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Metabase vs Microsoft Power BI for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Choose Metabase for open source, flat pricing, and white-label embedding. Choose Power BI for low per-user cost, Microsoft integration, and mobile apps. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
Metabase vs Microsoft Power BI: which is better for agencies in 2026?
Metabase and Power BI both let teams build dashboards without heavy engineering, but they price and deploy differently. Metabase offers flat cloud plans and a free self-hosted edition. Power BI charges per user.
We compared price, embedding, and security.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metabase | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Open source self-hosted is free. Cloud Starter $90 and Pro $517.50 per month on annual billing, with monthly prices of $100 and $575. Enterprise starts around $20,000 a year. | Small teams to enterprises |
| Microsoft Power BI | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.5 | Free account included in Microsoft Fabric. Pro $14 and Premium Per User $24 per user per month, paid yearly. Fabric capacity is variable. | Small teams to enterprises |
How do Metabase and Microsoft Power BI compare on price?
Metabase is free to self-host, with Starter at $90 per month and Pro at $517.50 on annual billing, with five and ten users included. Power BI Pro costs $14 per user per month, paid yearly, with a free account in Fabric.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metabase | Open Source | $0 | Self-hosted, free |
| Metabase | Starter | $90 per month (annual billing); $100 monthly | First 5 users included; $1,080 a year billed annually |
| Metabase | Pro | $517.50 per month (annual billing); $575 monthly | First 10 users included; $6,210 a year billed annually; SSO, whitelabel, advanced embedding, row and column permissions |
| Metabase | Enterprise | From $20,000 a year | 1-day support SLA and a dedicated success engineer |
| Microsoft Power BI | Free | $0 | Included in a Microsoft Fabric free account |
| Microsoft Power BI | Pro | $14 per user per month (annual billing) | Publish and share reports; paid yearly; included in Microsoft 365 E5 |
| Microsoft Power BI | Premium Per User | $24 per user per month (annual billing) | Everything in Pro plus larger models and more frequent refreshes; paid yearly |
| Microsoft Power BI | Fabric capacity | Variable | Pay-as-you-go or annual reservation |
Which costs less?
It depends on team size. Power BI is cheaper for a few users, while Metabase Starter includes five users at a flat price and the open source edition is free.
Embedded viewers on Metabase count as users, and Power BI viewers normally need licenses, so count the people who will see client dashboards.
A ten-person team on Power BI Pro pays ten per-user licenses, while the same team on Metabase Pro pays one flat price, so the crossover point sits around the size of the included-user allowance.
Which is better for client-facing embedding?
Metabase on Pro, which is whitelabel ready and supports multi-tenant embedding with row- and column-level security. Power BI Embedded can brand reports as your own, but it needs developer work and capacity.
Both need a data model behind them.
Which has better security and support evidence?
Metabase publishes SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II reports, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and encryption details, with Enterprise support on a one-day SLA. Power BI security details were not captured from the page.
Power BI has mobile apps and Microsoft support, and Metabase has no mobile app stated.
How do Metabase and Microsoft Power BI compare on integrations, security, and support?
Beyond price, agencies ask about connections to their other tools, what to tell clients about security, and how quickly they can get help. This is what each vendor states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | Metabase | Microsoft Power BI |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | 20 or more supported data sources, mostly databases and warehouses | Connects to cloud and on-premises data; the page names Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Fabric; A connector count was not stated |
| Security | SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II reports, GDPR and CCPA compliance; TLS 1.2 or higher in transit and AES-256 encryption at rest; SSO on Pro; row and column permissions; Cloud hosting in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific | The page states built-in security and governance with OneLake; Certifications, SSO, MFA and data residency were not captured (the security overview page returned an error) |
| Support | Starter: 3-day support by email, form, Slack or Teams; Enterprise: 1-day SLA and a dedicated success engineer | Technical support, a service status page and the Power BI Community; Support hours were not stated |
| Apps | No mobile app stated | Mobile access on Windows, iOS and Android |
What are the pros and cons of Metabase and Microsoft Power BI?
Here is where each tool helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on plan details and public feedback.
Metabase pros
- Free open source edition for self-hosting.
- Cloud plans include five or ten users at a flat monthly price, with a 14-day trial.
