Databricks vs Metabase — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Metabase starts at $100/mo. Databricks uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
See price history: Databricks · Metabase
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Databricks (Unknown model) — Databricks bills on a fixed plan, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
- Metabase (Hybrid) — Metabase is hybrid: a fixed subscription from $100/mo plus metered usage on top (User seats). Your real bill moves with volume, not seat count.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
The Lakehouse Platform combining data warehouse + data lake + AI/ML in one Apache Spark-based system, founded 2013 by the creators of Spark. Positioned as the open, multi-cloud alternative to Snowflake for data teams that also do ML/AI (Mosaic AI, MLflow). Distinctive for Unity Catalog governance across data + AI plus native Delta Lake open-source format. Pricing is purely usage-based via DBUs (Databricks Units) across Standard/Premium/Enterprise tiers — no monthly subscription. Publicly discussed valuation $62B (2024 Series J). Serves 12,000+ organizations including 60% of Fortune 500.
Open-source business intelligence tool positioned as the alternative to Tableau and Looker for engineering-led teams. Distinctive for its free self-hosted tier that runs on Docker — the go-to "first BI tool" for startups before they can justify a data team. Cloud version priced from $85/mo. Acquired minority stake by Insight Partners; still open-source. Popular with technical founders who want SQL access to their Postgres/BigQuery data.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Databricks monthly | Databricks annual | Metabase monthly | Metabase annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Standard (RETIRED) / — | Free | Free | — | — |
| Entry paid | — / Starter | — | — | $100 | $90 |
| Pro / power | — / Pro | — | — | $575 | $517.5 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Databricks is worth it if… data teams (10-500 engineers/analysts) that need a unified platform for data engineering + analytics + ML at scale — particularly if you have big-data workloads (100GB+ daily) and want an alternative to Snowflake with better AI/ML support. Standard covers basic Spark + Delta Lake workloads; Premium adds security features (RBAC, SQL analytics); Enterprise adds compliance controls (HIPAA, PCI).
Metabase is worth it if… teams (5-200) that want business intelligence + dashboards + ad-hoc SQL queries — particularly if you value open-source flexibility over Looker/Tableau enterprise sales. Starter covers small teams (self-hosted free); Pro adds Cloud hosting + row-level permissions; Enterprise adds advanced auditing.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Databricks over Metabase if…
Choose Databricks if…
- You're comfortable with Databricks's a free entry tier entry point.
- You match the profile Databricks is built for: data teams (10-500 engineers/analysts) that need a unified platform for data engineering + analytics + ML at scale — particularly if you have big-data workloads (100GB+ daily) and want an alternative to Snowflake with better AI/ML support.
- You need a general-purpose analytics & data option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Metabase if…
- You're fine with a base subscription plus metered usage on top (from $100/mo).
- You match the profile Metabase is built for: teams (5-200) that want business intelligence + dashboards + ad-hoc SQL queries — particularly if you value open-source flexibility over Looker/Tableau enterprise sales.
- You need a general-purpose analytics & data option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Databricks | Metabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | Free | $100/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Hybrid |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Checked October 3, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified October 3, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Databricks and Metabase
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- How much does Metabase cost in 2026?
- Does Metabase have a free plan?
- How often does Metabase change prices?
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