Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Apache Zeppelin VS Metabase

Compare Apache Zeppelin VS Metabase and see what are their differences

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Apache Zeppelin logo Apache Zeppelin

A web-based notebook that enables interactive data analytics.

Metabase logo Metabase

Metabase is the easy, open source way for everyone in your company to ask questions and learn from...
  • Apache Zeppelin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-21
  • Metabase Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-22

Apache Zeppelin features and specs

  • Interactive Data Exploration
    Apache Zeppelin supports interactive data exploration and visualization. Users can write code in multiple languages (e.g., SQL, Python, R) and immediately see the results, enabling dynamic data analysis.
  • Multi-language Support
    Zeppelin supports multiple languages and backend systems through its interpreters, including Apache Spark, Python, JDBC, and more. This makes it versatile for data scientists and analysts who work with different technologies.
  • Collaborative Environment
    Zeppelin provides a collaborative environment where multiple users can share notebooks and insights. This fosters team collaboration and enhances productivity among data teams.
  • Integration with Big Data Tools
    Zeppelin integrates well with big data tools like Apache Spark, Hadoop, and various data storage solutions, making it an excellent choice for large-scale data processing and analysis tasks.
  • Custom Visualizations
    Users can create rich, custom visualizations with Zeppelin's built-in visualization tools or by leveraging libraries like D3.js. This helps in presenting data insights in a more understandable and visually appealing manner.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Zeppelin

  • Steeper Learning Curve
    For beginners, the learning curve for Apache Zeppelin can be quite steep, especially if they are not familiar with the command-line interface or the underlying technologies like Apache Spark or Hadoop.
  • Performance Issues
    Zeppelin can face performance issues when handling very large datasets or complex visualizations, potentially leading to slower response times or the need for significant hardware resources.
  • Limited Language Support
    While Zeppelin supports multiple languages through its interpreters, it doesn't support as many languages as some other data science tools, which could be a limitation for some users.
  • Security Concerns
    Since Apache Zeppelin allows code execution on the server, there are inherent security risks. Proper security measures must be in place to prevent unauthorized access and code execution, which can complicate setup and maintenance.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing dependencies and interpreter configurations in Zeppelin can be cumbersome, particularly in complex projects with multiple dependencies. This can lead to configuration drift and other maintenance challenges.

Metabase features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Metabase offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for non-technical users to generate and analyze reports without requiring SQL knowledge.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, Metabase allows organizations to customize and extend the tool according to their needs, and it can be self-hosted to retain full control over data.
  • Quick Setup
    Deploying Metabase is straightforward and can be accomplished quickly, enabling teams to start analyzing data almost immediately.
  • Integrations
    Metabase integrates with a wide array of databases and data sources, making it versatile for organizations with diverse data environments.
  • Visualization Options
    It provides a variety of visualization options, from simple charts to complex dashboards, to help users better understand their data.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source project, Metabase has a strong community that contributes to its development and offers support through forums and documentation.
  • Embedded Analytics
    Metabase offers an embedded analytics feature which allows organizations to integrate dashboards and reports into their own applications.

Possible disadvantages of Metabase

  • Limited Advanced Analytics
    While great for basic reporting, Metabase lacks some of the advanced analytics capabilities offered by more specialized BI tools.
  • Scaling Issues
    Metabase might face performance issues as data volume and user base grow, making it less suitable for very large-scale deployments without significant optimization.
  • Customization Limitations
    Even though Metabase is open-source, some users find its customization options limited compared to other BI tools, especially regarding dashboard design.
  • Security Features
    The platform's security features are not as robust as those of some enterprise-level BI tools, potentially requiring additional measures for highly sensitive data.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Services
    For certain features, Metabase may rely on third-party services, which could introduce additional points of failure and dependency.
  • Limited Collaboration Tools
    Collaboration features are somewhat basic compared to those offered by more comprehensive BI platforms, possibly making teamwork less efficient.
  • No Mobile App
    Metabase does not offer a dedicated mobile app, which could be a limitation for users who need to access dashboards and reports on the go.

