Microsoft Power BI vs Metabase
Self-hosted for $4/mo on hetzner CAX11, versus $10-$5000/user/mo on Microsoft Power BI.
Side-by-side
| Microsoft Power BI | Metabase (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $10-$5000/user/mo | $4.13/mo flat (any team size) |
| Hosting | Microsoft Power BI's servers | Your VPS (hetzner CAX11) |
| Data ownership | Microsoft Power BI controls the data | Your disk, your encryption |
| Source code | Closed | Open (NOASSERTION) |
| Customization | API + integrations only | Full source access; modify freely |
| Maintenance burden | Zero | Backups + updates (Docker available) |
| Health score (ossreplace) | — | 80 / 100 |
Why teams leave Microsoft Power BI
- Per-user fees stack quickly for teams
- Ecosystem-locked to Microsoft data sources
- Premium capacity is enterprise-only
Metabase answers this by: Connect to any database, unlimited users, self-host on Linux.
The cost math
Assumes 5-person team using Microsoft Power BI at the midpoint price ($2505/user/mo).
| Period | Microsoft Power BI | Metabase on hetzner | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $12525 | $4.13 | $12520.87 |
| Yearly | $150300 | $49.56 | $150250.44 |
| 3 years | $450,900 | $149 | $450,751 |
Deploy Metabase now
One-click deploys at the cheapest provider for this workload:
Affiliate disclosure — these links may earn ossreplace a commission at no cost to you.
Common questions
Is Metabase a good alternative to Microsoft Power BI?
Metabase is an open-source, self-hostable alternative to Microsoft Power BI with an ossreplace health score of 80/100 — a composite of project activity, maturity, community, security, and adoption. It runs on your own hetzner VPS from $4.13/mo with full source access under the NOASSERTION license, versus Microsoft Power BI's $10–5000/user/mo hosted plans.
How much cheaper is Metabase than Microsoft Power BI?
A 5-person team pays about $12525/mo on Microsoft Power BI. Self-hosting Metabase on hetzner CAX11 costs a flat $4.13/mo regardless of team size — roughly $450,751 less over three years (100% lower).
Is Metabase hard to self-host?
Metabase ships a Docker setup, so deployment is usually a single docker-compose command on a $4.13/mo VPS. You own the backups and updates, and there are no per-seat fees.
Do you keep control of your data with Metabase vs Microsoft Power BI?
Yes. Because Metabase runs on your own server, the data lives on your disk under your encryption. With Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Power BI controls the hosting, storage, and access.