Looker vs Metabase
Side-by-side from the Top 11 rankings of The 11 Best Data Visualization Tools and The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs. Last verified June 16, 2026.
The short answer
Looker ranks higher on Top 11 (#3 vs #8) for Analysts and data teams turning raw data into charts, dashboards, and reports / Small and mid-size business owners choosing BI and analytics tools (Tableau vs Power BI vs Looker). Excels at creating a consistent, governed data model.
At a glance
| Looker | Metabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #3 / The 11 Best Data Visualization Tools | #8 / The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 8.9 | 7.8 |
| Best for | Governed, centralized data modeling | Best open-source option |
| Pricing | $$$$ (Custom) | $$ ($85 to $500+/mo) |
| HQ | Santa Cruz, USA | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2012 | 2015 |
Metabase
The easiest way for non-technical users to ask questions of data.
www.metabase.com/See full entry in The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs
Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.