Analysis of Apache Zeppelin

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Apache Zeppelin is generally regarded as a good tool, particularly for data scientists and analysts who require a versatile environment for analyzing and visualizing complex datasets.

Why this product is good

  • Apache Zeppelin is considered a good tool because it offers a web-based notebook that supports interactive data analysis, visualization, and collaboration. It is versatile, supporting multiple languages such as Scala, Python, and SQL. It integrates well with big data technologies like Apache Spark and Hadoop, making it suitable for complex data processing and real-time analytics.

Recommended for

  • Data Scientists
  • Data Analysts
  • Machine Learning Engineers
  • Big Data Professionals
  • Teams requiring collaborative data analysis and visualization

Analysis of Metabase

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Metabase is a solid choice for businesses seeking an intuitive and powerful business intelligence tool. Its combination of ease of use, functionality, and cost-effectiveness makes it a popular option among small to medium-sized enterprises as well as larger organizations looking to empower their teams with data-driven insights.

Why this product is good

  • Metabase is considered good due to its user-friendly interface, which allows non-technical users to create and share dashboards and reports easily. It integrates seamlessly with various data sources and provides a flexible query builder for more advanced data analysis. Additionally, it offers an open-source version, which can be a cost-effective solution for organizations looking to implement business intelligence tools without incurring high expenses.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a budget-friendly BI tool
  • Teams with limited technical expertise who still need to access and analyze data
  • Organizations looking for open-source business intelligence solutions
  • Companies that require a tool that can quickly integrate with existing data sources

Apache Zeppelin videos

Apache Zeppelin Meetup

Metabase videos

What is Metabase?

More videos:

  • Demo - See Metabase in action in 5 mins
  • Review - Metabase vs Apache Superset: Which is best for your team?
  • Review - Metabase vs Tableau: Which is better for your team
  • Review - Metabase vs. Looker: Which is best for your team?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Zeppelin and Metabase)
Office & Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Data Dashboard
10 10%
90% 90
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
Data Visualization
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache Zeppelin and Metabase

Apache Zeppelin Reviews

12 Best Jupyter Notebook Alternatives [2023] – Features, pros & cons, pricing
Apache Zeppelin is an open-source platform for data science and analytics that is similar to Jupyter Notebooks. It allows users to write and execute code in a variety of programming languages, as well as include text, equations, and visualizations in a single document. Apache Zeppelin also has a built-in code editor and supports a wide range of libraries and frameworks,...
Source: noteable.io
The Best ML Notebooks And Infrastructure Tools For Data Scientists
Apache Zeppelin is another web-based open-source notebook popular among data scientists. The platform supports three languages – SQL, Python, and R. Zeppelin also backs interpreters such as Apache Spark, JDBC, Markdown, Shell, and Hadoop. The built-in basic charts and pivot table structures help to create input forms in the notebook. Zeppelin can be shared on Github and...

Metabase Reviews

Explore 6 Metabase Alternatives for Data Visualization and Analysis
Draxlr is an intuitive Metabase alternative, blending a robust no-code query builder with AI-powered SQL generation for both non-technical and advanced users. It seamlessly integrates with various databases and provides real-time alerts through Slack, email, and more. With features like embeddable dashboards, granular team access, customizable visualizations, and live data...
Source: www.draxlr.com
5 best Looker alternatives
Metabase: Metabase is an open-source BI tool that offers a free self-hosted plan, but this can be challenging for non-technical users who may struggle with setup and maintenance. While the cloud-hosted option simplifies that, it comes at a higher cost, which might not be ideal for smaller teams or businesses.
Source: www.draxlr.com
10 Best Alternatives to Looker in 2024
Metabase: Metabase is a popular open-source alternative known for its cost-effectiveness and ease of setup. Its simplicity and straightforward deployment make it particularly appealing to smaller businesses and startups.
6 Best Looker alternatives
If you’re considering Metabase, take a look at our deepdive into Looker vs Metabase, as well as a breakdown of top Metabase alternatives.
Source: trevor.io
10 Best Looker Alternatives in 2024 | A Practitioner Review
While Metabase may not offer the same depth in modeling features or the proprietary semantic layer (LookML) that Looker does, it can integrate with Cube.dev to provide a viable, modern, open-source alternative. Additionally, Metabase's alert feature and its general adequacy for IT-related reporting present a valuable, lightweight solution for teams not requiring the full...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Metabase should be more popular than Apache Zeppelin. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Zeppelin mentions (9)

