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Comparison

Apache Superset vs Metabase

Apache Superset and Metabase both land on Depends.

Apache Superset versus Metabase
CompareApache SupersetMetabase
VerdictDependsDepends
Best forData teams with SQL skillsStartups wanting free BI on existing databases
Who it's not forSmall teams without an engineer to host itTeams with nobody to own hosting and patching
PrivacyActive open-source project with published CVEs . a critical auth bypass and RCE research mean you must patch fast.⁸Active 2026 vulnerability stream . four critical CVEs including an unauthenticated SQL injection; prompt patching is non-optional.11
Support qualityCommunity-driven unless you pay a managed vendorNo support-quality evidence in sources
Public sentimentUsers praise its power and zero license cost but say it rewards technically capable teams most.Users like the query builder and SQL access; recurring gripes are exports, dashboard customization, and slow queries on big datasets.
Biggest gotchaTotal cost is hosting, admin time, and optional paid support . not just $0 license⁴Self-hosting means you own patching; 2026 fixes spanned 55.13, 56.3, 57.1 and later

Pick Apache Superset when

  • Data teams with SQL skills
  • Orgs escaping per-seat BI licensing
  • Self-hosting, cloud-native shops
  • Warehouse-scale dashboards (Snowflake, BigQuery)

When Apache Superset is not a fit

  • Small teams without an engineer to host it
  • Non-technical users wanting plug-and-play BI
  • Orgs with nobody to patch CVEs promptly
  • Anyone needing vendor SLAs out of the box

Pick Metabase when

  • Startups wanting free BI on existing databases
  • Product teams embedding analytics in their app
  • SQL-comfortable data teams
  • Self-hosters with patching discipline

When Metabase is not a fit

  • Teams with nobody to own hosting and patching
  • Security-sensitive orgs handling regulated data
  • Non-technical teams needing polished exports and dashboards
  • Analysts on huge datasets where query speed matters

Sources

  1. Apache Superset official sitesuperset.apache.org
    official
  2. Apache Superset Reviews . G2g2.com
    review
  3. Pros and Cons of Apache Superset (Straight Talk Review)dashboardfox.com
    review
  4. TURBOARD vs. Apache Superset: When “Free” Isn't Freeturboard.com
    review
  5. Apache Superset vs Tableau . Preset.iopreset.io
    official
  6. Preset pricingpreset.io
    official
  7. Managed Apache Superset pricing vs Looker . D23d23.io
    news
  8. CVE-2023-27524 . NVDnvd.nist.gov
    security
  9. Apache Superset RCE research . Horizon3horizon3.ai
    security
  10. Why Dropbox chose Apache Supersetdropbox.tech
    news
  11. Horizon3 . CVE-2026-72898 SQL injectionhorizon3.ai
    security
  12. OpenCVE . CVE-2026-50148app.opencve.io
    security
  13. Tenable . CVE-2026-59826tenable.com
    security
  14. SentinelOne . CVE-2026-33725 Enterprise RCEsentinelone.com
    security
  15. GitHub . metabase/metabasegithub.com
    official
  16. Metabase product security pagemetabase.com
    official