Metabase vs Redash: Which is Better in 2026?
Metabase and Redash are both open-source BI tools built to let teams query databases and share dashboards without a dedicated data team, but they have diverged sharply in the years since 2020. Metabase is actively developed with a cloud-hosted SaaS offering, a no-SQL visual query builder, and AI features landing in 2025-2026. Redash is SQL-first, community-maintained at a slow pace (roughly one release per year since Databricks acquired it in 2020 and shut down the hosted service in 2021), and best understood as stable infrastructure rather than an evolving product. If your team includes non-technical users who need self-service analytics, the choice is almost certainly Metabase. If your team is SQL-fluent, self-hosted, and values simplicity over velocity, Redash remains usable and lightweight.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Metabase
Business intelligence for everyone
Best for you if:
- • Open-source BI for business users to explore data
- • Visual question builder requiring no SQL
Redash
Open-source data visualization and dashboards
Best for you if:
- • Redash is an open-source tool for querying databases and visualizing data
- • It connects to any data source and creates dashboards with SQL
| At a Glance |  Metabase |  Redash |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Business Intelligence | Business Intelligence |
Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Metabase or Redash?
Choose Metabase if
Business intelligence for everyone
- Open source
- Easy to use
- Self-hosted option
Choose Redash if
Open-source data visualization and dashboards
- Open source BI
- SQL-based dashboards
- Many data sources
| Feature | Metabase | Redash |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.4/5 201 reviews | ★4.4/5 54 reviews |
| Categories | Business IntelligenceData Visualization | Business IntelligenceData Visualization |
In-Depth Analysis
Metabase
Strengths
- +No-SQL visual query builder (Question Builder) lets non-engineers explore data without writing a single line of SQL
- +Actively developed: regular releases, a growing cloud product, and Metabot AI (natural-language querying) added as a paid add-on in 2025
- +Cloud-hosted option (Starter at $100/month plus $6/user) removes all self-hosting overhead for small teams
- +Embedded analytics with white-label support on Pro and Enterprise tiers, enabling customer-facing dashboards
- +Row-level and column-level permissions on Pro tier provide serious data governance for multi-tenant setups
Weaknesses
- -Pricing escalates quickly at scale: Pro starts at $575/month plus $12/user, and Enterprise requires a custom contract starting around $20k/year
- -The open-source AGPL build lacks SSO, audit logs, and embedding features, so teams needing those must commit to paid cloud or a self-hosted Pro license
- -The visual query builder abstracts away SQL in ways that can frustrate power users who want direct control over query generation
- -Metabot AI is an add-on with usage-based billing, adding cost unpredictability for heavy users
Best For
Teams with a mix of technical and non-technical users who need self-service analytics, want a managed cloud option, and can afford $500-plus per month at scale.
Metabase is the default choice for organizations that want BI accessible beyond the data team. Its cloud product removes infrastructure burden, its visual builder handles 80% of analytics use cases without SQL, and the roadmap is active. The cost curve is steep once you exceed the Starter tier's included seats, but the product delivers commensurate value for embedded analytics and governed self-service use cases.
Redash
Strengths
- +SQL-first design gives data engineers precise control over every query, with no abstraction layer between the analyst and the database
- +Extremely lightweight self-hosted footprint: runs on Docker Compose, easy to deploy on a $10/month VPS
- +Supports 35-plus data sources including PostgreSQL, MySQL, BigQuery, Redshift, MongoDB, and Elasticsearch out of the box
- +Fully free with no license cost or per-seat fee for self-hosted deployments
- +Stable codebase: v26.3.0 released March 2026, and the lack of churn means fewer breaking changes for teams running it in production
Weaknesses
- -No hosted cloud option since Databricks shut down app.redash.io in November 2021, so every deployment requires self-managed infrastructure
- -Development pace is minimal: releases average about once per year, and the community forum is read-only
- -No visual query builder means non-technical users cannot self-serve without SQL knowledge
- -625 open GitHub issues with slow resolution rate reflects limited maintainer bandwidth
Best For
SQL-fluent data teams that need a free, lightweight dashboard layer on top of their databases and are comfortable owning the infrastructure.
Redash works well as stable, zero-cost SQL-to-dashboard infrastructure for engineering-led teams. It does not compete on features or polish with actively developed alternatives, and organizations should treat it as maintenance-mode software: functional, not evolving. For teams that want simplicity and already write SQL for everything, that trade-off is entirely acceptable.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Ease of use
Metabase winsMetabase's visual Question Builder lets a non-technical user build a bar chart from a database table in under five minutes with no SQL. Redash requires users to write a SQL query first before any visualization is possible. For organizations with diverse technical backgrounds, Metabase wins decisively here.
