Dashboards and visualization for metrics, logs and traces from Prometheus, Loki and dozens of other sources.
- AGPL-3.0
- TypeScript
- Docker
- Actively maintained
Monitoring & Status Pages comparison
Grafana vs Metabase: which should you self-host in 2026?
Pick Grafana for real-time dashboards over metrics, logs and time-series data; pick Metabase for business intelligence questions over SQL databases that non-technical users can answer.
Both are open source and run on your own server. Below: a side-by-side of license, stack and features, live GitHub activity, and our verdict on who should pick which.
Easy way for everyone in your company to ask questions and learn from data.
- AGPL-3.0
- Clojure
- Docker
- Actively maintained
Head-to-head
Grafana vs Metabase, side by side
Hand-checked differences first, then live numbers from GitHub, refreshed with every catalog update.
| Aspect |  Grafana |  Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 (Grafana Enterprise is a separate commercial build) | AGPL-3.0 outside the enterprise directory, which is under the Metabase Commercial License |
| Language/stack | Go backend, TypeScript and React frontend | Clojure backend on the JVM, TypeScript and React frontend |
| Data sources | Prometheus, Loki, InfluxDB, Elasticsearch, SQL databases and many plugins | SQL databases and warehouses such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, BigQuery and Snowflake |
| Standout features | Alerting, time-series panels, plugin ecosystem, logs and traces correlation | Visual query builder, saved questions, models, scheduled reports by email or Slack |
| Database | SQLite by default, MySQL or PostgreSQL supported | H2 by default, PostgreSQL recommended for production |
| GitHub stars | 77,096 | 49,547 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 11,362 | 6,378 |
| Last commit | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
| Latest release | v13.2.3Sep 29, 2026 | v0.63.19Oct 1, 2026 |
| Main language | TypeScript | Clojure |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| Repository | grafana/grafana | metabase/metabase |
Swipe the table sideways to see both apps. GitHub figures come from the public API. Highlighted values are the higher of the two.
Verdict
Grafana is built for observability: Prometheus, Loki and time-series sources, alerting and operational dashboards. Metabase is built for business analytics: anyone can ask questions of a PostgreSQL or MySQL database with a point-and-click query builder and share the results.
Best for
Choose Grafana for
Infrastructure and application monitoring dashboards.
Best for
Choose Metabase for
Self-serve business analytics for non-technical teams.
Deploy either in minutes
Not sure yet? Spin up a small VPS or a managed instance, try both for a week, and keep the one that fits.
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Can Grafana be used for business intelligence?
It can chart SQL data, but it is designed for time-series and monitoring. Metabase is easier for ad hoc business questions.
Does Metabase do alerting?
Metabase can send alerts when a saved question returns results or crosses a goal line, but it is not a monitoring alerting system like Grafana's.
Can I run both?
Yes, many teams use Grafana for operations dashboards and Metabase for product and business reporting.
Which is more popular on GitHub, Grafana or Metabase?
Grafana has 77,096 GitHub stars against 49,547 for Metabase. Over the last twelve months Grafana received 11,362 commits and Metabase received 6,378, so Grafana is the more actively developed of the two right now. Stars measure interest, not fit, so weigh them against the differences above.
Keep comparing
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Metabase vs Apache Superset
Pick Metabase for the easiest setup and a query builder non-technical users love; pick Apache Superset for SQL-first teams that need many chart types and a permissive Apache license.
Metabase vs Redash
Pick Metabase for an actively developed BI tool with a visual query builder; pick Redash if your team writes SQL and wants a lightweight, BSD-licensed query and dashboard tool.