  • 📊 Visualise Presto Queries with Apache Zeppelin: A Hands-On Guide
    In the previous article, we explored the installation of Presto. Building on that foundation, it's time to take your data exploration one step further by integrating Presto with Apache Zeppelin, a powerful web-based notebook that allows interactive data analytics. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Serverless Data Processing on AWS : AWS Project
    To do so, we will use Kinesis Data Analytics to run an Apache Flink application. To enhance our development experience, we will use Studio notebooks for Kinesis Data Analytics that are powered by Apache Zeppelin. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Serverless Apache Zeppelin on AWS
    Now we can proceed with the definition of Apache Zeppelin. It is a web-based notebook that enables data-driven, interactive data analytics and collaborative documents with Python, Scala, SQL, Spark, and more. You can execute code and even schedule a job (via cron) to run at regular intervals. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Visualization using Pyspark Dataframe
    Have you tried Apache Zepellin I remember that you can pretty print spark dataframes directly on it with z.show(df). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Fast CSV Processing with SIMD
    I used to use Zeppelin, some kind of Jupyter Notebook for Spark (that supports Parquet). But it may be better alternatives. https://zeppelin.apache.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
View more

Metabase mentions (17)

  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (April 2025)
    Metabase | https://metabase.com/ | Remote (Global) | Full-time | Applied AI Engineers, Engineering Managers, Frontend and Backend Engineers Metabase is an open source (https://github.com/metabase/metabase) business intelligence software that lets anyone in your company rummage around in the databases you have. It connects to a number of databases / data warehouses (BigQuery, Redshift, Snowflake, Postgres, MySQL,... - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2024)
    Metabase | https://metabase.com | REMOTE | Full-time | Backend Engineers, Frontend Engineers, and Engineering Managers Metabase is open source analytics software that lets anyone in your company rummage around in the databases you have. It connects to a number of databases / data warehouses (BigQuery, Redshift, Snowflake, Postgres, MySQL, etc). People rather like the product (https://metabase.com/love). We're a... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Tools for Starting a Business or Testing an Idea: A Beginner's Guide
    Reporting - Metabase A free, open-source business intelligence tool that helps you create custom reports and dashboards to track your business metrics and make data-driven decisions. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Is Tableau Dead?
    I've never used Tableau, but heard a lot of hate about it. However, in my previous role, we were big fans of Metabase (https://metabase.com). You can also self-host it, which was a huge win for us. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Open-Source Self-Hosted No-Code Platforms?
    The solution really depends on what sort of problems you are trying to solve and who your customers are. There are a fair few low-code solutions out there for reporting and data visualisation that are great for finance and marketing teams for example. e.g. https://metabase.com/ , https://evidence.dev/ For enterprise processes I'd go with Camunda (solely based on recommendations and not first hand experience).... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Zeppelin and Metabase, you can also consider the following products

Now Platform - Get native platform intelligence, so you can predict, prioritize, and proactively manage the work that matters most with the NOW Platform from ServiceNow.

Tableau - Tableau can help anyone see and understand their data. Connect to almost any database, drag and drop to create visualizations, and share with a click.

Amazon SageMaker - Amazon SageMaker provides every developer and data scientist with the ability to build, train, and deploy machine learning models quickly.

Microsoft Power BI - BI visualization and reporting for desktop, web or mobile

Adobe Flash Builder - If you are facing issues while downloading your Creative Cloud apps, use the download links in the table below.

Looker - Looker makes it easy for analysts to create and curate custom data experiences—so everyone in the business can explore the data that matters to them, in the context that makes it truly meaningful.