What is the difference between Lightdash and Redash?

Lightdash is known for Best for dbt-first data teams and No metric duplication. Redash stands out for SQL-native and Free open source. The main trade-off: Lightdash Requires dbt, while Redash Development slowed (Databricks acquisition).

How much does Lightdash cost compared to Redash?

Lightdash is open-source, starting at $0. Redash is open-source, starting at $0.

Should I use Lightdash or Redash?

Choose Lightdash if best for dbt-first data teams. Choose Redash if sql-native. Both are strong choices — the best pick depends on your team size, budget, and specific use case.

Lightdash vs Redash(2026)

Lightdash is better for teams that need best for dbt-first data teams. Redash is the stronger choice if sql-native. Lightdash is open-source (from $0) and Redash is open-source (from $0).

Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.

By Bikram Nath

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Lightdash

open-source

Lightdash is an open-source BI tool that reads your dbt project as its semantic layer — turning your dbt models and metrics into dashboards with zero metric duplication.

Starting at $0

Visit Lightdash

Redash

open-source

Redash is an open-source BI tool for teams who prefer SQL — connect to any database, write queries, visualize results, and share dashboards without a no-code abstraction layer.

Starting at $0

Visit Redash

How Do Lightdash and Redash Compare on Features?

Feature	Lightdash	Redash
Pricing model	open-source	open-source
Starting price	$0	$0
dbt integration (semantic layer)	✓	—
Metrics catalog	✓	—
Dashboards	✓	✓
SQL runner	✓	—
Scheduled deliveries	✓	—
Slack alerts	✓	—
Self-hostable or cloud	✓	—
SQL-first	—	✓
Multiple data source connectors	—	✓
Scheduled queries	—	✓
Alerts	—	✓
API	—	✓
Self-hostable	—	✓

Lightdash Pros and Cons vs Redash

Lightdash

+Best for dbt-first data teams

+No metric duplication

+Open source

+Fast setup for dbt users

−Requires dbt

−Smaller community than Metabase

−Less polished for non-dbt teams

Redash

+SQL-native

+Free open source

+Simple concept

+Good connector support

−Development slowed (Databricks acquisition)

−No no-code query builder

−UI dated vs modern alternatives

Should You Use Lightdash or Redash?

For most teams, Lightdash is the better default: it offers best for dbt-first data teams and is open-source (from $0). Choose Redash instead if sql-native matters more than requires dbt. There is no universal winner — the right pick depends on your budget, team size, and whether you value best for dbt-first data teams or sql-native more.

Choose Lightdash if…

•Best for dbt-first data teams
•No metric duplication
•Open source

Choose Redash if…

•SQL-native
•Free open source
•Simple concept

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