Head-to-head · Business Intelligence Tools
Metabase vs Yellowfin BI
Metabase leads on 1 check, Yellowfin BI on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreMetabase · 7.8/10
- Free planonly Metabase
- Free trialboth
Metabase scores higher on our rubric for business intelligence tools: 7.8 against 7.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #17 and #22.
Metabase offers free plan; Yellowfin BI doesn't.
Metabase is the better fit for open-source teams wanting accessible BI. Yellowfin BI is the better fit for teams wanting narrative analytics and signals.
- Metabase fits best
Open-source teams wanting accessible BI
- Yellowfin BI fits best
Teams wanting narrative analytics and signals
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Side by side
| Feature | Metabase 7.8/10 Visit ↗ | Yellowfin BI 7.3/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.8 | 7.3 |
| Ranking | #17 in Business Intelligence Tools | #22 in Business Intelligence Tools |
| Best for | Open-source teams wanting accessible BI | Teams wanting narrative analytics and signals |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | $65/user/yr | — |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | 14 days | 30 days |
| Free trial length | 14 days | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Tickets, Community | Email, Community, Docs |
| Compliance | SOC 2, SSO/SAML | SSO/SAML |
| Integrations | 237+ integrations | 12 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Metabase 4/4 · Yellowfin BI 4/4 | ||
| Row-level security | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduled reports | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Natural-language queries | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Deployment | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Refresh frequency | Real-time | Real-time |
| Viewer seats | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Metabase is a business intelligence platform for teams that need to connect databases, explore data, create visualizations, and share results. It combines a visual query builder with a SQL editor, interactive dashboards, filters,… Read the review → |
Yellowfin BI is a business intelligence and analytics platform for organizations, analytics teams, and software companies. It combines interactive dashboards, data visualization, ad hoc reporting, natural-language queries, AI-assisted… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Metabase — where it wins
- Free self-hosted edition with unlimited questions and dashboards
- Visual query building, SQL, charts, dashboards, and drill-throughs
- Alerts, scheduled subscriptions, embedding, and natural-language questions
Where it doesn't
- Paid plans start at $100 per month
- Advanced permissions and SSO begin with the Pro plan
- Listed integrations focus on email, Slack, and webhooks
Yellowfin BI — where it wins
- Data Stories combine charts with narrative presentations.
- Automated Signals detect data changes for ongoing monitoring.
- Row- and column-level controls support governed data access.
Where it doesn't
- Paid pricing requires contacting sales.
- There is no perpetual free plan.
- Named integrations center on APIs, web services, and SSO.
- Metabase7.8/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial
Accessible BI with self-hosting, SQL, dashboards, alerts, and embedded analytics.
Visit MetabaseFull verdict → - Yellowfin BI7.3/10 · Pricing on request · 30-day trial
A narrative analytics suite with AI insights, governed access, and embedding.
Visit YellowfinFull verdict →
All business intelligence tools comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update