Metabase vs Apache Superset(2026)
Metabase is better for teams that need free open source. Apache Superset is the stronger choice if feature-rich open source. Metabase is open-source (from $0) and Apache Superset is open-source (from $0).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
By Bikram Nath
Affiliate disclosure: Some “Visit” links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you. It does not affect our rankings or editorial coverage. Learn more.
Metabase
Metabase is an open-source BI tool that lets anyone in your company — not just analysts — ask questions of your database and build dashboards with a no-SQL query builder.
Starting at $0
Visit MetabaseApache Superset
Apache Superset is a modern open-source data exploration platform supporting SQL queries, a chart builder, and interactive dashboards — with enterprise features available via Preset.io.
Starting at $0
Visit Apache SupersetHow Do Metabase and Apache Superset Compare on Features?
| Feature | Metabase | Apache Superset |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | open-source |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |
| No-SQL question builder | ✓ | — |
| Dashboards | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduled reports | ✓ | — |
| Embedding | ✓ | — |
| SQL editor | ✓ | — |
| Caching | ✓ | — |
| Self-hosted or cloud | ✓ | — |
| SQL Lab (query editor) | — | ✓ |
| Chart builder (40+ types) | — | ✓ |
| Row-level security | — | ✓ |
| Semantic layer | — | ✓ |
| API | — | ✓ |
| Self-hostable | — | ✓ |
Metabase Pros and Cons vs Apache Superset
Metabase
Apache Superset
Should You Use Metabase or Apache Superset?
For most teams, Metabase is the better default: it offers free open source and is open-source (from $0). Choose Apache Superset instead if feature-rich open source matters more than performance on large datasets. There is no universal winner — the right pick depends on your budget, team size, and whether you value free open source or feature-rich open source more.
Choose Metabase if…
- •Free open source
- •Non-technical user friendly
- •Easy embedding
Choose Apache Superset if…
- •Feature-rich open source
- •Apache Foundation backing
- •SQL + no-code