Power BI dominates enterprise analytics with 10x higher market share (35% vs 3.5%), superior DAX modeling, and seamless Microsoft integration, while Metabase excels for teams seeking faster deployment, lower total cost of ownership, and simpler SQL-based analytics without extensive training.
Metabase vs Power BI — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Open-source SQL-based analytics and dashboarding platform with fast deployment and affordable licensing.
Enterprise analytics platform by Microsoft with advanced DAX modeling, 150+ connectors, and deep Office 365 integration.
Deployment Time. Enterprise Market Share (2025). Annual Cost (10 users, full features). Native Data Connectors. Advanced Analytics Engine. Learning Curve (hours to productivity). Mobile Analytics Performance
Choose Power BI if your organization has 100+ users, needs advanced DAX modeling, requires deep Microsoft ecosystem integration, and has budget for enterprise licensing—it dominates Fortune 500 analytics with unmatched data connectivity and sophisticated analysis tools. Choose Metabase if you prioritize rapid deployment, lower total cost, team simplicity, or use open-source infrastructure; it's ideal for SMBs, startups, and data-driven teams avoiding vendor lock-in and extensive training.
Metabase: Basic SQL, no templating | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: $0 (open-source) or $11,940 | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 3-4 basic roles | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Native iOS/Android | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic REST API | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Unlimited (self-hosted) | Power BI: N/A
Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1, 10 users)
Metabase: $3,000 (pro tier) | Power BI: $1,200 base + $2,000 premium features
Metabase: 20 minutes | Power BI: 180 minutes
Dashboard Auto-Refresh Speed (Premium tier)
Metabase: 60,000ms (1-minute minimum) | Power BI: 500ms (sub-second)
Metabase: 4 (self-hosted, Docker, cloud, hybrid) | Power BI: 2 (cloud, on-prem limited)
Metabase: ~2,500 enterprises | Power BI: 10,000+ enterprises
Metabase: 0.5 GB (lightweight) | Power BI: 4 GB minimum
Metabase: Basic aggregations only | Power BI: Full DAX language with 200+ functions
Base Subscription Cost (Annual, 10 Users)
Metabase: $0 (open-source) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: ~15 basic functions | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic manual roles | Power BI: Advanced RLS with dynamic row filters
Metabase: Full open-source self-hosting | Power BI: N/A
Learning Hours to Intermediate Proficiency
Metabase: $120 for Professional | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Yes, unlimited with self-hosting | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 25+ connectors | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 2-4 hours (UI-based) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: $2,000-5,000 annually (self-hosted) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Premium tier only | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic dataset-level permissions | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Limited (OAuth, LDAP) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 8-15 hours for basic competency | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: $0 (self-hosted) or $1,200 (cloud) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 25+ databases and APIs | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: No native AI features | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: SOC 2 Type II (managed only) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: $90 (managed cloud) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 10-200 (startup/SMB) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 25+ integrations | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: SSPL (Elastic-style) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic SQL with visual query builder | Power BI: N/A
User Interface Complexity (Learning Curve)
Metabase: 2-3 hours for dashboards | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Single docker-compose command, minimal config | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic caching (5-60 min intervals) | Power BI: N/A
Total Cost of Ownership (First Year, 10 Users)
Metabase: $2,900 (Pro tier) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 0.5-1 week | Power BI: 3.5 days
Metabase: 40+ integrations | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic (no native semantic layer) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Limited (via database views) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 500-2,000 users | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Native, no-code visual queries optional | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Single container, one command | Power BI: N/A
Learning Curve (Days to First Dashboard)
Metabase: 7 minutes | Power BI: 1-2 days
Metabase: Basic query result caching | Power BI: N/A
Minimum Infrastructure Requirements (RAM)
Metabase: Limited (basic parameter substitution) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Full drag-and-drop support for all data sources | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Email, Slack, webhooks (3 channels) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 94% successful deployment | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 1-2 days | Power BI: 12-16 weeks
Metabase: No native ML features | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Query builder only (no custom language) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Fully open source (AGPL license) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: $0 (open-source) or $1,500 (pro tier) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: $1,500 (self-hosted open-source or professional) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 10–30 minutes (Docker/VPS) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic (alerts only) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: LDAP, SAML in pro tier (2 methods) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Web-responsive only; no native apps | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: 4–8 hours (self-service learning) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Basic (trend detection) | Power BI: N/A
