Census vs Metabase Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
Free
- 500,000 monthly active rows (MAR) for connections
- 3,500 monthly active rows (MAR) for activations
- 5,000 monthly model runs (MMR) for transformations
Standard
Popular- Unlimited users
- 15-minute syncs
- 700+ fully managed connectors
- 200+ fully managed activation destinations
- Integration for dbt Core
- Role-based access control
- Access to Fivetran REST API
- Access to SSH tunnels for encryption
Enterprise
- 1-minute syncs
- Fivetran Activations' Audience Hub
- Enterprise database connectors
- Custom roles
- VPN tunnels (annual contract only)
- SCIM/user provisioning
- Pick any cloud provider (GCP, AWS, Azure)
- Hybrid deployment option
Business Critical
- Customer-managed keys for encryption
- PCI DSS Level 1 certification
- Private networking options
Open Source
- Ask questions with AI
- SQL generation
- 20+ supported data sources
- Unlimited questions & dashboards
- Write SQL or explore just by clicking
- Free unlimited users
Starter
- Ask questions with AI
- SQL generation
- 20+ supported data sources
- Unlimited questions & dashboards
- Write SQL or explore just by clicking
- 3-day support via email, support form, Slack, or Teams
Pro
- Row and column level permissions
- SSO
- Caching controls
- Usage analytics & auditing
- Multi-tenant embedded analytics
- Whitelabel ready
- AI usage auditing and controls
Enterprise
- Custom pricing aligned with your business model
- Our help with procurement
- Dedicated success engineer
- Air gap available
- 1-day support SLA
Census vs Metabase FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.
- How do they charge?
- Different approach here. Census uses usage-based pricing, while Metabase goes with hybrid. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. Metabase: Metabase sits mid-pack — cheaper and more transparent than Looker or Sigma, but pricier than just running an open-source BI tool yourself with zero support. They're clearly trying to win teams that outgrew spreadsheets or a DIY dashboard but aren't ready to pay enterprise-BI money yet.
Still deciding? See the best Census alternatives or the best Metabase alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
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