can load into connected R and Python notebooks | Visual query builder and SQL editor |
| Advanced Analytics | Python and R notebooks with support for 60+ popular R and Python libraries | AI-assisted plain-English data queries and an MCP server are documented |
| No-Code Query Builder | Drag-and-drop visual exploration in the browser; Mode states it can explore 100K+ datapoints visually | Visual query builder for queries without writing SQL |
| Dashboards and Visualization | ||
| Interactive Dashboards | Interactive dashboards with an Explore action for underlying data | Interactive dashboards with drill-through menus for grouping, filtering, and exploring data |
| Custom Themes and Branding | Custom themes can import organization colors and fonts | Pro lists white-label readiness |
| Scheduled Reporting | Scheduled reporting runs with automatic email and Slack updates | Reports can be scheduled through Slack or email; alerts can use Slack, email, and HTTP |
| Embedded Analytics | ||
| Embedding Options | Reports can be embedded in existing internal tools; Mode documents programmatic APIs | Embedded dashboards and analytics components; an SDK is documented for advanced embedded setups |
| Multi-Tenant Support | Granular access controls and identity management and provisioning are documented | Pro lists multi-tenant embedded analytics, row- and column-level security, and granular permissions |
| Custom Data Applications | Custom internal data tools can use HTML, CSS, JavaScript, APIs, parameters, and custom themes | Embedded analytics supports interactive controls from view-only to full data discovery |
| Data Connectivity and Architecture | ||
| Database Connectors | Connects to most major data warehouses and does not build connectors to SaaS tools by design | 20+ supported data sources |
| Data Modeling | Reusable datasets and metrics defined in the dbt Semantic Layer | Governed semantic layer for canonical tables and metrics |
| Deployment Flexibility | Not available: Mode's documentation does not state Mode deployment options | Cloud deployment and self-hosted deployment are listed; Enterprise lists air gap availability |
| Security and Governance | ||
| Access Controls | Identity management and provisioning with granular access controls | Pro lists SSO, row- and column-level permissions, and granular permissions |
| Compliance and Security | Mode describes a foundation of data security and privacy | Usage analytics and auditing are listed on Pro |
| Content Governance | Reusable datasets and governed dbt Semantic Layer metrics are documented | Dashboards, models, metrics, and questions can be marked official and organized in collections |
Query and Analysis
SQL Editing
Advanced Analytics
No-Code Query Builder
Dashboards and Visualization
Interactive Dashboards
Custom Themes and Branding
Scheduled Reporting
Embedded Analytics
Embedding Options
Multi-Tenant Support
Custom Data Applications
Data Connectivity and Architecture
Database Connectors
Data Modeling
Deployment Flexibility
Security and Governance
Access Controls
Compliance and Security
Content Governance
Which to choose
Mode documents a data-team-oriented platform spanning SQL, R, Python, visual analytics, reusable datasets, self-service reporting, interactive dashboards, and custom data apps. Metabase documents visual and SQL querying, AI-assisted plain-English queries, dashboards, drill-through, governance, embedding, and published plan pricing.
Best-fit scenarios
Choose Mode Analytics if:
Choose Mode when the workflow needs SQL, Python, R, visual exploration, and interactive dashboards in one platform. Mode publishes Python and R notebooks that can load SQL results, support for 60+ popular R and Python libraries, reusable datasets, dbt Semantic Layer metrics, and custom internal data tools using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, APIs, parameters, and themes. It also documents embedding reports in internal tools and programmatic APIs.
Choose Metabase if:
Choose Metabase when the documented fit is a visual query builder alongside a SQL editor, plain-English AI data queries, interactive dashboards with drill-through, a governed semantic layer, or embedded analytics. Metabase lists a free Open Source plan with unlimited users, questions, and dashboards; Starter at $100 per month; Pro at $575 per month; and Enterprise custom pricing. Pro lists SSO, row- and column-level permissions, caching controls, usage analytics and auditing, multi-tenant embedded analytics, and white-label readiness.
These scenarios reflect the available product evidence. Your requirements, existing stack, and team expertise should guide the final decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metabase truly free to use?
Metabase lists its Open Source plan as free, with unlimited users, questions, and dashboards. It lists 20+ supported data sources and says users can write SQL or explore by clicking. Its pricing page also lists Starter at $100 per month, with $6 per user per month and the first 5 users included; Pro at $575 per month, with $12 per user per month and the first 10 users included; and Enterprise with custom pricing. Metabase's pricing page lists a 14-day trial for Starter and Pro. Enterprise pricing is custom, so the evidence does not provide a fixed Enterprise price.
Can Mode Analytics handle non-technical business users?
Mode publishes visual exploration with drag-and-drop tools, interactive dashboards, reusable datasets, and self-service reporting alongside SQL, Python, and R workflows. Its dashboard experience lets people click Explore to examine underlying data, while data teams can build and maintain curated reusable datasets. Mode also describes its platform as a central hub for analysis that brings data and business teams together.
Which tool is better for embedded analytics in a SaaS product?
Our research supports different embedded capabilities rather than a like-for-like maturity judgment. Metabase documents embedded dashboards and analytics components, plus an SDK for advanced embedded setups; its pricing page lists multi-tenant embedded analytics, row- and column-level security, granular permissions, and white-label readiness on Pro. Mode documents embedding reports in existing internal tools and customization with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, APIs, parameters, and custom themes. The evidence does not establish which product is better for a particular SaaS integration.
How do Mode and Metabase compare on data source connectivity?
Metabase’s pricing page lists 20+ supported data sources. Mode says it connects to most major data warehouses and states that it does not build connectors to SaaS tools by design; it describes ingestion as ELT into a warehouse. Mode also publishes dbt Semantic Layer integration for governed metrics. Our research does not include a complete connector-by-connector comparison or support claims about live-query behavior.