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Microsoft Power BI alternatives: 2 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 30, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Microsoft Power BI: desktop authoring app runs only on Windows, and sharing reports requires paid per-user or capacity licences. We ranked 2 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Microsoft Power BI, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Tableau currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Metabase logoMetabaseOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 559.6
  1. Metabase logo

    1. MetabaseTop pick

    Best for: Startups and product teams wanting quick, self-hosted dashboards on top of their own database

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power BI

    Open-source and self-hostable, with no Windows dependency for building questions and dashboards.

    Pros

    • Free open-source edition with unlimited users
    • Point-and-click question builder plus a SQL editor
    • Easy to self-host with Docker or a single JAR file
    • Popular choice for embedding analytics in a product

    Cons

    • Row-level permissions and SSO need a paid plan
    • Lighter data modelling than Tableau or Power BI
    • Paid cloud plans start at a noticeable monthly base price
    Visit Metabase Compare with Microsoft Power BIDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Metabase a good Microsoft Power BI alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPL (Open Source Edition)
    Checked Oct 30, 2026metabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Open Source, unlimited users
    Checked Oct 30, 2026metabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $100/month (Starter)
    Checked Oct 30, 2026metabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 30, 2026metabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Docker or JAR
    Checked Oct 30, 2026metabase.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Microsoft Power BI alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Tableau logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for most people

Tableau

Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Metabase logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for a free option

Metabase

Open-source and self-hostable, with no Windows dependency for building questions and dashboards.

Tableau logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Tableau

Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Metabase logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for open source

Metabase

Open-source and self-hostable, with no Windows dependency for building questions and dashboards.

Tableau logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for self-hosting

Tableau

Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Tableau logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for Mac

Tableau

Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Tableau logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for Windows

Tableau

Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Tableau logo

Best Microsoft Power BI alternative for working in the browser

Tableau

Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Microsoft Power BI alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Power BI?

Tableau ranks first right now. Richer visual exploration and runs on Mac too, at a higher per-user price.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Power BI?

Yes. Tableau (free plan + paid) and Metabase (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Power BI?

Yes: Metabase. Metabase can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Microsoft Power BI?

The complaints we hear most: desktop authoring app runs only on Windows; sharing reports requires paid per-user or capacity licences; licensing tiers and Fabric capacity options are hard to follow.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Microsoft Power BI, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.