Metabase is a solid open-source project, and self-hosting has real advantages for teams with the technical resources to maintain it. But "free" doesn't count the engineering time spent hosting, securing, and updating the tool, nor the lack of vendor support when something breaks. Axiome is a managed service: you pay one simple price, and we handle the infrastructure, security, and updates.
| Axiome | Metabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding | Immediate — natural language, no training | Installation, configuration, and hosting on you |
| Built-in AI | Axi, native: questions, creation and explanations | Limited AI features |
| Hosting | Europe (Paris / Frankfurt), fully managed end-to-end | Self-hosted: your infrastructure, your responsibility |
| Pricing | €30 per user, all included | Free license, but add infrastructure and operating costs |
| Audience | Business teams, no technical expertise | Technical teams ready to operate the tool themselves |
| Metric governance | Semantic layer included, generated and maintained automatically | Data model to build and maintain yourself |
| Support | Fast, personal support directly from our team | Community and docs, no vendor support on the free edition |
What teams gain by moving to Axiome
The real cost of "free"
No server to manage, no upgrades to plan: the sticker price is the only cost.
Support when you need it
A team that answers, not a community forum.
Governance out of the box
Semantic layer generated and maintained automatically, no technical administration.
Comparison provided for information, made in good faith at publication date. Third-party features and prices evolve: check with the vendor. Metabase is a trademark of Metabase, Inc.
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