Head-to-head · Notebook Software
JupyterLab vs Hex
JupyterLab leads on 0 checks, Hex on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreJupyterLab · 9.1/10
- Free planboth
- Free trialonly Hex
- Most featuresHex · 3 of 3
JupyterLab scores higher on our rubric for notebook software: 9.1 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.
On execution model, JupyterLab gives you Hybrid where Hex offers Hosted.
JupyterLab is the better fit for power users wanting a notebook IDE. Hex is the better fit for analytics teams building shareable outputs.
- JupyterLab fits best
Power users wanting a notebook IDE
- Hex fits best
Analytics teams building shareable outputs
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Side by side
| Feature | JupyterLab 9.1/10 Visit ↗ | Hex 8.7/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.1 | 8.7 |
| Ranking | #3 in Notebook Software | #7 in Notebook Software |
| Best for | Power users wanting a notebook IDE | Analytics teams building shareable outputs |
| Pricing model | Free | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | Free plan | $36/user/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, macOS, Linux | Web |
| Support | Docs | Email, Live chat, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features JupyterLab 2/3 · Hex 3/3 | ||
| Real-time collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Version history | ✓ | ✓ |
| GPU compute | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Execution model | Hybrid | Hosted |
| Supported languages | Python, R, C++, Julia, GNU Octave, Ruby, Scheme | SQL, Python, R |
| Notebook formats | .ipynb; export to AsciiDoc, HTML, LaTeX, Markdown, PDF, reStructuredText, Python, and Reveal.js HTML | Jupyter Notebook (.ipynb), Hex YAML (.yaml) |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | JupyterLab is a free, open-source, web-based environment for creating and working with computational notebooks. It is designed for researchers, educators, developers, data scientists, and other users who need interactive computing, data… Read the review → |
Hex is a hosted analytics platform built around interactive notebooks for data exploration, analysis, and shareable outputs. Analysts, data scientists, business users, and larger organizations can combine SQL, Python, R, and no-code cells;… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
JupyterLab — where it wins
- Free and open source with notebooks, kernels, terminals, and debugger
- Supports multiple languages and extensive notebook export formats
- Combines file browsing, consoles, terminals, and resizable panels
Where it doesn't
- Real-time collaboration requires the jupyter_collaboration extension
- Local or server deployment is part of its operating model
- Broader IDE capabilities may exceed the needs of basic notebook users
Hex — where it wins
- Supports SQL, Python, R, and no-code cells in one workspace
- Connects warehouses, databases, files, APIs, and workflow tools
- Combines collaboration, version restoration, dashboards, and published apps
Where it doesn't
- Professional limits published apps to five
- Advanced GPU compute is usage-based on Team and Enterprise
- Enterprise pricing and plan limits are not shown
- JupyterLab9.1/10 · Free plan
A free, open-source notebook IDE with kernels, terminals, debugging, and extensions.
Visit JupyterLabFull verdict → - Hex8.7/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial
A flexible hosted notebook platform for collaborative analytics and published outputs.
Visit HexFull verdict →
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All notebook software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update







