Review
Metabase Review for Agencies (2026): Pricing, Pros & Cons
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
A strong value pick for technical agencies: free if you self-host, flat cloud pricing with users included, white-label and multi-tenant embedding on Pro, and SOC 2 Type II. It is not a marketing-data reporting tool, so it needs a warehouse or database behind it, and no mobile app was stated. Pricing: 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.
What is Metabase and who is it for in 2026?
Metabase is an open source BI tool that lets teams ask questions of their data, build dashboards and embed analytics. It connects to 20 or more data sources, has AI query features, and offers cloud plans with five or ten users included, plus a free self-hosted edition.
Who it suits: Agencies with in-house data skills that want self-hosted or low-cost BI and embedded, white-labeled analytics for clients.
Metabase is an open source business intelligence tool. Teams use it to ask questions of their data, build dashboards, and embed analytics in products and client portals. It connects to 20 or more data sources, mostly databases and warehouses, and adds AI query features.
It is the most technical option in this group and the cheapest if you self-host. This review covers the cloud plans, the embedding features, and the limits for agencies.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Best for | Small teams to enterprises |
| Editorial score | 4.2 / 5 |
| Review-site ratings | G2 4.4 |
| Pricing | 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. |
How much does Metabase cost for agencies in 2026?
The open source edition is free to self-host. On Metabase Cloud, Starter costs $90 per month on annual billing ($100 monthly) and Pro costs $517.50 on annual billing ($575 monthly). Enterprise starts around $20,000 a year. Both cloud plans have a 14-day free trial.
Starter includes the first 5 users and Pro the first 10, with extra users at about $6 and $12 a month respectively on monthly billing. Pro adds SSO, whitelabel-ready embedding, multi-tenant embedded analytics, and row- and column-level permissions. Enterprise adds a one-day support SLA and a dedicated success engineer.
Flat pricing with users included is the main appeal. The AI features use your own provider key, or Metabase service at about $3.75 per million tokens with one million starter tokens included.
| Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | $0 | Self-hosted, free |
| Starter | $90 per month (annual billing); $100 monthly | First 5 users included; $1,080 a year billed annually |
| 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 |
| Enterprise | From $20,000 a year | 1-day support SLA and a dedicated success engineer |
Is Metabase good for client-facing analytics?
Yes, on Pro. It is listed as whitelabel ready, supports unlimited embedded charts and dashboards, multi-tenant data segregation, and row- and column-level security, so each client sees only their own data.
It reads databases and warehouses, not marketing platforms directly, so you need a warehouse or a connector tool behind it. Embedded viewers and internal builders count as users, which affects cost.
How strong are Metabase security and support?
Metabase publishes SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II reports and states GDPR and CCPA compliance, TLS 1.2 or higher in transit, and AES-256 encryption at rest. Cloud hosting is available in the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.
Starter support responds within three days by email, form, Slack, or Teams, while Enterprise gets a one-day SLA. A mobile app was not stated.
What integrations, security, and support does Metabase offer?
Features beyond price decide whether a tool fits your agency stack and your clients' security questions. This is what Metabase states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | What Metabase offers |
|---|---|
| Integrations | 20 or more supported data sources, mostly databases and warehouses |
| 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 |
| Support | Starter: 3-day support by email, form, Slack or Teams; Enterprise: 1-day SLA and a dedicated success engineer |
| Apps | No mobile app stated |
What are the pros and cons of Metabase for agencies?
Here is a quick summary of where Metabase helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on its plans and public feedback.
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.
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.
What do reviewers say about Metabase?
Public review sites give a useful read on how Metabase holds up after the first month. The scores below were checked in October 2026 and will have moved slightly since.
| Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 147 |
Recurring reviewer themes
- 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.
How does Metabase compare with its alternatives?
Next to Power BI, Metabase includes users in a flat price and can be self-hosted, while Power BI is cheaper per viewer and tied to Microsoft. Next to Tableau, it is far cheaper but less visual. Next to PostHog, it analyzes business data rather than product events. The table compares the four.
| 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 |
| Tableau | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Standard $15 and Enterprise $35 per user per month, billed annually. Cloud+ and the Tableau+ bundle are quoted. A free Desktop edition exists. | Mid-size teams to enterprises |
| PostHog | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.5 | Free tier on every product and a $0 platform fee on pay-as-you-go; you pay only for usage above the free allowances. | Startups to enterprises |
How should an agency roll out Metabase?
Spin up the free open source edition or a 14-day cloud trial on one client database.
Build a standard dashboard and test multi-tenant embedding with row-level permissions.
Move to Pro only when you need SSO, whitelabel embedding, or advanced permissions.
Who should choose Metabase, and who should skip it?
No tool fits every agency. Use these lists to check whether Metabase matches how your team works before you start a trial.
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.
What should agencies check before buying Metabase?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Confirm these points before you commit to Metabase, ideally during a trial on a real client account.
Pre-purchase checklist
- 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.
Is Metabase worth it for agencies in 2026?
Metabase is a strong value for technical agencies, with a free open source edition, flat cloud pricing, white-label embedding on Pro, and SOC 2 Type II.
The trade-offs are the need for a database or warehouse, slower Starter support, and a large price jump from Starter to Pro. G2 shows 4.4 from 147 reviews. We rate it 4.2 out of 5 for agencies: best for teams with data skills.
A strong value pick for technical agencies: free if you self-host, flat cloud pricing with users included, white-label and multi-tenant embedding on Pro, and SOC 2 Type II. It is not a marketing-data reporting tool, so it needs a warehouse or database behind it, and no mobile app was stated.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Metabase best for?
- Technical agencies that want self-hosted or low-cost BI and white-labeled embedded analytics for clients.
- How much does Metabase cost?
- Self-hosted open source is free. Cloud Starter costs $90 per month on annual billing and Pro costs $517.50.
- Is Metabase open source?
- Yes. A free open source edition can be self-hosted.
- Does Metabase have a free trial?
- Yes. Both cloud plans have a 14-day free trial.
- Is Metabase well reviewed?
- G2 shows 4.4 out of 5 from 147 reviews.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Metabase pricing page
- Metabase security page
- G2