Metabase alternative ·
Klipfolio vs Metabase
Connect your business tools straight to a dashboard, or explore data that already lives in a database. Here's how Klips and Metabase compare.
Comparing Klipfolio Klips, our dashboard product. Explore the upcoming AI analyst.
At a glance
| Metabase | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Teams & agencies | Database analytics |
| Starting price | $120 / mo | $90 / month |
| Pricing model | Flat, unlimited users | Plan + per-user add-ons |
| Connectors | 130+ | 20+ databases |
| Free option | 14-day trial | Open-source edition |
The short answer
Klips or Metabase?
Klips fits teams that want dashboards on top of their business apps, APIs and spreadsheets, with unlimited users and no warehouse to maintain. Metabase fits data teams whose data already lives in a database or warehouse and who want SQL, a visual query builder and the option to self-host.
Choose Klips if…
- YesYou want to connect SaaS tools and REST APIs directly, without loading data into a database first.
- YesYou want unlimited users on a flat plan instead of per-user Cloud pricing.
- YesYou need agency client accounts or custom HTML and JavaScript visuals on any plan.
Choose Metabase if…
- YesYou want a free, open-source BI tool you can host yourself.
- YesYour data already lives in a supported database or warehouse.
- YesYou need row- and column-level security inside the BI tool.
What sets Klips apart from Metabase
- 01
Connect business apps directly
Klips includes 130+ pre-built connectors and a generic REST API connector, so you can chart SaaS data without building a warehouse first. Metabase reads databases and warehouses, so app data has to land in one before Metabase can use it.
- 02
Unlimited users, no seat math
Every Klips plan includes unlimited users at a flat price. Metabase's open-source edition is free for unlimited users if you host it yourself, while Metabase Cloud includes 5 users on Starter and 10 on Pro, then charges per additional user.
- 03
Custom visuals on every plan
Klips supports custom HTML and JavaScript visuals alongside 30+ chart types and 100+ spreadsheet-style functions. Metabase ships 20+ built-in chart types and keeps custom visualizations for its Pro and Enterprise plans.
Feature comparison
- Yes Included
- Partial Limited or add-on
- No Not available
- 1 Vendor source
| Feature | Klips | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Data connections | ||
| Pre-built connectorsAll included on every Klips plan | 130+ | 20+ databases2Database and warehouse drivers rather than SaaS app connectors. |
| Generic REST API connectorPull from almost any JSON or XML API | Yes | No3Metabase reads databases and warehouses and doesn't call SaaS APIs directly. |
| SQL databases & cloud warehouses | Yes | Yes2 |
| Spreadsheets & cloud filesExcel, CSV, Google Sheets, Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint | Yes | CSV; Sheets via add-on4CSV uploads are stored in a connected database; Google Sheets sync needs the Metabase Cloud Storage add-on. |
| Needs a data warehouse first | No | Yes3Data must be in a database or warehouse, or uploaded as CSV. |
| Building dashboards | ||
| Data modelling & joins | Yes | Yes5 |
| Spreadsheet-style formulas | 100+ functions | Yes6Custom expressions in the query builder, plus a SQL editor. |
| Chart & visual types | 30+ | 20+7 |
| Custom HTML/JS visuals | Yes | Pro+7Custom Visualizations SDK on Pro and Enterprise. |
| Interactive filters & drill-down | Yes | Yes8 |
| Governed semantic layer | No | Yes5Models, metrics and Data Studio. |
| Sharing & access | ||
| User pricing | Unlimited users | OSS unlimited; Cloud by user1Cloud: 5 users on Starter, 10 on Pro, then billed per user. |
| Live dashboard links, no login | Grow+ / Lite+ | Yes10 |
| Scheduled email reportsKlips: PDF or image snapshots | Grow+ / Lite+ | Yes9Dashboard subscriptions by email or Slack, hourly to monthly. |
| TV / wallboard mode | Yes | Fullscreen + auto-refresh8Fullscreen dashboards with 1 to 60 minute auto-refresh. |
| Embed interactive dashboardsKlips embeds as live-updating images; interactive dashboards share by link | Partial | Guest embeds; SSO Pro+11View-only guest embeds on all plans; SSO embedding on Pro and Enterprise. |
| Agencies & client reporting | ||
| White-label & custom domain | Agency Pro+ / add-on | Pro+1 |
| Security & admin | ||
| SAML single sign-on | Plan / add-on | SAML on Pro+12Google sign-in and basic LDAP on all plans. |
| Custom roles & permissions | Yes | Yes13Data and collection permissions are assigned by group. |
| Row-level security | No | Pro+1 |
| SOC 2 report | Type I | Type II1 |
| AI & automation | ||
| REST management API | Yes | Yes14 |
| MCP server for AI assistantsLets Claude, ChatGPT and agents work with your Klips account | Yes | Yes15 |
| Ask questions in plain EnglishKlips AI is a Chrome-based AI assistant, available on all plans | Klips AI | Built-in Metabot16Bring your own model key, or use Metabase's AI service on Cloud. |
Some capabilities need a specific plan, add-on or setup. Features we couldn’t confirm from Metabase’s own documentation are left out, and connector counts use each vendor’s own definition. Numbered links go to the vendor pages behind each answer.
Pricing compared
Klips
$120 / month
Base plan, billed annually · plans to $600/mo
- Unlimited users on every plan
- All 130+ connectors included
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
Metabase
$90 / month
Cloud Starter: 5 users; USD $1,080 billed annually
- Open-source edition is free to self-host, with unlimited users.
- Extra Starter users are $65/year each; Pro is $517.50/month billed annually with 10 users.
- Row and column security, SAML SSO, white-labelling and custom visuals start on Pro.
- AI runs on your own model key, or Metabase's service at $3.75 per 1M tokens after 1M included.
Klips prices are in USD, billed annually. Metabase pricing reflects the plan named above, checked October 29, 2026; taxes, add-ons and usage charges may apply.
Switching from Metabase
- Step 1
Connect your sources
Point Klips at the same database Metabase reads from, or go straight to the business apps behind it with 130+ connectors and the REST API connector.
- Step 2
Rebuild one dashboard
Pick your most-used Metabase dashboard and recreate its questions as Klips, using SQL against your database or spreadsheet-style formulas. Check the numbers side by side for the same date range.
- Step 3
Share it with your team
Invite everyone who needs it; every Klips plan includes unlimited users. Publish live links or schedule email reports on Grow and above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & methodology
Written by Klipfolio. Metabase details come from Metabase’s public pricing and product documentation, checked on October 29, 2026; Klips details come from our current product and pricing. Features and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide. A listed capability doesn’t mean the two work identically. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.