Metabase: Self-hosted, cloud, Docker, Kubernetes | Power BI: N/A
Annual Total Cost of Ownership (10 users)
Metabase: 30 hours | Power BI: 150 hours
Metabase: Basic SQL, limited ML | Power BI: Full DAX, R/Python, AI anomaly detection
Metabase: Web-responsive only | Power BI: Native apps with offline sync
Metabase: Full open-source available | Power BI: Cloud-only (no self-host)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Moderate (days for basic usage)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Native - deeply integrated
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Power BI Report Server
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Premium SKU only ($5K+/mo)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Dynamic RLS (Power Query)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: $10 (Pro tier)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 100 GB (Premium: unlimited with XMLA endpoint)
Concurrent User Seats Included in Base Plan
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 1 user per license
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Native (automatic)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Up to 48x daily
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: $20 (Power BI Pro) or $4,995 (Premium capacity)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 30 seconds minimum
Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Included
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: No (separate purchase required)
User Learning Curve (1-10 scale, 10=hardest)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 7-8 (DAX required for advanced features)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: $6,000 (Pro licenses)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 800-1200ms average
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 10GB (Pro), unlimited with Premium
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 5/10 (limited to pre-built dimensions)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: $10 (Power BI Pro)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Power BI Desktop (free desktop app, cloud sharing limited)
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 500 GB (Power BI Premium)
Users Can Create Interactive Dashboards Natively
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Yes - core functionality
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: Limited - dashboard sharing only, no live editing
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 200+ connectors
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 2-8 hours for experienced analyst
Metabase: N/A | Power BI: 8/10 - requires analytics/SQL knowledge
How to choose between Metabase and Power BI
Metabase vs Power BI — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Metabase vs Power BI. Contains 164 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Metabase vs Power BI — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Metabase vs Power BI.
Which is cheaper for a 10-person analytics team?
Metabase costs $6,000-$12,000 annually (open-source core free + $500/user for cloud Pro), while Power BI averages $45,000-$60,000 ($10-20/user/month + implementation). Metabase wins 75-80% cost savings; Power BI's ROI emerges only at 50+ users with complex enterprise data models.
Can I deploy Metabase or Power BI on my own servers?
Yes for Metabase: open-source (MIT license) deploys on Docker, AWS, Azure, or on-premise in 15-30 minutes. No for Power BI: cloud-only SaaS via Microsoft Azure; no self-hosted option exists. Metabase is ideal for data sovereignty or air-gapped environments.
Which has better integration with Microsoft Teams and Office 365?
Power BI wins decisively: native embedding in Teams channels, SharePoint web parts, Outlook alerts, and Power Automate workflows. Metabase integrates via API/webhooks only. Choose Power BI if 80%+ of your team uses Microsoft ecosystem.
Is DAX modeling required to use these tools effectively?
No for Metabase: SQL queries and visual query builders handle 90% of BI needs without programming. Yes for Power BI advanced analytics: DAX (100-200 hours learning) unlocks measures, role-based security, and sophisticated time-series models. Power BI's basic mode requires less DAX, but enterprise use demands it.
Which scales better for 1,000+ user organizations?
Power BI: designed for enterprise; 5+ million concurrent users globally, Gartner Magic Quadrant leader. Licensing models (Premium capacity) support unlimited users. Metabase scales via horizontal clustering but not recommended above 500 concurrent users without architectural optimization; typically capped at mid-market.
How to Choose Between Metabase and Power BI
Deployment Time: Metabase has 15-30 minutes, while Power BI has 2-4 weeks.
Consider: Enterprise Market Share (2025)
Enterprise Market Share (2025): Metabase has 3.5%, while Power BI has 35%.
Consider: Annual Cost (10 users, full features)
Annual Cost (10 users, full features): Metabase has $6,000-$12,000, while Power BI has $30,000-$60,000.
Native Data Connectors: Metabase has 25+, while Power BI has 150+.
Advanced Analytics Engine: Metabase has SQL-based, basic ML, while Power BI has DAX modeling, R/Python integration.
Consider: Learning Curve (hours to productivity)
Learning Curve (hours to productivity): Metabase has 20-40 hours, while Power BI has 100-200 hours.
Mobile Analytics Performance: Metabase has Responsive web, limited offline, while Power BI has Native apps with offline mode.