dbt Labs 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.
| dbt Labs pricing | Metabase pricing | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $100/mo | $100/mo |
| Number of plans | 4 | 4 |
| Free plan | ||
| Free trial | ||
| Pricing model | hybrid | hybrid |
Price is one row. To weigh the features too, use our feature comparison template →
Developer
- Browser-based IDE
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Job scheduling and monitoring
- CI checks on Github and GitLab
- Upgrade to the latest dbt release automatically
Starter
- Lineage with dbt Catalog
- Define & query metrics with dbt Semantic Layer
- dbt Semantic Layer basic
- API access
Enterprise
- Column-level lineage in dbt Catalog
- Governed metrics with caching
- Multi-project architecture (dbt Mesh)
- SSO, Role-Based Access Control, and SCIM provisioning
- Priority suport with SLAs
Enterprise+
- PrivateLink
- IP Restrictions
- Run dbt in your own environment (Hybrid Projects)
Open Source
- Ask questions with AI
- SQL generation
- 20+ supported data sources
- Unlimited questions & dashboards
- Write SQL or explore just by clicking
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
dbt Labs vs Metabase FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- They both start at the same price — $100/mo. The difference is in what you get at each tier.
- 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?
- Both use a hybrid model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. dbt Labs: dbt Labs isn't competing on price — the free Developer tier is a land-and-expand move, not a signal they're the budget option. They're positioning as the category-defining standard for analytics engineering, so the real competition is convincing teams to pay for orchestration and governance instead of duct-taping open-source dbt Core themselves. Metabase: Metabase undercuts the heavyweights like Tableau and Looker by a wide margin, and that $100 entry point makes it the accessible, mid-market-friendly pick. The free open-source version is the real wedge, since it lets them win bottom-up with technical teams who later convert to paid Cloud.
Still deciding? See the best dbt Labs alternatives or the best Metabase alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
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