Pricing
Redash winsRedash is entirely free for self-hosted deployments with no per-seat fees. Metabase's open-source build is also free, but the cloud version starts at $100/month plus $6/user and scales to $575/month plus $12/user for Pro features. Teams that can self-host and do not need cloud SLAs will find Redash significantly cheaper.
Active development and roadmap
Metabase winsMetabase ships frequent updates, has a funded product team, and added AI-powered querying (Metabot) in 2025. Redash averages roughly one release per year and its community forum has been set to read-only. For teams that care about long-term product velocity, Metabase is the only real choice.
Self-hosting and infrastructure control
TieBoth tools support self-hosted Docker deployments. Metabase adds a cloud option for teams that prefer managed infrastructure. Redash has no cloud option but is lightweight and predictable to run. Teams that want maximum control with minimal overhead can operate either tool effectively.
Data governance and permissions
Metabase winsMetabase Pro includes row-level permissions, column-level permissions, verified models, official collections, and SSO via SAML or JWT. Redash offers basic user and group permissions but no row-level access controls or SSO in the open-source build. For regulated industries or multi-team deployments, Metabase has meaningfully stronger governance tooling.
SQL power and flexibility
TieBoth tools support a full SQL editor with syntax highlighting and result visualization. Redash's interface is built entirely around SQL workflows, which some analysts prefer for its directness. Metabase adds a visual layer on top of SQL but does not limit SQL access. Power SQL users will feel at home in either tool, though Redash's SQL-only focus keeps the interface cleaner for that workflow.
Migration Considerations
Migrating from Redash to Metabase requires rewriting queries as Metabase Questions or pasting SQL into the native query editor; dashboards cannot be imported directly. Teams with large Redash query libraries should budget time to re-build or validate each dashboard before decommissioning Redash.
Pricing: Metabase vs Redash
| Plan | Metabase | Redash |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Open Source | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | $100 month Starter | N/A |
| Tier 3 | $575 month Pro | N/A |
| Tier 4 | from $20K/year Enterprise | N/A |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Metabase pricing and Redash pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are freemium. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: Metabase
Want the highest-rated option?
Metabase: 4.4/5 (201 reviews). Redash: 4.4/5 (54 reviews).
Go with: Metabase
Value user reviews?
Metabase: 201 reviews (4.4/5). Redash: 54 reviews (4.4/5).
Go with: Metabase
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are freemium. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Both are business intelligence tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Both are rated 4.4/5.
Key Takeaways
Metabase
- Larger review base (201 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Redash
- Choose if you want open-source data visualization and dashboards
The Bottom Line
Choose Metabase if your organization has non-technical stakeholders who need self-service analytics, if you want a maintained cloud option, or if you need features like embedding, SSO, or row-level permissions. Choose Redash if your entire analytics audience writes SQL, you want to self-host for free with minimal operational complexity, and you accept that the project will not ship major new capabilities. For greenfield deployments in 2026, Metabase is the default recommendation: Redash's maintenance-mode status means you are inheriting technical debt from day one, whereas Metabase continues to invest in AI and governance features that compound in value over time. The one exception is teams on a strict zero-budget constraint who already have SQL fluency across the board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Redash still actively maintained in 2026?
Redash is in maintenance mode. The latest release is v26.3.0 from March 2026, but releases average about once per year and the community forum is read-only. The Databricks-hosted cloud service (app.redash.io) was shut down in November 2021. The project is functional but not evolving.
What does Metabase cost for a team of 10 in 2026?
On the cloud Starter plan, a 10-person team costs $100/month (base) plus $6/user for 5 additional users beyond the included 5, totaling approximately $130/month. On Pro, the base is $575/month plus $12/user for the extra 5, totaling around $635/month. The open-source self-hosted build is free with no per-seat cost.
Can non-technical users use Redash without writing SQL?
No. Redash requires SQL to build any query or visualization. There is no visual query builder. It is designed for data analysts and engineers who are comfortable writing SQL queries directly.
Does Metabase have a free tier?
Yes. Metabase Open Source is free and self-hosted under the AGPL license, including the visual query builder, SQL editor, and 20-plus data source connectors. Features like SSO, row-level permissions, embedding, and audit logs require a paid Pro or Enterprise plan.
Which tool is better for embedding dashboards in a customer-facing product?
Metabase is the clear choice for embedded analytics. Its Pro plan includes interactive embedding with white-label support, allowing you to embed dashboards directly into your application without the Metabase branding. Redash has no native embedding capability for customer-facing use cases.
Is it safe to start a new project on Redash in 2026?
It is functional but carries long-term risk. Redash is stable and free, but its slow release cadence, read-only community forum, and lack of a commercial backer mean security patches and compatibility updates may lag. Teams starting fresh in 2026 are generally better served by Metabase or Apache Superset, both of which have active development communities.