Metabase

Metabase is an open-source business intelligence platform designed to make data accessible to everyone in your organization. Instead of requiring SQL knowledge or technical training, it provides a visual query builder that lets users click and drag to create charts, graphs, and dashboards.

The platform connects to over 20 different databases and data sources, from PostgreSQL and MySQL to cloud services like BigQuery and Snowflake. It queries your data directly without copying or storing it elsewhere, which keeps everything secure and up-to-date.

Metabase offers both self-hosted and cloud deployment options. The open-source version includes all core features for free, while paid plans add advanced permissions, embedding capabilities, and professional support. Whether you're a startup analyzing customer data or an enterprise building internal dashboards, Metabase scales from simple charts to complex multi-user analytics platforms.

Using Metabase is straightforward and designed for non-technical users. Here's how to get started:

• Step 1: Choose your deployment
  Sign up for Metabase Cloud for instant access, or download the open-source version to host yourself. The cloud option includes automatic updates and support.

• Step 2: Connect your data
  Add your database by entering connection details. Metabase supports popular databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, and cloud data warehouses without requiring data imports.

• Step 3: Ask questions
  Use the visual query builder to create questions by selecting tables, choosing columns, and adding filters. No SQL knowledge needed, though power users can write custom queries.

• Step 4: Build dashboards
  Combine multiple charts and questions into interactive dashboards. Add filters and customize layouts to create comprehensive views of your data.

• Step 5: Share insights
  Share dashboards with team members, embed them in other apps, or schedule automated reports via email. Set permissions to control who sees what data.

• Visual query builder with no-code data exploration

• Connect to 20+ databases and data sources

• Interactive dashboards with drill-down capabilities

• Automated reports and alerts via email/Slack

• Advanced embedding with white-labeling options

• Row and column-level security controls

• SSO integration and user management

• Open-source with cloud hosting options

• SQL editor for advanced users

• Mobile-responsive dashboards