DevVersus

Apache Superset vs Metabase(2026)

Apache Superset is better for teams that need feature-rich open source. Metabase is the stronger choice if free open source. Apache Superset is open-source (from $0) and Metabase is open-source (from $0).

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

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.

Apache Superset logo

Apache Superset

open-source

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 Superset
Metabase logo

Metabase

open-source

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 Metabase

How Do Apache Superset and Metabase Compare on Features?

FeatureApache SupersetMetabase
Pricing modelopen-sourceopen-source
Starting price$0$0
SQL Lab (query editor)
Chart builder (40+ types)
Dashboards
Row-level security
Semantic layer
API
Self-hostable
No-SQL question builder
Scheduled reports
Embedding
SQL editor
Caching
Self-hosted or cloud

Apache Superset Pros and Cons vs Metabase

A

Apache Superset

+Feature-rich open source
+Apache Foundation backing
+SQL + no-code
+Large community
Complex self-hosting
Security setup non-trivial
Slower release cadence
M

Metabase

+Free open source
+Non-technical user friendly
+Easy embedding
+Active community
Performance on large datasets
Complex permissions in OSS
Limited advanced analytics

Should You Use Apache Superset or Metabase?

Choose Apache Superset if…

  • Feature-rich open source
  • Apache Foundation backing
  • SQL + no-code

Choose Metabase if…

  • Free open source
  • Non-technical user friendly
  • Easy embedding

More BI & Data Analytics Comparisons