- Pro is whitelabel ready with multi-tenant embedding and row- and column-level permissions.
- SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II reports, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and cloud hosting in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.
Metabase cons
- It reads databases and warehouses, not marketing platforms directly.
- Starter support responds within three days.
- Embedding and SSO sit on Pro, which costs far more than Starter.
- A mobile app was not stated.
Microsoft Power BI pros
- Power BI Pro costs $14 per user per month, and a free account is included in Microsoft Fabric.
- Integrates with Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Dynamics 365 and Fabric.
- Hundreds of template apps and mobile apps for Windows, iOS and Android.
- Power BI Embedded lets reports be branded as your own inside an app.
Microsoft Power BI cons
- A connector count and a certification list were not stated on the product page.
- Sharing with users who have no paid license needs Fabric capacity.
- It is a build-it-yourself tool, so someone must model data and design dashboards.
- Support hours and plans were not stated.
What do reviewers say about Metabase and Microsoft Power BI?
G2 shows Metabase at 4.4 from 147 reviews and Power BI at 4.5 from 1,661 reviews. Power BI has far more reviews, and both score well.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metabase | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 147 |
| Microsoft Power BI | G2 | 4.5 / 5 | 1,661 |
Reviewer themes for Metabase
- G2 shows Metabase at 4.4 from 147 reviews.
- G2 lists Metabase as a cost-effective open source option with ease of use as its top-cited strength.
- Reviewers like the data visualization settings and the way queries can be structured into digestible dashboards.
Reviewer themes for Microsoft Power BI
- G2 shows Power BI at 4.5 from 1,661 reviews.
- G2 data shows 73% of reviewers give five stars and 23% give four.
- Reviewers value the price, the Microsoft integration and the range of visuals.
How does setup differ between Metabase and Microsoft Power BI?
Getting value from either tool depends on how you set it up, and the first steps differ. Here is the practical starting point for each.
Metabase: Spin up the free open source edition or a 14-day cloud trial on one client database.
Microsoft Power BI: Start on a free account and build one dashboard from a single client data source.
What should agencies check before choosing between Metabase and Microsoft Power BI?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Check these points for each tool during a trial on a real client account.
Before you buy Metabase
- Decide between self-hosting and cloud.
- Count internal and embedded users.
- Check whether you need Pro for embedding and SSO.
- Use the 14-day trial on a client dataset.
Before you buy Microsoft Power BI
- Count builders and viewers separately.
- Ask about Fabric capacity for external sharing.
- Confirm security and residency with Microsoft.
- Build one client dashboard on the free account.
How should you test Metabase and Microsoft Power BI before deciding?
The fairest test is to run both tools on the same real client account for two weeks, with the same people, and compare the results rather than first impressions.
What to measure
- How long it takes a new team member to be productive in Metabase versus Microsoft Power BI.
- How often people open each tool without being reminded.
- Whether the plan you need includes the features you tested, not just the entry price.
- How a client reacts if you invite them to either tool.
- How much time the team spends on notifications, setup, and cleanup each week.
Which should you choose: Metabase or Microsoft Power BI?
Choose Metabase for open source, flat pricing, and white-label embedding. Choose Power BI for low per-user cost, Microsoft integration, and mobile apps.
Technical agencies often prefer Metabase.
Choose Metabase if
- You have a database or warehouse behind your data.
- You want white-label embedded analytics for clients.
- You want a free self-hosted option.
Skip Metabase if
- You need direct marketing-platform connectors.
- You need a mobile app.
- You cannot manage a self-hosted install.
Choose Microsoft Power BI if
- You already use Microsoft 365 and Teams.
- You have someone who can model data and build dashboards.
- You want the lowest per-user price.
Skip Microsoft Power BI if
- You want a finished white-label client portal.
- You need many external viewers without per-user licenses.
- You need security details confirmed up front.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Metabase or Power BI better?
- Metabase for open source and embedding, Power BI for Microsoft shops and mobile apps.
- Which is cheaper?
- Metabase self-hosted is free, and Power BI is cheaper per user for small teams.
- Which is open source?
- Metabase.
- Which has mobile apps?
- Power BI.
- Which has SOC 2 Type II?
- Metabase states it.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Metabase pricing page
- Microsoft Power BI pricing page
- G2